Surface: Cladding

Building clean down for the Babcock Technology Centre

The Babcock Technology Centre is a five-storey office building located in the Bristol Business Park, just north of Bristol City Centre. The 85,790 sq ft building has been created to accommodate various operating divisions of the international engineering support services company, the Babcock Group. OneFifty was contracted by the building contractor to carry out a final building clean before the new occupants started to move in.

Two-tone composite cladding and glass

The exterior of the building is comprised of tall vertical composite panels clad in two colour tones and huge glazed window panels all of which needed to be cleaned. Our mission was to clean the panels and windows and ensure everything was left sparkling clean.

Know-how achieves the best results

We used our Reach and Wash system to carry out the work, alongside one of our MEWPs to allow us to access and clean the highest sections of the building.

Reach and Wash uses deionised water applied using a soft brush from a water-fed pole to leave a crystal clear finish. However, the operator needs to achieve an even pressure across all surfaces being cleaned to ensure the best possible result. We find that, the longer the pole, the less control the operator has, especially using a pole longer than 10 meters. Using our MEWP to access the highest areas of the building allows us to use shorter poles, which are lighter and easier to control, thus guaranteeing the best possible finish across both the cladding and the glass.

Our client was delighted with the outcome, and impressed by how we planned and managed the project, including dealing with the Health and Safety element of the high-level access. We are looking forward to working with them again soon.

To find out more about our exterior cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Exterior surface cleaning – Mallard Road Retail Park

We recently cleaned the building façades and paved areas of the Mallard Road Retail Park in Bournemouth. We were contracted to carry out the clean by a third-party grounds maintenance company that often uses our exterior surface cleaning services to compliment the work that it does.

first impressions really count

In retail, first impressions really do count; keeping the building façades and paved areas of a retail park clean and well-maintained helps create a good first impression.

The way the shops look from the outside, is seen as an indication of what shoppers can expect to find on the inside. A poorly maintained exterior is likely to put people off visiting, which, in turn, will have a negative impact on sales.

In the current environment, retail parks need to do everything they can to enhance their customers ‘user experience’ in order to encourage more people to visit and shop at their centres.

Out of hours cleaning for minimum interruption to business

We do a lot of exterior surface cleaning at retail parks and this was a straightforward project for our experienced team. The cleaning was done out-of-hours to reduce impact for businesses and shoppers, as well as to allow us to get the work done as efficiently as possible. This also reduces potential health and safety issues associated with carrying out cleaning when there are people in the vicinity, so it works for all parties.

Regular cleaning helps maintain appearances

Everyone was delighted by the standard of our work, as well as the efficient planning and implementation of the entire project. We have now been booked to carry out regular annual cleaning of the building façades, as well as six-monthly cleans of the paved areas, to help ensure that the shopping centre continues to look its best.

To find out more about our exterior cleaning services for retail parks please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Cladding Cleaning – Tower Park leisure & entertainment centre

Creating a good first impression is really important, especially in the leisure and entertainment industry. The exterior of a venue is seen as a reflection of what people can expect to find inside, as well as the products and services on offer – so a poor appearance is likely to have a negative impact and potentially put people off visiting.

The management company in charge of maintaining the Tower Park leisure and entertainment centre is well aware of this. They contracted OneFifty to clean the exterior façades of this enormous centre.

Tower Park is one of Poole’s largest leisure and entertainment destinations serving the communities within Poole, Dorset and Bournemouth. It occupies an area of 199,000 sq. ft, and has an open plaza between the buildings with outdoor seating for visitors. Leisure and entertainment facilities include; Splashdown – a massive water park with 13 outdoor and indoor flume rides, a 16-screen multiplex Cineworld Cinema, a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, a kids soft play centre, a bingo hall and a gym. It also has a variety of popular food outlets including Nandos, Pizza Hut, Pizza Express, KFC and Taco Bell.

Keeping up appearances

In a previous refurbishment project many of the building exteriors had been clad with either metal or plastic cladding. Over time, these clad façades had become dirty and stained, and they were in need of a thoroughly good clean.

OneFifty has particular expertise in cleaning clad surfaces, we know the best way to remove dirt and staining as well as how to treat the surfaces so that they stay clean for longer once we have completed our work.

