October News

Autumn and the dark evenings are now fully upon us.  Trees and hedges look resplendent in their fantastic, fiery colours. Although there are still a few blackberries and sloes hiding in the hedgerows, there has been a distinct chill in the air on a few occasions, and, therefore, we must count our blessings for all this sunshine and dry weather!

As usual, we’ve had a busy month, and this is just a taste of what we’ve been up to. 

•          At the C16^th Hall House in Essex, with R J Hogg & Sons The second coat of lime render has gone on and is now wrapped up for the winter to protect it against the frost.  New windows have been inserted and new French doors are currently going in.   First fix plumbing has begun.
  ·         The roof of the C16^th Court Barn has been stripped.  We were fearful of what might be found, but have been pleasantly surprised by its relatively good condition.  The roof is currently being repaired.
  ·         At Finchingfield Guildhall, Sibyl gave a talk and walk around Finchingfield  Guildhall to local residents,  trustees and some local Politicians, to explain all the works that have been taking place over the last couple of months. Everyone scrabbled over the scaffolding, and up and down ladders to view the plastering, daubing and new mullioned windows.     
        We also had a visit from the National Trust, who wanted to have a look round and see what we were doing.
        The oak Plank and muntin wall has been constructed 
        The oriel window oak mullions and apron has been installed and is ready for the leaded lights.
        The pargetting is nearing completion. Paul and his team have done a wonderful job re-creating the C19^th chevron and sawn pattern we discovered in old photographs in the records office.  The scaffold is now partially down, so people are starting to get a glimpse of what it looks like.
       The limewash going on is made by local hero Ted Ingilby, using 2 coats of casein limewash and 1 coat of tallow limewash.
        Another local legend, Mark Atkinson from Essex Archaeology Unit, has been kept busy; dusting, scraping, drawing and recording all the archaeological finds during the groundworks, and is producing some exceptional sketches.
  ·         The contemporary glazed extension to the important Grade I Listed Country House in Suffolk is growing out of the ground, with the steel frame and masonry already constructed.  The new joinery within the existing house is all being bespoke made, and is due for delivery.   Casting of the slab for the new Breakfast Room is taking place.  A new limestone floor is being laid in the Great Hall.  Underpinning has begun for the new wood chip store.
  ·         At The Retreat House, Pleshey, working drawings continue this month, with kitchen layout, bathrooms and en-suites, roof detail, floor build-up and setting out almost ready for issue. 
  ·         In Huntingdonshire, our client been granted Planning Permission for an oak framed extension to a Grade II Listed, C17th Lobby Entrance house, and also for conversion of a little barn within the curtilage of the house. 
  ·         At Radwinter Church, the Delft-type tiles, (made especially for us by Douglas Watson Studio) depicting scenes of Radwinter, were carefully positioned around the sink in the new kitchenette.
  ·         The new kitchenette and toilet were unveiled at Radwinter Friends Day, 21^st October.
  ·         We met the DAC advisers at Galleywood Church this month to discuss the best location within the building for their organ.
  ·         The wonderful wallpapers are being put up at the Regency house in Essex, one is called Saffron Walden Tracery by Zoffany, and is based on an original Elizabethan anticknework scrolling design found inside a house in local town Saffron Walden. The new regency staircase has been fitted and the window shutters are hung on the sashes. The rooms are now taking shape with the second fix and decorations filling the house with colour and light ready for Christmas!
  ·         Concept Design drawings continue for the conversion of a little flint and brick outbuilding into a studio/office, with attached glasshouse adjacent to a beautiful C17th house in Essex.
  ·         Concept Design Drawings for a Farmhouse in the Lea Valley are complete which has reinstated the original features of lobby entrance  house and a new two-storey wing replacing an 80s extension echoing the design. The laundry outhouse has been connected and converted into a Kitchen.
  ·         At the beautiful Grade II Listed Arts and Crafts house in Essex, Concept Design drawings are complete for a Kitchen/breakfast room extension, incorporating timber details from this decorative house originally designed by famous Architect George Sherrin.
  ·         Concept Design drawings have commenced for the conversion of a large C17-18^th barn into a studio, showroom and workshop for a prestigious English furniture Designer & Manufacturer. The barn will incorporate modern glazing details and the oak frame skeleton will be stripped bare and exposed throughout. There is a very old C15th barn adjacent which will be separate and original elements restored such as its mullioned window, daub and crown post roof reinstated.
  ·         Concept Design drawings are nearly complete for the extension to an elegant Grade II* brick country house in Hertfordshire. The extension incorporates decorative brick noggin work picking up on details found on the house.
  ·         Lodge and Sons have started works at Grade II Listed Little Baddow Church, where they have lifted the stone slabs off the floor of the tower, and also started to construct a new kitchenette and WC, and a new balcony floor which goes up to the ringing chamber.
  ·         KPT’s entry of Spains Hall was shortlisted in the RICS Grand Finals Awards, 2012.  Kay, Sibyl, Peter and Nicola attended the presentation luncheon at The Savoy Hotel in London on 19^th October.
  ·         Kay and Peter attended the annual conference of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation, which was held in a restored tobacco factory. The theme of the conference was closer collaboration between building conservation accredited architects, surveyors and engineers. The conference was followed by the AGM of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation.
  ·         Monica organised an Office Outing to Warner Textiles, in Braintree.  This was a most pleasant and informative tour, where we gained an insight into the dyeing and pattern designs of silk and other textiles, ranging over two centuries, including ‘C19^th elegance and C20^th flair’.  We were shown how these textiles were used for furnishing and wallcovering, as well as for dressmaking.  Among the most impressive textiles were those used in the wedding trousseau of Princess May, who, upon marrying King George, became Queen Mary.  www.warnertextilearchive.co.uk/
  
