Project Description: Remedial Work to Timber Frame + Associated Works
Contract Sum: £18,197.00 inclusive of vat
Contractor: Patrick Dan Ltd
Contract Type / Period: JCT Minor Works 2016 / 14 Weeks
The cottage is Grade II Listed, and dates back to the early C17th.
The oak frame on the east and part south elevation was found to be badly infested with Deathwatch Beetle and was considered structurally unsafe as well as causing ingress of damp.
Furthermore, Deathwatch Beetle thrives on damp timber, and it was therefore necessary to remove the damp conditions in order to mitigate future infestation.
At the same time, the client wanted to upgrade certain elements of the cottage eg. insulation to the timber frame itself, insulation to the flat roof to the rear, as well as new ledged and braced doors internally.
Drawings were duly prepared for Listed Building and Planning Consent, as well as Building Regulations.
The work entailed careful propping of the east facade and cutting out all the defected timber which was found to be more extensive than first thought.
A new seasoned oak frame was installed, bedded on a damp proof membrane, and this was weathered with code 5 lead so that the timber was protected against weather and rising damp from the solid wall below.
All new and adjoining timbers were also liberally treated with 2 coats of Cuprinol 5 Star preservative.
Metal straps and angles were also used to reinforce joints to existing timbers, particularly around the windows to the first floor, and dowelled connections were made to the new oak frame.
Care was taken to preserve the original internal aesthetic to the bedroom, and the new oak frame was left untreated with the lathe and plaster panels being made good with hydraulic lime.
Framed and ledged doors also helped to enhance the authenticity of the original Sussex Hall cottage.
The flat roof upgrade also proved interesting as it was discovered that in the dim and distant past, someone had used straw as a insulation material between the joists!
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