Project Description

Gibson house is a purpose-built, 40-bed care home delivered for the William Trust within the award winning St Andrews West development. Constructed to replace the Trust’s existing Argyle Street facility, the new home provides high-quality, resident focused accommodation designed to promote dignity, independence and wellbeing. The development comprises 4 residential wings, each containing 1 en-suite bedrooms, each with its own day room and flexible spaces to support smaller community living and personalised care. Amenities such as a café, shop, and hair and nail salon contribute to residents’ wellbeing, while generous communal areas and well‑designed outdoor spaces encourage safe interaction with nature.

Programme

Delivered over a 15-month programme, the project required proactive management of design, procurement, and construction activities to maintain programme certainty. Early engagement with the client, design team, and local supply chain enabled key risks to be identified and mitigated at an early stage. Despite periods of adverse weather and design changes affecting external works, the project was successfully completed in June 2025

CHAP Added Value

Drawing on recent experience in the care sector, CHAP reviewed several construction details and proposed alternative solutions that maintained compliance with acoustic, fire, and building standards while improving buildability. These initiatives, together with value engineering proposals and the reuse of site-won materials, generated significant savings and reduced construction waste.

CHAP also supported skills development throughout the project, providing opportunities for apprentices to gain practical experience within a live construction environment.

Project Performance

The project delivered a high-quality care facility that meets the requirements of both the client and future residents. Close collaboration between the project team, client representatives, and design team ensured quality standards were maintained throughout, while a proactive approach to problem solving helped overcome technical and programme challenges. Positive feedback was received from the Gibson Trust and CAF Properties, with both expressing satisfaction with the completed development and future opportunities for collaboration.

Challenges Overcome

A key challenge was achieving the high-quality standards expected within a modern care environment while maintaining programme and budget objectives. Through early contractor involvement and collaborative engagement with the design team, construction methodologies were reviewed and refined to improve compliance, buildability, and value for money. These changes reduced risk, improved delivery efficiency, and generated significant savings for the client.

Weather-related delays and changes to external infrastructure requirements also impacted progress during construction. Careful planning, early risk identification, and collaborative decision-making enabled these challenges to be effectively managed without compromising overall project delivery.