  
  
  
  

September News

We are lucky enough to be completely surrounded by agricultural fields in our barn office in Essex and September has brought the end of a busy harvest, with the tractors working through the night and fields already ploughed and harrowed. Some of us at KPT took the opportunity to pop out and gather some blackberries and damsons to make a few bottles of a little something, to keep out the cold in the long winter months ahead, hic!

Here’s what else we’ve been keeping busy doing this month.

• Lime plastering is progressing well at the C16th Hall House in Essex, with R J Hogg & Sons. The scratch coat is on and calcifying. They are forming the internal partitions and repair the internal walls with first fix going in. The moat, which is an Ancient Scheduled Monument, has been carefully excavated under the guidance of Archaeology and the ground works are in full swing!
Construction Drawings are being undertaken for the repair and alteration works to the C16th Court Barn attached to the house. The scaffolding and ‘tin hat’ is up and over the Court Barn ready for the repairs and re-roofing to begin next month.
• At The Retreat House, Pleshey, Construction Drawings for new en-suite bathrooms for 6 of the bedrooms, and a new wheelchair access shower room for another bedroom are progressing well. The next phase will be the Construction Drawings for a new Meeting Room, which has been designed with a ‘green’ roof of sedum plants. Work is expected to begin on site before the end of the year.
• The PCC at Bush End Church are very pleased with their new Kitchenette, WC and balcony. If you are in the area, please do pop in to have a look. The Church is opposite Hatfield Forest entrance.
• At Radwinter Church, the new WC and Kitchen in the North Vestry are being fitted. The panelling with floral carving details is being fitted. The works will be completed by the end of October, in time for Radwinter Friends Day where they will be unveiling their new facilities.
• Roof Repairs are due to start soon to Little Baddow Church, with scaffolding to be erected during October. We are waiting for the appropriate timing to ensure no bats are present.
• Concept Design drawings are underway for conversion of a little flint and brick outbuilding into a studio/office, adjacent to a beautiful C17th house in Essex.
• We are to meet the DAC advisers at Galleywood Church this month to discuss the best location within the building for their organ.
• Concept Drawings for a Farmhouse in the Lea Valley are nearly complete, with the original features of the house re-instated, and a new two-storey wing replacing an 80s extension.
• The lime plaster at Finchingfield Guildhall is having its pargetting pattern applied. This is pattern being re-done as seen in old photographs. Plaster moulds where taken from a local building which has some original pargetting in the pattern. These are in a variety of sizes, and some are curved to take account of the un-level walls. The pattern is vertical chevron, with horizontal marks made by a wood horse comb. The whole process has been filmed and will be available shortly to see. We had a visit from Heritage Lottery, who are extremely pleased with the conservation work taking place there with KPT & Fairhurst Ward Abbott.
• Construction works to a Grade I Country House in Suffolk are progressing well. Works to the new purpose made woodchip store building have started, which will heat the house sustainably from wood on the Estate. Foundations have been laid for a new Morning Room extension to the existing service wing, and the structural opening up of the Kitchen is complete.
• At the beautiful Grade II Listed Arts and Crafts house in Essex, Concept Design drawings continue for a kitchen/breakfast room extension, incorporating timber details from this decorative house originally designed by famous Architect George Sherrin.