Our experienced team also have the right cleaning equipment and access systems to be able to carry out the cleaning efficiently and effectively, with work being completed out-of-hours to ensure minimum interruption to business.

What a difference a clean makes

The huge branded façades of Cineworld and Splashdown were transformed once we had completed cleaning and the whole centre looked pristine and welcoming. The management company was so pleased with our work that they have added us as a preferred supplier and will be contacting us for other projects in the near future.

To find out more about our high-level cladding cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Cleaning Cardiff’s tallest building

Bridge Street Exchange is a 26 storey high-rise building with conjoining 11 and 5 storey blocks. It’s a mixed-use development providing high quality student accommodation as well as retail units on the ground floor.

At 85 metres Bridge Street Exchange is the tallest building in Cardiff and we were really excited to be asked to carry out the cleaning of such an impressive high-rise building.

Straightforward maintenance cleaning…

It was actually a pretty straightforward maintenance clean of the building’s aluminium-clad façade and windows, prompted in-part by increased quantities of dirt and dust being created by a nearby building site. We used a mix of hand cleaning and reach and wash, using pure water, to remove the dirt and leave both the cladding and the windows sparkling clean.

… extremely high-level access

Not surprisingly, given the height of the building, it was the complex high-level access that presented the challenge. Our expert team used a combination of rope access for the higher level cleaning and a cherry picker to reach and clean the lower level areas of the building.

Efficient, cost-effective and fully compliant

This combination proved both the most efficient and cost-effective way of tackling the Bridge Street Exchange cleaning project.

Our experienced IRATA and IPAF qualified operators carried out the high-level cleaning work safely and efficiently, delivering an excellent result. And of course, we have Health and Safety and insurance fully covered, providing peace of mind for our client.

To find out more about our high level exterior building cleaning services contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Helping keep Big Yellow Self Storage units looking their best

Big Yellow Self Storage has over 100 storage units located throughout UK and OneFifty has cleaned the exterior cladding of pretty much all of them.

We started working with Big Yellow Self Storage (who also own Armadillo Self Storage) more than five years ago and are delighted that they keep coming back to us to clean their storage units, car parks and gutters.

High profile locations

You will almost certainly have seen one of Big Yellow’s eye catching self-storage units as they are usually located on a main road. With such high profile locations it’s important that their buildings look their best – well maintained and clean.

Excellent service and value

The company expects an efficient, timely and courteous service as well as excellent standards of cleaning, and knows it can trust OneFifty to deliver on these requirements.

Cost is always an important consideration when it comes to building maintenance, our efficient planning and highly effective cleaning systems allow us to offer competitive rates. But good value doesn’t mean poor service – the quality of our cleaning and high standard of our customer service have helped ensure that Big Yellow choose to use our services year after year.

Planning for success

It’s often the little things that matter, like calling to pre-confirm dates for cleaning and checking we can gain entry and carry out work safely and efficiently. Space can be tight on these sites but our experienced team knows to bring along niche access equipment that allows us to get the job done.

Bright,  Bright sun-shiny units

Our pressurised steam cleaning equipment is brilliant for cleaning the aluminium cladding and it’s always pleasing to see these units transformed back to their original bright, sun shiny yellow.

We’ve always received very positive feedback from everyone at Big Yellow Self Storage and look forward to continuing to work with the group for many years to come.

To find out more about exterior cleaning for multi-site units please contact Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445 or email and we will get back to you.

 

Going the extra mile for our clients

When a challenging clean cropped up in Scotland, we had a piece of the dirty cladding couriered to us to work out the best course of action.

At OneFifty, we pride ourselves on having the solution to almost every challenge posed by external cleaning. So when a client in Scotland approached us with a difficult cleaning job, we knew we could deal with it even if it meant having to go the extra mile.

The cladding of the building in question had become dirtied/discoloured and all attempts to remove the staining had failed. Having discovered that we have the tools and knowledge to eliminate most contaminants, the client got in touch with us to tackle it.

Thinking outside the box

To determine the best cleaning method to remove a contaminant, we would usually attend the site to test our equipment and approaches. With coronavirus restrictions in place and time being of the essence, we arranged for a sample of the cladding to be sent by courier to our headquarters. There, we were able to try out different methods to see what would work best.

