Structure
Concrete and blockwork in Barbados
Nearly every building on this island is blockwork stitched together with reinforced concrete. Done properly it will stand for a hundred years in a hurricane belt. Done to save a few dollars on steel and cement it will crack, spall and rust from the inside.
What we build
- Blockwork — external and internal walls, boundary walls, retaining walls and planters.
- Reinforced concrete frames — pad and strip footings, columns, ring beams and lintels.
- Slabs — ground floor slabs, suspended floor slabs and concrete roofs.
- Steel fixing to the engineer's drawing, with laps, covers and spacing as specified rather than as convenient.
- Rendering and finishing, including repairs to failed render.
- Concrete repair — cutting out spalled concrete, treating corroded reinforcement and reinstating properly.
Spalling concrete on your house?
Rust stains and blown patches on soffits, columns and beams are the visible end of corroding reinforcement. Painting over it does nothing. It has to be cut out, the steel treated or replaced, and the concrete reinstated with the right materials. The earlier the cheaper.
Boundary and retaining walls
Retaining walls fail because of water, not weight. If there is no drainage behind the wall, pressure builds until it moves. We build them with drainage, and we tell you when you need an engineer rather than a builder.
Structure is the cheap part to get right
It is a fraction of the cost of a house and effectively all of the risk. Never buy it on price alone.
Common questions
Do I need a structural engineer?
For anything beyond a simple single-storey element, for building up over an existing structure, for retaining walls of any height and for removing structural walls — yes. It is a small fee against the thing it protects.
Why is the concrete on my house going rusty?
Because the reinforcement inside it is corroding, usually where there was too little cover or the concrete was porous. It gets worse, and it is far cheaper to repair early.
Can you build a boundary wall?
Yes. Height, foundation and, if it retains ground, drainage all have to be right — and boundary structures can have planning implications.
Other things we do
New Home Construction
Turnkey house building across Barbados — from a cleared lot to the keys, on a written programme and a fixed scope.
Read moreHouse Extensions
Ground-floor and upper-floor extensions tied properly into the existing house, with the planning application handled.
Read moreHome Renovations
Whole-house refurbishment of older Barbadian homes — structure, roof, wiring, plumbing and finishes.
Read moreKitchens & Bathrooms
Kitchen and bathroom refits managed as one job, so the trades follow each other instead of waiting on each other.
Read moreRoofing & Roof Repairs
Re-roofing, roof replacement and storm repair, built and strapped for hurricane wind loads.
Read moreGroundworks & Foundations
Site clearance, excavation, foundations, retaining walls, drainage and suck-wells on Barbados coral rock.
Read morePatios, Walls & Driveways
Patios, decks, boundary walls, driveways, pool surrounds and outdoor kitchens — built to live outside in.
Read moreHurricane Strengthening
Roof strapping, shutters, opening protection and post-storm repair, before and after the season.
Read moreConstruction Project Management
Running the whole job for you — drawings, approvals, trades, programme and payments — with one point of contact.
Read moreProperty Maintenance
Small works, repairs and scheduled maintenance for homes and rental properties across the island.
Read more