Getting Ever Closer to Completion

Jarvis Foresters, Harpenden – Less of a Building Site

Grass and finished paths makes the whole area look more and more like a completed development, and as I entered there were people looking to deliver some of the incomers’ fittings. The sun was shining brightly on the grass, round the back, blossom was appearing on the shrubs. Almost all the paths are now gravel composite where there was tarmac before, and only a few areas remain to be turfed.

Down below the basement is no longer a storage area, but has yet to be marked out for the parking bays, but the security gates are in place, but not yet motorised. Upstairs floor coverings are down in the communal areas, the lifts have their protective sheeting removed as have the glass panels on the staircases, so the next fortnight or so will soon see tenants moving in, and the sounds of construction will be a distant memory, and a new chapter will begin for the new residents.

Foresters Development – Completion Less Distant

Visiting today showed much more groundworks coming on. Externally, the alterations to the pavements and the cable-laying is close to completion, inside, the Portakabin Site Office has gone, and the roof over the Electricity Sub Station nears completion, and many more external walkways have been screeded. Behind now the gardens are taking shape with the turf settling down.

The boiler room in the basement seems to be close to being finished. Upstairs many of the staircases are having the skirting finished and receiving a coat of paint, and overall much of the finished shapes are becoming apparent, and many more bathrooms are being fitted out.

Overall, the pace of change seems to have moved up a gear.

Foresters Harpenden, 23rd February

The Foresters Development by Jarvis is certainly looking much closer to completion, and I arrived earlier than usual as I needed to return to base by eleven, and once again I am greeted by sunshine, and for a change the weather is pleasantly warm with just a slight breeze.

Around the back turf is going down and the gardens have much of their plants in, though there are more paths to be completed. Around the front screeding is drying. New garages in the front have tiles being hung, and others have their roofs yet to be completed but the weatherproof membrane is down and the battening is nearing completion.

Some pavers are going down at the back of one of the cottages, and many of the exterior doors are being fitted. Many of the kitchens and bathrooms are coming on apace, laminate flooring is being laid, and one staircase has some glass panelling with bold aluminium fittings up, but with its protective sheeting still in place.

As I left I also captured the newly completed re-arrangement of the service road pavements with its bright ringing of double yellow lines, and I gather there are some six weeks till completion, given favourable weather conditions.

Jarvis Foresters Exteriors Beginning to Show

Today's visit, again on a sunny day, showed me what had changed in the interim since my last visit. The trench newly dug on my last visit was now being populated with pipework. Many more kitchen and bathroom fittings were going in, and the floor tiles which had been down earlier, were all covered by protective rubber mats.

Windows which had been barely visible behind a lattice work of scaffolding and some deteriorating plastic sheeting were now visible to the world, so the final look of the buildings is becoming more apparent with each visit.




Beyond and to the left of the Site Office Portakabin, the garages now have the roof trusses up, here is one of the few places on site where scaffolding is still visible; the majority being behind the buildings to allow the renderers to work.

Whereas on most previous visits I would move around the various buildings using the outside stairs and ladders, today I did most of walking within the building using concrete stairs, so despite the bitter wind, I traversed the site in comparative comfort.

The unseasonable weather this late autumn is certainly a far cry from the snow that was here this time last year, and is probably very welcome for those still working outside.

Craneless Foresters

The defining sign of the Foresters Development by Jarvis in Harpenden has been removed, and the void from which it rose to tower over the skyline of Harpenden, has been sealed up. Much of the scaffolding that laced the facades of the buildings, has now been removed, and now glimpses of how this development will look in its completed state are visible. White render is being sprayed and smoothed across parts of its surfaces.

Many of the internal rooms are being plastered and tiled and even fitted out with sanitary ware in the form of showers and baths, where floor tiling has been completed these read are now covered in large rubber mats for their continuing protection, wooden staircases are going in, as are internal doors, and outside at the far end tarmac has now gone down. Though there are still several months till completion, at least from outside the impression of how this enclave will look is becoming apparent, but the basement does give some idea due to what it is storing, just how much has still to be built in to achieve completion.