Once we had the solution we were able to confidently send the OneFifty team to Scotland to complete the job. The client was delighted with the results and praised our quick-thinking solution to the problem.

If you have a cleaning challenge you can’t solve, Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445 or email your cleaning enquiry and a member of our team will get back to you as quickly as possible.

K-Rend render cleaning in Portishead

At OneFifty we’ve worked with Jones Building Group on a number of cleaning projects, building a strong working relationship with them over the years.

So, when Jones Building Group needed a reliable exterior building cleaning company to clean the building’s K-rend render, wooden cladding and glass before beginning planned maintenance work, they contacted us.

A streaky situation

The block of flats on Kittiwake Drive in Portishead had become badly marked by algae, moss, lichen and organic growth, causing unsightly streaks, especially on the walls under residents’ balconies.

Large areas of the building had become marked black with algae, making the building’s exterior look unsightly and uncared for. Residents’ balconies had also become affected by organic growth, making the surface slippery and unsafe.

Looking after the residents

Before we started work, the residents were contacted asking them to move any plants and furniture on their balconies out of the way, so nothing was damaged during cleaning. Once we’d safely cleared any remaining items to ensure nothing got broken or damaged the team got to work.

Exterior building cleaning

At the rear of the building we used an all-terrain tracked spider boom to reach the top of the block of flats from the lawned area behind the building, preventing damage to the turf while giving us safe access to clean the top of the building. At the front of the flats we used a boom lift to reach the 16-meter cleaning heights.

As part of our cleaning process we treated the exterior building surfaces with a biocide to make sure all organic growth was effectively removed. This also helps to protect the building’s surface by inhibiting regrowth, so the render stays cleaner for longer. In some areas the team applied several coatings of the biocide to make sure all of the algae was properly removed.

Once all the organic growth had been removed we gave the entire building a final steam clean to ensure a pristine finish.

A proper job

We completed our initial building clean in plenty of time, meaning Jones Building Group could start their maintenance works as planned and stay on schedule for the project.

Once Jones Building Group had finishing their work to the building’s cladding we came back to give the building a final clean, focusing on the glass balcony screens and windows, so the residents had a spotless view of their brilliantly cleaned and maintained building.

Mark Sheffield, Contracts Manager at Jones Building Group says of working with us at Kittiwake Drive:

“We’ve used OneFifty for several years, they’re our go-to supplier for exterior building cleaning. The project at Kittiwake Drive was fairly straightforward and as always OneFifty got the job done with no fuss. They’re very reliable and like Ronseal their exterior building cleaning service does what it says on the tin.”

Major project carried out with minimum fuss

OneFifty was contracted to carry out the external cleaning of a sizeable office building situated in Bristol’s busy business quarter Temple Quay.

The exterior surfaces included metal clad pillars, stone lintels, 6 separate corrugated roof areas and an outdoor top-floor terrace. We also cleaned the external pathways, entrance ramps, front steps and a large domed area of block paving outside the front entrance of the building.

We love a challenge!

This was a sizeable project; the building is six storeys high with a foot print of around 2,500 square metres. The location, height and structure of the building all presented different challenges – aside from a pretty tight deadline!

We used tracked and truck-mounted cherry pickers to achieve the required height and a vertical out-reach of up to 32 metres, then rope access to get up close to some of the harder to reach surfaces of the building façade. This combination allowed our operators to reach and clean every last inch of the building exterior, achieving fantastic results for our client. They also worked flat out over 14 consecutive days to complete the task within the required time frame.

Meeting all Health and Safety requirements

Health and safety is always critical in our line of work and it was of paramount importance on this project.

Temple Quay is a busy area and the building is surrounded by pedestrian walkways. Being experienced in working in public spaces our team can minimise any inconvenience to passers-by and our flexible working hours mean we can work out of hours to help reduce disruption.

OneFifty’s experienced operators are IPAF and IRATA trained and we follow tried and tested procedures that support safe working. We also have all the necessary insurances in place – so that our clients can have complete peace of mind.

