Tag Archives: extension

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.

Thatched cottage

6th May 2022ResidentialBakers of Danbury, bathroom, bedroom, befordshire house fire, bespoke wooden furniture, Billericay, breathable plaster, breathable render, converted loft space, cottage rebuild, do over, ensuite, extended pool house, extension, fitted furniture, Grade II Listed Home, house changes, house fire, house fire insurance builders, house renovation, internal refurbishment, kitchen extension, lambs wool, lath and plaster, lime render, listed house, listed house renovation, Loft conversion, loft space, New Build, new build extension, new oak trusses, new thatched roof, oak truss, pool house, redecoration, Refurbishment, render for old properties, renovation, Renovation Listed Home, roof thatcher, royston house fire, slate roof, structural oak repairs, thatched cottage, thatched cottage house fire, zinc roofRachel Finlay

Summary = A complete restoration of a fire damaged thatched cottage.

Value= £550,000

Location= Bedfordshire

Bakers are near completing a restoration of a three-bedroom thatched cottage after it had been devastated by a fire, which broke out in the roof.

When works started in July 2021 Bakers removed all of the fire damaged interior, saving the floorboards where possible, installed new oak roof trusses and carried out structural oak repairs throughout the property. The existing kitchen extension was demolished to make way for a larger 8m x 5m modern kitchen/utility room extension.

A complete renovation was necessary out throughout the whole property; upstairs Bakers of Danbury installed a new fitted family bathroom and ensuite and refurbished all 3 bedrooms some of which feature exposed timbers. On the ground level Bakers refurbished three reception rooms, two studies and one cloakroom. The existing parquet flooring was refurbished throughout downstairs. The new extension had a high specification kitchen and utility room installed together with an additional downstairs cloakroom.

A completely new electrical and heating system was installed throughout the property, and new underfloor heating was installed to the new extension. Lath and plaster was installed to the interior walls and ceilings, lamb’s wool insulation installed within the walls and a breathable lime render was installed to the external walls of the property. The existing property was part thatched roof and part slate tiled roof, both the thatched roof and slate roof was replaced with new by Bakers of Danbury. Bakers of Danbury installed a zinc roof which features two skylights to the new extension.

Listed House Renovation

13th January 2022ResidentialBakers of Danbury, bathroom, bedroom, bespoke wooden furniture, Billericay, converted loft space, do over, ensuite, extended pool house, extension, fitted furniture, Grade II Listed Home, house changes, house renovation, internal refurbishment, listed house, listed house renovation, Loft conversion, loft space, New Build, new build extension, pool house, redecoration, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed HomeRachel Finlay

Summary = A listed house renovation and remodeling

Bakers recently completed phase one of remodeling and refurbishment works to this early 16th century Grade II Listed house, whilst the family remained living in the property.

Works included internal remodeling, extensive new electrical and mechanical installation, joinery, ceiling and wall repairs, new cornices, decorating and some external works.

The ground floor was replaced with an insulated limecrete floor and finished with limestone flagstones. New timber paneling was fitted to some areas all fireplaces and surrounds were refurbished. Repointing was carried out to the inner fireplaces and a timber fireplaces with marble slips were installed to some fireplaces.

Most walls were replastered with haired lime and quirked beaded corners installed. Redecoration was carried out throughout the property.

All plumbing and heating system was installed with new period radiators throughout the property. Period sanitary ware was installed to three bathrooms. A completely new electrical system was installed.

Bakers’ in-house joinery workshop manufactured a number of bespoke fitted furnishings for the kitchen and some replica intenal doors to match the existing.

Externally, Kien render and paint (breathable mineral based render and paint) was applied and all timber box frame sash windows were refurbished.

