Project Overview
Client: Stepnell Construction
Project: Boarding House, Bilton Grange Preparatory School
Sector: Education
Location: Rugby
Contract Value: £1.2 Million
Duration: 26 Weeks
Packages Delivered: SFS, Partitions, Skim Finish, Suspended Ceilings
Project Summary
V&D Interiors Ltd was appointed by Stepnell Construction to deliver the structural framing and internal drylining packages for the new boarding house at Bilton Grange Preparatory School in Rugby.
Designed to provide modern accommodation for approximately 80 pupils, the purpose-built four-storey facility offers a high-quality living environment with a range of twin, three and four-bed bedrooms, alongside generous communal spaces including a common room, cinema, dining facilities and dedicated social hubs. The development was carefully designed to provide a safe, comfortable and contemporary home for boarders while complementing the existing school campus.
A standout architectural feature of the project was a bespoke curved plastered staircase, requiring exceptional craftsmanship and precision to achieve the seamless finish specified by the design team.
Our Scope of Works
V&D Interiors delivered a comprehensive internal package, including:
- Structural Steel Framing System (SFS)
- Infill SFS to the lower floors
- Load-bearing SFS walls and roof structure at roof level
- Internal metal stud partition systems
- MF suspended ceiling systems
- LIG ceiling systems
- High-quality skim finish to all walls and ceilings
- Bespoke plastering works, including the feature curved staircase
- Coordination with mechanical and electrical services throughout the installation
Our experienced site team successfully delivered each package while maintaining quality, programme and compliance throughout the construction process.
Challenges
The project required close coordination between structural framing, drylining and follow-on trades to ensure the programme remained on schedule while achieving the exceptional standards expected within an educational environment.
Key project challenges included:
- Installing both infill and load-bearing SFS systems across a four-storey structure.
- Constructing and finishing the feature curved plastered staircase to an exceptionally high standard.
- Coordinating structural framing with internal partition and ceiling installations.
- Delivering flawless skim finishes throughout residential and communal spaces.
- Maintaining programme while working alongside multiple trades on a busy construction site.
Through detailed planning, effective site management and close collaboration with Stepnell Construction, V&D Interiors successfully completed the project within the 26-week programme.
The Result
The completed boarding house provides outstanding accommodation and communal facilities for Bilton Grange Preparatory School, creating a modern and welcoming environment for pupils while supporting the school’s continued investment in its campus.
The exceptional quality of the plastering workmanship delivered by V&D Interiors—particularly the execution of the bespoke curved staircase and the consistently high standard of finishes throughout the building—was recognised nationally when the project was awarded the FIS Plastering Contractor of the Year 2026 award. This prestigious recognition reflects our commitment to craftsmanship, technical excellence and delivering outstanding results on complex construction projects.
V&D Interiors successfully delivered the SFS, drylining, plastering and ceiling packages to meet Stepnell Construction’s programme, quality and performance expectations. The project demonstrates our capability to deliver technically demanding education developments, combining structural framing expertise with premium drylining and plastering finishes while maintaining programme certainty and uncompromising quality.
