SEQ Water

Tier-one compliance requirements exceeding standard commercial specs (NCC/BCA and client spec for handrail heights, post spacing, tread construction, and certified slip-resistant tactiles); architectural design files provided by others required conversion into fabrication-ready drawings; the existing mezzanine (built by FMF ~2.5 years prior for a different tenant) needed selective modification without compromising structure; limited access window—business had to remain operational with stairs removed; requirement for larger structural members and outside-mounted balustrade to satisfy the client’s exact specification; extensive QA documentation and product data (e.g., non-slip test reports) expected by a government client; delivery under a compressed programme while coordinating with the head contractor’s broader office fit-out above and below the mezzanine.

Design-assist and value-engineering sprint: FMF translated architectural intent into a complete fabrication pack (materials, dimensions, interfaces) to meet spec without overbuilding; custom stair flight set out to compliant pitch with enlarged treads and stringers; balustrade re-engineered with external-mounted posts at specified centres and compliant handrail profile/height; tactile nosings and floor tactiles selected with verified slip-resistance reports; off-site fabrication completed in ~3 days to de-risk site time; tightly sequenced, two-day installation to minimise downtime and restore access quickly; full QA close-out (as-built drawings, product data, compliance evidence) packaged for a tier-one audit trail; delivered as a single coordinated bundle—design, drafting, fabrication, install, and documentation—so the head contractor had one accountable partner.

SEQ Water needed a tier-one, audit-ready stair and balustrade solution on an existing mezzanine—fast. FMF re-worked the staircase and edge protection to the client’s elevated standard, including larger primary members, compliant handrail geometry, and certified slip-resistant tactiles. By converting architect drawings into fabrication-ready details, prefabricating off-site, and sequencing a two-day on-site blitz, we kept the facility functioning and handed back safe access with minimal disruption. The result: a custom, government-grade solution that met the letter of the spec, matched the model on delivery, and won strong feedback from the project team.