Helping cash-strapped local authorities save thousands of pounds

Daniel Cheddie, founder and owner of Stronghold® Anchor, discusses removing the cost of scaffolding from high-rise maintenance and safety works. 

Across the social housing sector, one challenge is becoming increasingly familiar. How do local authorities and housing associations deliver urgent safety-critical works in high-rise buildings when budgets are shrinking, access is difficult and residents rightly expect minimal disruption? 

Having spent more than two decades working in fenestration, window installation and safe working at height, I’ve seen first-hand how access costs have quietly become one of the biggest barriers to progress. Too often, the cost and complexity of scaffolding delays essential window repairs, balcony upgrades and other facilities management tasks such as lift maintenance, or makes small but critical jobs financially unviable. 

When scaffolding becomes the problem 

Scaffolding has its place, but in many refurbishment scenarios it’s simply overkill. Replacing one or two failed windows on a high-rise elevation can trigger scaffold costs running into tens of thousands of pounds, alongside weeks of planning, permits and disruption. In dense urban environments, buildings backing onto waterways, rail lines or public highways introduce additional complications that can make external access impractical or impossible for scaffolders. 

Emergency situations highlight the issue even more starkly. A damaged or failed window in an occupied block, school or supported living scheme presents an immediate risk to everyone. Waiting days for scaffold procurement and installation is time that social landlords simply don’t have. 

That is precisely the problem I set out to solve with Stronghold®, which removes these barriers in scenarios where scaffolding becomes impractical or impossibly expensive. There are no permits to wait for and no external structures to erect. With trained operatives, the system can be assembled in under ten minutes by two people, allowing work to begin safely and securely almost immediately. 

A smarter approach to high-rise window and balcony works 

Stronghold is a self-contained internal safety system that allows window repairs and installations to be carried out entirely from inside the building. It safely spans openings of up to five metres, supports up to three engineers simultaneously and features secure anchor points that allow unrestricted movement while maintaining full harness protection. 

Crucially for social housing providers, the system is fully tool-free and requires no drilling or fixings to walls or floors. That means zero damage to existing structures and no intrusive making-good works, an essential consideration in occupied homes. 

It also enables a far more targeted approach. Instead of scaffolding an entire elevation or floor, teams can address only the windows or balconies that require attention, supporting phased refurbishment programmes that align with available budgets. 

Delivering real savings  

The benefits are not theoretical; they are being delivered on social housing projects. Clarion Housing Group, for example, has used the Stronghold on projects and it has saved them thousands of pounds. At Lakeview, a dangerous kitchen window on the seventh floor required urgent replacement and traditional access options were quickly ruled out, with scaffolding for a single window estimated at around £6,000 and a MEWP was not viable due to restricted access. 

Using Stronghold, the installation team were able to complete the work safely and efficiently from inside the property. The system was installed in minutes within a small kitchen, providing full external reach while maintaining complete control of the replacement frame and tools through integrated tethering and harness attachment points. The result was a safe installation, significant cost savings and minimal disruption for the resident. 

Budget flexibility without compromising safety 

When access costs exceed the value of the work itself, the economics simply do not stack up.  For local authorities dealing with tight budgets, short timelines and challenging access conditions, Stronghold offers a solution that prioritises safety, compliance and resident wellbeing, while delivering genuine financial and operational flexibility. 

As the sector continues to grapple with competing demands and increasing scrutiny, solutions that reduce cost without compromising safety will be essential. From my perspective, removing unnecessary scaffolding from high-rise maintenance is not just a saving, it is a smarter way forward for social housing.