IN Brief:
- Thirteen Group’s £3.3m Saltersgill housing improvement programme is being delivered by Esh Construction under its Capital Delivery Framework.
- The second phase completed window replacements at 164 properties, while phase three covers further window and external door improvements at 442 properties.
- The project is scheduled for completion in spring 2027 and forms part of Thirteen’s wider £63m annual investment programme.
Esh Construction has moved into the third phase of a £3.3m programme replacing windows and external doors for housing association Thirteen Group on the Saltersgill estate in Middlesbrough. The contractor has completed window replacements at 164 properties during phase two. Work has now started on phase three, which covers improvements at 442 properties, with the overall scheme scheduled for completion by March 2027.
The work forms part of Thirteen’s Capital Delivery Framework, through which the housing association commissions improvements to its existing homes. Its stated objectives at Saltersgill are better security, energy efficiency, warmth, and property condition. The completed second phase establishes that replacement work is already being delivered, while the newly started third phase brings windows and external doors into the programme. The contract is a refurbishment scheme in occupied housing stock, with installations distributed across homes on an existing estate.
Each replacement has to be fitted into an established opening and connected to materials that remain in place. A window frame meets existing masonry, reveals, a sill, and internal finishes; how those junctions are treated affects weather resistance and the continuity of the building’s thermal envelope. Perimeter gaps or damaged seals can allow air and moisture to pass around a suitable glazing unit. The installed result therefore depends on the connection between components as well as the specification of the replacement window.
External doors bring similar interface requirements, alongside mechanical operation and security. The frame and threshold must work together with the leaf, hinges, weather seals, and locking hardware. Alignment and correct operation are particularly important when the surrounding structure is retained, since the opening may not have the dimensions or condition of a newly constructed doorway. The Saltersgill programme includes external door replacements in phase three, extending the scope beyond the window installations completed in the previous stage.
Changes to the building envelope also need to account for ventilation. Replacement windows can reduce uncontrolled air leakage, but the ventilation that previously entered through gaps cannot simply be disregarded. In England, Part L of the Building Regulations addresses the energy performance of replacement windows and doors, while Part F addresses ventilation in existing dwellings. The applicable guidance calls for ventilation to remain satisfactory after replacement work. Project-specific installation details and the standards applying to individual properties determine how those requirements are met.
Andrew Harrow, operations director at Esh Construction, said: “Delivering high-quality improvements that make a positive difference for residents is central to our approach, and we’re proud to be working alongside Thirteen on this programme. The completion of phase two marks another important milestone in helping to improve existing homes and support Thirteen’s commitment to providing safe, comfortable and sustainable places to live.”
Delivering replacements across many addresses also creates a different sequence of site activities from work concentrated in one building. Surveys, access to individual homes, removal of existing units, fitting, making good, and handover all have to be coordinated around occupied properties. Variations in openings and surrounding finishes can alter the work required at each address. The third phase carries a larger reported work programme and requires those property-by-property installations and resident arrangements to be managed through to the target completion date.
Thirteen’s investment area manager, Rubie Dixon-Lee, said: “The new windows and doors will make a real difference for hundreds of households in Saltersgill, helping to keep homes warmer, more secure and more energy efficient.” The housing association is using component replacement to improve its existing stock, where the condition of frames, seals, and doors has a direct bearing on comfort and day-to-day use. Its intended improvements concern the performance of existing homes, rather than the creation of additional housing units.
The £3.3m Saltersgill programme sits within Thirteen’s wider £63m investment programme for homes across the North East and Yorkshire this year. That larger programme covers improvements to thousands of properties, allowing individual schemes to address specific components and maintenance needs. Window and door replacements are one part of this work, with subsequent performance depending on suitable products, correct installation, and maintenance throughout the service life of the components.
Esh and Thirteen have also delivered refurbishment work elsewhere in the region. In April 2026, Esh completed a separate £2.1m programme across 297 homes at Throston Grange in Hartlepool, including kitchen replacements, partial electrical upgrades, and the removal of electric fires. Those activities are distinct from the Saltersgill window and door works, but both programmes use the contractor’s experience in carrying out upgrades within existing social housing. Their separate scopes illustrate how planned investment is divided between different building elements across the association’s portfolio.
At Saltersgill, the next stage consists of fitting replacement windows and external doors, making good the surrounding building fabric, and handing completed properties back to residents. The contractor is working towards the March 2027 programme completion date, with phase three now under way and the preceding phase finished.
