Tag Archives: chelmsford builders

Church Extension

26th July 2022Heritageaccessible WC, Bakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, breathable mortar, carpenters, chelmsford builders, church, church builders, church extension, Church extension Helions Bumpstead, church joinery, church structural repairs, church tower, church under pinning, conservation, conservators, Essex, essex joiners, general builders, grade I listed, Helions Bumpstead, heritage, heritage builders, heritage craftsmen, kitchenette, Lime Mortar, masonry re-pointing, masonry repointing, masonry round tower, medieval church paintings, medieval wall art, new church extension, new meeting area, octagonal church, octagonal church tower, octagonal roof, octagonal spire, Refurbishment, repair, restoration, roman, roman bricks, roman quoins, roman tiles, shell mortar, St Andrews Church, strange shaped churches, tiles, tower room, trusted builders, woodenRachel Finlay

Summary: Construction of a new new extension to provide the church with a new meeting area, kitchenette and an accessible WC

Location: Helion Bumpstead

Value: £245,000

Bakers of Danbury are currently building an extension to St Andrews Church in Helions Bumpstead. The extension will provide the parishioners with a new meeting area, kitchenette and an accessible WC. Constructed from a block inner skin with a handmade imperial red brick outer skin, the extension is being built on a 0.6m deep footing. Although due to being on a slope, in areas the footprint of the extension was excavated 1.2m below the existing ground level, which was all carried out with an archaeological watching brief. Once the footprint had been dug, it was covered with a sand intervention layer which helps prevent any further deterioration of the medieval graves which had been partially uncovered. A 0.25m air gap was left between the sand layer and a block and beam floor.

As the extension is partially below ground level a tanking system was installed to the outer brick and inner walls. The bespoke roof was constructed from oak trusses and covered in Cwt-y-Bugail Welsh slate. Water services were run into the church using new MDPE barrier pipe (to prevent contamination) and the power supply was upgraded. Underfloor heating and wall radiators were installed to the extension. The windows to the new extension were constructed of new steel framed casements, within bespoke oak frames produced by our own joinery department. The steel windows have the thinnest sight lines in the industry, thanks in part to the fact they are filled with Krypton, a very dense and highly energy efficient gas, perfect for listed buildings.

Bakers’ joinery workshop also manufactured two external oak doors and an arch headed door in oak to access the new extension from the church.

Church Structural Repairs

8th July 2022HeritageBakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, breathable mortar, carpenters, chelmsford builders, church, church builders, church joinery, church structural repairs, church tower, church under pinning, conservation, conservators, Essex, essex joiners, general builders, grade I listed, heritage, heritage builders, heritage craftsmen, Lime Mortar, masonry re-pointing, masonry repointing, masonry round tower, medieval church paintings, medieval wall art, octagonal church, octagonal church tower, octagonal roof, octagonal spire, Refurbishment, repair, restoration, roman, roman bricks, roman quoins, roman tiles, shell mortar, strange shaped churches, tiles, tower room, trusted builders, woodenRachel Finlay

Summary: Bakers of Danbury recently carried our structural repairs, underpinning to the South and North elevations of the Nave to St Marys Church in Mundon, Essex

Location: Mundon, Essex

Value: £286,000

St Marys Church in Mundon is a grade I Listed monument, owned by Friends of Friendless Churches, who describe it as a church that needs a lot of care with unstable ground. Friends of Friendless Churches carried out the latest monitoring technology to understand how, why and when the church is moving.

With the help from a grant, the Friends of Friendless Churches instructed Bakers of Danbury to carry out underpinning to the South and North elevations of the Nave to structurally support the church.

