Former Chain Of Ponds Inn & Outbuildings Old New England Highway

When undertaking a condition assessment the assessor may need to complete the following:

-visual inspection and assessment of visible building elements
-review of on-site building asset management plans
-gathering information from maintenance records
-collection of visual / digital images
-physical measurements of building or site and sketch plan preparation
-remote CCTV or other inspections of underground services
-non-destructive sampling and testing
-infrared scanning for thermal stress of electrical services or termite activity
-load measurements for electrical or other services
-internal air quality measurements
-sound level or vibration measurements
-survey location data

History of the Chain of Ponds Inn

Former Chain of Ponds Inn & Outbuildings Old New England Highway

The Chain of Ponds inn is situated in land which was granted to Henry ‘Boshy’ Nowland in 1842 by the colonial government. Being conveniently located at Chain of Pond on the Greek North road, and having already been recognised as being suitable for spelling of both riders and the horses. The Chain of Ponds was approximately half-away between muswellbrook and Singleton.

Chain of Ponds is described as a former inn, rather than a hotel. This is because of its situation under the nineteenth century common law. The title of Chain of Ponds gave the public freedom to demand refreshment and lodging services. The wonnarua people are considered to be the initial occupants of the area currently referred to as Liddell.

Despite its condition, the Chain of Ponds was placed under the under a temporary  conservation order in 1981 which was later made permanent in 1982.The Heritage Council  allowed the work to arrest the further decline of the building in 1985.The work which was completed in 1987, consisted mainly of the re-roofing of the three main buildings. Steel columns, tie-rods and timber pit drops were used during the re-roofing process. During that period-painting and re-rendering works were carried out, but that was counterproductive due to the use of inappropriate materials.

Plans and other architectural drawings of the Former Chain of Ponds Inn & Outbuildings

Timber structure. Physical condition of building A

External elevations

The eastern elevation

Sandstone block building

• Four symmetrical placed double hung sash windows with the stone sills and stone lintels.
• Dampness apparent near the lower northern window.
• The stonework has pointed and draughted finish
• New galvanised metal downpipes on the either ends of the building both of them are intact(Office, 2017).
• One stone chimney in the centre of the elevation. Second course from top slightly dislodged.

Element: Verandah timber columns damaged by termites

Condition: The timber columns are greatly damaged by termites which reduces their      structural integrity.

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: the application of permethrin Dust and Arsenic dust can be the most effective way to control the termites for a long time.

Element: The downpipe connection

Condition: The downpipe connecting to the storm has been disconnected by recent storm resulting to the disconnection to the storm drainage system

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Joining of the disconnected down piper to avoid water getting into contact with the wall that can create dampness and greater damage to the wall.

Element: paving

Condition: The paving are damaged and their nosing are cracked as shown in the figure above.

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: The paving requires patching to mitigate the further deterioration of the paving. It can be better if the defective pavement is removed and replaced with the pavement without nosing.

Element: The southern addition showing the entrance to the cellar

Current Condition of the Building

Condition: the condition of this addition is as follow;

• The stairs that are damp and there is grass that has grown of them showing level of damage.
• There are severe cracks on the walls
• Completely damaged openings such as windows and doors
• The dampness of the walls is very evident
• There is damage to the plaster of the exterior walls.
• Base of brickwork broken and cracking

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Repair of the cracks to prevent the further widening and widening which can compromise the structural integrity of the building

Norther Elevation ground level:

• There are two symmetrical placed double hung window with the glasses completely broken and there is also a stone sill.
• An arched entry door centrally positioned with sidelights having completely broken glasses.
• Smooth sandstone ashlar stonework, which is damaged by rising damp for full length of the Verandah.
• The damp continues to progress higher past the third course, even though the rate has been slowed.
• Verandah timber columns which are painted   and show termite damage. Stands on the stone bases.
• Paving on the Verandah made of mid-Victorian stone(Department, 2015).
• The paver stone nosing are broken and cracked on the west and east ends.
• Downpipes connected to the storm water system.

Condition: Damage done to paving and stonework

Condition: Mid-Victorian stone damaged by weathering

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: replacement and repair of the stone paving.

