Member Article

Refurbishment project improving the lives of thousands of Yorkshire households wins construction award

A refurbishment project which has led to improvements to more than 2,500 homes across Yorkshire has won a prestigious industry award.

Keepmoat Property Services won the ‘Project of the Year’ accolade at the Committed to Construction in West Yorkshire (CCIWY) Awards after installing high-quality new kitchens and bathrooms and fitting electrical upgrades to 488 homes on behalf of the Bradford- headquartered housing association Accent Group.

As part of the £5m a year project Keepmoat Property Services installed 378 new kitchens, 488 new bathrooms as well as making adaptations to 96 properties as part of a plan to improve the lives of elderly and disabled residents.

The electrical updgrades, which saw Leeds-based Keepmoat Property Services install 36 heating systems is estimated to save the Accent Group £480 per property and a total of £17,280 across one housing scheme alone.

Keepmoat Property Services, based in Holbeck, Leeds, has carried out the improvement works to more than 2,500 properties, and 200 estates in Yorkshire over the last five years.

As part of the work Keepmoat Property Services, which employs more than 500 staff, offered two work experience placements and took on five apprentices who were based at Accent’s own Training Centre in Bradford.

The apprenticeship programme saw youngsters such as 19-year-old Declan Hall given the opportunity to earn money while learning new skills and kick off a career in the construction and maintenance industry.

Keepmoat Property Services, which provides a responsive repairs and maintenance service to clients across the UK, won the top prize at the Chartered Institute of Building’s CCIWY awards held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on Friday, March 21.

Across the entire refurbishment programme 100% of the works were finished on time with the scheme completing two weeks ahead of schedule. Customer satisfaction for the project reached 96%.

Accent Group resident Jayne Hamill, of Clough Street, Bradford, said: “The whole team, including the contractors have been an absolute pleasure, they have maintained high standards when working in my home and they deserve the recognition of a job well done.

“If I could give them an award it would be an ‘Award for Excellence’. They have been courteous, professional, friendly and accommodating at all times. The team are a credit to Keepmoat, nothing has been too much trouble!”

In addition, Keepmoat Property Services staff donated more than 345 hours helping 30 community events in Bradford and west Yorkshire areas, including a ‘Suits on the Street’ sleep out event near Forster Square train station to raise awareness of rough sleeping. Their staff also worked on coffee mornings, created pathways, and grassed areas to provide safe access for elderly residents, installed a communal BBQ area and supported one of Accent’s nominated charities, Inn Churches, by donating time and support to its fundraising events.

Helen Francis, Business Development Director for Keepmoat Property Services, said: “This award win is real evidence of the excellent work our staff carry out, the focus we place on helping the communities in which we work and the commitment we make to provide excellent customer service for our clients.

“This refurbishment contract has seen us further strengthen our relationship with Accent Group having carried out responsive repairs and maintenance works for Accent’s 7,000 northern properties over the last five years.”

“This project has delivered demonstrable savings and benefits for our client, as well as Bradford residents and the wider community. We are delighted this achievement has been recognised in these prestigious awards.”

Michael Rushton, Accent Contracts Officer, said: “Our partnership with Keepmoat has been a very positive experience. The team at Keepmoat have worked hard to deliver this project as efficiently as possible with tangible savings and added value whilst constantly bringing in new ideas and focusing on customer service. As a result our customers have been delighted with the excellent service, respect and care they receive as well as the quality of their home improvements.”

The CCIWY Awards evening, which was held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, showcased the professionalism, excellence and innovation that is at the heart of West Yorkshire’s construction community. Eleven award categories were chosen to reflect the diverse issues that are current in the modern construction industry.

Keepmoat was also been shortlisted in the training category for its commitment to employment and skills at its Middleton development in Leeds in partnership with the Sanctuary Group.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hazel Rycroft .