The method of underpinning was determined by the assigned surveyor, and piling drilled at calculated intervals along the interior and exterior of the walls. Sections were dug in intervals under the walls. Reinforcing cages were run through the dug intervals (under the walls), to the inner piles and along the exterior of the walls, interlocking with the drilled piling. The reinforcing cages were covered with cordek heaveguard to the sides and cordek cellcore to the underside. Cordek heaveguard and cellcore are designed to protect ground beams and pile caps from the effects of ground heave. Overtime it disintegrates leaving a void/ air pocket which enables the clay soils space to swell when wet. As soil cannot expand downwards or sideways, the exposed upper surface of the soil will rise up - the void/air pocket will allow this movement without causing heave pressure to the new underpinning structure, and the building it is supporting.

Where internal piling was to take place, Bakers lifted the existing tile pamments from the floor and returned them after works had taken place. Damaged tiles were replaced with new Bulmer handmade clay pamments to match the existing.

A grave slab was revealed when two stone slabs were removed inside the church (south east side) in preparation for drilling a pile. The hole was enlarged to reveal the 15th century grave slab, which would have originally been level with the floor (the floor level has been raised in the 19th century). On the slab indents can be interpreted as a vertical human figure, with a horizontal band below it which would have had an inscription. Pins were visible which were used to fix brasses in place.

Externally a door which had previously been blocked and rendered was rebricked up and a new breathable render applied in addition to areas with damaged render. To the east window Bakers of Danbury replace a tile fillet with a stone sill in Portland limestone.

Bakers removed failing plaster on the ceiling and made repairs before painting it in soft distemper, a breathable paint. The walls were not redecorated as they contain many paintings directly on the walls which include Fragments of medieval murals depicting East Anglian King Edmund (841-869) and a Baroque trompe l’oeil mural over the east window showing tassels and heavy curtains being drawn aside.

After works were completed the rare Georgian box pews were put back in places.

Restoration of a Farmhouse

29th June 2022ResidentialBakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, biblical text, biblical wall art, breathable mortar, carpenters, chelmsford builders, coarse lime mortar, conglomerate, conservation, conservators, Essex, essex joiners, extension, farmhouse extension, farmhouse refurbishment, general builders, grade I listed, heritage, heritage builders, heritage craftsmen, Lime Mortar, listed farm house, listed farmhouse, listed timber frame, masonry re-pointing, masonry repointing, masonry round tower, repair, restoration, Restoration of cedar shingle roof, tiles, timber frame, trusted buildersRachel Finlay

Summary: Restoration of a farmhouse which included two small extensions together with various alterations and a complete redecoration throughout.

Location: Essex

Bakers of Danbury have recently completed a 28 week restoration project at a farmhouse, during which Bakers built two small extensions together with various alterations and a complete redecoration throughout. Internal alterations within the existing house have opened the living space up, to make it lighter and more convenient for day to day living.

To strengthen the property, Bakers carried out repairs to the timber frame which included sole plate repairs made in green oak and brick plinth repairs. Some parts of the house were re-rendered in lime plaster.

The new hand cut timber frame extensions have extended both the kitchen and utility room. In keeping with the existing house; externally the new extensions were covered in weather boarding to the lower level and lime plaster to the upper level. All rooms are being completely renovated with new electrics and central heating systems installed throughout. The family bathroom and two en suites were completely refurbished with new bathroom furniture and tiling installed.

Together with a full redecoration, all existing beams were cleaned using the dry ice blasting method and the existing lath and plaster infills were either repaired or replaced. New floors were laid throughout, which included a mixture of natural stone and engineered hardwood flooring.

Bakers of Danbury’s joinery workshop manufactured bespoke doors, windows and fitted furniture. External landscaping and drainage works were carried out

Refurbishment and Extension to a Farmhouse

Summary: Bakers recently completed a refurbishment and extension to a listed timber frame farmhouse in Brentwood, which partly dates back to the 16th century.

Location: Near Brentwood, Essex

The full refurbishment of the farmhouse included removing the decayed sole plate and spalled damaged brick plinth. New foundations and brick plinth were constructed, a new mortised sole plate was fitted, with newly formed tenons on the existing oak posts and studs.

