In 2004 Belclare commenced work on the restoration of a large Georgian villa originally built in the mid 1820’s. The client brief was to create a home that was modern in its amenities but stayed true to its antique heritage. This was a listed property and important in the context of the local built heritage. From the outset, a strong working relationship was forged with the heritage experts in Cork County Council.
The basement floors were quarry tiles on earth, so new drainage and subfloors had to be installed before underfloor heating could follow. There was extensive rot in joists and floorboards although sufficient floorboards were salvaged to enable restored flooring on the first floor hallway and four of the upstairs bedrooms. 70% of joists had to be replaced. The original windows were in poor condition with those on the western side beyond saving. Belclare arranged for the making of new cutters so as to exactly reproduce the original profiles. A further 26 windows were painstakingly renewed by hand: disassembled, cleaned, filled, scarfed and painted. Close to half the original glass was saved as well.
There was also the challenge of removing significant amounts of asbestos wall panelling and boiler flue components. The company ensured proper disposal of the potentially dangerous material.
The main rooms’ detail elements were retained to include original wooden shutters, plaster cornices, original architraves and wood panelling. Much of the original was restored and Belclare craftsmen fabricated exact replicas where necessary.
The internal renovations included complete replacement of wiring, plumbing, electrical, kitchens, and bathrooms; new joists and flooring designed to accommodate underfloor heating throughout the three floors; windows, doors, plasterwork and painting. External decorative stonework including mullions, lintels and parapets was carefully restored to original specifications.
External stonework had badly eroded over the buildings 180-year lifespan and specialists were retained to effect on site repairs. The roof slates had to be replaced although sufficient was salvaged to cover a quarter or so of the restored and strengthened roof.
The heating system was oil fired; a heroically inefficient boiler of considerable vintage ran virtually 24/7 to stave off the chronic damp that pervaded the building. A modern, multi-zoned system was designed as replacement using twin boilers to drive underfloor heating and domestic hot water.
The front door was badly warped and barely weather-proof. In south-easterly gales water would be driven into the hallway. Coastal locations require especially careful attention to detail since weather conditions can be extreme.
The main staircase had started to break away from the wall due to rot affecting the structure. The banister was disassembled, restored and re-installed so that the detailing in the cast iron was again visible – lovely workmanship from the early Victorian era.
The five acre gardens were landscaped to a professional design. Belclare Projects is happy to incorporate landscaping design and project management should clients wish.