A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION! Restoring the Château first floor - Part 3
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- Опубліковано 3 тра 2024
- This week a remarkable transformation unfolds as work advances on the château's first ever shower. The complex work to install the system of waste water evacuation steps up and our stonemasons begin the breathtaking restoration of the chateau’s immense central pediment.
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It's mind boggling to think how the original craftsman built these amazing structures with limited tools compared to today's equipment.
We reflect on the same question often. We certainly benefit from modern tools such as cranes and hydraulic lifts and power tools but it is surprising how little some of the tools and techniques that our artisans use have changed over the centuries. That's why we love sharing their work on our videos. Thank you for following our journey!
Pyramids come to mind. How did they host stone 20 m plus and carve granite with high pecision🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉o yeah and the hollow stone pots too🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉All started with stone henge maybe, dabbling with construction and look where we are now🎉🎉🎉🎉
The craftsmen make it look so easy, but I know it’s so much more difficult and dangerous working with those massive blocks of stone! Everyone is doing such an incredible job restoring this beautiful building!
I’m so excited you used Tadelakt! I love the process and finish of this type is surface.
Indeed. It's stunning to touch when it's finished and waxed.
Thank you for your message - we're so grateful for their incredible skill and craftsmanship.
The scope of work y'all have taken on is just absolutely mind blowing. I spent the weekend scraping/pressure washing layers and layers of paint off my old front porch and felt accomplished, ha!
Thanks for your message and we're thrilled that you're following our adventure!
The craftsmen do amazing work. You are incredibly lucky to have such skilled people working on the chateau.
You're quite right. Saving Chateau de Purnon without them would be impossible. Thank you!
The finish of the shower looks so special and well worth all the effort. You looked thrilled when there was water successfully running through the plumbing! The stonemasons have been so interesting explaining their incredible restoration work. Inside & out you have a great team working with you. It’s a joy to watch your progress.
Next step: the tap ware and electrical fittings and a few other touches. We can't wait! You're quite right - we're supported by a highly skilled team. We're thrilled you're enjoying our journey.
Absolutely and Amen girlfriend! 👍👍👍😁😁
The best way to restore an historic building is to have people living in it, loving it, and taking daily notice of everything.
We feel the same way. Living here has been a wonderful part of the adventure.
Another beautiful video from you all. The hard work and continual perseverance by so many to restore and renovate ( the first shower) this magnificent property is a joy to watch. ❤
Thank you for following our journey - we're thrilled you're enjoying it!
The Soporo stone masons are a national treasure and such talented artisans! We are blown away by their incredible work!
The Soporen team are amazing. This company has also been working on the restoration of Notre Dame de Paris after the terrible fire. They know their craft! Thanks for your message and for following our adventure.
I'm still watching your old videos to track the entire path of Purnon's recovery. And you've already done so much here... It's incredibly amazing! Part of the restored roof is simply magnificent! Respect from Russia! 👋😊👍
Thank you for following our adventure. It's been almost four years and there is still so much more for us to do!
I love all the progress, but the part that's the most satisfying to me particularly is that beautiful stonework. So cleanly cut and precise. It looks so beautiful in place, it warms my soul to see it.
We are in awe of the incredible skills of our amazing stonemasons. Thank you for your message and for following our journey.
The quality of the workmanship on the facade really is amazing! Purloin is such a gorgeous building; it is great to see the restoration coming along with such care to every detail.
We are blessed with the most amazing artisans. Each day we take another step to save this amazing place. Thank you for your message!
The restored section of roof looks stunning. I can’t wait to see roof in its entirety
Neither can we!
I am intrigued by the shower finish. I am looking forward to seeing the finished product.
We can't wait to reveal the finished product.
Magnificent restoration of this wonderful chateau with so much history....and congratulations to all the companion artisans and Project Manager. 👍 from Burgundy.
Thank you! You're quite right - we could not save Chateau de Purnon without the skill and expertise of our amazing artisans.
Tadelakt was a common wall finish in Algiers N. Africa where our mother was born. The finish continues to harden gradually over time. Our Grandmother also owned a resort overlooking the Mediterranean Sea with walls finished in Tadelakt because of it's durability.
❤️🙏
Thank you - an interesting observation. We put considerable thought into this finish and we can't wait to see how it matures over time.