Reduce damage caused by dirt and algae  

Cleaning the building exterior not only makes the building look great, it also helps preserve the materials and the structure of the building, warding off costly repairs. Cladding can fail if not properly maintained, so regular cleaning is important. On this building some of the metal cladding had begun to oxidise so we used a special cleaning agent to remove the oxidation, then applied a wax covering to protect the surface and improve its appearance.

Being in the city centre (and near a train station) many of the external surfaces of the building had become badly stained by environmental pollution, others had been colonised by algae. We used pressurised steam at 150 degrees to remove these pollutants quickly and effectively. We also treated relevant surfaces with an algae inhibitor to discourage regrowth. While we had the access equipment in place we also arranged for the windows to be cleaned so that the whole building was left looking clean and shining like new.

For more information about exterior surface cleaning contact Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible. 

 

Warehouse cleaning

We recently cleaned the exterior of a huge warehouse as part of a refurbishment project. Work included cleaning external metal clad walls, yellow metal roller doors and brickwork. The unit had been out of use for some time and the exterior surfaces were covered in black and green algae and lichen, making it look very much the worse for wear. All exterior surfaces needed to be thoroughly cleaned and made ready for painting.

Algae – a perennial problem

Algae spores are airborne; when they land on an exterior surface all they require to grow and flourish is moisture. Hard exterior surfaces, such as stone, concrete, brick or metal, located in damp, shady places are all vulnerable to contamination. Although growth tends to be more significant in autumn and winter, it can happen in any season if the surface is persistently damp and shady. As you can see from the pictures below it creates unsightly stains, moreover it can contribute to more rapid degeneration of the surface material.

A belt and braces approach gets the best results

Algae can be challenging to remove but OneFifty’s tried and tested cleaning process always achieves the best possible results.

  • First we clean the surface using steam cleaning, pressurised steam heated to 150 degrees, which delivers powerful cleaning whilst still being gentle on the surface material.
  • Next we apply our own chemical wash specifically developed to tackle algae staining which ensures the final pass with steam cleaning will remove all trace of the algae and leave the surfaces really clean.
  • We can also apply a OneFifty inhibitor developed to deter future growth and keep the building exterior looking clean and fresh for as long as possible.

Pressurised steam achieves a brilliant outcome

Our team worked really hard to make sure that the cleaning of this huge unit was completed to a high standard and on deadline. Every exterior surface was left looking really clean and fresh – without a trace of algae, lichen or any other contaminant.

The property managers were delighted with the outcome, the reburbishment has now been completed ready for the new tenants to move in.

If you would like to know more about pressurised steam cleaning or removing algae from a building exterior call Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry we would be pleased to be of help.

Tried and tested nationwide cleaning

Over 2018 we have been carrying out regular exterior cleaning for Big Yellow Self Storage. The company has massive yellow storage units located in most major cities throughout the UK. This has allowed us to stress-test our nationwide service and ensure that we are hitting the mark in terms of quality of cleaning, timeliness of delivery and customer service.

From Gateshead in the North to Poole in the South

We’ve now completed more than 25 Big Yellow Self Storage units in Bristol, Cardiff, Colchester, Edinburgh, Gateshead, Gloucester, Nottingham, Poole, Sheffield and Stockport as well as in and around London. Our team really enjoy the challenge that this work brings and pull out all the stops to carry out the cleaning to a very high standard, within the allotted time and with a minimum of fuss.

Flexible working to meet our clients needs

In terms of timing we always plan work to suit our clients’ requirements and adhere to agreed schedules in order to cause minimum inconvenience. We also pre-confirm dates for cleaning and make sure that we are expected on site. Our operators can either start really early or work late into the night (as can be seen from the images below) to ensure they get the job done on deadline.

Staying safe when working at high level

We are genius at working at high level and know how to source and install niche access equipment that allows us to reach even the hardest to get to places. We always carry out rigorous Health and Safety checks in advance to ensure that our staff are properly kitted out with the appropriate equipment and that work is carried out safely – so our clients can rest assured that everything is compliant with Health and Safety requirements.

On several units we also cleaned out the gutters while we were up on the roof which will help protect the buildings from water damage, providing additional value for Big Yellow Self Storage.

If you want to find out more about multi-site cleaning anywhere in the UK contact Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445 or email and we will get back to you.