Beacon Lough estate in Gateshead has undergone a dramatic transformation as part of the Decent Homes initiative. The site consists of non-traditional house types including Butterflies, NEMA’s and Wimpey No Fines. The improvements include new kitchen, bathrooms, heating, doors and windows.

The Wimpey No Fines were also given a complete facelift and improved thermal efficiency by the external cladding of an Alumasc Silkolitt System.

Phenolic insulation boards are then fixed to the structure.

The next stage is a layer of ST703 base coat into which glass fibre reinforcement mesh is trowelled. The mesh increases the flexural and tensile strength of the system.

The basecoat render is the final textured silicone coat applied by roller. The product’s ‘thickness’ is determined by the particle size, ranging from 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5mm. The final operation is to trowel the textured coating to produce the decorative finish.

Novabrik, a mortarless brick cladding enhanced the houses even further, used as an alternative to the insulated render or UPVC panels beneath the windows. Novabrik was also used in the communal alleyways which have a susceptibility to vandalism.

The transformation of the estate, comprising some 115 Wimpey No Fines and 50 Butterfly properties, took around three months in total, from mid January 2008 to mid April 2008.