Aquamark are an Equal Opportunitues Employer

When you engage the services of any contractor for your business, you want to ensure that their set of corporate values aligns with that of your company. At Aquamark, we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer. This means that we’ll never discriminate on grounds of race, gender or religion, either when recruiting new members for the team, or in our day-to-day business practices.

What’s important when it comes to Aquamark’s clients, is that in addition to us strictly adhering to the laws associated with equal opportunities, we believe that our policies benefit our customers in a number of ways. A real win-win situation for everybody!

Promoting a talented group

Because of Aquamark’s commitment to non-discriminatory practices, we’re pleased to attract the most talented individuals to the company. Aquamark’s rigorous recruitment process ensures that the most appropriate people are employed to carry out our broad range of projects in London and the South East.

Boosting team morale

At Aquamark, our strong equal opportunities policy makes sure that staff work harmoniously together, leading to higher team morale. This of course positively impacts our clients, as each job undertaken is done so in a spirit of true co-operation, producing the best possible results for your company.

Staff retention

Our equal opportunities policy means that staff stay with us longer, meaning that each job undertaken is carried out with the maximum of skill and experience, leading to Aquamark’s trademark stunning results.

An excellent reputation

Aquamark’s equal opportunities policies contribute to us being regarded as one of the most professional office cleaning companies in London. So when you choose us for your commercial cleaning needs, you’ll benefit from being associated with a company who is held in high esteem throughout the local area.

100% focused on the job in hand

Because Aquamark makes equal opportunities a matter of high priority, we mitigate against the dangers of breaching employment law, and being taken to court because of it. In this way, we’re never bogged down in our own business issues, and so are able to focus exclusively on the important job in hand – making your company offices look as professional as possible!

Get in touch

So, if you’re a company that also believes in the importance of equal opportunities within the workplace, Aquamark will be the perfect office cleaning company for you. Contact Aquamark Cleaning today on 020 8401 2375 for your free quote.

With London being one of the world’s

Cleaning up London, one desk at a time

most eminent business centres, Aquamark is proud to provide an expert office cleaning service to many organisations that occupy the city’s commercial properties. So, to find out a little more about how we’re adding value by cleaning up London, one desk at a time, read on for more information!

Impressed clients

When Aquamark offers its professional office cleaning services to your company, you’ll discover that we ultimately provide so much more than just a sanitary working environment.

From the moment your valued clients step through your doors – consciously or subconsciously – they’ll be impressed with the appearance of your London office, once Aquamark has worked its magic. Indeed, a clean and tidy office looks more organised, trustworthy and generally appealing to any outsiders visiting. In contrast, a chaotic and unclean working space can alienate and repel potential business leads.

Precious business time saved

All responsible London business owners know that when employing staff, there are many health and safety considerations to which they must adhere. By allowing Aquamark to maintain the cleaning of your workspace, you’ll be able to get on with more pressing business matters, safe in the knowledge that many important health requirements are being met.

Improved staff morale

Aquamark’s office cleaning also helps boost revenue by fostering a more efficient team. Working in ordered and hygienic surroundings can mean the difference between your staff feeling like they’re on top of their projects, or alternatively feeling like they’re losing control amidst the clutter and grime of an unsanitary office. So – never underestimate the importance of your staff and their need for excellent working conditions.

Get in touch

Are you a London business that would benefit from more time, impressed clients and boosted staff morale? Then give the team at Aquamark a call today on 020 8401 2375, and allow us to transform the look and feel of your commercial space with our superior office cleaning service.

Cleaning needs

What is it that your company requires to be cleaned? There is a range of services that cleaning companies can provide, which often include windows, offices and specialist structures. At Aquamark, we offer our customers all three, but other outfits may be geared toward more specific offerings.

If you have extensive cleaning needs, it’s wise to choose a cleaning company that can offer a comprehensive service. Indeed, enlisting the help of one company for all your requirements really can remove the hassle that inevitably arises from co-ordinating a number of companies, individuals and invoices. You’ll have a regular point of contact, at a company that can take care of everything for you, under one roof.

Budget

In today’s economic climate, cutting unnecessary business costs is prudent. So when it comes to selecting an appropriate cleaning company for your organisation, you’ll need to do a bit of initial investigation into their associated fees.

At Aquamark, for example, we’ve never pretended to be the cheapest option on the market. What we do promise our customers, however, is exceptional results on every job we undertake. In this way, you’ll need to weigh up the extent of your cleaning needs. If you’re a national organisation with important clients to impress, choose a company that’s higher-end. But if you’re a start-up needing to keep a tighter rein on expenses, it’s smart to opt for a cleaning company that’s a little more basic.