Brick addition:

• Sand stock brickwork colonial bond wall.
• Evidence of cracking and fretting in the brickwork above and below window.
• 1 double hung sash window on the lower level having stone lintel Foundation made of 2 course of stone blocks
• 2 galvanised iron down pipes on both ends of the wall which are connected to the storm water system

Condition: Foundation made of 2 course of stone blocks

Condition: severe spalling in cellar area

Condition: Stonework fretting

Western elevation

Brick Addition:

• Sand stock brickwork colonial bond wall.
• Evidence of cracking and fretting in the brickwork above and below window.
• Foundation made of sandstone block
• One block missing which creates an opening to the sub floor.
• Footing of sandstone are spalling
• 2 double hung sash windows symmetrically positioned at the upper level with brink and arch lintels.
• 3 vents on the wall, 1 on the upper level while 2 are on the lower level
• Very large crack on the brickwork between the joist of the two buildings and the northern window.
• Timber fascia on eaves has a broken board at southern end of wall(HYDE, 2015).

Condition: Brick displacement, rising damp and fretting damage to the sandstone footing block.

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Proper alignment of the bricks that are displace are displaced in order to achieve structural integrity of the building.

Condition: One block missing which creates an opening to the sub floor

Condition: Crack in stone sill, stone lintel and also the damage to the 3 lower stonework courses.

Condition: Very large crack on the brickwork between the joist of the two buildings and the northern window

Floor:

• Made of timber floorboards
• In south-East corner there is a hole due to the removal of floorboards.

Ceiling:

• No light fixtures
• Apparent water damage and sagging
• Missing parts of the ceiling showing termite damage
• Plaster and lathe with the decorative battens

Northern wall

• Remains of cedar skirting
• Electrical cable hanging from the ceiling near the window to the west
• 2 double hung sash window symmetrically placed
• Cedar frame retained on the window to the western
• No window has intact glass remaining
• Severe cracks on the wall

Southern wall:

• The fireplace surround is missing
• Hearth missing
• Pilaster missing
• Fender missing
• The wall papers which are existing clearly shows symptoms of past peeling and dampness.
• The skirting boards are not there.

Western wall

• 1 double hung sash window which is symmetrically placed
• There are two cracks above the window
• The window frame which was made from cedar still remain apart from the upper architrave
• There is no skirting
• Signs of dampness as shown by the wall papers(Office, 2017).

Eastern wall:

• There is one internal door
• The door frames and the door are missing
• Signs of past peeling and dampness as shown by the wall papers

Condition: Damaged floorboards, concealed by plywood sheeting, in front of fireplace

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Repair and replacement of the parts of the fire place.

ELEMENT: FLOOR

CONDITION: Rodent nest in north-eastern corner has been removed.  Skirting boards are missing.  Some floorboards have apparently been repaired.

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Eliminating rodents by use of pesticides to prevent further damage.

Element: walls

Condition; Western wall showing past water damage, and crack above door.

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Control of water leakage from the ceiling to prevent further damage.

Condition: Damaged bitterns and joints by termites

Action for mitigation of immediate risk: Treatment of the wood to prevent further damage.

The service which was noted during the assessment of the building was electricity other services were not there because the building is very old.

Service: Electricity

There are Electrical cable hanging from ceiling posing great risk

Some of the electrical fittings has shown in the photo below are in poor state and need to be repaired.

The figure above shows some of the electrical fixtures which were present in the ceiling.

A number of maintenance and repair works have been carried with the aim of restoring the structural integrity of the building as discussed below.

1) Repair of the stonework wall

The figure above shows some repair attempts on Damage from damp. The repairs can clearly seen next to the wall post.

2) Repair on the collapsed stairs and eastern wall

The figure shows the repair process to control the spread of the dampness and repair of the collapsed stairs.

There has been repair on the eastern wall to control the rise of the damp and at the same time there has been repair on the collapsed staircase.

3) Repairs on the lower courses

The figure above of the Northern Wall, showing repairs to lower courses as a result of rising damp damage.

4) Repair on the stonework

The figure above shows the previous repairs to stonework on the eastern wall.

5) Repairs on the western wall

The figure above shows past repairs to Western wall

6) Repairs on the brick wall

References

Department, U. S. (2015). Annual Reports of the War Department, Volume 1. Texas: U.S. Government Printing Office.

HYDE, T. (2015). CLAIM IT!: A property investors & developers guide to depreciation. Auckland: Tyron Hyde, .

Office, U. S. (2017). Congressional Serial Set. Chicago: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Perry, P. (2011). CDM . Perth: Routledge,.

Towey, D. (2014). Construction Quantity Surveying: A Practical Guide for the Contractor's QS. Paris: John Wiley & Sons,.