Stone Replacement & Conservation

29th September 2021Residential3.5 lime mortar mix, Bakers of Danbury, bathroom, bedroom, Billericay, clunch window, cobbled flint repointing, cobbled walls, converted loft space, edgehill yorkstone, ensuite, extended pool house, extension, flint chippings, gable end quoins, Grade II Listed Home, house renovation, internal refurbishment, Loft conversion, loft space, New Build, new build extension, pool house, quoines, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed Home, replacement clunch, replacement stone, replacement yorkstone, stone window jambs, stone window sills, stone window surrounds, stone windowsills, stonemasons, tottenhoe clunch, yorkstone cills, yorkstone windowsillsRachel Finlay

Summary = stone replacement and conservation work to a residential property, which included stone quoins, stone window jambs, stone window surrounds, stone windowsills and stone lintels

Challenge = Exposure to the weather had deteriorated some of the stonework. New replacement stone had to be sourced and cut to size to match the original pieces.

Solution = Located on the edge of Royston Heath, which is famous for the former horse racecourse, within the ancient town of Royston in East Hertfordshire; this traditionally built property was originally three separate cottages. An earlier sympathetic conversion to all three cottages has provided one beautiful, spacious residential property, which features flint cobbled external walls and stone quoins. Exposure to the weather had sadly deteriorated some of the stonework.

As Bakers of Danbury Ltd were carrying out repair and conservation work to the local church, St John the Baptist which had been devastated by a fire back in 2018, the owners of this property asked Bakers to carry out stone replacement and conservation work to their property. Bakers’ craftsmen measured the individual stones they had identified as being beyond repair and made templates for replacement stones to match the original. Bakers of Danbury’s sister company Collins and Curtis Masonry Ltd carefully selected Tottenhoe Clunch directly from the quarry to match the existing Clunch stonework to this property.

All stone quoins to the main gable end were replaced, together with complete window jambs, surrounds and lintels, cut and profiled by stone masons to match the existing. Yorkstone from “Edgehill” quarry was used to replace the windowsills.

The existing flint cobbles were carefully reinstated, where they had been disturbed, and repointed with an NHL 3.5 lime mortar mix with selected graded aggregate sands and fine flint chippings incorporated to match the existing mortar.

To hear more about similar projects about stone replacement and conservation visit our Latest News page or the Bakers of Danbury Facebook page.

Refurbishment of Barbican Centre

23rd March 2021Heritageacoustic absorption panels, architectural joinery, Bakers of Danbury, barbican centre, barbican concert hall, barbican London, bathroom, bedroom, bespoke bathroom, bespoke bathroom furniture, bespoke fitted kitchen, bespoke furniture, bespoke joinery, bespoke kitchen, Billericay, built-in wardrobes, concert hall London, Conductor’s suite, converted loft space, day beds, daybeds, dressing room refurbishment, ensuite, extended pool house, extension, fitted kitchen, fixtures and fittings, Grade II Listed Home, Grade ll Listed house, hand built tv units, house renovation, internal refurbishment, kitchenette area, kitchenette areas, Loft conversion, loft space, London concert hall, multipurpose room units, New Build, new build extension, new timber veneer panels, pool house, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed Home, tv units hand built, vanity unitsRachel Finlay

Summary = A comprehensive refurbishment to the Barbican Centre and backstage dressing rooms, within a tight seven week programme.

Client = The Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London (as owners, founder and principle funder of the Barbican Centre)

Challenge = All works were carried out within a functioning backstage of the Concert Hall.

Solution = The Barbican Centre is the largest multi-arts centre in Europe, and forms part of the Grade 2 listed Barbican Estate, reflecting its special architectural and historic interest. After a successful tender through the City of London procurement portal, Bakers of Danbury carried out backstage and stage flooring refurbishment works to the Barbican Centre, within a tight seven week programme. Specifically, this included comprehensive refurbishment works to all twenty one dressing rooms serving the Concert Hall, with the Conductor’s suite and five other dressing rooms refurbished to a 5 star hotel standard. The project also included repair and restoration works to the existing solid Canadian Maple stage floor and riser sections of the Hall's stage area. As it was condensed programme requiring close coordination of a number of complex works packages, we assigned both a Site Manager (Lee Kerrison) and Assistant Site Manager (Ken Marshall) to the project full-time to proactively manage the delivery and ensure it remained on-track and within budget.