• Whilst Sibyl and Sarah were carrying out the survey of a barn, thought to date to the C17-18th, which sits within the grounds of a Grade II Listed Farmhouse, they made an exciting discovery! Up on the first floor, they found evidence of mullioned windows with shutter rebates, wattle and daub frame grooves and the peg hole on-top of the tie beam indicating it had a crown post. This all signifies that the smaller structure is in fact a lot older that first thought; more like circa 1550, or even older, and was probably built at a similar date to the Hall House.
• Building works to convert the old stables to ancillary accommodation continue at the Grade II Listed former public house in Essex under the guidance of G Illife & Sons. New terracing is being carried out within the grounds and the interiors are ready for decorating, with the bathroom refurbishments nearly complete.
• Works are booked in to start in early October at The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Widdington, with R J Pinnock, who will be building for us a new oak screen in the tower, behind which will be new Kitchen and WC facilities.
• Works to Sibyl’s Grade II Listed Farmhouse, with Downham and Manser, are nearly complete. The house has had new plumbing, expertly installed throughout by A&B (Thaxted) Plumbers, with traditional cast iron radiator. This should make a huge difference to this C17th house which has never had central heating before. The Kitchen has a new breathable floor, with underfloor heating and all the plates and stud feet have been repaired, using conservation techniques.
• The Construction Drawings are due to commence on the highly significant Ancient Scheduled Monument site of Colville Hall. It has an astounding collection of Grade I & Grade II* listed barns and Courthouses, which date back to the C12th, and will be adapted and repaired to create a beautiful countryside wedding venue.
• On Sunday, 16th September, Nicola, dressed in pink hair-band with wobbly hearts, fairy wings and tutu, ran the 10k Race for Life, at Chelmsford Hylands Park, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. She completed in an hour, and Sarah was there to witness the event! Nicola says a big thank you to all who sponsored her.

August News

The Olympic and Paralympics Games have made very exciting viewing.  Some of us at KPT were lucky enough to go to the Athletics and see stars like Usain Bolt and many of Team GB win plenty of gold medals!

Summer is always a busy time at KPTA and here’s what we’ve been up to in August:

·         We have received Planning Permission, Listed Building approval and Scheduled Monument consent for works to be sympathetically carried out to probably the most significant group of farm buildings in the East of England at Colville Hall, White Roding.  The buildings within its curtilage are most impressive; a Grade I Courthouse, a Grade I barn of eight bays dating to the C12th, a Grade II* granary, a Grade II* Byre, a Grade II* barn of five bays, a Grade II cart lodge and, as well as all these, a Grade I Tudor gateway – and all sitting on a 12th century Scheduled Ancient Monument. 

      Our clients have brilliantly battled through the complex planning process to ensure that these significant buildings are saved and safeguarded for the future, by receiving approval to use them as a beautiful wedding venue and accommodation. The use they have chosen is ideal for the lovely barns because they can be used without any new floors or partitions and will, therefore, be enjoyed for their beautiful and majestic spaces – hopefully for many generations to come.

      The site was an extremely sensitive one, being in the Green Belt and accessed via a narrow country lane. It is for this that they received so many objectors. But the clients are a remarkable couple and have agreed to build a new access road to the site, plant a new wood and include some sophisticated noise control systems in order to reduce any impact from the proposal.We all look forward to seeing these beautiful buildings being brought back to life again and saved by this ambitious project.

