‘Measure twice, cut once’ is one of the building industry’s best-known sayings, yet rework remains a significant challenge. One recent whitepaper claimed that up to 30% of construction work in the UK is rework. In another survey, the number of respondents reporting that over 50% of their projects experience delays has doubled in the past six years.
The number one reason for the delays? Poor planning and unrealistic scheduling. Understanding sequencing and phasing is key when considering structural waterproofing and organisations such as the PCA (Property Care Association) – the trade body that most structural waterproofing consultants belong to – recommend that it is specified at the earliest opportunity in the design phase.
A unified team from start to finish
This is why PERI UK, a leading provider of formwork, scaffolding, and engineering, has partnered with SWS. The collaboration combines PERI UK’s portfolio of high-quality, German-engineering BPA waterproofing products with SWS’s design and installation expertise. This creates a single, integrated team that manages the entire process from initial design based on the structure's type, environment, and the soil conditions through to installation, final sign-off, and warranty.
The cost of getting it wrong
Delays can significantly increase the cost of a project. The increasing complexity is one factor behind this, and the need for reliable structural waterproofing can add further complications – if not correctly implemented from the outset. Over the past 10-15 years, building insurance companies have driven stricter requirements around waterproofing, including that a waterproof design team should include an individual with CSSW (Certificated Surveyor in Structural Waterproofing) or alternative recognised qualifications. Meanwhile, the 2022 Building Safety Act requires detailed safety plans to be submitted before construction begins – effectively making waterproofing plans a requirement at this early stage.
The partnership between PERI UK and SWS addresses this head on. By integrating waterproofing and formwork considerations early, we can prevent clashes, value-engineer the solution, and avoid the common pitfalls that lead to costly remedial work. It is far more effective to plan the right waterproofing solution from the start than to track down and fix leaks after the concrete has been poured.
Case study: Mount Pleasant Halls in Cambridge
Another common trap is overspecification. This was precisely the situation faced recently on the Mount Pleasant student accommodation project in Cambridge. Main contractor SDC and subcontractor Hennigan Building & Civil Engineering, were being pushed towards a complex and costly waterproofing system by another supplier. Our integrated team was invited to provide a second opinion. After reviewing the plans, we saw the foundations were a straightforward ‘square box’ design that simply did not need such a complicated solution. Instead, we proposed PERI’s DualProof C membrane with CEMstar MDS slurry to fill in the gaps. It was much simpler, faster to install, and saved the client significant cost, proving that a needs-based approach is always better.
Technology designed for the pour
The success of an integrated model also relies on the quality of the materials themselves, which is why we work with premium technologies from trusted German manufacturer BPA, supplied by PERI UK. Alongside the range of DualProof Type A barrier membranes are waterstops that seal vertical and horizontal joints to prevent water from entering the inner building material.
For instance, the innovative CEMflex VB solution, is an easily handled and malleable galvanised steel plate that can be installed far quicker and reliably than conventional systems, either directly into just poured concrete or as part of the set up at formwork stage. The 2 m lengths simply clip together before fresh concrete activates its special coating, solidifying and sealing the joint. Any further water contact only serves to strengthen the bond, contributing to a 100-year fit-and-forget life expectancy
Plan early to build with confidence
Ultimately, to ensure the optimum solutions are chosen, a waterproofing strategy should ideally begin as soon as the soil report is issued. Too often, however, this is not done despite its potential to simplify the discovery of anomalies, such as higher-than-expected water tables or contaminants in the soil or water, which will in turn affect the selection of waterproofing options.
Adopting an early bird approach offers the best means to correctly value-engineer your project, before problems set in on a half-built structure, or you find you need to post-apply solutions which can add even further complexity, cost, and time to an already demanding process. Engaging a unified team that combines world-class product technology from PERI UK with certified SWS installation expertise ensures the structure is protected from the ground up, preventing problems before they have a chance to arise.
Learn more about PERI UK’s comprehensive range of BPA waterproofing solutions and how an integrated approach can benefit your next project.