Delivering Weathertightness Remediation for Boulcott School.
Project Overview
Boulcott School’s Block A, comprising administration, classrooms, staff areas, library, and a community hall, required extensive weathertightness remediation to address significant water ingress and timber decay. The scope involved full recladding with drained and ventilated cavity systems, new James Hardie weatherboard products, replacement of joinery and roofing elements, installation of new skylights, and fire compliance upgrades, including exit signage and a Type 4 alarm system. Structural and subfloor remediation works were required where decay was uncovered, along with accessibility and safety upgrades, including new ramps, handrails, stair nosings, and emergency lighting. Internal improvements included flooring replacement, HVAC installation, and upgraded insulation and finishes. The project was delivered on a live school campus, requiring careful staging, temporary fencing, and health and safety coordination to ensure school operations continued safely throughout construction.
Our Approach
Acting as Engineer to the Contract, Project Manager, and Quantity Surveyor, Hampton Jones managed the project from procurement through to final account.
As Project Manager, we coordinated the contractor, consultants, and the school to manage sequencing around daily operations, ensuring disruption was minimised. As Engineer to the Contract, we administered NZS 3910 impartially, certifying payments and managing variations arising from latent conditions, such as rotting framing and defective roofing.
Our Quantity Surveying role ensured disciplined financial management, with monthly cost reports to the Ministry of Education and transparent assessment of contractor claims. Provisional sums were monitored closely and balanced against discovered scope, including additional roof framing, HVAC, and flooring works. Consistent communication kept the Ministry fully informed of programme and cost implications as the works evolved.
The Result
The project was completed with a final variation uplift of just under 10% of the original contract sum. This increase reflects the additional remediation work discovered during construction. Despite these increases, clear cost reporting and proactive management gave the Ministry full visibility and certainty throughout.
The outcome was a watertight, compliant, and future-proofed Block A building, reinstating a safe and durable environment for students, staff, and the wider school community. The upgraded building envelope, fire protection measures, accessibility improvements, and internal finishes extended the facility’s design life and enhanced comfort for its users.