Customer type

Location

Sector

 Healthcare & Care Home

Project Overview

Complete Plumbing & Heating Installation for Care Home Conversion

P C Kelly was appointed to deliver the complete plumbing and heating installation package as part of the extensive redevelopment and conversion of an existing building into a modern residential care home facility.

The project involved the transformation of an existing property into a purpose-built care environment, requiring a complete overhaul of the building's mechanical services infrastructure.

Working closely with the client and wider construction team, P C Kelly was responsible for delivering a fully integrated plumbing and heating solution designed to meet the demands of a modern healthcare setting.

From initial strip-out and first-fix installations through to final commissioning and handover, our directly employed engineers delivered a high-quality installation programme that provided residents and staff with reliable, efficient and compliant building services throughout the facility.

Major Plant Installed:

• 2 Commercial Boilers
• Commercial Calorifiers
• New Heating Distribution System
• Complete Building Plumbing Infrastructure

Customer Requirements

During the pre-construction phase, the client identified a number of key objectives that the new plumbing and heating installation needed to achieve in order to support the long-term operation of the residential care home.

The redevelopment was designed to provide a safe, modern and comfortable environment for residents while enabling care staff to deliver high-quality care efficiently. The mechanical services therefore needed to offer dependable performance, straightforward maintenance and full compliance with current healthcare and building regulations.

The customer's requirements included:

• A complete commercial plumbing and heating installation delivered as part of the overall redevelopment programme. 
• Reliable domestic hot and cold water services supplying resident bedrooms, en-suite facilities, communal bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas and staff welfare facilities. 
• An energy-efficient commercial heating system capable of maintaining comfortable temperatures throughout the building all year round. 
• Modern plumbing infrastructure designed to minimise maintenance requirements and maximise long-term reliability. 
• Accessible sanitary facilities that complied with current Building Regulations and reflected the needs of elderly and less mobile residents. 
• Neatly coordinated mechanical services integrated within ceiling voids, service risers and plant areas without compromising accessibility for future maintenance. 
• Installation completed in close coordination with the principal contractor and all other construction trades to maintain programme milestones. 
• Full testing, commissioning and certification prior to practical completion. 
• Comprehensive operating documentation together with client demonstrations and handover information. 

From the outset, the client sought a mechanical contractor capable of delivering every aspect of the plumbing and heating package to a consistently high standard while maintaining flexibility throughout a fast-paced commercial redevelopment.

Our Solution

Scope Of Works

P C Kelly delivered the complete plumbing and heating package for the development, including:

Plumbing Services

• Complete hot and cold water distribution systems
• New water service infrastructure
• New heating system
• New LST radiators
• Installation of accessible bathrooms
• Ensuite wet room installations
• Specialist care home sanitaryware
• Pipework installations throughout the building
• Above-ground drainage modifications
• Testing and commissioning of all plumbing systems

Heating Services

• Removal of existing heating infrastructure
• Installation of new commercial boiler plant
• Installation of commercial calorifiers
• Complete heating system re-pipe throughout the building
• New radiator installations
• Heating controls and zoning
• System balancing and commissioning

Care Home Facilities

The project included specialist facilities designed specifically for a residential care environment, including:

• Accessible resident bathrooms
• Assisted living sanitary facilities
• Ensuite wet rooms
• Staff welfare facilities
• Communal area services
• Resident accommodation plumbing and heating systems

Accommodation Provided

The completed development provides:

• Resident Accommodation
• 27 Single Bedrooms
• 9 Single Bedrooms with Ensuite Wet Rooms

The accommodation was designed to provide a safe, comfortable and practical living environment for residents while supporting the operational requirements of the care provider.

Installation / Delivery Details

Key Features: 

Commercial Heating Plant

A new commercial heating system was installed, comprising two commercial boilers and commercial calorifiers designed to provide reliable heating and hot water throughout the facility.

The system was carefully designed to meet the demands of a modern care home environment, ensuring dependable performance, energy efficiency and long-term reliability.

