Renovations: July 2019

7th July 2019

It has been a very busy week down at The Swan. We are really pleased to say we now have a subfloor down in the bar. Okay, we still have the edges to sort out and it's a bit fluid where the bar is going to be due to continued plumbing work. However, it has allowed the electricians and plumbers in to do their work.

To meet the new building regulations, we had to add 100mm of insulation before laying the tongue and groove. This meant Matt of the building team worked tirelessly with volunteers over last weekend and during this week. Every piece laid had to be individually cut which was extremely time consuming.

But as you can see, it's only when you take a step back (hopefully not onto the insulation!) that you start to see how many pieces were required.

We now have a series of photos covering the the whole bar area. This documents not only the achievement but also that it was done properly.

There was not a single tear as the last bits were put in place and the gullies disappeared for the last time. We have certainly have turned the corner and are on the home straight.

Lino Len dropped in this morning, and has sized up the job for flooring behind the bar and other functional area. It's specialised as it has to be durable and easy to clean. It will keep him busy for a few days for sure!.

Scott (left) is one of our hard working plumbers. They have installed all the new plumbing including the new hot and cold water tanks, the new boiler, and all the pipework for the radiators in the bar. Today he was joined by Keith (right) who is installing all the specialised electric for controls, sensors, etc.

Theresa measuring up insulation

Sparkies were working in the school room

A sea of Celotex insulation

Part of the sub-floor

David taking cutting notes

Baffy and Bosco

First pieces of the sub-floor

Floor allowed sparkies to start work

Evry piece individually cut

Matt doing a really tough bit

Matt laying the subfloor

Ailish sanding benches

12th July 2019

After getting the go ahead from the building inspector, the priority was to get the steels and pillars prepared and then plasterboarded. There was a lot to do and took both the building team and a lot of volunteers. Pete was a star and was patient with lots of questions about what and how to do it.

The two doors that will be removed needed prepared. This involved the process of "toothing out" the existing brickwork so that the new bricks could tie in and provide strength. This is the first, and possibly hardest, task as the guys had to be careful not break any existing brickwork.

Frank the electrician is nearly finished his "first fixings" for the bar area. This means most of the cables have been put in place but are not yet connected up. There are miles and miles of cables that have now been installed covering lighting, security, fire, audio, video, safety, etc

In the background Scott the plumber has been working away. He has been hidden in the cellar for part of the time putting supplies and getting ready for the bar to be put in. He has also been putting in the supply for the school room for the small kitchen area.

Noggins added and boarding started

Alan covering up one of the steels

Progress! Slowly getting there

Jim toothing out ladies loo door

Lino Len levelling the cellar floor

Preparing steels for being boarded up

Ian about to screw board up

Frank the sparky in the background

Richard D toothing out alcove door

Skip #7 on its way

High concentration levels

Bosco still looking cool

Gents toilet floor was levelled

The paint stripper really working hard

And the school room still progresses

19th July 2019

Considerable work was done this week in the ladies loo to get it ready for the opening. It was one of the "must have's to allow us to open. Pete and Tony took the lead supported by Scott the Plumber and the volunteers.

Plumbing installed

Heating installed

New wall plastered (RHS) and floor laid

Marilyn got involved in the painting

Door frames readied

Pete the Builder laying the tiles

Preparing the vanity unit

Door removed readied for final bricking

Tony cutting the fiddly bits

Toilet ready for Saturday's opening

Whilst the building team focussed on the ladies toilet, the volunteers were working on the plasterboarding and to allow the plastering team to do their stuff. There was a lot to do and there was some long evenings to try and get the ceiling and pillars done. Still a lot to do after the opening but a huge step forward.

Pink plasterboard is fire retardant

First fixing by sparkies completed

The plastering team

Richard from #3 taping up

Complex board sorted out by the team

The pub was sectioned into workable areas

Steels being wrapped up

Getting there with the boarding

First skim done

Drying ceiling plaster

Stuart, owner of the plastering company

New boards often needed support

Every board was individual cut

Ian our volunteer plasterer

Looking good

John and Graham got stuck into the alcove door which Richard D had opened up. This allowed the removal of a door that was essentially never used and took up a lot of space. This will be receiving insulated fireboard before being plastered and finished with a benchseat.

John bricking up the alcove door

Graham was the other half of the team

Almost finished

Other work was done to make the pub and courtyard attractive.

Hiding the building materials

Miranda painting the signs

Team planting up the flowers

John painting "Riverbank Green"

26th July 2019

It was the week after the opening. As everyone saw, we have a temporary bar and lots of work to do. A huge thanks to the Weekday Warriors who have completed the plaster-boarding throughout. On top of that, they managed to brick up the old entrance to the pub which is now part of the ladies toilet.

Marilyn, our Project Manager, has 'developed a relationship' with Crown Paints and once the colours have been tried and tested we will be able to let you know how you can donate a tin of paint for The Swan.

As you can see, there was a lot of work sorting out the furniture: repairing, sanding and painting. And we have help from volunteers of all ages. Luckily the weather was good so all that could be done outside in The Courtyard.

New brickwork at ladies loo

Jim rising above it all

Laura and Jack painting chairs

Brickwork at alcove now complete

Miranda painting in ladies loo

Ladies loo

Not much done in the school room

Plastering outside the ladies loo

Sorting out the pipework in the hall

John bricking up the old door

New brickwork at the alcove

Installing insulation board

Alcove fully boarded

Jim singing whilst misting

Miranda painting kids bench

New cellar hatch