Crest Nicholson

Crest are rightly proud of their eye for detail when constructing homes that they and their customers will be proud of. Can you tell us more about what goes into the impressive Crest process and level of detail?

We have many tools at Crest to ensure our quality is of the highest standards. Every stage of the build is checked and recorded using our IT systems which means the site team are physically out onsite checking. In addition to this we hold regular onsite meetings with the wider project team and we also employ an excellent quality manager who inspects the site monthly and produces a report.

We also have very proud site team led by Andy Smith who strives for great quality in everything that he does.

What sets Crest apart from other homebuilders?

Place making and community are at the heart of Crest’s DNA - we strive to provide high quality homes that our customers are proud to call their home. We create sustainable, thriving communities and outstanding places to live.

Crest Nicholson puts the customer first and prides itself on the journey we offer new homeowners, from the first conversation with our sales team through to our customer care team post-completion. 

We recognise the importance of every homeowner’s decision to purchase a home from Crest Nicholson and the trust placed in us. 

The Waterfront at Gloucester Quays has been a highly technically, challenging project - sitting alongside a canal and on a former brownfield site. There were many aspects that needed to be carefully considered. Can you tell us a bit about these challenges and how they were overcome?

Prior to Crest developing the land, it had various historical industrial uses including fuel storage/distribution, scrap yards, waste transfer and landfill, rail and warehousing.

Before any works on site commenced, we had to formulate a very in-depth ground remediation and material management plan. Before we handed any of the units over, we have a validation test completed on the ground, so we know the nasties have been removed and it is safe for our customers.

Also, prior to work starting onsite we had to plan for the various constraints of working along a canal and busy towpath in a built-up area. We used various methods to mitigate these by fixing debris netting to the scaffold and using silt traps around the development to prevent run off. Vibration monitors were in place whilst piling to ensure we were keeping disruption to our neighbours to a minimum.

Premier Guarantee pride ourselves on being a constructive guide, helping developers overcome challenges. How did you find working with us?

I have worked with Premier Guarantee for at least eight years and I have always liked the collaborative approach taken by the various inspectors. You really get the feeling that they care about the project and will work with the site teams to ensure that the best quality is achieved. If there is a difficult detail, which there has been at Gloucester Quays, then the [Premier Guarantee] inspector is willing to take the time to look for solutions alongside the site team.

This is the first project the site team have worked with Premier Guarantee. The feedback from the team is very positive. They would like to keep working with Premier Guarantee more in the future.

A large portion of the project involved fusion build. Are you able to tell us a bit about this and how Premier Guarantee helped in the process?

Fusion is a light steel frame building which is manufactured off site. This was then delivered to site and erected by Fusion. The benefits of this were the speed the buildings could be made watertight.

Premier Guarantee worked very closely with Crest and Fusion during the design stages of the project to ensure the warranty could be provided on the fusion system. This was a relatively new system to Crest on a large project so there needed to be close collaboration between all involved to ensure compliance was achieved.

Would you recommend Premier Guarantee’s service to others?

Yes, I would, and I have done. It’s good to work with a warranty provider who wants to help. And work with the site teams recognising the teams’ challenges as well as ensuring compliance.

What does the future hold for Crest? What are the challenges on the horizon that you look forward to overcoming?

The future for Crest is positive. I can see there being many challenges given the current economic and political climate. We will face and overcome these challenges head-on so we can keep producing the homes which are desperately needed. Delivering exceptional places for our customers to call home at the highest of standards.