The work to be done is now far more detailed and time consuming, so progress will seem to slow down, even though this is far from the reality. Out at the back are changes that no casual passers-by will see at all, but it is taking shape.

Jarvis Foresters 7th October Visit

This day’s visit means the last of the high level view point from the Cerex crane at the Foresters Development by Jarvis Homes, as this coming Wednesday sees the dismantling and removal of the crane which has dominated the Harpenden skyline for  much of this year.

A gentle breeze was what the weather forecasters described, but it still felt slightly more than that when I was close to the cabin height to get the last images of the work from this viewpoint.

There forthcoming departure of the crane has meant considerable change to the far right end of the site, as the earlier wooden gates are open and the future road entrance is now visible. Another change is that a bit more of the scaffolding has been dismantled, giving a much clearer view of the finished result. A wooden staircase has gone in in one of the end cottages.

Although upon my arrival the sun was out, by the time I was concluding the skies were lowering and the clouds looked threatening and few drizzling spots of rain were falling.

Jarvis Foresters, Harpenden, 30th September

Blue skies, very warm – is it really the very end of September in the UK? I went round to the back of the site where work was going on with what I take will some garden area. Then I could see that an area on the far right which had largely been a storage area was now cleared to give access to the gates at that end. And, presumably to give space for the disassembly of the Cerex crane in a week’s time. The skyline of Harpenden will once again return to normal.

As I went around the interiors, tiles were going down now that the moisture levels had stabilised, and I saw that units for the kitchens were stacked in one room ready for installation and doors were having their hinges added, and a lot of the plastering was drying out. I did find one very strange sight – in one very small area that was being plastered the plasterer was equipped with stilts!

It seemed strange to me that it was the ground floor areas that were so much further ahead than the upper floors. It was not till later I noted that the scaffolding on the cattages at the end had been removed.

Jarvis – Foresters Development – September 23rd Visit

Arriving again with sunshine, I took a look around with slightly less pressure this time, as my car was beyond the reach of Traffic Wardens. Certainly many more areas of the roofs are now clad in tiles, but I mistakenly thought some of the scaffolding might have been coming down to reveal more of exterior of the various buildings. On the right of the site, the Retail area was one that I had not really covered completely on my last visit, so this was my priority.

Speaking to one of the tilers working on the circular section of this roof, he told me he was determined to avoid any step in the cone with his work, unlike the other roof close to the entrance done by a different company. It was good to hear voiced such a sense of pride and determination to do a good job!

This Retail section of the construction, is not as far ahead in terms of the roof as other areas on the site, so I was see ing far more carpentry as it slowly begins to take shape on all the steelwork. The three dormers are nearing completion from tilers and carpenters, but have yet to receive their windows. Down below, window frames are being assembled by their final destinations, still shrouded in their protective polythene sheeting.

Ridge tiles and corner tiles were being cemented, and valleys and dormers were being flashed with lead or zinc, so that the completed areas were becoming weather-resistant. Cabling was going in in many areas, and plastering was being done, and in the basement even fluorescent lighting and signage was in use. Hidden around the back of the site, curved walling was quietly progressing in what is the gloomiest part of the site.

The Cerex crane, which has been the most visible feature of this development, is due for disassembly soon, but has proved so useful it has already had its stay extended.

Roofs and Windows Make All the Difference to Foresters

There is little doubt that now the tiles cover a good proportion of the roofs at the Jarvis Development at Foresters, the buildings look more complete, even though inside there is still a way to go. It will not be long before much of the scaffolding will be removed, and then the windows in particular will be far more apparent.

In the early autumn sunshine there is a warm glow from the bricks and tiles, and there are numerous attractive viewpoints that give the whole development variety; it has been an interesting journey watching the whole complex come together, and it has been a pleasure to feel welcomed here as the work has progressed.