·         The complete interior design and 1 ½ storey extension of the late C16th Grade II former Watermill in Suffolk are now complete. Photos are soon to appear on our website under domestic projects. 

·         At the Grade II * C16th brick and timber framed Hall house in Hertfordshire, sketch designs continue for a single storey extension and alterations to a barn. 

·         The design to a Farmhouse in the Lea Valley continues.  We are looking to reinstate the original lobby entrance elements of the house and former features, such as the large decorative chimney tops, and to replace the existing modern wing with a complimentary one. The old washhouse is also being linked to the house, to create a Kitchen and Breakfast Room.

·         The restoration of Finchingfield Guildhall continues. The sheepswool insulation has been inserted and oak laths applied, with the lime hair plaster scratch and pricking coats going on now. The electric first fix is going well and the reinstated C15th mullioned windows are nearly all in, so now the building is beginning to look as it did in the C15th once again. 

·         Breakfast Room drawings and joinery details continue for works to the Grade I Country House in Suffolk, and the works on-site to open up the Kitchen are going nicely.

·         At the Grade II Listed former public house in Essex the joinery is well under way with the new staircase in and the shutters being fitted. The bathroom fitting is almost finished. The kitchen for the annexe has been chosen and the conversion works to the barn annexe have begun.

·         While on-site at the Hall house in Essex we uncovered a water well, which pre-dates the kitchen, and is therefore thought to date from C15^th.  We are currently investigating the walls of the well known as “steining” to see if they can be exposed. The electrical first fix is well under way.  New sheepswool insulation has been inserted; and laths are being fixed, ready for the new lime hair plaster render.  Scheduled Monument Consent and Listed Building Consent has been given for further works to be undertaken on the moat.

·         The Retreat House, Pleshey is a popular place for clergy and lay-people to go for a week or a few days of contemplation and prayer. The facilities need improving and KPTA have been working with the Diocese to upgrade them.
Once a convent, the early farmhouse was extended in the Edwardian era by the Mother Superior’s brother, an architect of the time. Planning and Listed building approval was gained last year for 26 bedrooms with en-suite shower rooms, including improved wheelchair access and a new loggia meeting room.
The Diocese have been raising funds for this work to be carried out, and we have now been commissioned to prepare the detailed working drawings for the first phase of the work to the Gatehouse.

·         Bush End Church is now at Practical Completion and looking beautiful once more. Their new Kitchenette, WC and balcony are already proving most useful to this church, which has an enviable position opposite the National Trusts Hatfield Heath.

·         At Radwinter Church, scenes of Radwinter, for the new Diamond Jubilee Delft Tiles, have been chosen and are being made by Watson Studio.  Local specialists Auravisions have expertly converted one of the stained-glass windows to an opening casement; and the panelling for the WC and Kitchenette are being constructed by Lodge and Sons Builders, and are based on original panelling in the Vestry by C19th Architect Temple Moore, but with a new Saffron crocus carving.

·         Roof Repairs are due to start soon to Little Baddow Church, we are just waiting for the appropriate timing to ensure no bats are present.

·         We are currently drawing the existing structure plans and elevations of a large timber framed granary and single aisle barn in Essex, which is to be converted to a workshop studio.

·         A little flint and brick outbuilding, which was thought to have been the old washhouse to a beautiful C17th house, has been measured and drawn up, as it is to be used as a home study/office.      

·         We are soon due to meet the DAC advisers at Galleywood Church to discuss the best location for their organ within the building.

·         We are progressing the design for a new Breakfast Room to a beautiful listed arts and crafts house design by the well-known Architect George Sherrin in Essex. The Conservation Officer is happy with the proposal, and we are incorporating lovely features from the house such as an arched timber overhang.   

·         The Planning application is in for a new timber framed stable-block in a local village, and the bat report is complete. 

·         Finally our Director Sibyl is undertaking works to her own Grade II Listed Farmhouse. The frame has been repaired with new oak plates and new tennon repairs to the studs. A new brick plinth has been built using Colliers handmade bricks, and a breather perimeter floor is now down replacing the impervious concrete floor which was causing damp. She found an original doorway on the front of the house, which is to be reinstated to the front garden. The exposed timber-frame is also being insulated to reduce carbon emissions.