The head mason on the facade project is a brave genius. Does an engineering firm oversee the project? The intricacies are mind boggling. Thank you for the new video.
We have an architect in charge of the overall project who is an expert in large heritage restorations. Indeed he is the architect at the Chateau of Versailles so he has vast experience. And, as you can see in each of our videos, we are fortunate to have a diverse team of highly-skilled artisans without whom this project would be impossible. Thank you for following our adventure!
Change and advancement in historic homes are always cool to uncover and this shower is one piece of advancement in the history of this chateau.
On the other hand, even the condition of the stones makes you wonder how much longer this place would have had if you guys didn’t save it when you did. Not a new take, but the magnitude of saving it when you did is really resonating deep.
Thanks for your comment. We often ponder what would have happened if we had waited even a few years. In the life of a building that is over two centuries old it seems like nothing, but as you have correctly noted deterioration accelerates as certain elements fail. Once water penetrates the failing roof everything declines rapidly. We were very fortunate to find her when we did. Thank you for following our journey!
It is a very hard job, I woulda cried too! And, have with various jobs.
Well done Andre's, fabulous work!
Always admire a good tradesman.
Hats off!
Thank you - isn't he amazing? The skill and patience with which he applies each layer!
I have never heard of this shower finish …. I am fascinated it’s mold and mildew resistant ? The greatest sin in the shower is grout….
Tadelakt is designed specifically for wet areas. That is why it's used in hammams in the Middle East and North Africa. It ages wonderfully over time if it is applied correctly. We must avoid attacking it with aggressive cleaning products.
Another fabulously interesting episode. Great to see a hand done finish that will remain waterproof for use as a shower, very impressive. As was the detailed explanation from the head mason on just the set up for the installation of the stones to be replaced, i hope that others now have an appreciation that you can't 'just' replace a few stones. Looking forward to more.
Thanks for your message. We do try and explain the journey as much as possible. With an authentic heritage restoration such as we are undertaking at Chateau de Purnon, we feel our audience really want to understand the technical elements as well as enjoying the amazing footage. We're thrilled that you're following our adventure!
Beautiful work in the shower. One application looked like whip cream. The stone masons are so talented.
Yes, like a giant thick shake! Our artisans are incredible.
Love all the effort you are putting into this chateau but would it not be better for the chateau in whole if you removed all the dirt under the tiles and maybe even hardwood in the rooms before you retile the hallway? I’ve seen other chateaus and the relief on the joists when that weight is taken out. Restore and lighten the old girl up!! Enjoy your channel. ❤🎉
Hi from Sydney. The place is so stunning. I would have loved to have seen it when I was in France recently. All the different teams of professionals must really blow out the budget, but they are all doing amazing work and are so happy to be able to watch the restoration.
Thank you for your message. We are very fortunate to have so many highly skilled craftsmen working with us to save this incredible place. Thanks for following our journey!
Your patience with the process is remarkable.
Our architect once said to us (when we were getting very impatient!) 'We're reawakening an old lady who has been asleep for a long time. We must wake her slowly'. These words resonated with us. By savouring rather than rushing the journey we have learnt so much more and not rushed in and made mistakes. Thank you for following our journey!
The explanation of the facade restoration was top notch. That man has a skill for explaining things simply and clearly, yet with detail. Loved it:
Thrilled you enjoyed it!
New patreon here, I love watching this channel it’s my comfort part of the day and love watching amazing craftsmen. Love from Croatia❤️
Welcome - thank you for supporting our project and we're thrilled that you're enjoying our journey!
They make plastering look easier than it is. What a difference!
Thank you for your comment. But just to clarify - it's not plastering. It's two coats of a lime-based product called Tadelakt and then a wax coat. Thanks for following our journey!
So wonderful to see the amazing progress. Your shower is as unique as Purnon. ❤
Thank you! The progress is good for our morale!
The shower is looking amazing! A lot of hard work❤The stone masons are doing an incredible job! Such dangerous work. They are all amazing men and all so talented and knowledgeable in their fields. The Chateau is in great hands❤
Thank you fro your message. Our artisans are incredible. We could not save Chateau de Purnon without them.
I love watching your videos, they are so well crafted.
Thank you! We're thrilled you enjoy them.
