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J Tomlinson
HB Insulations have been given two thumbs up by a building firm at the heart of the UK. J Tomlinson serves clients spanning the country from North Yorkshire down to Hereford and Worcester.
Established for 50 years, Nottingham based building maintenance firm J Tomlinson provides building services, construction and maintenance to a large number of housing associations, buildings in the education sector, and water companies. |
Their enormous client base is supported by a workforce of 360 members. Derby based HB Insulations offer asbestos removal services to the firm.
Louise Cox, co-ordinator at J Tomlinson joined the firm in February, by which time HB Insulations were already well established as the asbestos removal experts regularly used by J Tomlinson. Louise now speaks directly with someone at the company every few months.
Recently, Louise was informed that a substance suspected to be asbestos had been found at a block of flats under the housing contract she co-ordinates. She contacted HB Insulations and someone from the firm promptly arrived at the site to confirm that there was asbestos present.
“They are really accommodating,” explains Louise. “It’s often the case that I have to juggle various tradesmen, scheduling plumbers to remove bathroom suites, for example, then arranging for them to put it all back in when the asbestos has been removed. HB Insulations make the process a lot less hassle. They are really flexible, and fit in round my time scales.
“There were three separate cases of asbestos in the one block of flats, and we expect that there will be more. HB Insulations are very efficient. They go in, remove the asbestos, and let me know as soon as the job’s finished so that I can arrange what I need to. It just speeds up the whole process.”
The high standards of communication and efficient, professional working manner adopted by HB Insulations have taken away some of the stress associated with Louise’s job, and will continue to do so, as J Tomlinson are eager to maintain a business relationship with the company.
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Amber Valley Housing Ltd
HB Insulations have kept a clean sheet according to Amber Valley Housing Limited (AVHL), which is no mean feat when you take into consideration the high standards that the housing company have set.
AVHL have been providing and maintaining good quality, safe and secure housing to members of communities in the Amber Valley area for four years. |
In a manner similar to the old local authority systems, customers join a waiting list, and are then placed into housing following a timescale which is based on the specifications of their individual situations.
The criteria in place to assess the contractors that the company uses are even higher. The strategic procurement policy operated by AVHL ensures that they use only the highest quality suppliers and contractors. The procurement exercise results in a list being drawn up of approved contractors.
HB Insulations are on this list, along with two other holders of asbestos licences. According to asset management surveyor Paul Selby, HB Insulations are the preferred choice in terms of value for money.
“Their rates are extremely competitive,” he says. “I don’t know why it is, but the other two firms can’t seem to match them on price. We can still use the other firms, but HB Insulations are our number one choice.
“Our approved contractors are allowed a single mistake. A second would result in them being struck off the list. HB Insulations have been working for us for a good few years now, and haven’t received a single black mark against their name.”
The type of asbestos that is discovered in Paul’s line of work is usually low risk items such as corrugated asbestos roofs, soffits and fascias, and old guttering, rather than the higher risk industrial lagging. The work HB Insulations are required to undertake is usually quite straightforward.
Recently though, Paul came across a more complex job than he is used to finding. An asbestos board was discovered at the back of a meter cupboard. The main electric supply goes into this cupboard, and so this has to be disconnected by an electrician sent from the electricity board, rather than one of AVHL’s contractors. However, Paul has been let down on a number of occasions by the electrician not turning up.
“We’ve organised for electricians to come out, and informed HB Insulations who have turned up on time, every time, but the electricians haven’t. The job’s becoming a bit of a nightmare, but HB Insulations are being really flexible. They just ring us and ask what we want them to do.
“You really do have to be very good to get onto our list of approved contractors, and even better to stay on it. They are our preferred choice every time.”
Graham Robinson
As a retired professor of pathology, Graham Robinson
is well aware of the potentially deadly effects of asbestos.
What he didn’t know was that he had the material
in his Nottingham home.
So when British Gas discovered the asbestos, he needed
an expert to remove it swiftly and safely and he chose
HB Insulations.
The problem came to light in August 2007, after Graham
had arranged for British Gas to install a new central
heating system and boiler at his home. During a pre-installation
survey, the surveyor decided to have a sample of the
insulation boards making up the garage ceiling analysed
for asbestos content as a precaution, as the central
heating pipes needed to run through the ceiling into
rooms above.
Graham explains: “The material was put in about
15 years ago, during the building of an extension to
the house. We were assured then that it wasn’t
asbestos – and although I know about its effects,
I wouldn’t necessarily recognise it.”
