Social housing developments play an important role within every community, however as the buildings age landlords can often find it difficult to ensure that their repair and maintenance budget not only provides a nice place to live for their present occupants – but that it will also safeguard the facility for the future.
Maturing residential properties might find particular problems arising from floors that have reached the end of their life, with the weather and constant use deteriorating the finish.
The asphalt floor initially installed on balconies can be especially problematic, as exposure to the elements will often cause this asphalt layer to deteriorate. A failed balcony floor could expose the concrete substrate and steel underneath to damaging water ingress and even cause water damage to properties below. Fortunately balcony protection systems exist that can be applied on top of the existing asphalt to solve the problem and protect the structure.
In fact the choice of floor can have ramifications for a wide range of reasons, for example a soft or porous surface might inadvertently worsen the tenants living conditions by absorbing odours and a floor without the right level of grip could become a dangerous slip hazard.
Resin floors are proving to be a popular refurbishment option within the social housing sector for their ability to provide a seamless, weather-proof finish that can be customised to meet specific requirements. This type of flooring is also able to withstand constant wear and exposure over an extended lifecycle, reducing the need for frequent repairs and providing a long-term solution.
And alongside the functional considerations, the building needs to be a pleasant place to live. Resin floors can be chosen in a variety of attractive colours and can even have decorative aggregates incorporated within the floor to make it an attractive, eye-catching surface.
To further enhance the living conditions of residents, fast curing resin solutions avoid the inconvenience of lengthy installations, meaning that the tenants can get back to their everyday lives sooner in comparison to alternative systems that could take days or weeks to fully cure
Flowcrete UK will be talking about the benefits of resin floors to landlords and social housing owners at CIH Housing 2014 (running from the 24-26 June at Manchester Central). If you can’t wait till then and have a specific question about whether a Flowcrete floor is right for you then give us a ring or leave a comment below.
