Leaky luxury flats getting multimillion makeover

Shangri La apartments, 97 Jervois Rd. Photo / Supplied

A prominent luxury Herne Bay apartment block is undergoing a multimillion dollar repair after suffering leaks for years.

Work has been done at Shangri La at 97 Jervois Rd for some months and residents say they are delighted with the building's transformation, with new windows, cladding renewal and a new exterior colour scheme.

Contractor Haydn and Rollett is working on the building, which went up in the late 1980s.

"The building has experienced waterproofing issues over its life to the southwest face and the separate fire-stair tower. Haydn and Rollett has been contracted to install a curtain wall over the southwest face and replace the cladding on the stair tower.

"Recladding of the stair tower needs to be completed in sections from the top down to allow for the scaffold ties and to date we have completed the top section which has allowed that section of scaffold to be lowered," the contractors said.

Lighthouse, a building consulting company, is working with the body corporate on governance and control issues while the work is being done and a staff member there is assisting the owners.

Architects Peddle Thorp designed changes to the building.

Annual body corporate fees for some apartments are about $24,000 and a level-15 penthouse was advertised for almost $4 million three years ago. Residents have access to a tennis court, swimming pool, spa pool and sauna.