July News

• When the 204 individual copper petals were all united, lit and raised to form the Cauldron at the Olympic Games 2012 opening ceremony, what a spectacle of truly fabulous design it was to behold!  All of us at KPT will be following the Olympics, and Paralympics and willing Team GB to win lots of medals.
• At the 15^th Century Hall House in Essex, scaffold has been erected.  As render has been removed, excitingly large beams and mid rail have been exposed. The removal of the cement render has revealed that the house originally had two jettied gables, which must have been underbuilt as flush gables in the Georgian/Victorian period. We’ve also discovered an old C 18^th doorway in the brickwork, with a rubbed and gauged header 
• Working drawings are being produced for the main staircase of the Court Barn.
• The restoration of Finchingfield Guildhall continues with wattle and daub being exposed: The original daub was laboratory analysed in order to ensure that the new daub will be an authentic mix.  The ingredients are clay, chalk, fine quartz sand, lime and a lot of chopped straw. This is thoroughly mixed and then thrown and smoothed by hand.
• The design stage for works to a beautiful brick and timber framed Grade II* farmhouse in North Herts are progressing well.
• Planning Permission, with Restricted Use (ie affiliated with an equestrian business), has been granted for a new-build family house in the style of a timber framed barn in Huntingdonshire.
• Glazing in the Bell Tower at Grade I Listed St. Andrew’s Church, Shalford, (to ensure free access for Soprano Pipistrelle bats to their maternity roosts http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Soprano_Pipistrelle ), has gone out to tender.
• Repairs and internal layout changes at the Grade II listed farmhouse are now complete and the new oak sunroom with copper roof and timber framed utility extension has started on site.
• Designs are underway for a new-build house in the Lee Valley.
• At the Grade I Country House in Suffolk, Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent has been granted for a new breakfast room extension on the service wing with modern bi-fold doors.
• Concept design drawings for a new gabled glazed timber frame sunroom with a veranda style link to the Annexe have been completed for a Grade II, 19^th century house in Bedfordshire.
• We are thrilled to announce that KPT has been shortlisted in the AJ Retrofit 2012 Awards, Listed Buildings/Structures category, for our Spains Hall Entry.
• We are also delighted that HHA/Sotheby’s Restoration Award 2012 have awarded us a Commendation for our work to Spains Hall.  http://www.hha.org.uk/focus-on-properties/hha-sothebys-restoration-award.html
• As part of her dissertation on smock mills of Essex, Nicola will be visiting the fascinating local windmills of Upminster http://www.upminsterwindmill.co.uk and Ashdon http://www.ashdonwindmilltrust.co.uk
• The 10k Race for Life which was to be held at the Chelmsford Hylands Park on Sunday 22^nd July, 2012, has been postponed until Sunday, 16^th September.  Nicola says, with the extra training time, she expects to complete in even quicker time!  If you’re in the area, do go along and shout encouragement to her! Embarrassing photographs will now be posted in September Images of the Month!  http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/nicolahiggins365

