Renovation Diary: November 2021

Week 44/21: 5th November 2021

Q: How many volunteers does it take to straighten a kitchen wall? A: Lots! Much of this week has been spent ensuring that the battens in The Kitchen provide a flat and level surface ready for fitting the final finish prior to installation of the equipment. Not an easy task as the fabric of the building continues to remind us of its age. A slow and time consuming task but essential if the finished facility is to be fit for purpose.

The lads putting battens in ensuring they are vertical A lot of battens had to be put in
The Store Room under the stairs now finished and ready for insulation The Kitchen all battoned up
You can see how much out of true the wall is, shims having to be used to keep the batton vertical A lot of time consuming work was done as evidenced here with lots and lots of battens

This was all required before the outer facing walls were to be insulated during the following week.

Week 45/21: 12th November 2021

Our Weekday Warriors have been feeling the heat this week as they install insulation on the external walls of The Kitchen area. Although it now looks more like an oven ready turkey this installation is a major step forward and has only been possible after extensive time and effort to ensure that there are straight and level walls to work with.

The Weekday Warriors at work
Lower half of The Kitchen back wall has been insulated.
The insulation takes a lot of time, especially at the corners.
First section complete, next the top half and then The Storeroom.

Foil up and battens fixed in kitchen & store room.

Insulation floor to ceiling, battens now being added for the fireboards, etc. The Kitchen wall fully insulated, the Warriors now working on the battens
Tony and Ian working together underneath the stairs to The School Room The Storeroom fully insulated and battoned
Tony putting in the additional battens required. How many battens are required? Answer - a lot!

A view of all the insulation that has been going in. This is to meet the recommendations of the local planning team that we are working with.

Looks like tin foil but much thicker
TIn The Storeroom
You can see the electric cables hanging down outside of the insultation

And have you seen the new heater buttons underneath the covering in The Courtyard?

By Zeus' beard, it's cold ... press here for heat
I don't know but I've been told don't have to sit there feeling cold.
Voice activated heater system. say 'Heater On' 3 times for warmth.
Not really! Would be good though, eh! Press this button.

Gate posts repaired and under coated with brick wall strengthened with pointing.

Repaired gate post and repointed wall

Week 46/21: 19th November 2021

Our valiant Weekday Warriors have continued their campaign against the aged and uneven walls in The Kitchen and adjoining Storerooms. More battens and spacers have been fitted to ensure a level surface for installation of the insulation and fire boarding required to ensure we meet all building regulations. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer and we offer sincere thanks to our Warriors for their painstaking efforts on our behalf.

The Weekday Warriors at work
Wall now fully insulated More battens added ready for boarding

Week 47/21: 26th November 2021

The Weekday Warriors were joined by staff from McFarlane Telfer (MCFT) this week. We are indebted to MCFT who have supplied the vast majority of the kitchen equipment for The Swan. They visited on Wed to finalise the end of the kitchen renovation and install. The end is in sight!

John putting in more battens Tony and Ian putting up boarding
Whistle while you work ... There was a team working during the week
Reviewing progress in The Kitchen Fastening boards to the wall
With the team from McFarlane Telfer Thomas checking John's work

The team also continued their battening and boarding work (when The School wasn't in, this makes the amount of time small that they can actually work).

The Kitchen wall that faces outwards into next door The Kitchen wall that faces into The Courtyard
Significant work still required in The Kitchen In The Storeroom
Internal walls going up Internal wall between THe Kitchen and the hallway
Temporary sinks to let the team have running water A window will go in here, you can see the outline
Renovation Diary for October 2021 Renovation Diary for December 2021