The whole farmhouse was decorated and the existing exposed timber beams, posts and studs within the farmhouse were cleaned. All three bathrooms were refurbished and limestone flooring laid. A new mechanical and electrical overhaul was carried out which included lighting, heating and plumbing systems. Two new extensions were constructed in traditional timber frame. They provide a kitchen and a utility cloakroom, both in keeping with the original house.

The whole farmhouse was re-rendered in breathable lime mortar with a brick plinth. Bakers have carried out a soft and hard landscaping scheme with external lighting, a summer house and pergolas.

Within the farmhouse Bakers refurbished a late 16th century/ early 17th century style double thickness door which was originally the front door. Bakers' joiners applied vertical battens and reinforced wrought iron pintle hinges with spoon terminals, there is an authentic wooden pull handle and rebate for a box lock that has been removed and the keyhole covered with tin plate. The slide bolts are original.

Bakers also carried out the conservation on some biblical text which is located over the first floor fire place. The text has been transcribed by Murial Carrick (who attempted to fill in the missing sections using the 1607 editi and purge your hears ye wavering mynded: suffer afflictions sorrow on of the Geneva Bible (which she acknowledges is not the text used).

Her transcription is as follows (with additions in backets):

(submit yourself to God) and resist the devyll and he will flye from you: drawe nye to God and he will (draw neere to you. Cleanse your hands ye) synners: and purge your hearts ye wavering mynded: Suffre afflictions sorow (ye, and weep: let your laughter bee) turned to mourning and your joye to heaviness: cast downe youre selves before the Lord (and he will lift you up) iiii Go now ye that say to day and tomorrow let us into suche a citeand continue (there a yeare. And buy and sell.) and get gaine and yet cannot tell what shalt happen tomorrow: for what thingies (your life. It is even a vapour that) appeared for a little time and afterward vanished away: for that ye out to say. (If the Lord will. And if we live we will) do this or that but now rejoice in your holiness all such ..rejoicing is evil (therefore. To him that) knoweth how to (doe well and doeth it not) to both soule....Knowledge also be.

Repair of Cedar Shingle Roof

9th June 2022HeritageBakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, breathable mortar, carpenters, cedar shakes, chelmsford builders, church, church builders, church joinery, church tower, church tower re-pointing, church tower repointing, coarse lime mortar, conglomerate, conservation, conservators, dementia friendy, Essex, essex joiners, ferruginous, flint, general builders, grade I listed, hand split shakes, hardwood roof covering, heritage, heritage builders, heritage craftsmen, Lime Mortar, masonry re-pointing, masonry repointing, masonry round tower, oak shakes, octagonal church, octagonal church tower, octagonal roof, octagonal spire, Re-shingling of Cedar Shingle Roof, Re-shingling roof, Refurbishment, repair, restoration, Restoration of cedar shingle roof, roman, roman bricks, roman quoins, roman tiles, Roof Re-shingling, round church tower, round spire, round spire roof, shake roof, shell mortar, shells, shingle roof, softwood roof covering, strange shaped churches, tiles, tower room, trusted builders, wood pecker damage to wooden, woodcraft, wooden, woodpecker damage, woodpecker damage church, woodpecker damage to roof, woodpecker damage to wooden, woodpecker holesRachel Finlay

Summary: Tower repairs including repointing to the round tower, re-shingling the spire roof and refurbishing and reinstating the weathervane.

Location: Broomfield, Essex

Value: £140,000

The octagonal spire roof, which is covered with cedar shingles has suffered extensive damage caused by woodpeckers pecking holes in the shingle roof. Bakers will first remove the softwood cedar shingles from the roof structure to allow the architect and structural engineer to review the battens and substructure. There is expected to be a minimal number of structural repairs needed before the spire roof is covered in hand split Oak shakes on pre-treated softwood battens, with new stainless-steel soakers.

The woodpeckers will be deterred from damaging the new spire roof, firstly because by replacing the shingles it will ensure any insects the woodpeckers were drilling for are removed. Secondly, the new oak shakes will be free from all visual traces of former pecking sites which make woodpeckers more likely to return. The new shakes will be constructed from oak which is a hardwood and will have strips of stainless steel behind them, as the sound vibrating off of them will help deter the woodpeckers.