June News

• With fond memories of the fabulous Jubilee Celebrations still ringing in our ears, we bring you our June News from the office of KPT.
• At the 15^th Century Hall House in Essex, R & J Hogg are making good progress in preparation for the long task of stripping the modern external cement render prior to re-rending.  
• The Rotunda is now almost finished, with just the final fitting out to be completed.  The positioning of the structure and the materials used have contributed greatly to the fact that this beautiful building looks as though it has been part of the landscape for a very long time.
• At the Grade II Listed former public house in Essex, the bathroom floor tile designs have not been straight forward, but they will look fabulous when in place.
• The restoration of Finchingfield Guildhall continues, and we have now opened up the entire frame, and discovered evidence of an arched head window, two more medieval window shutters and evidence of a shop door.  We will be ensuring that these interesting features are exposed.
• We have designed a Saffron Crocus motif, incorporating ventilation holes, which will be carved into the tea cupboard doors at Radwinter church.  This design compliments the theme of other existing carving already in the church.
• Asbestos removal has been completed on a Grade 1 Country House in Suffolk.  Work has now commenced on the laying of a new breathable hall floor and the installation of new electrics and plumbing.
• Refurbishment of an existing swimming pool and pool house has now been completed on time and within budget, and is now ready in time for the client to use and enjoy for the summer.
• John Izod is using traditional materials and methods to carry out lime plastering in an ashlar pattern to the Regency House.  This will add the charm and elegance this property so richly deserves.
• The Listed Property Owners Club wrote to Chancellor on 12 June, continuing the effort against the proposed 20% VAT on Listed Building Alterations.
• Our Images of the Month Photostream has been added to Flickr.  Please take a look at all our photographs.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kpt-architects/sets/
• We are very pleased to announce that our entry of Spains Hall has been shortlisted for the Listed Buildings/Structures category of the AJ Retrofit Awards 2012.
• We have been awarded Highly Commended for a Conservation Award entry.   Announcement follows very soon!
• The awards section on our website will be up and running very shortly, and will contain details and photographs of the projects we have won awards for this year. 
• Congratulations go to Sarah Aylmer, head of our Interior Design team, for being awarded a Distinction on completion of her Postgraduate Certificate in Decorative Arts course at the University of Buckingham, (London). 
• Nicola Higgins will be running in the Chelmsford Hylands Park 10k Race for Life on Sunday 22^nd July, 2012, and says she would be grateful for supporters along the way, especially to help push her up the hilly bits!  http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/nicolahiggins365  Embarrassing photographs will be posted in July Images of the Month!

June - Images of the month

June - Images of the month, a set on Flickr.

Check out our new Flickr account

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kpt-architects/sets/

May - Images of the Month

May - Images of the Month, a set on Flickr.

KPT News May 2012

• At the 15^th Century Hall House in Essex, the red clay peg roof tiles are on, and all the structural repairs to the crown post roof have been completed by R J Hogg. We have done the construction drawings for the house renovations, which will commence soon.
• The kitchenette at Bush End church has now been fitted, the glass balustrade is in place, the floor tiling has been finished, and the project is edging closer to completion.
• The Rotunda now has its spiral metal staircase with oak treads, and the mint pebbled flooring looks stunning in the shower room.
• At the Grade II Listed former public house in Essex, the exterior is being lime plastered by John Izod, and Simon and John Iliffe are starting to fit the bathrooms and floors. KPT Interior Designer, Sarah Aylmer, is planning the interior decoration, which involves a contrast of historic patterned and contemporary wallpapers.
• The restoration of Finchingfield Guildhall continues to offer surprises.  As Tony and his team (Fairhurst Ward Abbott) have exposed the later 17^th Century bays, they discovered exciting ghost lines, shutter groves and mortises of five 17^th Century mullioned windows in the old school room bays. These match exactly the salvaged window that came from the 50s restoration. Interestingly the 17^th Century mullions have a different ovolo moulding to them, while the 15^th Century mullions are scalloped. The oak frame has been repaired, and the split oak laths and bullnose render stops are being fixed to the outside, ready to start the lime plastering.    
• A beautiful oak dresser, hand-made by the carpenter Charlie of R. J. Pinnock and Son has been installed in one of our new kitchen design projects.
• Works are continuing on a 15^th Century house in Suffolk with Rose Builders, with the complete removal of the asbestos lagging, put in during the 20s, and the replacement of the plumbing throughout. 
• Radwinter Church works are on-site with Lodge and Sons Builders. They are making the oak panelled joinery for the new WC walls, which incorporates a saffron crocus motif we have designed. 
• Kay, Sibyl, Peter and Nicola attended the “RICS 2012 East of England Awards” ceremony, and were thrilled when it was announced that KPT had won the Building Conservation category, with our entry of Spains Hall! This means we now go National!
• We have also been awarded Highly Commended in another Conservation Award, announcement coming soon!
• Peter hosted a fabulous garden party in celebration of his birthday.  Instead of giving Peter presents, guests gave donations to the Carver Barracks’ Injured Soldiers Fund and raised thousands for this important charity.
• Monica attended the Green Register two day course on Sustainable Building and Services.  It has provided her with no-nonsense information regarding energy and water conservation, specifying sustainably as well as de-mystifying renewable energy sources, and when it is appropriate to use them.  She now joins Sibyl on the official Green Register, check out their website http://www.greenregister.org.uk/about.php.
• Anthony attended a very informative sustainability course on the Responsible Resourcing of Materials, at the Smartlife Centre, Cambridge.
• Gareth Davies, a well-known Photographer, renowned for his portfolio of celebrity photography has taken some beautiful photographs of a recently completed Swimming Pool building we designed, and which was built by Collins and Beckett. We will be uploading this onto the project page soon for you to see. Check out Gareth’s website: http://www.gdaviesphoto.com   

