Engineering Smart Solutions in Tight Spaces: PJ Slater’s Stamford & Rutland Hospital Project

Project of the Month – May

Delivering Precision Through Innovation with SMART Estimator

PJ Slater Scaffolding Services Ltd., based in Peterborough, has been trading since 1995 and operating as a limited company since 2002. With a purpose-built office, warehouse, and yard all owned by the business, PJ Slater has established itself as a reliable, safety-conscious scaffolding provider across the new build, refurbishment, industrial, and heritage sectors. A loyal client base and a strong reputation for technical know-how have kept them at the forefront of complex and challenging projects.

What Sets PJ Slater Apart:

The company stands out for its forward-thinking approach, particularly through its investment in digital tools. SMART Estimator is central to their quotation process, helping visualise complex scaffolding schemes in 3D and overlay designs onto client drawings.

They’ve also embraced SiteDocs to manage site documentation, going virtually paperless—reducing internal costs, streamlining compliance processes, and enhancing sustainability. Their switch to HAKI loading bays has also improved efficiency on-site, requiring less transport and assembly time.

The Stamford & Rutland Hospital Project:

This hospital project was a textbook case of problem-solving under pressure. The brief: deliver a free-standing, multi-boarded scaffold platform for cladding installation in a space restricted to as little as 500mm between the building and an existing corridor.

The scaffold couldn’t be tied to the structure, and safety for hospital staff and patients was non-negotiable. PJ Slater used SMART Estimator to model the scaffold and demonstrate its functionality, giving the client immediate clarity and confidence in the solution.

In fact, their ability to present a viable, visualised plan won them the job over competitors.

Key Requirements & Challenge:

• Extremely narrow working space (1.5m narrowing to 500mm)
• No tie-in to the main structure
• All lifts boarded to a fixed offset from the final wall line
• Safe material access for fragile, oversized cladding panels
• Zero disruption to hospital operations
• Scaffold design had to be approved by an engineer

SMART Estimator also allowed PJ Slater to communicate their requirements to the design engineer quickly and clearly, avoiding the need for a site visit and accelerating approval time.

Safety, Collaboration & Execution:

The presence of unprotected edges on the flat roof required temporary edge protection during scaffold erection. Given the complexity and non-TG20:21 nature of the scaffold, close coordination with the client and the design engineer was essential throughout.

Despite site access limitations, materials were delivered safely and efficiently without affecting hospital activity.

Scaling Success with SMART Estimator:

SMART Estimator was a critical tool throughout this project. It enabled PJ Slater to:

• Accurately model the scaffold
• Present technical visuals to the client and design engineer
• Reduce design costs and speed up turnaround
• Maintain tight budget control while securing a healthy profit margin

As the team at PJ Slater put it:
“SMART Scaffolder plays a vital part in our technical delivery of quotations to our clients and gives us a strong marketing advantage over our competition—especially when demonstrating to a client the scaffolds overlaid onto their building drawings, our ability to give them 3D schematics, drawings, and demonstration of loading classifications in pictorial form.”

This visual and technical clarity helped them not only win the job but also collaborate more effectively with engineers and clients at every stage.

Lessons & Looking Ahead:

This project reinforced the value of clear visual communication in securing and delivering complex scaffolding jobs. It also highlighted the commercial benefit of using accurate estimation software to maintain profitability while delivering high-quality work.

Looking ahead, PJ Slater is expanding its footprint in the heritage sector, with new high-profile refurbishment projects in Cambridge and King’s Lynn. On both sites, their use of SMART Scaffolder for modelling and planning has already helped secure client confidence and enhanced collaboration with Heritage England.

SMART Scaffolder continues to empower scaffolding companies like PJ Slater to overcome complex challenges with confidence, clarity, and efficiency. From streamlining quotation processes to enhancing collaboration with clients and engineers, the software proves time and again that smart planning leads to smarter outcomes. As demonstrated on the Stamford & Rutland Hospital project, having the right digital tools can be the difference between a good solution and a winning one.

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Ready to Take Your Scaffolding Projects to the Next Level?

📍 Visit PJ Slater Scaffolding Services Ltd. to learn more about their work and expertise.
📐 Interested in how SMART Estimator can help you win and deliver complex scaffolding projects? Contact Us to find out how we can support your success.