Renovation Diary: 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.

Bar floor insulated
Bar floor insulated

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.

Scott and Keith

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 and Keith

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

Theresa measuring up insulation

Sparkies were working in the school room

Sparkies were working in the school room

A sea of Celotex insulation

A sea of Celotex insulation

Part of the sub-floor

Part of the subfloor

David taking cutting notes

Familiarisation visit by the Fire Brigade

Baffy and Bosco

Lunch break

First pieces of the sub-floor

Discussing the bar sub-floor

Floor allowed sparkies to start work

Floor allowed sparkies to start work

Evry piece individually cut

Volunteers hard at work

Matt doing a really tough bit

Matt doing a really tough bit

Matt laying the subfloor

Matt laying the subfloor

Ailish sanding benches

Tidying up in the school room

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

The calm before the storm

Alan covering up one of the steels

By screwing the board to the wooden noggins

Progress! Slowly getting there

Each board is individually cut

Jim toothing out ladies loo door

The door will be removed

Lino Len levelling the cellar floor

Make it look easy ... but its not

Preparing steels for being boarded up

Pete the builder with quite a fw volunteers

Ian about to screw board up

Using supports to allow him to doit alone

Frank the sparky in the background

Electricians and volunteers working in same area

Richard D toothing out alcove door

Door will be removed next week

Skip #7 on its way

Great support from Simpsons with the skips

High concentration levels

Making sure we do it properly

Bosco still looking cool

One of the weekday warriors

Gents toilet floor was levelled

Trenches filled with concrete and self-leveler applier

The paint stripper really working hard

Huge lump of paint removed in one go

And the school room still progresses

Guys work on it very quietly

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

Water and waste plumbing installed

Heating installed

Wall mounted radiator added

New wall plastered (RHS) and floor laid

Starting to look good

Marilyn got involved in the painting

Our project manager even got involved painting

Door frames readied

All the sext bits round the door frames added

Pete the Builder laying the tiles

All the sext bits round the door frames added

Preparing the vanity unit

Bought cheaply on eBay

Door removed readied for final bricking

External door at ladies toilet eventually removed

Tony cutting the fiddly bits

Cutting the small difficult pieces

Toilet ready for Saturday's opening

Still needs touched up but will do for now

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

Pillars and steel all wrapped up

First fixing by sparkies completed

Lots of wires hanging from the ceiling

The plastering team

Three of the professional team

Richard from #3 taping up

COne of the neighbours late one evening

Complex board sorted out by the team

Needed dot and dab as well as screwing in

The pub was sectioned into workable areas

Ian plastering the ceiling on front left

Steels being wrapped up

Every board is individuall measured and cut

Getting there with the boarding

Volunteers worked late this week

First skim done

Real team work from the guys

Drying ceiling plaster

Reason to celebrate, section of ceiling complete

Stuart, owner of the plastering company

Cutting the small difficult pieces

New boards often needed support

Supports stop the boards slipping down

Every board was individual cut

Particularly difficult bit

Ian our volunteer plasterer

Cutting the small difficult pieces

Looking good

Drying plaster

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

Needs to be toothed in so takes time

Graham was the other half of the team

Trying to do it in a day due to weather forecast

Almost finished

All in one day

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

Hiding the building materials

Old doors were used to create a barrier

Miranda painting the signs

Re-using the old signs by making them more attractive

Team planting up the flowers

Flowers are essential to give colour and make the place attractive

John painting "Riverbank Green"

One of the five Swan colours

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

Door was replaced with window and brickwok

Jim rising above it all

On an unseen platform so looks tall

Laura and Jack painting chairs

Giving old chairs a new lease of life

Brickwork at alcove now complete

Our project manager even got involved painting

Miranda painting in ladies loo

Undercoating woodwork

Ladies loo

Still needs the finishing touches

Not much done in the school room

Focus this week on the bar

Plastering outside the ladies loo

BIan Gray our plasterer

Sorting out the pipework in the hall

Before concreting them in

John bricking up the old door

Our project manager even got involved painting

New brickwork at the alcove

Door was replaced

Installing insulation board

External door at ladies toilet eventually removed

Alcove fully boarded

Ready for plastering, radiator and bench seat

Jim singing whilst misting

A happy volunteer

Miranda painting kids bench

With small swans

New cellar hatch

Where the beer kegs are delivered too
Renovation Diary for June 2019 Renovation Diary for August 2019