KPT News April 2012

April News at KPTA

• The starry night sky ceiling has been completed by Howell and Bellion at St. John the Baptist, Leytonstone, and makes a wonderful feature upon entering the church.
• The fabulous circular staircase has been fitted into the Rotunda.
• KPT and SMC were Finalists at the CEDIA 2012 Awards with our joint entry of a Home Cinema.
• The Chancellor of the Exchequer shocked us all with his announcement that VAT would be charged on alterations to Listed Buildings. This will affect all projects not completed by October, 2012.
• Chestnut lath has been competed on a Regency house.
• Bush End Church are seeing their oak cabinets going in for the new kitchen, and the oak staircase for the balcony has been inserted.
• The C15th Hall House in Uttlesford has had its oak crown post roof and rafters repaired by R J Hogg, where the rafters had pulled about from the plates, and a valley beam had to be repaired where it was rotten from water ingress. The new roofing insulation and handmade peg tiles are going back on.
• Works to a Country House in Suffolk have started on-site this month, with the removal of all the asbestos which was put in during the 1920s to lag all the plumbing pipes. We are about to start completely re-plumbing the house with Rose Builders.
• The building works at the Church of St Mary The Virgin, Radwinter started this month with Lodge and Sons Builders. This is our local village church, and one close to our heart. We are creating a new WC and Kitchenette in the Victorian Vestry. The vestry already contains some lovely cupboards by Temple Moore, the famous Victorian Architect, so we are going to compliment the simple flower carving on his cupboards with new carving details on our own panelling that will continue the floral theme perhaps with a crocus flower instead. The vestry already has some old delft tiles in the fireplace, so we are hoping to design some new hand painted delph tiles with scenes of the village. The rather less fun job of digging the drains and excavating the floor have commenced this month, but we have found an old vault outside, which was an exciting surprise!
• We reached Final Completion on the new brick indoor swimming-pool building near Dunmow. We’ll be taking photographs soon for you to see. The design complimented the adjacent Victorian stable-block with red brick and large oak and glazed doors which have heavy boarded shutter doors to the outside. We built a pitched oak glulam roof over the pool itself with a central glazed rooflight. The vaulted ceiling was then dotted with Swarovsky crystal lights, to create a spectacular night sky above.
• Finchingfield Guildhall is an immensely rewarding project on-site at the moment with Fairhurst Ward Abbott. The roof repairs have all been completed by Tony and his team with new straps where the tie beams have pulled away from the top plates, and oak slice repairs where the plate was rotten. The replacement of the 50s softwood frame with oak frame is taking shape. Most interestingly we found lots of old 15th and 17th century mullioned windows. The 15th century are of a scalloped design and the 17th century are ovolo moulded. We are reinstating all the oak mullioned windows we have physical evidence for, so the windows will reveal the different periods of build through their style and progression. They’ve also made up a sample plaster pargetting pattern which is the same as the Victorian photographs of the building we have in the archive. This will be used on the new lime plastered exterior, which replaces the cement render we removed.
• We’ve reached practical completion on the refurbished pool building, new orangery and basement cinema/games room in Chelmsford. This work was completed by Cubbitt Theobald Builders, and the new facilities to this elegant townhouse have provided the family with some really fun and enjoyable rooms, which have been designed to compliment the Georgian style of the house.
• Peter celebrated a rather special birthday at the start of this month.
• An early News Bulletin for May – KPT are very proud to announce we won the RICS East of England Awards 2012 Building Conservation for Spain Hall!