Company background

It certainly pays to do your homework before steaming ahead and booking the first cleaning company you stumble across. Remember, no two businesses are exactly alike, so it’s important to ensure that the nuances of the cleaning company that you’re considering contracting meet your exact preferences. For example:

• How much experience does this cleaning company have?
• Can the organisation fit around your company schedule?
• Do workers carry all necessary qualifications?
• Are their cleaning staff directly employed, or subcontracted?
• Are staff CRB checked?
• Are they also ID verified?
• Are the company’s procedures environmentally friendly?

In short, depending on the nature of your company, you’ll want to make sure that your chosen cleaners’ practices align with your set of company values and principles.

For more information on Aquamark’s services, call today!

For a cleaning company that impresses, time and time again, get in touch with Aquamark Cleaning. We’re available on 020 8401 2375, and can offer a wide range of expert services to our customers in London, Surrey, and the surrounding counties.

#1. Dirt-free desks

With office workers spending the best part of the day at their desks, it’s no wonder that by the time five o’clock rolls around, they’re not always as pristine as they might like. By contracting a company to keep workstations clean and tidy after hours, employee motivation can be notably increased. A clean, streamlined and clutter-free immediate environment is sure to aid morale by welcoming bleary-eyed workers to the office, long before they’ve even had their morning Americano!

#2. Kitchen cleanliness

British novelist, Virginia Woolf, once said that one “cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” At Aquamark, we couldn’t agree more, especially when it comes to the “thinking well” part. Indeed, by offering staff a sparkling, hygienic and inviting kitchen in which to eat their lunch and socialise with colleagues, you stand to drastically improve motivation levels for the remainder of the day. Instead of skipping lunch, impairing concentration levels, and becoming bogged down with too much work, employees will be encouraged to tuck-in to something satisfying in order to effectively revitalise.

 #3. Putting the “wash” in washroom

It goes without saying that no team member will be happy in an unsanitary environment, and so keeping your company bathrooms clean is a vital way of ensuring that morale levels stay where they should. Why not even invest in some high-end toiletries, such as Molton Brown or Jo Malone? It’s a subtle but appreciated touch that serves to remind your staff that you’re continuing to invest in their quality of life at work. In addition, cleaner, more inviting company washrooms can encourage more frequent after work social events, as employees will more willingly use them for their makeup, hair, or even a change of outfit.

#4. Blissful boardrooms

The epicentre of corporate decision-making and creativity, a clean and tidy boardroom is an absolute essential in any office. Not only will professionally cleaned meeting rooms impress your clients, but they’ll also help foster originality and collaborative spirit in your own team. Office cleaners can be enlisted on either a daily, weekly or monthly basis to ensure that the surfaces are polished, the floor is vacuumed, and that the whiteboard is a blank canvas for inspiration. The perfect setting for any dynamic problem solving team!

Call Aquamark Cleaning today for your free quote!

So, to boost the morale of your team, whilst also improving the look and feel of your business’s headquarters, don’t delay in getting in touch with the Aquamark office cleaning team on 020 8401 2375.

The Palm House at Kew Gardens would be best cleaned using the water fed pole system

We’re staying closer to home this week in our search for the world’s most impressive glass structures and buildings. Last week we looked at a palm house off the coast ofTokyoand today we look at one here on home soil.

The Palm House is a real icon of Kew Gardens and, built between 1844 and 1848, this beautiful glass house is one of the oldest buildings we’ve featured in this series. The Palm House was designed by the brilliantly named Decimus Burton and the engineer Richard Turner and is widely considered to be the most important Victorian glass and iron structure, that is still in one piece, in the world.

The building was ground-breaking in its time too as it was the first time that engineers had used wrought iron to construct such a large structure.  It’s no surprise that from a distance the Palm House looks like an upturned boat as the pioneering method of using such quantities of wrought iron was inspired by the ship building industry of the day. 

The Palm House is very imposing standing 66ft high, 100ft wide and 363ft long and has been lovingly restored first between 1955 and 1957 and again between 1984 and 1988.  The second restoration saw the Grade 1 listed building emptied of all the plants it holds for the first time ever, dismantled and restored. The restoration included the addition of new toughened safety glass and replica frame work made of stainless steel.  The whole restoration project in the 80s from dismantling to rebuilding took as long as the Palm House took to be built back in 1844.

Cleaning the Palm House

This iconic glass house is made up of 700 panes of glass, all of which need cleaning regularly to make sure this jewel in the Kew crown is kept looking beautiful, and that the precious plants that are housed inside get as much heat and light that they require to thrive. 

