Buckingham Palace’s £369m renovation project has caused a bidding war amongst contractors.
The palace are looking for firms to change the plumbing and wiring – around 100 miles of cabling and 30 miles of pipework in all – of the entire property as it has not been updated since the 1950s.
Each contract is set to be awarded separately for each of the part of the programme. There are six bidders for the first lot and a further six for the second and 10 for the third.
In a paper, titled ‘Buckingham Palace Reservicing Report’, it is outlined what needs amending in the London residence.
It reads: "However, as the Palace’s electrical cabling, plumbing and heating have not been updated since the 1950s … the building’s infrastructure is now in urgent need of an overhaul to avoid the very real danger of catastrophic failure leading to fire or flood, and incalculable damage to the building and priceless works of art in the Royal Collection …
"A series of detailed technical assessments have examined the material state of the Palace … These established that elements of the Palace’s essential services are significantly beyond their maximum useful life and require urgent replacement to avoid the risk of devastating failure.
"In order to address this urgent need … it was concluded that the most cost-effective way to replace the services, and ensure that the Palace is fit for purpose for the next 50 years, would be to undertake a phased programme of works over ten years, starting without delay in 2017 and finishing in 2027."
Elsewhere, the report states there are wider benefits too, including allowing people from "apprenticeships and graduate programmes" to work on the historic building.
They added: "In addition to replacing the essential services, the reservicing programme includes a plan to deliver tangible benefits and efficiencies. The operational effectiveness of the Palace will be increased by making the building more energy efficient and cost-effective.
"There will be a significant increase in the numbers of people visiting the Palace, with a renewed focus on education, the history of the Monarchy and British citizenship. It will also offer an opportunity for a new generation of construction professionals to work on a historic building through apprenticeships and graduate programmes."
Buckingham Palace renovation causes bidding war
