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Renovations: August 2019 |
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Renovation Diary: August 2019
2nd August 2019
With the pub being closed for a couple of days earlier in the week allowed us to doing the plastering above the bar and the surrounding pillars. A lot of square metres and very awkward corners to be covered. At the same time, we opened up the new side door and got that in place; it just needs finished off. A new guttering was added in front of the doors to prevent the bar flooding.
The windows to the front were completed and painted. All that is left to do is to add the "frosting" to make them blend in with the rest. Chris, the specialist electrician, spent a lot of time connected up the new mains in the stable - we are getting closer to having real power to the pub!
And the kitchen ceiling was pulled down too, chairs painted, the stone at painted by our youngest volunteers yet, wires and windows stripped, and much more too. It's difficult to cover it all here.
Tearing down the kitchen ceiling
Ground floor neatly painted
New side door
Putting in the guttering
Our youngest volunteers
New mains distribution boxes
New windows, new paint - looking good
Tony building new door frame
Ian Gray, our miracle plasterer
Ailish and family came in
Miranda and Bez sorting out the world
Temp bar area was plastered
A "not so clean" Adrian
Bar ready after closure
Miranda seat painting
Dermot watering the plants
9th August 2019
There has been quite a lot going on this week both visible and behind the scenes. In the bar area, you will see the lighting being installed. From tonight, there is some lighting in the bar itself and in the ladies toilet. The radiators too starting in the two alcoves at the front of the building. The mains distribution boards in the stables have been completed too. Work has started on the distribution board for the bar area. The school room has had the floor sanded and is really starting to take shape. Hopefully the lighting will go in shortly to make the next big step forward.
Last week's BBQ has accelerated the pace in the kitchen. The last of the ceiling was removed, the internal walls and door removed, and the part of the plaster removed. The stainless steel has been removed and stored. However, we have found some rot and mould that needs to be dried out, fully cleaned with bleach & other cleaning materials, and treated with boron before we can proceed.
We had a slight hiccup with the ladies hand dryer, with a much larger one being installed than was originally intended. This will be corrected shortly.
Tearing down internal kitchen walls
Mould and rot found in kitchen
Further plastering carried out
Trevor misting the bar ceiling
Removing wood panel in the hall
New junction box for the bar
Mains distribution completed
Removing last of the kitchen ceiling
Demolishing kitchen internal walls
Radiator installed in an alcove
School room floor was sanded
Re-strip school window frame
Painting chairs in The Swan colours
Kitchen being stripped right back
Radiator is to be moved
Wrong hand dryer in ladies
Weekday Warriors
Painting chairs in The Swan colours
We have lights on!
16th August 2019
An update from our Project Manager.
Hi All,
What a strange week.
Scott the plumber has been on site sorting the ongoing plumbing.
Ian Grey our resident plasterer has helped save the day. He, Ian and Tony have been sorting the final plastering items to the bar including the chimney breasts.
Bas and Diana have refurbished one of the old external lights. They have totally cleaned it up and painted it in The Swan colours. As you can see, it works very well so we will be looking to do the same with the other lights.
We have a volunteer morning tomorrow with various tasks which will help move things along.
We have a very hectic week next week. The bar will be open as usual but we will run from the coach house.
Next week is all systems go:
- Monday: The electricians will be doing as much as they can including the bar cellar so we can get it up and running properly. Peter will build the bare carcass of the bar and fit the stable door so this will give us and idea of the space and layout.
- Tuesday: Peter, Ian and Lino Len will start fitting the main bar flooring
- Wednesday: Continuation of the bar flooring with the help of Len.
- Thursday: Bar flooring to be completed by Ian and Peter. Floor to be covered fully to avoid damage.
- Friday: Stage 2 bar work to be undertaken by Peter. Ben will sort out the cellar requirements /pumps and so on.
- Saturday: Ben to complete works. BAR open again Note we will still be outside and in the barn as fire requirements will not yet be in place.
Meanwhile lots still to do by volunteers such as kitchen, hallways ,school room and so on.
The following week we can be working on mens loos, fire and security and continuation of bar then can start planning final decoration.