The round tower is of significant importance due to its round shape. It is constructed from coursed flint and ferruginous conglomerate with roman bricks and quoins and houses six bells, just below eves level supported in a steel frame. Bakers of Danbury will be repointing around 60% of the tower as the existing lime mortar pointing (which includes a very coarse aggregate) is failing at parts. The new pointing will also be of a breathable lime mortar with crushed shell.

Bakers of Danbury will also refurbish and reinstate the weathervane. It will be cleaned, a primer applied, and regilded with 24 carat gold leaf. A traditional sand cast lead cap/ weathering will be designed and installed to the weathervane.

Westminster Abbey Infirmary

11th May 2022Heritagealterations, Bakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, bespoke fitted furniture, bespoke fitted joinery, bespoke joiners, bespoke storage, bespoke wood essex, carpenters, chelmsford builders, chelmsford joiners, chelmsford joinery shop, church, church joinery, church library, Church re-ordering, church storage, church storage cupboards, church tower, church woodwork, conservation, conservators, DDA friendly toilet, dementia friendly toilet, dementia friendy, english oak, Essex, essex joiners, furniture made to fit, furniture made to last, general builders, grade I listed, hand made mezzanine floor, heritage, heritage builders, heritage craftsmen, joiners, joinery, joinery shop, joinery work shop, joinery workshop, mazanine floor, mesanine floor, mezzanine floor, oak staircase, oak wall, one off wooded furniture, pannelling, paul revill, redevelop, redevelopment, Refurbishment, remodelling grade I listed, secret staircase, sold fitted furniture, sound proofed oak wall, tower room, trusted builders, unique fitted joinery, westminster abbey infirmary, westminster abbey infirmery, westminster abbey refurbishment, woodcraft, wooden, wooden fitted cupboards, wooden fitted furnitureRachel Finlay

Summary: Refurbishment and alterations to Westminster Abbey Infirmary

Location: Westminster, London

Challenge: Access to this part of Westminster Abbey is restricted

Solution: Bakers of Danbury carried out refurbishment and alterations to Westminster Abbey Infirmary providing a galleried area around the room, accessed via a new oak staircase and balustrade manufactured in Bakers specialist joinery workshop. Bakers also manufactured and installed bespoke hand-crafted fitted cupboards and kitchenette which seamlessly filled the space beneath the new gallery level. Masonry and glazing repairs were also carried out.

When working at Westminster Abbey it is important to have continuous liaison with the Clerk of Works to work together and overcome access issues and restrictions. All staff wore a security tab which gave them access to the restricted areas they needed to access. All other areas were strictly prohibited. During special events, such as when HRH Queen Elizabeth visited, the works onsite had to stop. During such times, our Site Manager had to liaise closely with the Clerk of Works and Security.

Church Tower Mezzanine Floor

6th May 2022HeritageBakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, bespoke joiners, bespoke storage, bespoke wood essex, carpenters, chelmsford builders, chelmsford joiners, chelmsford joinery shop, church, church joinery, church library, Church re-ordering, church storage, church storage cupboards, church tower, church woodwork, DDA friendly toilet, dementia friendly toilet, dementia friendy, english oak, Essex, essex joiners, joiners, joinery shop, mazanine floor, mesanine floor, mezzanine floor, oak wall, pannelling, paul revill, redevelop, redevelopment, Refurbishment, sound proofed oak wall, tower room, trusted builders, woodenRachel Finlay

Summary: Church re-ordering and new mezzanine floor within tower to make it a usable space.

Location: Impington, Cambridgeshire

Challenge: The existing 15th century wall paintings needed to be protected and later restored

Solution: Bakers carried out a re-order of the church which included a new mezzanine floor with a glass screen entrance within the tower to allow the tower to become a usable space. Externally, stone repair and re-pointing was carried out to the south and partial west elevations. A new lead roof was installed to the tower and the church was decorated throughout, whilst protecting the early 15th century paintings which were later restored.

