Tom started the morning with corner number two. The corner where the staircase is on one side and the old bathroom is on the other side. This wall has some very large cracks, along with stone that is crumbling away and the bottom has a thick layer of concrete that we cannot remove by hand.
Tom removing the thick concrete from the side of the staircase to expose the stone work behind.
We are learning that all the thick concrete is there for a reason, it is hiding some awful horrors. The large pale patch of concrete at the top left is extremely solid and has clearly been put there to cover a huge crack. We may leave this concrete where it is, it hasn’t cracked so is doing its job.
The stone in the bottom of the wall that was covered in concrete is in a bad state. This is before Tom has repaired it.
The same wall after it has been repaired. What a difference!
Cat removing cement and raking out the pointing from the stone wall at the back of the fireplace in the dining room.
You can see the pink (gypsum) plaster and cement still covering the bottom stones. It is again very solid and difficult to remove and we wonder what it is hiding…
Finally, the day has arrived that we can remove the bathtub from the dining room!!!
“To me, to you, to me, to you.”
They did have to remove the front door, but were then stumped by a scaffolding pole. Lots of giggling ensued.
A contender for the worst toilet ever?
Anyone want an old metal bath? Free to collect!
All ready for Tom to fix this side of the second corner of the building. Poor wall is in a very sorry state.
Tom removed some loose bricks and the corner behind it was filled with lime mortar and loose rubble which disintegrated.
It seems the bricks have been added to cover over the crumbling wall behind. What a f***ing surprise.
The repaired corner and wall, repaired with a combination of stone and brick to match what was already there. This will ultimately be plastered so won’t be visible.
The crack has been repaired and channels dug out ready for the steel bars to be added to shore up the wall.
Dan is back and is working on installing all the joists for the loft floor.
All the joists are finished in Zanna’s bedroom. The contrast between the old and the new is stark.
The corner of Zanna’s bedroom where the large buttress sits. The top of the buttress had to be taken out to get the joists in. We are not removing the rest until the roof is off.
Dan doubling up the joists to add extra strength underneath where the new dormer windows will be. The wall underneath this joist is cracked and is above a set of shelves, so Dan is worried about the structural integrity. This may need a steel bar as the load onto this will be fairly large.
The chimney breast in Zanna’s bedroom will also be left as exposed stone. This is where we discovered the stone fireplace a few weeks ago. Cat has spent the day raking out the loose pointing.
A lovely old piece of oak that Tom has again donated to the cause. It almost matches a piece we found above the window in Zanna’s bedroom holding up the top of the wall…
The house is looking more and more derelict every day.
Dust. Thick orange dust. Everywhere.
Jasper likes to help Zanna do her yoga in the evening.
I can smell the dust from here!
OMG it got a lot worse the next day……
Zanna – I hope Cat’s doing yoga with you & Jasper after all that bending down raking out the pointing in the fireplace! My hamstrings hurt just looking at the photo!!xx
I know, hurts my back just watching too! It’s just me and Jasper for the yoga, but Cat does walk up the hill twice a day with Jasper which helps! xxx