As all works were carried out within a functioning backstage of the Concert Hall, temporary walkways were created to enable the Barbican Centre employees to carry on about their business, without coming into contact with the works underway. During the preconstruction stage the Contract Manager liaised with the Client to provide program updates, agree alternative access routes, times of working, periods during the day when noisy works were minimised, as well as providing briefings to building occupants who lived in residential flats above the Concert Hall. In addition to the Site Manager’s daily inspection of works, Bakers’ Contracts Manager held a weekly site meeting with the Site Manager to inspect works, checking quality, health and safety and the progress against the project programme.

The refurbishment works to the dressing rooms and Conductor’s suite included new kitchenette areas, acoustic absorption panels and new timber veneer panels to walls within hardwood frames, redecoration of ceiling panels and carpeting. Fixtures and fittings; multipurpose room units, vanity units, built-in wardrobes, daybeds and tv units hand built out of Cedar of Lebanon, by Bakers of Danbury’s in-house joinery workshop. Bakers’ joinery workshop was used to ensure a tight control of the supply chain in terms of quality and programming. This also enabled a close liaison between Ken Marshall onsite and the Joinery Manager in the workshop in Danbury. Assistant Site Manager Ken Marshall has many years’ experience of onsite carpentry, so was given the responsibility of managing the complex joinery from Bakers’ joinery workshop to installation on site.

Access traps were removed from the stage floor and a new lift car (and framework behind) was installed with Canadian Maple to match the existing. The stage was given an anti-slip finish and fire rated varnish. The wall panels were also given a fire rated finish. New integrated lighting solutions, data works, electrical services and fire alarm systems were also installed. This required close coordination between Bakers’ joiners and mechanical and electrical contractors.

A new air-conditioning system was required to the existing projector room which posed a considerable challenge to the distant location of the plant room. Bakers noted at an early stage that the original design of the system could not be implemented due to existing and immovable plant and structure. Bakers engaged their specialist S.V.Bullen at an early stage, held meetings with the design team and ensured that a designed solution was produced and implemented which enabled the installation of the required system within the confines of the existing structure.

A list of bespoke fittings and other items for interior fit out such as televisions, lamps, bins, tables and chairs were procured cost effectively by Bakers’ Quantity Surveyor, who worked with the Client to review the specification and provide three options per item across a range of budgets.

Refurbishment of Barbican Centre

23rd March 2021joineryacoustic absorption panels, architectural joinery, Bakers of Danbury, barbican centre, barbican concert hall, barbican London, bathroom, bedroom, bespoke bathroom, bespoke bathroom furniture, bespoke fitted kitchen, bespoke furniture, bespoke joinery, bespoke kitchen, Billericay, built-in wardrobes, concert hall London, Conductor’s suite, converted loft space, day beds, daybeds, dressing room refurbishment, ensuite, extended pool house, extension, fitted kitchen, fixtures and fittings, Grade II Listed Home, Grade ll Listed house, hand built tv units, house renovation, internal refurbishment, kitchenette area, kitchenette areas, Loft conversion, loft space, London concert hall, multipurpose room units, New Build, new build extension, new timber veneer panels, pool house, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed Home, tv units hand built, vanity unitsRachel Finlay

Summary = A comprehensive refurbishment to the Barbican Centre and backstage dressing rooms, within a tight seven week programme.

Client = The Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London (as owners, founder and principle funder of the Barbican Centre)

Challenge = All works were carried out within a functioning backstage of the Concert Hall.

Bespoke joinery and furniture

23rd March 2021joineryarchitectural joinery, Bakers of Danbury, bathroom, bedroom, bespoke bathroom, bespoke bathroom furniture, bespoke fitted kitchen, bespoke furniture, bespoke joinery, bespoke kitchen, Billericay, converted loft space, ensuite, extended pool house, extension, fitted kitchen, Grade II Listed Home, Grade ll Listed house, house renovation, internal refurbishment, Loft conversion, loft space, New Build, new build extension, pool house, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed HomeRachel Finlay

Summary = The renovation and internal refurbishment together with a new build pool house extension. To ensure the finished home was of the highest quality; the owners also stipulated high quality bespoke joinery and furniture to be installed throughout.