What a Exquisite Unique bathroom ❤❤❤❤
The timeless reconstruction of this magnificent building is just beautiful…
Thank you for bringing us all along to witness this amazing rebirth …
Thanks for your message. We are thrilled that people from around the world are following our adventure.
greatest restoration channel ever......25 million euros I bet to restore it
Thank you for your message! Not quite that much thankfully... but we are committing our life savings and we are being generously supported by the French Government.
@ it is not done yet
Travail impressionnant des artisans sur la facade.
Exactement. Merci beaucoup pour votre message.
It must be so nerve wracking to watch those stones go up with the hoist.
Indeed! But at the same time we can feel the progress.
Amazing progress, can't wait to see the shower done! But also missing the lady of the chateau, mademoiselle Truffle
We're renegotiating her contract. Her agent is testing our resolve! You're driving her fee up! Thank you for your message and for following our adventure!
When we as a Society relies that, "Life isn't what we take from it, it's what we give back." I hope You and Tim can continue your Legacy.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and good wishes. We hope you enjoy our journey.
What an amazing achievement!
We're thrilled you're following our adventure!
Wow!! Just amazes me with all the work that is going into this beautiful Chateau. She will most certainly be a place to behold once she is fully restored! Thank you for sharing all the knowledge and history with us aong the way. ❤
Thank you for your message. We're thrilled that you're enjoying our journey!
You're saving our history. Thank you. ❤️
Thank you for following our adventure!
Love your new shower with the beautiful finish. Amazing that this is the first one ever in the chateau. Thank you so much for sharing.
We're glad you like it - thank you for following our adventure!
I just watched another channel where the young couple restoring a stone cottage in Italy used a system very similar to this one, although they didn’t use that name for it, but it was a huge amount of work just for their little shower/sink/toilet area. After it was all done, they admitted to making a mistake by waiting too long to add the wax at the end. They found another solution for the final waterproofing but it had chemicals in it that they hadn’t wanted to use in their house. 🤷♀️ But after watching what they went thru, step by step, I certainly sympathize w/the young craftsman who cried at the end of his 1st installation, lol.
As I watched the stone pieces being lifted up to the roof, I started to wonder how the original builders got the stone all the way to the top. A quick Google later showed me winches have been in use since the 4th century BCE, lol. And steam powered winches were invented in the 16th century, so the construction crew would have had plenty of tools to help them lift the stones into place by the end of the 17th!
Just a random aside, isn’t it weird that it takes so much longer for the person speaking French to make the explanations than it takes for the written words to be read? I guess maybe the stone mason said a lot more & the translation in the subtitles was probably streamlined . Anyway, it tickled my fancy to see the difference! 😂
alot can't be translated in english, those French compagnons are building with a 11 centuries of expertises from the cathedrals builders thier master, all these passing through generations
ils utilisent beaucoup de vocabulaire technique et spécifique. la traduction doit minimiser la difficulté des mots ou traduire des mots qui n'existe pas dans votre langue. 😉
Thanks for your message. Regarding the construction techniques, while we certainly benefit from modern technology (such as hydraulic lifting systems and cranes etc) we are constantly surprised and impressed by the use of traditional methods, tools and techniques by our artisans. It's one of the reasons we love sharing videos of the teams working. There is much we can learn from watching them work. Regarding the translations, we do summarise from time to time. We find that it is easier for the audience to follow if they read the words and watch the images at the same time, so shorter sentences are helpful. Thanks for following our journey.
@ The same in other regions of France, where argo local language specific
Absolutely fantastic to have the first shower. Congratulations 🎉🎊 The skills of these amazing craftsmen is beyond amazing to watch 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩So happy to see progress with the plumbing. Looking forward to seeing continued progress ❤❤❤❤❤
Thanks for your message! We can feel the progress each week... it's good for our morale!
Superbe et impressionnant résultat comme toujours. bravo pour votre courage et vos choix. Bravo encore et toujours aux fabuleux artisans ( et artistes) du patrimoine qui vous accompagnent et donnent vie à votre projet. De nouveau merci et bravo pour votre engagement extraordinaire.
Merci beaucoup pour votre message (comme toujours!).
This is a fabulous historical French Chateau. This restoration will take a long time and lots of money poured into each project. It is truly an amazing effort as we watch it unfold.
Thank you for your message. We're thrilled that you're enjoying our journey!