Complete Building Re-Pipe

Due to the extent of the redevelopment works, a complete heating system re-pipe was undertaken throughout the building. This ensured all accommodation areas, communal spaces and support facilities benefited from modern, efficient and reliable services.

Specialist Care Home Facilities

The installation included accessible bathrooms and ensuite wet rooms designed to meet the specific requirements of a care home environment, helping provide comfort, dignity and practicality for residents and care staff alike.

Project Challenges

As a change-of-use redevelopment project, the works presented many of the challenges typically associated with transforming an existing building into a modern healthcare facility.

Working within an evolving construction environment required close coordination with multiple trades throughout the programme. Existing structural constraints, ongoing design developments, service coordination requirements and the integration of modern mechanical services within the existing building fabric all required careful planning and effective communication.

Through proactive project management and close collaboration with the client and wider construction team, P C Kelly successfully delivered the project in line with programme requirements while maintaining the high standards of workmanship expected throughout the development.

Testing & Commissioning

Following completion of the installation, every plumbing and heating system underwent a comprehensive programme of testing and commissioning to verify that the completed mechanical installation operated safely, efficiently and in accordance with the project specification before handover.

Throughout the commissioning process, P C Kelly Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning worked closely with the principal contractor and project consultants to ensure each stage of the installation was thoroughly inspected, tested and documented.

The testing and commissioning programme included:

• Hydraulic pressure testing of all domestic hot and cold water pipework. 
• Pressure testing of the commercial heating distribution system. 
• System flushing and cleaning to remove installation debris and protect mechanical equipment. 
• Water quality testing and chemical dosing of the heating system to minimise corrosion and scale formation. 
• Verification of domestic water pressures and flow rates throughout resident accommodation, communal facilities and staff areas. 
• Heating circuit balancing to ensure consistent temperatures across all bedrooms, communal spaces and ancillary accommodation. 
• Functional testing of circulation pumps, control valves, isolation valves and associated mechanical equipment. 
• Calibration and operational testing of heating controls and thermostatic devices. 
• Verification of sanitaryware installations, including taps, WCs, showers, wash hand basins and accessible facilities. 
• Inspection and testing of above ground drainage systems to confirm correct falls, ventilation and waste discharge. 
• Inspection of pipework insulation, valve identification, service labelling and accessibility for future maintenance. 
• Operational testing of the complete plumbing and heating installation under normal operating conditions to verify reliable system performance. 

Once all systems had successfully passed testing, the installation underwent final commissioning in accordance with current Building Regulations, relevant British Standards, manufacturer recommendations and the project specification.

A comprehensive client handover was then completed, including:

• Commissioning certificates and test records. 
• Operation and maintenance manuals. 
• As-installed mechanical documentation. 
• Demonstration of heating controls and water services. 
• Planned maintenance recommendations. 
• Practical guidance for the client's facilities and maintenance personnel. 

The successful completion of the testing and commissioning process provided the client with confidence that the redevelopment's plumbing and heating infrastructure was fully operational, compliant and ready to support residents and staff from the first day of occupation, while providing dependable performance and ease of maintenance for many years to come.

Project Outcome

The completed development now provides modern residential care accommodation supported by a completely new plumbing and heating infrastructure designed for long-term performance and reliability.

The installation of new commercial boilers, calorifiers, heating distribution systems, accessible bathrooms and resident facilities has helped transform the building into a high-quality care environment capable of meeting the needs of residents and staff for many years to come.

This project demonstrates P C Kelly's ability to successfully deliver large-scale healthcare and care sector developments, combining commercial heating expertise with specialist plumbing installations to create safe, efficient and dependable environments.

Services Delivered

• Complete Plumbing Installation
• Commercial Heating Installation
• Full Heating System Re-Pipe
• Commercial Boiler Plant
• Commercial Calorifiers
• Radiator Installation
• Accessible Bathrooms
• Ensuite Wet Rooms
• Hot & Cold Water Services