To clean the Palm House we would opt for the water fed pole system. Not only is this one of the most water conserving methods of cleaning but, with a reach of over 70ft, it would reach the tip of the ‘upturned boat’ easily. Who knows, we may just learn a bit about horticulture too while we’re at it! 

The Yumenoshima Botanical Tropical Gardens are set amidst Tokyo Bay

Glass is a fabulously versatile building material and in the hands of talented architects, designers and crafts people it can be nothing short of magnificent.  We’ve documented some of the world’s finest glass structures and this week is no different as we travel to Japan to a man-made island re-claimed from years of Japan’s accumulating litter and rubbish.

It’s hard to believe that something so elegant and beautiful could have sprung from a landfill, but Yumenoshima (literally translated as Dream Island) and the elegant glass houses are a real triumph.

Here at Aquamark we’re always interested to see how other countries re-use, recycle and improve green credentials. The island of Yumenoshima is situated off Tokyo Bay and was built as a park in 1978. There are three huge glass domes on the island, all interconnected and all shielding over a thousand tropical and sub-tropical plants, including scary carnivorous specimens. At 28m high and covering a total area of 1,500 sqm that’s a lot of glass, and a lot of fragile plants.

Interestingly it’s thanks again to the city’s waste that the greenhouses are kept to a constant temperature.  Extremely hot water is a by-product from the nearby New Koto incinerator which incinerates the city’s waste.  This hot water leaves the incinerator at 125 degrees, it’s cooled down to 70 degrees and circulated around the great glass houses to heat them.

Cleaning the Glasshouses at Yumenoshima

In keeping with the efficiency of this island and it’s fascinating glasshouses Yumenoshima’s Tropical Greenhouses could be cleaned using more of the recycled water from the city’s incinerator; it’s hot and it’s greener too.  For a job this size and in this location we’d opt for water fed poles, though with a reach of 73ft they wouldn’t quite get to the top of the glass domes. The steel structure of the domes however would be suitable for abseil cleaning teams or cradle cleaning and would cause little disturbance in this peaceful park.

The World Trade Centre Makes for a Stunning Sight Amidst the Bahrain Cityscape

We’ve been feeling the cold here at Aquamark this week so in our search for some of the world’s finest glass structures, we’re heading for some sunshine. This week we head to the Middle East to the warmer climate of Bahrain to look at a truly intelligent building that not only looks spectacular but offers some pretty impressive green features too.

Much like the Hotel W in Barcelona featured last month, the Bahrain Trade Centre is situated right on the sea front and is shaped like a giant sail billowing in the breeze.  From the sea this striking building looks like an enormous yacht ready to sail off into the Arabian Gulf.

There are two towers that are connected together by three ‘bridges’ that support three 29m diameter wind turbines. The shape of this clever building, with the sail shaped towers, helps the wind acceleration toward the turbines making it a really effective green feature for harnessing energy.

The original plan for the towers had been to coat them with solar panels but the sun is just too fierce in Bahrain to make the project possible so the wind turbines were the other option to optimise green energy in the landmark building. The Centre was designed by Atkins Middle East who is responsible for many more impressive large glass structures throughout Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Oman and is a real showcase building in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The building is imposing at 50 storeys high and is home to offices, a luxury shopping mall and the 5-star Sheraton Hotel.

Cleaning the Bahrain World Trade Centre

What a job this would be!  The heat, the dust and the sheer height of this building would make this quite an eventful project.  The towers are clad in glass so it’s a job that must be completed on a regular schedule. Cradle cleaning would be suitable for a building of this size assuming that it would be possible to fix the pulley systems. There’s no height limit for cradle cleaning but the cost of sun cream to keep our fully trained and accredited cradle window cleaning professionals safe in the Bahrain sun would be astronomical!

The Dancing House is an iconic building in Prague, Czech Republic

Our quest to showcase glass as a versatile building material has taken in everything from pyramids to floating glass houseboats and even a giant piano and violin. We’ve documented some weird and wonderful designs but none as controversial and downright bizarre looking as the building formerly known as Fred and Ginger.

The Dancing House was built between 1992-1996 and to say that it stands out against Prague’s spectacular historic architecture would be a real understatement! The building was designed by architects Vlado Milunic and Frank Gehry as homage to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and is two glass clad buildings side by side, one is straight and upright and the other curved and leaning somewhat precariously on its neighbour.

