SW5 > Refurbishment > Stage one

Stage One

The first stage of the refurbishment involves the basement. Click on any of the photos for a larger version.

	Before
The kitchen is at the front of the building, with a serving area consisting of a worksurface next to the cooker. It's hot and, as the folding doors are always open, it makes the dining room hot too.
	The dining area is at the back of the building, with one large dining table for everyone to sit around. (The light patch on the wall is where a noticeboard has just been taken down!) People enter by a small door from the hallway.
The third room is the laundary and store cupboard. Two driers...
	... and two washers take up the space, with just two small windows for natural light.
	During
Step one was to rip out all the equipment, cupboards...
	... worksurfaces and tiles from the old kitchen.
Items that will be reused are stacked in the dining room...
	... or the hallway.
A new, wider, entrance to the dining room...
	... and a new serving hatch are created.
(ie the walls were hit with sledgehammers a lot!)
	The store cupboard is removed (more sledgehammers!), new windows are put in, and the new kitchen is painted.
The kitchen begins being fitted out ...
	... with only a few problems! Including suppliers who fit a sink that's 20cm wider than agreed, so their own shelving won't fit in the space left.
An automatic barrier is installed for the new kitchen hatch. The (different) suppliers install it the wrong way around, mind you. And then get the refit differently wrong.
	The old kitchen becomes a new lounge space with some replastering and painting...
... after a week partitioned off to serve as a temporary laundary!
	After
	The new laundary space - a smaller version of the above.
The new lounge: bookcases...
	... sofas, coffee table ...
... internet access (since this was taken, we've added another PC) ...
	... and more.
The dining room, lighter and spacier, with new drinks cooler ...
	... and the new serving area, with temporary tables as the bain marie was yet to be installed.
	After After(!)
Well, even now we're still not entirely finished! We did reopen the basement on schedule on Monday 31st March 2003. Since the above photos were taken, the permanent bain maire has been fitted ...
	... and an extra internet PC installed. Come and have a look!