JARROLDS NORWICH

Project: Jarrolds Department Store
Client:  Jarrolds
Services provided:  Building Defects Advice
Contract value:  Undisclosed

The Jarrolds’ Department Store in Norwich, which was built in 1923, has a number of basements vaults that significantly predate the existing building. The vaults were used for storage but water ingress was potentially limiting this valuable ‘back of house’ space for the retail store.

The Daniel Connal Partnership was appointed to determine the cause of the water ingress, advise on the cost of remedial works and subsequently implement the scheme to provide dry and clean spaces.

We undertook investigations, determining that corrosion of steel built into the pavements above the vaults was allowing water ingress and potentially causing failure of the pavement. The works were complicated by the presence of a mains electricity cable in the pavement, asbestos being present and the requirement to close the highway which necessitate the appropriate licences.

Remedial works, for which we provided a budget estimate, needed careful planning with sectional working to minimize the disruption to the store in terms of temporary loss of basement storage as well as loss of shop frontage and to avoid closure of the main entrance.

The defect was successfully diagnosed and remedied without undue disruption to the store, or adjacent pavements etc.