New Build Detached House

5th January 2021Residential3 bed detached house, 3 bedroom detached home, Bakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, chalet style, Chelmsford, chelmsford builders, City, country home, Essex, hand cut roof, handcut roof, high specification new builds, house builders, New Build, new build detached house, new home, Refurbishment, trusted buildersRachel Finlay

Summary = New build detached house consisting of three bedrooms.

Challenge = A forever home built to adapt to the family's changing needs over the years.

Solution = Bakers of Danbury recently completed the new build detached house, consisting of a 3 bedrooms. The chalet style house was of a timber frame construction with a hand cut roof with a slate finish with rendered external walls.

The new build detached house was designed specifically for the use of the family as a forever home. The clever design will enable the house to adapt to the family's changing needs. For example low thresholds will allow disable access if it should be needed in the future.

Downstairs the house boasts an open plan living area comprising of a kitchen, dining room and lounge area. Bakers manufactured a bespoke sliding screen which gives the flexibility to separate the lounge area from the dining and kitchen area. When the screen is closed it looks like a wall, but when it is open it is cleverly hidden to provide the family with open plan living. As the house is chalet style, the two downstairs bedrooms are services by a modern wet room.

Upstairs the large landing space leads to the master bedroom, bathroom and study. The large landing area and study benefit from natural light through the feature windows at the front of the house.

The external grounds were landscaped to include a large drive laid with stone chippings, paving laid to both sides and exterior of the house with a decked entertainment area to the rear.

Church Re-ordering

23rd January 2020HeritageBakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, bespoke joiners, bespoke storage, bespoke wood essex, carpenters, chelmsford builders, chelmsford joiners, chelmsford joinery shop, church, church joinery, church library, Church re-ordering, church storage, church storage cupboards, church woodwork, DDA friendly toilet, dementia friendly toilet, dementia friendy, english oak, Essex, essex joiners, joiners, joinery shop, oak wall, pannelling, paul revill, redevelop, redevelopment, Refurbishment, sound proofed oak wall, trusted builders, woodenRachel Finlay

Summary = The church re-ordering which took place at St Mary's Church in Saffron Walden involved our specialist joinery workshop manufacturing and installing English Oak bespoke DDA and Dementia friendly toilet, storage cupboards, children's library and a pew storage area.

Location = St Mary’s Church, Saffron Walden

Awards = Diocese of Chelmsford, Design Awards in 2019 (Highly Commended)

Challenge = Attention to detail was important in this project as it was all made of English Oak then stained and fitted on site.

Solution = One of the largest parish churches in Essex, the building dates mainly from the fifteenth century.

The west main entrance was re-ordered to incorporate new storage units in bespoke manufactured in English Oak by Bakers of Danbury’s Specialist Joinery department. We also manufactured and installed a bespoke all-person DDA / Dementia friendly WC, with baby change area in English Oak. In the North Aisle we introduced a pew storage area, bespoke servery facilities, flower arranger’s sink and storage area. All were crafted by our Joiners from English Oak in our joinery workshop, it was then taken apart and wrapped flat pack for transit, before being fitted by our onsite carpenters.

Great attention was paid to the highest spec soundproofing, with all panels either insulated with a solid block board or infilled with bricks to eliminate noise. The WC door alone weighed over 100kg.

Every post included a hand carved crocus detail to the top. To watch a film of our skilled Joiner hand carving a crocus detail click here.

The complete project was very detailed and complex with hand carved designs, modern sliding doors and bespoke detailed cornice which ran around the top of the complete project.

The church re-ordering project to St Mary the Virgin in Saffron Walden was Highly Commended in the Diocese of Chelmsford, Design Awards in 2019.

