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SCHOOL REFURBISHMENTS
& BUILDS

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What we deliver for schools

  • Full refurbishments and phased upgrades across a whole site
  • SEN classroom fit outs and specialist learning spaces
  • Conversions of offices and other buildings into schools, including change of use and structural work
  • Roofs, windows and external fabric, including listed school buildings
  • Receptions, staff rooms, kitchens and washrooms
  • M&E replacement: heating, ventilation, lighting, data, CCTV and access control
  • External works: MUGAs (multi-use games areas), secure gates, car parks and landscaping
  • Community and education centres
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WORKING IN A
LIVE SCHOOL

Most schools can’t close for a build. So we split the site from the school. That means a fenced compound, our own access route, and deliveries timed away from drop-off and pick-up.

Noisy work, strip-out and structural work go into the holidays where possible. The summer break is about six weeks, which isn’t long, so anything with a long lead time is ordered well before. Larger projects run across several holidays and term-time phases.

We agree safeguarding arrangements with the school before we start, and keep the head, business manager and estates lead updated through our project hub. Exams get special treatment. At Howells School we kept working through exam season by planning quiet work around the exam timetable.

Most of our school work is done while the school stays open. See how we handle occupied school refurbishment — phasing, safeguarding and exams.

Recent school projects

Riseley SEN School, Basingstoke

A former office building converted into a specialist SEN school. The work included change of use, reconfiguring the building, relocating the staircase and complex structural alterations. 26 weeks, handed over in August 2025, on time and on budget.

Howells School, Cardiff

External restoration of a Grade II* listed school for GDST. New roof, 13 chimneys rebuilt, stone replaced, 1,400 m of façade repointed in lime mortar, and windows restored or replaced, all with Cadw approval. The school stayed fully open for the 25-month programme. Along the way we dealt with nesting bats and an anthrax find in old materials.

Tower School, Epping

A Grade II listed former car dealership turned into a specialist school for Options Autism. Internal fit out, M&E, new roof, a home economics kitchen, CCTV and data, plus a MUGA, secure gates and car park outside. 12 weeks, on time and on budget.

View all case studies

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How we run a school project

  1. Survey and scope. We look at the building, the timetable and the access, and tell you early what can and can’t be done in the holiday window.
  2. Price and programme. A fixed price under a JCT contract, with a programme built around term dates. See our pricing promise.
  3. On site. One site manager as the school’s point of contact. Phasing, segregation and safeguarding agreed in writing.
  4. Handover. Snagging done before pupils return where we can, plus O&M manuals, certificates and a defects period.

We’re ISO 9001 certified, SafeContractor approved and Constructionline registered. See our accreditations and health and safety pages.

Who we work with

We work directly for schools and trusts, and with the architects and surveyors who run projects for them. If you’re a bursar or business manager working out how to procure your project, our For Schools page covers that side. Councils can see how we work on our local authority page.

Where we work

We’re based in Epping, Essex, and work on schools across London, the South East and further afield, including recent projects in Cardiff and Newcastle
See areas we cover.

Talk to us about your school

Tell us what needs doing and when the building is free, and we’ll tell you honestly what’s achievable.
Call 0800 043 2639 or email i[email protected].

Can you refurbish a school while it stays open?

Yes. We separate the site from the school with fencing, our own access and delivery times that avoid drop-off and pick-up. At Howells School in Cardiff the school stayed fully open throughout a 25-month restoration, including exam season.
Can the work be done in the summer holidays?

Often, but six weeks is short. Strip-out, noisy work and structural work go into the holidays, so long-lead items have to be ordered well before. Bigger projects are usually phased across several holidays and term time, with the work area kept separate from pupils.
How do you manage safeguarding on a school site?

We agree it with the school before we start. That covers a fenced site kept apart from pupil areas, separate access for our team and deliveries, and arrangements for anyone who has to work near pupils, in line with the school’s own policy.
Can you convert an existing building into a school?

Yes. At Riseley in Basingstoke we converted a former office into an SEN school in 26 weeks, including change of use and structural work. At Tower School in Epping we turned a Grade II listed former car dealership into a specialist school in 12 weeks.
Do you work on listed school buildings?

Yes. At Howells School, a Grade II* listed building, we rebuilt 13 chimneys, replaced stone and repointed 1,400 m of façade in lime mortar, with approval from Cadw. Listed work needs consent in place before we start, so it pays to involve us early.

GET IN TOUCH

0800 043 2639

Eden Build UK Ltd
Unit 33, Woodside Industrial Estate,
Woodside, Thornwood, Epping,
Essex, CM16 6LJ

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Eden Build UK Ltd
Unit 33, Woodside Industrial Estate,
Woodside, Thornwood, Epping,
Essex, CM16 6LJ