Thursday 15 April 2010
The Easter break is the ideal time to start the dining room extension on site whilst the school is closed and the students are away. Temporary screens have been erected internally so that work can progress safely outside. The terrace has been demolished and the existing foundations exposed ready for inspection by the structural engineer, so that the new foundations can be poured next. Other work has also been programmed to take place during the Easter break, which would otherwise affect the running of the school.
The contractor is knocking through from the new sixth form building into the existing library so that both the lower and upper blocks can be accessed from this existing space. A temporary screen will be erected around both new openings so that work can continue when students return to school. As the floor screed is laid within the upper block the decorations to the upper block can follow on. The wall board joints are filled and sanded ready for decoration. In the lower block the partitions are still being completed and the under floor heating pipe work being installed, ready for laying the screeds.
The first coats of external render are now being applied to the external insulation. As the render is completed, the last pieces of pre-formed gutters can be slotted into place. The render is being applied by a gang who work in quick succession so that the render is evenly applied and then perfectly smoothed before it starts to dry.
Although the bridge link is still concealed by scaffold, painting has commenced to the upper structure. The bridge will be one of the last structures to be revealed. As the Science internal works progress, finishing details are being examined on site to ensure that the work is as the drawings. Details that need to be adjusted on site are discussed and agreed with the architect and the clerk of works.
The staffs’ prep room is being completed during the Easter break, so that the staff can work in this space when they come back from the Easter break. Externally the pre-cast steps and brickwork walls to steps and ramps are being completed ready for new handrails.
What’s happening next? Over the next few weeks you will see:
• Rendering being completed to the upper block
• Rendering progressing to the lower block
• Decorations