Cast Stone Bespoke Portico Constructed Cost-effectively
Although Procter Cast Stone & Concrete Products offers a range of standard cast stone porticos, from which architects can mix-and-match features to create the size and style of portico (or porch) required, in this case the architect created a bespoke design with square-section columns to complement the chalet-style house.
As with all of its projects, Procter Caststone & Concrete Products appointed a contract manager to liaise with the other parties as necessary to ensure that the bespoke cast stone portico project ran smoothly from start to finish and the right products were delivered to site in accordance with agreed schedules. Where bespoke units are involved, close co-operation with the architect is vital to ensure that the cast stone units are designed to create the desired effect but without incurring unnecessary costs. Furthermore, it enables lifting points to be incorporated in faces that will not be visible after the units have been installed, and additional advice can be passed on relating to structural strength and manufacturability.
As well as liaising with the architect, the contract manager also attended site meetings, agreed the delivery schedule and made recommendations regarding site handling, fixing and cleaning. During the course of the project there were also extensive discussions with the steel fabrication supplier to ensure that the steel and cast stone components worked together as required.
Cast stone can be an extremely cost-effective alternative to natural stone, especially for projects such as this where there is a degree of repetitive work and where some unit designs are variations of others. Furthermore, deliveries of cast stone are highly reliable, and the fact that the units are produced in closely controlled factory conditions ensures consistency from one unit to the next and from one batch to the next. Architects also appreciate the wide choice of colours and finishes available, as well as the freedom to design almost any three-dimensional form.
To assist in the process of specifying cast stone products such as standard porticos or the bespoke portico described above, Procter Caststone & Concrete Products has published Understanding Cast Stone, a Guide to Cast Stone Products for Architects and Specifiers. This is available as a PDF file free of charge from the Downloads page of the website or it can be requested by telephoning us or emailing info@proctercaststone.co.uk.