Tax office turns into luxury flats with REHAU help

An office building formerly used by HM Customs & Excise is undergoing a transformation from a dilapidated office block into luxury apartments, with help from REHAU‘s fenestration and curtain walling.

Balconies and winter gardens will now adorn the building, all drawn together with modern rendered facades, large sections of glazing and aluminium-effect REHAU windows and doors.

This project has been delivered by Tustin Developments; a Preston-based property development and investment company.

Having recently completed an office to apartments project in Preston itself, the company leapt at the chance to buy Petros House when it came up for sale in Lytham St Anne’s.

Andrew Roberts, Managing Director at Tustin Developments, said they were ‘delighted’ when Petros House came on the market, as they could see its huge potential.

The building was said to extremely dull but structurally sound, so the floor slabs, support columns and stairwells were kept intact, with the decision made to transform the front façade with large expanses of glass, private balconies and winter gardens.

Before the project, as Petros House. Tustin Heights is scheduled to open autumn 2018.

“We used REHAU curtain walling, which is very on trend and gives the building a wow factor, but on a practical note it also ensures each apartment is flooded with light – a big draw for modern homebuyers,” Andrew said.

Plans for the development include 35 one and two-bedroom luxury apartments,  along with a resident’s gym on the ground floor.

In terms of curtain walling, Andrew was asked to investigate both aluminium and PVC-U alternatives for the curtain walling.

He had reservations PVC-U products being structurally equal to aluminium but after speaking to REHAU and its preferred fabricator and installer Per-Fit about the Polytec 50 curtain walling system, it was soon evident strength would be mo issue.

Andrew Roberts said that Polytec 50 was not only a thermally efficient sub-frame, but also structurally very sound as it was reinforced with steel.

Mike Fish, Senior Estimator at Per-Fit, commented: “We did some cost-engineering with the specification for the curtain walling, windows and doors using a selection of REHAU products.

“The quote came in significantly cheaper than the aluminium alternatives, and all without any drop in performance.”

The aesthetics of the glazing products of this project was vital, so Per-Fit recommended a smooth anthracite foil for the PVC-U products.

A contemporary finish assured, akin to aluminium, one major advantage of using white PVC-U windows with grey foil on the outer surface is that its bright and clean for residents.

Mike continues: “The specification used REHAU’s Polytec curtain walling for the front façade, TOTAL70 fully reversible casement windows for the apartments and AGILA multi-fold doors for the ground floor flats.

“As we are using REHAU products across the board, there is certainly a seamless continuity in design between the windows, the doors and curtain walling, which the developer is very pleased with.”

Contact:

REHAU
Hill Court,
Walford,
Ross on Wye,
Herefordshire,
HR9 5QN

Email address: [email protected]
Tel: 01989 72600

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