The Inspiration for More Accessible and User Friendly Disability Services, Design and Build by Knapman & Sons (Builders) Ltd

The press release recently published by Bexley Council with regard to the current Design & Build project we are undertaking for Inspire Community Trust.

“There was good news for people with disabilities in Bexley recently, with the start of work on new purpose-built warehouse and assessment/demonstration facilities in Slade Green for Bexley's Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES).

ICES provides equipment to help people leave hospital as soon as possible and to remain in the community. The new building is being constructed by Knapman & Sons (Builders) Ltd. at the offices of Inspire Community Trust in Slade Green.

While it has been very successful with its key work of delivery and collecting equipment promptly, the service's current base at the Council's civic amenity site at Thames Road in Crayford is not fully accessible or user-friendly.

The ICES is funded jointly by the London Borough of Bexley - the lead commissioner for the service - and Bexley NHS South East London Bexley Business Support Unit. Inspire manages the service on the Council's behalf.

Council Leader Cllr Teresa O'Neill, Cllr David Hurt, Cabinet member for Adult Services, Cabinet member Cllr Peter Catterall and Dr Sid Deshmuckh Bexley Clinical Cabinet Frognal Lead, joined Inspire's Board members and its Chief Executive, Vinod Kumar Khanna, for a sod turning ceremony to mark the start of work on site.

Cllr David Hurt said: "I'm very pleased that work has started and that the users and staff of the service can look forward to better facilities. The service is very important and this is the ideal opportunity to recognise the excellent work the staff do to help people leave hospital as soon as they can and to support them to live in the community.

Ranjit Bhamra, Co-Chair of Inspire said: "When it's complete next April, the project will provide fully accessible premises for the ICES and a demonstration unit to deliver a user-friendly service for promoting health and well-being amongst people with physical disabilities and sensory impairment, and for older people."

Mr Bhamra, who is himself a user of disability services, added: "When the new building is open, we will also be able to expand our 'try & buy' equipment service. This will give people a choice to buy services directly from Inspire for promoting independence and enhancing the quality of their lives."

The new development is part of Inspire's objective of continuously improving community services for people with physical disabilities and older people in the borough. Inspire is an independent user-led social enterprise and a registered charity which provides a range of services.

Funding for the new building has been raised by Inspire's charitable activities supplemented by a £380,000 grant from the Government's Social Enterprise Fund. It is being built by Knapman & Sons Builders Limited of Sidcup”.

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Knapman & Sons and Quality Control

 

Quality control is a matter Knapman & Sons take very seriously.

Being a process by which entities review  of the quality of all factors involved in any of our contracts, our approach places an emphasis on three aspects:

1. Elements such as controls, job management, defined and well managed processes, performance and integrity criteria, and identification of records
2. Competence, such as knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications
3. Soft elements, such as personnel integrity, confidence, organizational culture, motivation, team spirit, and quality relationships.

The quality of the outputs is at risk if any of these three aspects is deficient in any way.

Quality control emphasizes frequent site inspections to uncover defects, and reporting to management, whereas quality assurance attempts to improve and stabilize production, and associated processes, to avoid, or at least minimize, issues that led to the defects in the first place. For contract work, particularly work awarded by government agencies, quality control issues are among the top reasons for not renewing a contract.

Our contracts are therefore monitored at least weekly sometimes daily depending on the type of contract works. Our approach is to ensure issues and defects are highlighted whilst the works are in progress and resolved once the works are complete, ensuring that at the end of the defects period, only minor works need be carried out.

Inspire Independent Living Centre, Design & Build

Knapman’s are currently undertaking the design element of the 1 million pound contract which will eventually include for the formation of a new warehouse facility with offices at Inspires offices in Slade Green. The works also includes for a conversion of an existing property to carers accommodation, parking and vehicular routes, associated services and demolition of derelict building and garage and landscaping.

Seven months into the contract with the design element of the build complete, construction has commenced and progressing as programmed. “

“As usual there was a few hiccups as the design progressed but now that the construction process is well underway, we cannot see any reason that in March 2012, the new warehouse, offices, care accommodation and associated surrounding landscaping will be handed over the the client for immediate use” said Director Mr M Knapman.

Other organisations working on this project include Potter Raper Partnership, GMA Architecture Ltd.