I didn’t have the time to cover too much of the interior work this visit, so I am sure I will notice a considerable on my next visit.

9th September Visit to Jarvis Foresters Site

Parking in Harpenden is limited to one hour, sometimes this is rarely sufficient to gather images of progress at the development, and today the free space that appeared was being overlooked by a burly Traffic Warden; that meant I was under pressure to return precisely on time! It was very muggy, and this always makes it tough because my glasses steam up when in the basement.

I set the alarm on my phone, and putting on my Hi Viz Jacket, hard hat and steel-toecapped boots headed for the building site with alacrity. I tried to get the overall picture, before disappearing into the basement to see how all the pipework was getting on, then took the ladders to cover the tiling on the apartments, and some of the internal work such as the plaster boarding, and even plastering.

The electric cabling and high-pressure water piping is much in evidence, and many of the rooms now have their underfloor heating fully sealed, and the whole site seems very full as much of the material is now stored on site; it is often difficult to show what is taking place, because every area is becoming smaller as the rooms are partitioned, and the external structure is encased in a steel cage of scaffolding.

My alarm sounded, and sent me scurrying off the site to see the warden near to my car, I asked if it were possible to have a few more minutes grace, and he nodded, so I dashed back in for the last couple of shots, and by now the sweat was pouring off me, but he was as good as his word, and I dashed back in less time than I had asked for, declobbered and drove back to Caddington. Job done.

End of August Visit to Foresters Harpenden

Despite all the scaffolding that surrounds the buildings on the site, the overall shape of the Foresters Development by Jarvis just off the Kinsbourne Green end of Harpenden High Street, is very apparent with all the roof work that has been done of late. Many areas have both the Tyvek membrane and tiles laid, and many windows and Velux skylights have been installed. On one of the several false chimneys even the television aerials are up!

At the end of the month, the most noticeable sign of this development will be dismantled, the tall Cerex crane will be taken down, and Harpenden’s skyline will once more return to show just rooves, the church tower and tall trees. That does not mark the end of the work however, but certainly it does mean that completion is another stage closer.

Jarvis Foresters Development, August 19 Visit

Mainly sunshine greeted me on this visit to the site, and it was obvious even more roof was tiled. When I went down to the basement, it was now storing plasterboard and double-glazed window units. A supporting structure to take a large tank was now ready and more signage was going up, as well as other electrical wiring.

Within the main buildings partitioning was well-advanced and electric cable was being threaded through prior to the installation of the plasterboard. The Retail area had more wooden roof structures up, and behind the main area a curved wall was now up.

Jarvis’ Foresters – Brickie Time

Maundy Thursday, and the last day before the Easter break, the site is awash with scaffolding much of it to take the brickwork to the first floor level. Milky sunshine as I arrive, but soon burnt off. The cottages at the far corner of the site are now taking shape, and sadly, the Site Manager is off sick with a suspected appendicitis. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

I watched as a hopper was filled with gravel by the digger, then lifted by crane to the far right end of the site where it was being directed beyond the outer wall, and after I had captured some tough work being carried out I learned that the pair were father and son. It is always interesting to pick up snippets and learn more each visit, this time it was also to be shown how the cement silos have to be routinely cleaned to avoid buildup within the delivery mechanism. This whole procedure was intricately described by Steve as I took a sequence of shots of the process.

Jarvis’ Foresters Site Bathed in Warm Sunshine

Visiting the Harpenden site in warm sunshine for a change was welcome. Toureen Mangan are finishing the the drainage works, and soon will leave the site for a while and return to do finishing work such as paving during the closing stages. Most of what is happening is related to brickwork and as this rises, scaffolding is being constructed to allow the men to work at the next level.

In the far corner of the site work is now starting on the three cottages, and in the front right corner the brickwork needs to meet the level of the blockwork to allow for the next floor level to be put in place.

