St Patrick’s Church is building a new church centre on the site of the current 1960s hall.
The current building will be demolished to make way for a brand new £3m building. This new building will be two storeys and will connect to the existing church.
We came on board after the design stage to help the church assess the pricing from the design and build contractor. Ultimately our role is to make sure the church is getting good value for money.
Whilst this is a role we often take on, in the current climate this role has an additional challenge. A perfect storm of events has led to a shortage of materials and large price hikes across the construction sector. Brexit, Covid and the blockage of the Suez Canal have all contributed major shortages in materials across the UK. The result has been a well-publicised increase in costs as different organisations vie for the same limited resources. We are therefore needing to draw on all the tools and connections available to us to minimise the impact of the changes.
As the project progresses from the planning stages, Chawton Hill will be taking on the role of employer’s agent. Work is starting in early August 2021, and the project should complete in Autumn 2022.
Not only will the completed project provide new facilities for church use, it will also be available to the wider community. As well as continuing with current programmes such as youth and children’s work, a weekly lunch club for senior citizens, exercise classes and mother and baby groups, the church plans to use the additional space for running debt counselling sessions, and provide social areas to help combat loneliness.
We look forward to keeping you updated on the project as it progresses.
Find out more about our ecclesiastical experience. And if you need help with your church project, get in touch today for a no-obligation chat.