But the surveyor’s decision to play safe proved
to be the correct one, as the boards contained amosite – or
brown asbestos – and Graham had to arrange for
the boards to be removed before work could start.
He turned to Yellow Pages to find a specialist in asbestos
removal and chose HB Insulations after requesting quotes
from three companies. He says: “They were good
on the phone and their price was competitive.”
Graham was keen for the central heating to be installed
in plenty of time for the cold winter months, so he was
pleased with HB Insulations were on site to remove the
asbestos within a fortnight of him giving the go-ahead.
The work was carried out in the morning and signed off
as compliant with health and safety regulations by 3pm
that day.
Now Graham is enjoying the benefits of his new central
heating and is pleased that he chose HB Insulations.
He says: “I was happy with their customer service
and there was no disruption during the work. I am very
satisfied with the results.”
Graham Robinson
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Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottinghamshire Country Council is delighted with the work carried out by local asbestos removal firm HB Insulations, according to two of their multi-trade supervisors.
Eric Rhodes has been employed by Nottinghamshire County Council for 15 years and is currently responsible for 18 plumbers. Russell Holt has been a multi-trade supervisor for 5 years, and works in the gas and heating sector.
Both men are constantly on the move, travelling around Robin Hood County undertaking jobs for community buildings such as schools, ambulance, police and fire stations, homes for the elderly and other council owned properties. |
Safety is paramount, and it is protocol to ensure that a full asbestos survey is carried out before any work is undertaken. It is vital that any risk to the workforce is kept to a minimum, and that workers are never put in any danger. Eric believes that “you can’t put a price on safety.”
Eric has had regular contact with HB Insulations for the last 3 years. Nottinghamshire County Council provides Eric with a list of pre-approved nominated contractors. Each firm is measured against extensive and specific criteria, which means that only the elite make it onto the list, which Eric finds reassuring. The selection process does not end there however, as Eric then has to research the cost-effectiveness of three of the listed companies, by contacting each firm and asking for a quote. When he was about to embark on a job at Rushcliffe Comprehensive School in Nottingham and asbestos was discovered in the boiler house, HB Insulations provided the most inexpensive quote for the removal work that needed to be done.
It was also during some boiler refurbishments at a school that the asbestos survey showed the presence of asbestos for Russell Holt. Russell then contacted HB Insulations and asked them to decontaminate the boiler house. Russell’s choice of removal firm had also been originally based on cost implications, however he had also been advised to use the firm by his line manager, who had a pre-existing relationship with them.
Both men revel in the simplicity of the process and enjoy an amicable business relationship with HB Insulations. Eric Rhodes is especially pleased with the level of peace of mind that the firm delivers. He comments, “All I have to do is ring Chris and I know it’s sorted. I don’t have to worry.”
Eric wouldn’t hesitate to recommend HB insulations because of their good, efficient service and excellent time-keeping. He describes the firm as “superb”.
Speed was of the essence in Russell Holt’s case, and HB Insulations completed the job efficiently and swiftly. Additionally, they left the site clean and tidy which meant that Russell could commence his own workload immediately.
Both Eric Rhodes and Russell Holt say that they would use HB Insulations for the purposes of removing asbestos again. “In fact,” says Eric, “They’ve just priced another job for me today.”
Eric Rhodes/Russell Holt
Nottinghamshire County Council
Total Reclaims Demolition
Ltd appoints HB Insulations
Nottingham based Total Reclaims
Demolition Ltd recently appointed HB Insulations
to assist with the demolition and site-clearance
project of one of Leicester’s oldest cinemas
in order to pave the way for the development
of a new multi-purpose city living and leisure
complex.
In order to make way for a major new business
development, the leading demolition firm was commissioned
by a private body to carry out the complete demolition
and site clearance of the cinema and surrounding
area. As part of the environmental phase of the
project, however, Total Reclaims Demolition Ltd
required external assistance from as asbestos specialists
before work could begin and therefore contacted
HB Insulations.
Stella Wright, the health and
safety representative at Total Reclaims Demolition
Ltd comments: "When
we recognised that the job required major asbestos
work, we conducted some research into the field
locally and decided to go with HB Insulations due
to their competitive pricing and professional attitude.
"Considering that this is actually
the first project that we have worked with HB
Insulations on, we have established a good working
relationship with Chris Hudson and the rest of
team very quickly and already have two more projects
in the pipeline which we plan to work with them
on."