So all coming together.
Marilyn x
Disused chimney plasterboarded
Lighting in the gents toilet
Liz painting the bar ceiling
Ladies toilet window stripped
Bas and Diana
Last of kitchen plaster removed
New side door taken another step
Plasterboarding a diused chimney
Undercoating window in the ladies
Lino Len popped in
Rejuvenated external lamp fitting
Plasterboarding around the gents
Ian plastering where bar will be
The new and smaller hand dryer
Tony smiling as ever
Miranda and Bes painting the bar
23rd August 2019
It’s easier for you to come down and see the progress rather than try to explain it. We cannot do it enough justice to be perfectly honest. The tradespeople and volunteers have really put in a shift this week to make a giant step forward.
The main parts of the bar have been built, including using the 300 years old cedar timber for the top. It was prepped, cut and installed. Finally a layer of oil has been added with further coats later today. The beer pumps have been installed and the lines are going in.
The bar carcass
Preparing to cut the cedar
Bar top now added
Bar almost there
You may have seen on Facebook that Lino Len and the team have laid the oak flooring. Also Lino and Barney laid the floor behind the bar itself. Unfortunately a lot of it is covered for now until all the other work has been completed.
The new floor
Volunteers laying the floor
Lino Len and Barney
Cutting a fiddly corner
Lino Len laying the floor
Finishing the floor
Levelling the floor
Laying behind the bar
The Gents is no longer a storeroom and the floor tiling started. Tony has been beavering away all day on it and fingers crossed, he should finish it tonight. That allows the plumbers and electricians to finish it in the next week or so.
Tony laying tiles
Nearly finished
Bar top now added
A drainage specialist came on Wednesday and has successfully cleared the main drains. Kelvin has been in today and cleaned the portaloos out ready for the weekend. We decided to keep one of the chimney breasts as brick, the same as the feature walls. The guys dug out all the old mortar and prepped the bricks. Alan and Gerry then came in and did the pointing to make it look the same as the other walls.
Showing the new flooring
Ready for pointing
After repointing
Still a way to go with it but we do have fire surround already. This should be a working fireplace when it is complete and add a warm feeling to the bar as well as looking fabulous. Here are some other photos taken during the week.
Emergency exit sign going up
More painting by Izzy
Plastering a chimney
Temp bar was set up (again)
All the rubbish was moved
More painting by Liz
Collecting a donated piano
Checking the piano out
Bar just before opening
Ian marking out his spot
Platerboarding in the school
Laying the floor
Bar just before opening
Behind the new bar
30th August 2019
You may have noticed today that the courtyard was a hive of activity. The team from The Green Room School were in building the furniture for the school room (aka the Court House). One of the hand-built items is four one metre tables that can be linked to create one huge one.
If you have been in at all, you will have noticed that the electricians have been working away with the second fixing. Main plugs sockets have been connected up, lights added to the walls and ceilings, some changes made in the ladies, new hand dryers added to the ladies and a lot of work in the school room to get it ready for approaching the new term.
Other work has been going on too. Pete our builder has been really busy with the most obvious sign the addition of the new stable door at the bar.The Gents toilet floor has now been completed; some of the cutting required took the team much longer than expected. We also burned out the electric motor of a specialist tile cutter. However, we are very pleased with the results.
During the week, the girls have been in painting chairs, sanding and oiling tables, evaluating the stock of bench seats. When you are sitting in the courtyard at the BBQ, you are probably sitting in one of their seats.
Work has carried on in the kitchen. Timbers were treated, errant brickwork removed and we were just about to do some remedial work when bang: rot was found. A complete non-load bearing wall has now been removed(it was behind the stainless steel) and we have started treatment.
Preparing for the stable door
New lighting in the school room
Kitchen wall being demolished
Wall totally removed
Boron treatment in the kitchen
New stable door installed
Frank the Sparky
Making school room benches
Team working on the tables
One part of wall demolished
Finsihed tables and benches
New lighting in the ladies
Replacing the old guttering
Courtyard was absolutely full
Feeling chuffed !!!
Finalising lighting in the school room
Worktop was cut up by Pete
