A school washroom refurbishment is a significant project that can greatly improve hygiene standards, enhance the student experience and ensure compliance with the latest regulations.
However, to ensure the refurbishment runs smoothly and causes minimal disruption to staff and students, careful preparation is essential. In this guide, we’ll walk through the key steps to prepare your school building and everyone using it for a successful washroom refurbishment.
Things to consider
Before any physical work begins, it’s crucial to clearly define the scope of the washroom refurbishment by identifying which washrooms require renovation and the extent of the work involved.
Are you planning a complete overhaul, or just updating fixtures and fittings? A detailed site survey should be carried out by your chosen washroom refurbishment company to assess the condition of the existing facilities and highlight any structural or compliance issues.
During this phase, you should also work with the refurbishment provider to create a realistic timeline and consider the school calendar to avoid clashing with exam periods or other major events. Where possible, scheduling work during holidays or half-terms can significantly reduce disruption as your school will be empty during this time.
Preparing the school buildings
Once the project scope and schedule are confirmed, the next step is to prepare the physical environment to ensure operations can continue smoothly and safely.
Access and logistics: Ensure that contractors can easily access the work area without interfering with the school’s daily operations. This might involve designating specific entry points, securing storage for materials and setting clear routes for removing waste.
Utilities and safety: Shut-off points for water, electricity and other utilities should be identified in advance. Temporary measures might be necessary to maintain essential services elsewhere in the building. Safety signage and barriers will need to be put in place to restrict access to work areas and protect students and staff.
Temporary facilities: If the refurbishment will take several days or weeks, consider providing temporary washroom facilities, especially if the works are being carried out during term time or any time that you'll have people on the premises. Portable toilets or reassigning existing washrooms can help maintain hygiene standards throughout the project, but will also fit into certain regulations depending on the situation.
Communicating with students and staff
Clear communication is key to minimising disruption and maintaining a positive atmosphere during the refurbishment, especially during term time or training days.
Informing staff
Teachers, administrative staff and site managers should be briefed well in advance before any work commences. You need to ensure to provide details of the work schedule, areas affected and any temporary changes to access or facilities to keep everyone in the loop. Encourage staff to voice any concerns early so they can be addressed before work begins.
Notifying parents
Parents should be informed about the upcoming works, especially if temporary facilities will be used or if the refurbishment might affect drop-off and pick-up routines. A letter or email outlining the project’s benefits and timeline can help reassure parents and minimise complaints.
Educating students
For younger students especially, change can be unsettling. Consider holding assemblies or classroom discussions to explain why the refurbishment is taking place, what to expect and how they can stay safe during the process. Visual aids, like posters or flyers, can also be helpful reminders as they will need to be used throughout the day.
Compliance and safeguarding
Any refurbishment within a school must comply with strict health, safety and safeguarding regulations. Your washroom refurbishment company should be fully compliant with any relevant regulations, with all contractors having a full DBS check. Ensuring that work areas are fully isolated from students and supervised appropriately is non-negotiable.
School washroom refurbishments across the UK
When designing your school toilets, our team will work with you to create your desired space, utilising high-quality materials and resources. Our team of designers are also aware of all the user-friendly functions needed for a school setting.
Inspired Washrooms also have access to a wide range of colour schemes, splash mirrors and finishing details to make the space unique to your school and community. We cover the whole of the UK for school toilets including Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Leicester and London
Get in touch on 0115 811 4242 and one of our friendly team members will get your next school toilet project started!