KPT News March 2012

March News at KPTA

• We have entered one of our Wedding Venue Country House projects into the RIBA 2012 Regional Conservation Awards.
• We have also entered one of our Country House projects into the HHA/Sotheby’s Restoration Award 2012.
• We are very pleased that our January submission to the RICS Awards has been shortlisted.
• We are very pleased that the joint SMC/KPT CEDIA Awards 2012 entry of a home cinema has been shortlisted.
• At Finchingfield Guildhall, we exposed a 15th Century crown post and wattle and daub panels, hidden under a temporary tin roof.  We discovered, in a wall, 15th century Mullions with “high status” scalloped profile.  A wrought iron casement window has been found, and confirmed as being 17th century.
• The Round House is nearing completion.  The installation of hand-made oak doors and windows have turned this into a very pretty building.  Floor tiles are being laid.
• Permission has been granted allowing building and roofing works to a 15th century moated Hall House.  These works have now commenced.
• An application has been submitted for the conversion of a fine group of Listed farm buildings – including two Grade I Listed barns – to a wedding venue, set in beautiful Essex countryside.
• An application has been submitted for conversion work to a find Regency farm house – including a ‘Regency’ veranda and orangery extension.
• The Chancellor of the Exchequer stunned us, our clients and our contractors with his shock announcement, in The Budget on 21 March, that the VAT relief which currently applies to alterations to listed buildings is to be withdrawn with effect from 1 October 2012.
• Nicola has completed the final unit of her MSc Timber Building Conservation course.  This included Consolidation and Surface Finishes and Non-structural repair and treatment, and was held at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum.  Nicola now has to carry out her dissertation to complete her course.
• Muriel attended a seminar on “Successful marketing of your practice in difficult times” at the Smartlife Centre in Cambridge.
• Monica and Maria attended the Ecobuild Event in London, a day of seminars, exhibitions and displays on sustainable design, construction and the built environment.
• After many grueling lunchtime runs, Monica successfully completed the Cambridge Half Marathon in 2 hours 4 minutes, and raised £328 for her chosen charity, Cancer Research

KPT News January 2012

• This Specialist decorative paint scheme by KPT and Howell and Bellion at Leytonstone Church continues. Historic painted gold leaf stars been uncovered above the font and, by sheer coincidence, these match the proposed scheme for the new painting onto the vaulted porch ceiling, which is to have gold stars on blue night sky!
• KPT, in collaboration with SMC ( a communication/entertainment installer), have entered a new home cinema they designed into the Cedia Awards 2012.
• We have also entered Spains Hall into the RICS 2012 Conservation Award.
• Thatching of the Rotunda has been completed.  The vertical, wide board oak cladding is currently being fitted to the exterior and the oak windows are also being installed.
• Architect Monica Corcoran passed the Construction Skills Managerial and Professional Health and Safety Test with flying colours.
• The works at Finchingfield Guildhall with Fairhurst Ward Abbotts are at an exciting stage. Some of the modern windows and cement render have been removed at the rear, exposing the frame. We have found two more ovolo moulded, 15th Century windows in the Guildroom and a high status 15th Century oriel window on the front façade! This is fantastic news, as the Guildhall is revealing more of its history and past use every day.   
• The new Kitchenette, WC and Balcony building works at Bush End church, with R J Pinnock, are continuing and the new breather floor has been laid.
• The re-roofing of a C15th moated Hall House, with R J Hogg, is underway, with the stripping of the clay peg tiles. This will expose the beautiful crown-post roofs and later C16th purlin roofs, which we’re looking forward to seeing.
• The complete renovation works of a Regency house/former pub in Essex, with Illife & Sons, is still on-site, with the cement render removed and the frame exposed. This has revealed an elm frame, which will be repaired like-for-like with British elm. The new breather perimeter floors have also been laid, which will ensure the old frame stays dry. 
• We received Planning permission/Listed Building Consent for a new pitched roof (replacing a flat roof) over a swimming pool in Fulbourn.
• We received Listed Building Consent for internal alterations to a 16th Century house in Saffron Walden
• The glass/oak screened room in the South Aisle at Great Chesterford church is complete.  Pop in and have a look!