As featured in PBC Today

Delivering complex façade remediation in occupied buildings.

Writing for PBC Today, Shaun McCluskey explains how early investigation, coordinated design and careful planning help keep occupied buildings safe and in use while intrusive remediation takes place.

Publication

PBC Today

Published

29 September 2026

Written by

Shaun McCluskey

Topics

Façade remediation, Building Safety Act, Pre-construction

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PBC Today Feature at a Glance

The UK faces a large programme of building envelope remediation, much of it in homes, schools and healthcare buildings that stay in use throughout. Shaun sets out how contractors can protect occupants, phase the work and use early involvement to prepare higher-risk buildings for Gateway 2.

Three key takeaways

Protect occupants and plan access

Opening up external walls happens while people live and work in the building. Screening, agreed working hours, regular updates and exclusion zones keep site activity apart from occupants and fire escapes clear.

Phase the work by zone

Dividing elevations into work zones limits the exposed façade, access equipment and exclusion areas at any one time, supporting weather protection, quality control and safe handovers.

Involve the contractor early

For higher-risk buildings, a Pre-Construction Services Agreement can cover intrusive diagnostics, sequencing, Golden Thread information and readiness for Gateway 2, the statutory hold point before work begins.

Shaun McCluskey, Operations Director, Starfish Construction

“The technical challenge extends well beyond material replacement. In an occupied building, early intrusive investigation, a phased work-zone plan and a Pre-Construction Services Agreement give clients the evidence and sequence they need to remediate safely, prepare for Gateway 2 and keep residents and services in place.”

SHAUN MCCLUSKEY
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
STARFISH CONSTRUCTION

Featured in the article

Winchester Mews, Swiss Cottage

A mixed-use scheme with homes above an NHS surgery and leisure centre. Shaun describes how early surveys, phased access planning and close coordination with stakeholders helped keep the building safely in use throughout the façade remediation.

View the project profile

PBC Today · 29 September 2026

Read the full article

The complete feature, including Shaun's guidance on what a Pre-Construction Services Agreement can cover and why a whole-building approach matters, is published on the PBC Today website.

Read on PBC Today