Stella
Wright
Total Reclaims
Demolition Ltd |
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Action Demolitions Recommends HB insulations
Paul Richardson comments: "I have employed the services of HB Insulations for the past five years and have always found Chris and the team to be extremely professional. They are really friendly, reliable and always take the time to make sure that they leave everywhere clean and tidy after they finish a job and you don’t always get that with asbestos removal contractors.
"We have since built a very good working relationship with the firm and I always approach them first whenever we have a job that requires asbestos removal. I would definitely recommend them and have done so already on several occasions."
Paul Richardson
Action Demolitions
Connaught Choose HB Insulations
Nottingham based asbestos removal company, HB Insulations have completed their first in a series of future projects for Nottingham based facilities management company Connaught, part of Connaught plc.
Paul Meekin at Connaught, comments: "Being involved in integrated asset management services to public and private property, asbestos can present a real problem in our line of business. Dangerous, difficult to track and painstaking to remove, asbestos can prove a real hindrance. As a company, we have found that the key to dealing with asbestos is to highlight and act upon any issues before they prove to be substantially damaging.
"As thoroughness is at the core of our company ethos, we like to check for asbestos in potentially targeted properties before we secure any business transactions.
"We chose to use HB Insulations as we knew of their excellent reputation in their field from our business acquaintances and their previous clients Amber Valley Housing plc. They assumed responsibility for investigating all potentially ridden areas, taking air samples and accordingly acting to remove any asbestos fully.
"Professional, helpful and fully accommodating, HB Insulations were a joy to work with. The removal process went ahead very smoothly and we now feel that we can securely continue with our business proposals for the properties."
Chris Hudson, partner at HB Insulations comments: "The project was a great success and we are already in the process of finalising a new proposal to work with Connaught on behalf of Three Valleys Housing. This will, indubitably, be the start of long and prosperous working relationship."
Asbestos related illnesses are causing almost 1,900 deaths every year in the UK, the most common being mesothelioma, a cancer of the membranes that line the chest and abdomen. Therefore, it is paramount for any contractor to ensure that the handling and removal of material is carried out safely and professionally
Lovell Recommend HB Insulations
Coveted building firm Lovell has expressed a genuine appreciation for all the hard work and professionalism supplied by Nottingham based asbestos removal company HB Insulations, during their recent collaboration.
Located also in Nottingham, the firm is one of many offices based around the UK that make up the Lovell chain currently holding the status as the country’s leading affordable housing provider.
Site manager at Lovell, Daryl Clark, comments: "Lovell is one of oldest and most respected building names in the country. Thus with such an excellent reputation to uphold it is crucial than we keep on top of any issues which arise that relate directly to the construction industry; asbestos being one of them.
"So, when we were lining up a new project involving over five hundred properties, all needing to be fully surveyed for asbestos, we knew we needed a company that could rely on.
"We chose HB Insulations because we had used them previously and found them to be excellent in the past. This time round, however, taking into account the amount of work required, they were even better. Hard working, reliable and thoroughly efficient, they proved to be a real asset. All properties were fully checked, approximately two hundred of which required full asbestos removal, within the time allowances provided. We really couldn’t have asked for anything more."
Chris Hudson, partner at HB Insulations comments: "We felt very privileged to have been chosen by Lovell for such a large scale project. Everything ran rather smoothly and we feel very happy with the service we provided."
It is estimated that up to half a million UK commercial, industrial and public buildings contain asbestos materials, which have more than likely been in place for 20-50 years and have thus deteriorated and now pose a danger through fibre release, draughts, vibration and damage.
Trent Bridge Construction is a civil engineering company based in Nottingham, specialising in groundworks to new housing and commercial projects in the East Midlands region.
Chris O’Hara has worked with HB Insulations for several years, and comments, “I have always found HB Insulations to be very professional and reliable. Quite simply, they do what they say they can do.
They are a competitively-priced organisation and enjoyable to work with, I would certainly recommend them.”
One of our specialists which we chose carefully. Nurture a long term relationship that goes both ways - Amber Valley Housing Ltd
Good working relationship - Ashfield District Council
Valuable sub-contractor within a specialist field - Carmalor Construction
Always quick to respond, Efficient and no problems - Fred Aram
Helpful, responsive company - The People's College, Nottingham
They do everything asked in a professional and courteous manner - Thomas Bow Ltd |
