Author Archive

Photo of Charlotte, our Sales & Marketing executive

(Re)Introducing Charlotte!

She’s coming back to join us at MacLennan as our Sales & Marketing Executive due to an expanding team!

“Hi, I’m Charlotte! I am excited to be back working for MacLennan, I look forward to my future career here!”

Photo of Charlotte, our Sales & Marketing executive
maclennan waterproofing spray

Deck hunting season is open!

The MacLennan staff are starting to emerge from the basements, blinking in the sunlight and preparing to work on decks. Winter work on basement decks is at best difficult and at worst, carried out incorrectly in poor conditions.

Sprayed and hand applied liquid Waterproof systems should never be applied on damp decks. They should never be applied when the ambient temperature is not at least 3 degrees above the dew point, even if the sun is out. We rely on bond to resist outgassing.

This applies to most forms of waterproofing on decks and around basements. Even the sheet membranes normally have a primer which relies on the dry warm conditions for installation.

Planning a basement.

If you are planning a basement you should be sequencing the work so as the critical deck and external waterproofing is carried out in the spring, summer and early Autumn.

If the work has to be carried out in the winter then you have to cost in Winter primers, tenting, frost blankets, installing and removing covers, drying of surfaces and downtime when work just cannot happen unless fully tented and heated.

All of this preparation is very rarely considered even when set out in supporting information and data sheets supplied by contractors and manufacturers.

This is all critical.

If you allow or worse force the work to happen in inappropriate weather and environmental conditions you will have failures.You cannot apply waterproofing the day after rain, you need at least a good days drying after the water has been cleared off of the deck.

maclennan waterproofing event talk

CPD Event Day

On-site CPD Event Day

On Tuesday 31st of October, we invited 30 local members of the construction industry to our head office in Salisbury to take part in a free CPD event day.

Architects and Surveyors were amongst those that joined us for two seminars by our Managing Director, Ian MacLennan, for an unrivalled look into Waterproofing whilst gaining accreditation for their CPD.

Arriving at 9:30am, our attendees were offered a hot breakfast and a chance to relax whilst introducing themselves to each other in our company bar.

As MacLennan are experts in their field; the first seminar was an in depth look in Waterproofing Design & Installation. Our key focus points in this presentation were the different types of waterproofing options available and the design considerations along with a look into failed systems, waterproofing myths and how to save money whilst avoiding pitfalls.

After the first presentation was complete, a buffet of our favourite items from local bakers, Reeves, was prepared for our guests. The October sun provided the perfect setting, allowing our guests to explore the grounds where they could meet our resident farm animals including the Donkeys and Alpacas.

We held a raffle and gave away various prizes to our guests to thank them for coming before settling into our second session of the day, 'Building Preservation'. This session not only covers different types of damp in buildings and how to investigate them, but also remedial waterproofing options that are guaranteed to conserve and are beyond beneficial to learn.

After the final presentation was complete, our guests were able to wind down in the bar and enjoy complimentary drinks whilst further getting to know their fellow attendees and the MacLennan team.

Our guests feedback

"I really enjoyed it thank you. It was well presented and left me feeling confident that we could take on a project including waterproofing as I now have someone to got to for that aspect."

"Relaxed and very informative."

"Thoroughly enjoyed the presentations, Ian came across as knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate about the work MacLennan do and I learnt a great deal. Having been to similar seminars in the past I particularly liked the blend of photographs, videos and props which helped to keep everyone engaged in the content being delivered."

"It was a very good day with a relaxed atmosphere. The company were friendly and polite. Great bar too!"

"Excellent, very informative."

"Well organised and a good day."

Register for our next free CPD event today!

It was our pleasure to host this event and we can't wait to welcome more guests on site to share our knowledge. If you'd like to come along to our next event, please leave your email address in the form below or email enquiries@maclennanuk.com!

Photo of a guarantee

When is a waterproofing guarantee not a guarantee?

Photo of a guarantee


Most waterproofing guarantees are issued by either a manufacturer / supplier or a contractor referring to a manufacturers guarantee, or an insurance backed guarantee.For the most part these guarantees do not offer any real benefit to the client and can leave the client and or the design team with financial loss, a delayed program or much worse.Insurance companies deal with many millions of pounds worth of claims with regards to basement flooding. Most are covered by worthless guarantees.
A guarantee is only a proper guarantee if it comes from one company covering design, materials and installation.
The client will always want a meaningful guarantee, but most fall well short of meaningful. If it does not cover design, supply and installation it is not going to protect the client, the main contractor or the design team.
The biggest cause of ongoing, expensive & disruptive problems is the manufacturer guarantee. They look reasonable on the face of it but the terms will explicitly limit the guarantee to the cost of replacing the materials. They will not cover investigations, remediations and loss.The manufacturer will offer design and details but will not accept any liability for installation.
The manufacturer may offer to carry out inspections and even on site training, but in the event of a problem they will be very clear that they do not have any liability for remediation.
Insurance backed guarantees only come into effect if the contractor has ceased to trade and are limited to the cost of the original contract. MacLennan guarantees are insured product warranties. They cover design, supply and installation. All design is covered by our 10 million PI. No split responsibility, no argument no risk to client or design team.
To protect the client and all other stake holders from split responsibility insist on an insured product warranty from MacLennan. Our product is not the materials used. Our product is a permanently dry basement. That is guaranteedThe MacLennan warranty is the best available in the industry. It is your USP. The guarantees cover all work carried out by MacLennan including design, materials and installation. All other warranties from competitors and manufacturers and additives companies specifically exclude consequential costs. All manufacturers and competitors and additive companies limit their guarantee to the cost of the work or in the case of manufacturers the materials supplied. Manufacturers may accept liability for design but not for installation. This creates split liability and responsibility and so the work is not effectively guaranteed.

Reasons to use MacLennan for your Waterproofing contract.

 


Guarantees


MacLennan are one of the very few contractors with a Products Insurance scheme which covers all aspects of the waterproofing installation. All manufacturer schemes cover up to the value of the materials used only, and they do not cover installation.

Design


MacLennan take on design liability and have 10 million PI.

Safety


MacLennan are a safe contractor and have won awards for site safety. MacLennan managers are IOSH, All supervisors are SST, All staff are CSCS and most are NVQ2.

Organisation


MacLennan complete 200 projects per year from £5,000 - £1.6 million. MacLennan have dedicated site and contract managers, who control quality, preparation, and sequencing of work.

Qualifications


MacLennan designers are CSSW. This is a requirement of major insurers. Some are qualified Civil Engineers, most have over 30 years’ experience.

Experience


MacLennan have delivered some of the most technically challenging waterproofing contracts on some of the largest and most iconic buildings in the country - on time and within budget.

Value


MacLennan win most of their work through competitive tender. We tell you all of the cost up front. There are no hidden extras with a MacLennan design and quotation.

 


MacLennan take the risk out of waterproofing.

Ian MacLennan CSRT CSSW
Managing Director

National Audit Office

Unknown-2 Here is one of MacLennan’s vans outside the National Audit office. MacLennan are carrying out yet another large project nearby and the driver was extremely happy to be able to find parking in central London, a struggle at the best of times!

Get in touch!

Ready to start a project or require more information about us?
Call us about your project or problem and we will be happy to help.


Call us today on:

0330 3200 240
Or email us here