Weekly works program for week beginning 23/11/09

I.J.P. (stonemasons) will:
· carry out a second wash on the main house.
· carry mortar samples and copperas.
· continue pinning back the loose stone on the cleaned areas.
· continue with the mortar repairs

Ward and Co. will continue to work on the window repairs

Everest Roofing will continue work on the roof

The glazier will continue work on the windows

Photo updates

Basildon is wrapped up

Work program for week beginning 9/11/09

The stonemasons will continue work cleaning the main house moving around the building in an anti clockwise direction. At the moment they are on elevation 8. They will apply the bio-algo-cide to west elevation but not in the portico.

They will conduct a cleaning trial in the portico using water to establish if dirt can be removed without affecting the copperas and will continue pinning back the loose stone on the elevations previously cleaned on the south pavilion and the main house.

Mortar repairs will be carried out using an agreed palette of mixes and pointing of the stone work on the south pavilion and the house will be carried out.

October update

The scaffolding is almost complete, with work to the west elevation finishing shortly.
This week protection has been constructed for the torcheres on the portico. Construction of scaffolding within the portico has begun whilst retaining access for visitors to the main entrance of the house.

A note from the Building Surveyor

Before the specification for the works could be written, limited small scale cleaning trials were undertaken last year to find the most appropriate methods to clean the elevations and black deposits from the stonework. These allowed the architect to write the specification and obtain tenders.

Once the contractor was engaged and before proceeding with any cleaning of the stonework, further trials have been undertaken over the last few weeks to develop and finalise the most appropriate method.

These photo's show the specialist conservator cleaning the stonework to a trial area on the south pavilion with a carefully controlled water wash and brush.

Early September Update

The scaffolding is still being erected around the house. The south pavilion is now complete, as is the south side of the main house. Currently under construction is the East facade facing on to the back lawn.

Starting the Repairs

6th August – today the scaffolding appears to be almost complete on the South Pavilion.

A large lorry arrived at lunchtime from Ducker and Young Ltd scaffolding contractors to deliver further scaffolding poles and brackets. They are also delivering a collection of stone so that as soon as the scaffolding is complete, work can begin to repair and clean the damaged stonework on the south pavilion.