Case Study:Rope Access Stone Repairs

When Existing Property Management discovered a damaged stone ledge on one of their Chelsea properties, they turned to us to fix the problem due to our extensive experience in stone repairs and colour matching.

The Project

Having worked with them for a long time, they knew we had the expertise and experience to complete the job to the highest possible standard. In this case, we had to complete a full stone repair on a ledge, which provided a further challenge; we had to work at height.

On arrival at the site, we realised that the stone repair was a particularly challenging job because it was a unique stone that was difficult to source in usual markets. The colour, shape and size were quite unlike anything readily available, so to replace it like-for-like would have taken a lot of time, money and effort in finding, buying and receiving the stone to the site.  

At first glance, it looked as though the only credible solution was to re-make the stone on site. However, this would be an incredibly expensive and time-consuming job, neither of which were desirable to the client. We had a maximum of 48 hours to get the job done, and re-making the stone would have taken us far longer. Time was simply a luxury we didn’t have.

The Site

Many other stone masonry businesses would have to bring in cherry pickers, scaffolding and expensive assistance devices to work at height. Fortunately for our clients, we have specialist rope access teams, so we can complete stone repair jobs at a variety of heights. This means our clients save significant amounts of time and money whilst still receiving a fantastic service. 

The Logistics

When it comes to stone repairs in London, very few companies can offer the specialist rope access stone masonry service that we can at Spectrum. This means from the start, we saved the client significant sums of money because we don’t have to factor in the expense of scaffolding or cherry-picker rental.

There’s also a time aspect to consider. Our rope access stone masons were able to reach the job quickly and complete a thorough assessment of the task at hand in a fraction of the time it’d have taken to build an appropriate height scaffold tower. In this case, we had a strict 2-day window to get the job done, so we couldn’t waste a single second waiting for scaffolding to be erected or a cherry picker to be delivered to the site.

Finally, the expertise of our stonemasons meant we were able to carry out a colour-match stone mix on-site, which, again, saved the client a lot of time and money. We saved the stone colour-matching lab fees and the inevitable time delay, which could have made the whole project redundant by taking us over our allotted time frame.

Our Specialists

Our specialist rope access teams contain fully qualified and experienced stone masons who have completed their full training on the job (typically a 30-month training programme). They also have full IRATA abseiling training to ensure their safety and professionalism when working at height - something that sets Spectrum apart.

Solution Driven

After a lot of consultation and planning, we managed to do the stone colour matching on site. If we weren’t able to do this, we’d have had to send a colour sample to the lab. Then they’d make an exact stone tint match and return it to the site, ready to be repaired. Stone colour matching labs in London are very busy, so we didn’t know how long we’d have to wait. 

Thankfully, the expertise of our stonemasons meant we were able to do a colour match on-site and get the full stone repair done within the time frame.  

Thanks to a combination of experienced stonemasons, excellent stone colour matching abilities and the capability of effectively working at height, the Spectrum team were able to successfully repair the stone ledge in the time frame and at a price point, the client was happy with. Although there were significant challenges with the job, a successful project was delivered.

Delivering Results

“Overcoming the challenges we faced in Chelsea is a classic example of why Spectrum is the perfect port of call when it comes to stone repairs in London. Our unique combination of fast height access, elite-level stone masonry and decades of collective experience means that we can complete jobs that other companies just can’t reach. We work fast and effectively, both of which are important when it comes to delivering jobs on time and on budget.”

-Lucian Ivan, Spectrum MD