We've been delivering groundworks projects for over 25 years and built up a reputation for our outstanding work. Here’s a recent example of a year-long project we undertook to support the extension of a garden centre, in which we also acted as the principal contractor.
The Challenge
Founded in 1978, Haddenham Garden Centre is a family-run, independent garden centre, restaurant and shop based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The company wanted to expand its coffee shop and farm shop to help meet local demand and create higher quality amenities for the local area. To support this initiative, they had been awarded a LEADER grant of £180,000.
Having initially decided to manage the project themselves, Haddenham invited bids from a variety of tradesmen and contractors, whereby we successfully won the groundworks section of the extension.
Further along the process, Haddenham realised the extent of the work involved and decided they needed a principal contractor to manage it for them. Having been impressed with our professionalism, and also the fact that we would be the first on the job as well as the last off, they chose to appoint us in this position.
The Solution
The extension of the garden centre was considerable and involved the erection of a large steel-framed building to re-house its coffee shop, allowing for a much larger seating area and kitchen. The garden centre was also given a brand new frontage and entrance to vastly improve its appearance from the road as well as improved car parking facilities.
As part of these works, we were directly responsible for:
Undertaking all of the groundworks for a brand new triple span retail space
Installing a large concrete floor slab for the relocation of its polytunnels (used to store its online and retail stock)
Constructing the reinforced foundation structures for a new Glulam plant area
Installing a pump station to service the new facility and manage its sewage
Creating a stormwater attenuation basin with a flow control chamber to prevent flooding caused by stormwater runoff from the new extension
All associated foul and stormwater drainage for the new extension
Acting as the principal contractor, we were also responsible for managing the health and safety of the work undertaken by other contractors on site. This included the steelworks, cladding, internal fit-out and the mechanical and electrical work (M&E).
Stephen Hawkins, Managing Director of Haddenham Garden Centre, commented: “Cotterill Contractors were the principal contractor for us on the extension and refurb of our garden centre. I was really pleased with their workmanship and their management of the project. I found them to be trustworthy, hard-working and professional. I would certainly recommend them.”