Challenge = This Grade ll Listed seven-bedroom house was in need of a substantial renovation and sympathetic internal refurbishment throughout.

Solution = The owners were aware of Bakers of Danbury's reputation for providing high quality craftsmanship and were pleased to find out, not only could Bakers of Danbury design the architectural timber work and bespoke joinery and furniture, but also can manufacture everything for the project by using their in-house joinery workshop.

In total the team designed, manufactured and installed the following bespoke joinery and furniture:

Internal bespoke fitted wardrobes

Internal doors, similar style to the original doors to comply with new fire regulations

Two new bespoke staircases with balustrades

Sash windows to match those existing and refurbishment of those windows that could be restored

Wall panelling to match the existing in the playroom and lounge area

Ornate radiator covers

In addition to the extensive joinery work, Bakers of Danbury also demolished and re-built the pool house. With new underground drainage, the new pool house now boasts tiled changing rooms throughout, themed lighting and handmade double glazed windows and French doors with fanlights to match the rest of the property.

Inside the house a beautiful oak floor was salvaged from other rooms within the farm house and re-laid to make an impressive entrance lobby. Elsewhere, the original oak and parquet flooring was brought back to life after being taken up, re-laid, then expertly sanded and finished.

As a result of the project, the home has truly been brought back to its former glory, with the attention to detail and high quality workmanship shining through. The owners described Bakers of Danbury as being “very professional, skilled and polite”.

The owners were so impressed with the work carried out, that they asked Bakers of Danbury to return and restore their stable block.

Grade II Listed Barn Conversion

17th September 2020ResidentialBakers of Danbury, Barn, barn conversion, barn gym conversion, bathroom, bedroom, conversion of stables, converted loft space, ensuite, entertainment suite, extension, grade 2 listed, grade II listed, Grade II Listed Barn Conversion, Grade II Listed Home, gymnasium barn conversion, house renovation, loft space, luxury barn conversion, mezanine florr, mezzanine floor, mezzanine living space, mezzannine floor, New Build, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed Home, stable conversionRachel Finlay

Summary = A Grade II Listed barn conversion to provide entertainment suite, garages, kitchen/ bar area and gymnasium.

Challenge = The original Grade II Listed barn was in need of structural under pinning, together with timber frame and roof repairs.

Solution = Bakers recently carried out a conversion of a barn and stable block to provide an entertainment suite, garages, kitchen/ bar area and gymnasium which involved extensive timber frame and roof repairs, as well as structural underpinning.

All existing timber weather boarding was removed and repair work and straightening carried out to the existing timber frame. Repairs were made to the brick plinth and the roof completely stripped and restored with reclaimed peg tiles.

Bakers' joinery workshop hand crafted new doors, oak staircase and sepele sash casement windows to match the existing

To hear more about other projects similar to this Grade II Listed barn conversion visit our Latest News page or the Bakers of Danbury Facebook page.

Barn conversion

17th September 2020ResidentialBakers of Danbury, Barn, barn conversion, bathroom, bedroom, converted loft space, ensuite, extension, grade 2 listed, grade II listed, Grade II Listed Home, house renovation, loft space, luxury barn conversion, mezanine florr, mezzanine floor, mezzanine living space, mezzannine floor, New Build, Refurbishment, renovation, Renovation Listed HomeRachel Finlay

Summary = Barn conversion to provide a Grade II Listed luxury home.

Challenge = The original barn was in need of structural and roof repairs.

Solution = Bakers of Danbury carried out a conversion of a Grade II Listed barn to provide a luxury domestic dwelling. The original timber frame was repaired, carefully cleaned and retained.

The bedrooms were constructed on two mezzanine floors at each end of the barn, linked by a contemporary steel and glass walkway accessed by a steel, oak and glass staircase. The works included a hi-tech electronic lighting and sound system and underfloor heating.

To hear more about this and other projects visit our Latest News page or the Bakers of Danbury Facebook page.