The curved building (Ginger?) looks impossibly warped and from the street it’s hard to imagine that it’s a functioning building at all.  The architecture may not be to everyone’s taste but it’s a real feat of design.  Given its wobbly appearance, the unorthodox design is also known by locals as the Drunk House too. From a distance it’s easy to see the architect’s vision of a dancing couple and it’s really quite wonderful to look at these two buildings ‘dancing’ together.

The building is home to Dutch bank ING who commissioned the build on a previously vacant plot on the banks of the Vltava River. The top floor houses one of the city’s most popular restaurants and offers fabulous views of the city, Prague Castle and river.

Opinions were strongly divided between love and hate for the Dancing House when it was first built, but the architect’s vision for a building to be an icon of modern Prague has certainly kept people talking – and the visitors flocking.

Cleaning Fred and Ginger

While ‘Ginger’ is totally clad in glass, ‘Fred’ is made up of many small windows. Cleaning the building, despite the crazy shape, wouldn’t be a problem.  Water-fed poles would be effective to 73 ft and abseil cleaning teams or cradle cleaning would also ensure a perfect finish to all those awkwardly positioned panels and windows. The building has a level access too so cherry pickers would also suit the building well. We’re spoilt for choices for suitable cleaning methods for this building. The only problem could be the constant audience as this building, not surprisingly, attracts a lot of visitors!

The Reichstag Dome is one of Berlin's most popular tourist attractions

Last week our quest to find some of the most eye-catching and innovative uses of glass in architecture took us to sunny Barcelona.  We’re staying in Europe this week and heading to Berlin to one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, the Reichstag Dome.

The Reichstag Dome is situated right on top of the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building. The building was renovated and restored back to its original glory in 1992 by the celebrated British architect Lord Norman Foster – who also designedLondon’s City Hall – as a symbol of a reunited Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990.  The renovations of this grand building were completed in 1999. 

Foster included the stunning dome as a nod towards the original cupola that has always taken pride of place on the building. The restoration and rebuilding of this beautiful building are impressive when you consider that the dome and much of the building was destroyed in a fire in 1933 and what remained of the building was bombed in WWII.  Although the building was partially reconstructed in following years, the dome was not.

The dome offers visitors a 360 degree view of Berlin and an unrestricted view of Germany’s parliamentary debating chambers, the Bundestag.  The glass and metal dome has a spiral walkway, right around the perimeter of the interior of the dome that reaches all the way up to the roof terrace, allowing visitors the famous 360 degree view of the city.  An enormous cone-shaped structure which is entirely covered in mirrored panels reflects the light given from the dome into the building below.

Cleaning the Reichstag Dome

Given the location of the dome, right on top of the roof of the Reichstag, cleaning would need to be completed with the lightest equipment possible.  This would be no place for heavy machinery or equipment!  Abseiling would be possible, as the roof terrace would be a suitable anchor point for abseil cleaners.  Not only would this award-winning dome be cleaned to perfection but the visitors to the dome would also get something of a surprise as they admired the views over Berlin!

The Hotel W in Barcelona is a dream clean for glass loving Aquamark

Barcelona is an architect’s dream. Best known for the fairly-tale like works of Gaudi, the city is a mix of styles and influences. Here we look at something completely different to Gaudi’s famous La Sagrada Familia and the Parc Guell and head out of the city to the sea front to the breath taking Hotel W.

To say that the Hotel W appears to rise from the sea is to somewhat state the obvious, because that’s exactly what it does.  In a large project undertaken between 2000 and 2009, the celebrated local architect Ricardo Bofill oversaw the designs and plans to enlarge the port of Barcelona on land reclaimed from the sea.  The area included an office complex, a sports facility and the towering Hotel W.

The Barcelona Hotel W rises from the sea like an elongated shark’s fin or a gigantic sail blowing in the wind. Completely glazed in glass panels, this 26-storey hotel not only offers guests the most spectacular views of the sea and the city, but it also catches the light and reflects the Barcelona’s changing vista.  Awarded Best International Urban Hotel 2011 by Condé Nast Traveler, it’s a beautiful, if domineering building, but the combination of the classic and the modern in a city that has always championed modern art and architecture seems perfectly right.

Cleaning the Hotel W

“Water, water all around and not a drop to drink” springs to mind when you think about cleaning this unique hotel.  Water-fed poles would be suitable for the lower floors of the building but the height of the building would mean that the rest would have to be tackled by our IRATA trained abseil cleaning teams. What a day at work that would be, cleaning the windows of this amazing hotel with views across the Mediterranean and the Barcelona cityscape.

Perhaps after we’d finished we could enjoy the panoramic views from the Eclipse Bar, located on the 26th floor too!