Foresters Development by Jarvis & Toureen Mangan

Once again, the sun shone, and large fair weather clouds scudded over the Jarvis Foresters Development in Harpenden with fewer Toureen Mangan ground workers than a fortnight ago.
The site is now mainly in the hands of the bricklayers as much of the blockwork at the base has been completed, but because it is spread throughout the site, it does not show a vast jump in height. The other activity I have covered is the preparation of more scaffolding to allow the bricklayers to work higher.

Another aspect is that the drainage needs that require deep digging is being done now to avoid this dirty work being done much later in the build, when more tradesmen are on site, and would then be more disruptive.

The large cluster of plastic mouldings stored in the basement are a new form of construction for installation in the large deep holes being created currently. They are constructed  to ensure the ground does not collapse from the weight of soil above. Once they go in, they will be encased in a membrane, so they can act as a sump.

The crane has been used in many different roles over the time I have been visiting this site; today it was being used to lift palettes from close to the site entrance to different areas across the site.

Jarvis and Toureen Mangan Harpenden – Bricks & Blocks

The Foresters Development must have many righteous working on site, since despite the forecast for drizzle and clouds, the sun was out quite often for my visit today.

The most obvious work to be seen on site this visit was brickwork and blockwork, the slabs appear to be complete, but iron reinforcing for staircases are still being prepared, and many of the drain services are to be seen sprouting from beneath areas of concrete, or close to concrete sumps.

It was interesting to capture artistic drips of concrete, the repetitive pattern formed from black plastic drain pipes, and the initials of the Groundworks company from items of building material hardware, spotted whilst moving around the site covering the ongoing work.

Groundworks at Foresters Coming on Apace

Despite the forecast of a cloudy morning, it was already bright even before my arrival at the Jarvis Foresters site where Toureen Mangan’s groundworks are entering their final stages.

Foundations elsewhere on the site are now being worked upon, as work on the central structure is nearing completion of the groundwork stage; the concreting of the floor of the basement area is now finished. Several staircases have their reinforced concrete completed, and brickwork and blockwork is well underway. The crane is moving iron reinforcing rods from storage areas to where it is needed, and shuttering is being removed.

I was amused to see how Acro jacks and panels were being moved from the first floor to the ground. Around the site skips are filling, and soil spoil is being put onto lorries for removal from the site. A heavy duty angle-grinder was carving its way through concrete like butter showering both water and sparks. There was a lot of varied activity to be captured.

Bricklaying Begun at Jarvis’ ‘Foresters’ Development

Since my last site visit, Toureen Mangan has received another award – Sunday Times – Best 100 Companies to Work For. Not only that, but they have moved from 40th position 25th in the rankings; so congratulations are in order!

Also since my last visit bricklaying has begun, and the last level of concrete slab is under way. The entrance to the basement car park is now being cleared. The pictures in the gallery tell the story.

Foresters Harpenden, 8th February Visit

The morning began as promised by the forecasters – brilliant sunshine from the start. I gathered my camera gear together and set off for Harpenden. The shuttering I witnessed on the last visit was now a slab of reinforced concrete. Some of the foundations of earlier buildings were being excavated and piles cut back, and one digger was shifting the spoil around.

I watched the preparation of some of the ironwork, the removal of shuttering panels from completed columns, and took several shots in the basement area as this is really taking shape with staircase shuttering being prepared, and the last few areas were now being prepared with a black plastic membrane for the remaining areas of concrete.

With each new visit I see different facets of the construction, it is really interesting work; if the site was a book, it would be described as episodic. Jarvis and the groundworks teams of Toureen Mangan have been doing a good job and I have found everyone helpful and friendly.

Toureen Mangan, Harpenden 31st January Visit

After a frosty night, Harpenden was blessed with sunshine, and when I arrived on site after just a week, it was up another level, and work was being carried out in all four corners. Aluminium staircases replaced ladders in several areas.

Shortly another level of concrete will be poured, the shuttering was under construction and the reinforcing would soon be down. By the entrance a JCB was filling a truck with spoil, and in the basement area, much of the ground area was now covered in concrete. The far end of the site was a vast open storage area.