Bakers of Danbury revisited St Marys Church in 2021 to replace the existing copper roof to the Chancel, with a traditional lead roof. A scaffold and temporary roof, designed by an engineer, was erected above the roof and parapets to protect the valuable historic building from inclement weather while the work was carried out. To the roof, Bakers installed a new timber deck and upgraded the insulation before covering it with traditional code 7 milled sheet lead.

A Quacking New Duck House

21st February 2019Latest NewsBakers of Danbury, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, Barn, bathroom, builders, building contractors, chelmsford builders, chelmsford contractors, churches, community, conversion, corporate social responsibility, danbury, Essex, eves corner, extension, family room, general builders, hand build, house extension, in-house joinery workshop, kitchen, latest news, Listed, listed buildings, local builders, loft, news, RefurbishmentRachel Finlay

Bakers of Danbury's in-house joinery workshop recently built and donated a new duck house to the village. Bakers of Danbury takes pride in supporting both our local community and the communities in which we work - sometimes through sponsorship or even offering a helping hand. We thought our ducks needed a new home!

On Friday 1st February representatives of Danbury Parish Council, Bakers of Danbury Ltd, children from the ECO Council for St John’s C of E Primary School, children from Heathcote Preparatory School and some local residents all braved the cold, wet and snowy weather and met on Eves Corner Friday morning to watch the ducks officially take up residence in their new home.

Stuart Berlyn, Chairman of Danbury Parish Council said;

“Once again Bakers of Danbury has supported the village and Parish Council with this fantastic donation to celebrate their 140th Anniversary. So much thought and hard work has gone into this duck house. It's the poshest duck house we've ever seen, but only the best for our ducks!”

The duck house design has taken inspiration from the The Parish Church of St John the Baptist. St John’s stands high on Danbury ridge, as a landmark whose spire is visible from the A12 and from many local vantage-points.

Peter Smyth, Managing Director of Bakers of Danbury Ltd said;

“The guys in our church department, who overlook Eves Corner, felt sorry for the ducks in their wonky house with holes in it.

So, we decided to ask our in-house joinery workshop to build a new duck house. We asked our Bench Joiner Robin Palmer to build the duck house, because he has taken his lunch by the pond almost every day, since he joined Bakers over 14 years ago!”

The church duck house design seems very fitting for Bakers, as they are well known for their conservation work to churches, ancient monuments and cathedrals, as well as work to listed buildings and private homes. Bakers have recently carried out conservation works to both St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey amongst other ecclesiastical buildings.

Bakers’ in-house joinery workshop handcraft bespoke joinery and furniture. The joinery shop meets all the joinery requirements of the company, as well as taking orders directly from clients for projects such as bespoke kitchens, dressing rooms, furniture for business reception areas and bespoke ecclesiastical items. The duck house is something a little out of the ordinary them!

Bakers took advice from The Essex Wildlife Trust who suggested the duck house should be installed in time for early spring as the Ducks will be looking for nesting sites then. The duck house has two nesting boxes – a door for each box can be found at either end of the house. Each nesting box has a floating ramp leading from the house into the water.

Bakers joinery shop made the duck house from weatherproof ply with a felt roof and a spire covered in Cedar shingles. Over time the Cedar will go a dark grey, more like the colour of St John’s Spire. The tower has been thoughtfully designed to capture the rain water on a felt roof within the tower and redirect it back out from under where the tower meets the church.

The duck house sits on metal stilts with the wooden legs sitting above the water level to prevent the wood from sitting in the water and rotting. It took a whole day to paint the duck house which includes details such as a mallard duck, flowers and detailed stone quoins, very much like those on St Johns. Peter Smyth said;

“We've been trying to give a bit back to the village, as we've just celebrated our 140th anniversary last year. Bakers have always been on Eves Corner, so we bought the Christmas tree to go on Eves Corner last year, as a thank you to the village too.”

You can keep up-to-date with other initiatives within Baker's Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, which we set up to help support both our local community and the communities in which we work by visiting our Corporate Social Responsibility page or by liking our Facebook page!