A Welcome in the Hillside

Gwalia Housing Group Ltd is a firm believer in high quality specifications for the 5,000 family homes and 2,500 student units in its management.

"Even though good products may cost a little more initially" says Peter Gow, "They almost invariably work out cheaper in whole life costing terms with our tenants being appreciative of the higher standards that are achieved."

In fact Gwalia's Ty Sivertsen development, close to the centre of Swansea, won a highly commended award from the British Decorators Federation for its paintwork. Originally the site of a church, this new 4-storey block of 12 flats incorporates a new church on the ground floor and is decorated with Keim Mineral Paints which offers considerable savings compared to conventional paints because of their proven longevity.

Peter Gow explains further "With a usual re-decoration cycle of around 5-years, we will save two or three re-decorations on the wall coatings by using the longlife paints from Keim. And when you take into account the fact that each re-decoration would involve high scaffolding costs, then the saving is considerably greater. The durability of the finish delivers substantial savings in whole life costs."

Gwalia Housing Group Ltd has used Keim Mineral Paints on several projects over the last 3 to 4 years and all are reported to be looking as good as the day they were decorated. At Dolau Court, Llanelli, around 40 ten year old semi-detached houses and flats were given the Keim treatment to protect them from the very harsh weather conditions experienced in their situation on an estuary exposed to the severity of the Atlantic winds. They were painted in a variety of colours and the Keim finish is expected not to require re-decoration for at least 15 years.

Similarly, 22 cottage style rendered homes in Cwrt-y-Glyn Carmel were decorated with a two-coat Keim Granital system. The cottages are in an elevated position and subject to the prevailing south-westerly winds and are now also benefiting from the longlife protection of the Keim Mineral Paint system.

Gwalia also fully recognises the value of the technical support offered by Keim with regard to the availability of other systems within their product range. Namely, Keim Concretal for repairs on reinforced concrete on high-rise flats, listed buildings and Keim Lotexan N where heavy surface pollution/salt efflorescence was identified on a building with a prevailing weather aspect facing the sea.

In addition to the cost savings resulting from the extended repainting cycle, properties do not suffer from the visible effects of deterioration every 4 or 5 years, a factor much appreciated by tenants as well as Gwalia Housing Group Ltd – THAT MEANS EVERYONE IS HAPPY.

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