An amazing undertaking
Thanks Brett - thrilled you're enjoying our adventure!
Amazing work 😮😍😍
We are fortunate to have the support of the most incredible artisans.
Subscribed. Blessings to all of you as you restore this Chateau. What an exquisite beauty she will be once more! ❤
Welcome! Thank you for your message and for following our journey.
New subscriber here from USA! I am so happy to watch this restoration. Love old houses, mansions, and the effort to save them. Press onward!
Welcome! We are thrilled that you're following our journey.
Amazing location on top of that hill. Wonderful views 😮
They knew what they were doing when she was constructed! Thanks for following our journey.
So amazing to see the brilliance of these artisans. As usual, another great episode!!
Thank you! Saving Chateau de Purnon would be impossible without them.
What an incredible journey you and Tim are on
Endlessly fascinating and intriguing with plenty of hard work! Thanks for following our journey.
Absolutely awe3some ,well done ❤
Thank you!
The most beautiful workmanship
Indeed. We have amazing artisans! Thank you.
Absolutely fascinating! I recently discovered your UA-cam channel and there are moments that I’ve lost my breath! This is such an amazing restoration… Seeing how fragile the stone work coats of arms are , I wondered if molds have been made of it for posterity. Should anything tragic happen to it. Might be a cool piece of fundraiser swag to have nice wall plaques or paperweights or something available for the annual Opening…. Anyway, I love the WC wall treatment - can’t wait to see it when finished!
Thank you for your message. There are moulds of the royal busts. We don't have moulds of the coats of arms as the stone work has been repaired not reproduced. But it's not our intention to reproduce these elements commercially. We're thrilled that you're following our journey!
Pán André skvělá práce.
Děkujeme. Je to skvělý řemesl
You've showed the original plans of the chateau in a previous video which are facinating. It would be amazing to see which rooms on those plans you have restored/are restoring (for example where is the shower, and new bathroom on those plans). Also i am always wondering how fragile your wall paper system is, it seems as if someone were to stumble into a wall, they would make a dent?? Sorry for the detailed questions, i anxiously await every weeks update! Hello from South Africa!
Its looking amazing,
Lovely & magnificent ❣
Thrilled you're enjoying our adventure!
I'm a historic preservationist, and I love the way you are moving in your project...doing just the right methods. I understand you have to do this for the status you have, and have to upkeep, but it is a wonderful feat nonetheless.
Thank you for your message. Respecting heritage lies at the heart of our project. We're thrilled that you're enjoying our journey.
@ Deep respect.
It really is breathtaking to watch this restoration project come along. Curiosity: what will you do with the top meter or so of shower wall, above the wet zone? Did I glimpse original stone walls up there? That would only be exterior… or… you are one floor up from ground level there, right? Or… (I confess I’m in the US and assume that “first floor” everywhere outside the US means one level above the ground level… (likewise Australia, right?…)
I’m trying to back into how the load bearing exterior structure is engineered. Maybe the exterior wall engineering could be a separate subject sometime. There’s a lot of weight up top there, and I’m just worried about keeping it up there for three hundred more years… Awesome! Keep going!
Well spotted. The stone work above the shower is actually original paintwork on an interior wall. We will explain more about this section of wall as we proceed but essentially, where we can, we seek to protect elements that give a clue to the origins of the chateau. This shower room was, until recently, a corridor. And so this paintwork would have decorated a corridor used only by servants which we find fascinating.
Regarding the stonework on the chateau's facades, perhaps we will address this in a future video and explain how the chateau was originally constructed. Thank you for following our journey!
Where do they get the stone from? The same old quarry?
Yes, it all comes from the quarry at Marigny-Brizay.
What is easy in life !!!
Indeed!
No pretty tile in the shower?
Maybe they needed/wanted something that would be timeless. What we consider pretty tile today might be outdated just 10 years from now.
Everyone has different tastes, and thank God for that .I don't really like the shower but again I don't have to live with it and I am happy you are happy with the look .That's what matters 🙂🙂
Thanks for your message and for following our journey - to each their own as they say!
❤
What an incredible skillset they must have to move those massive stones around up at roof level! Just wondering what that purpose that hollowed out pavilion to the right of the château façade once served.
Thank you for acknowledging our incredible artisans. We could not restore Chateau de Purnon without them. We think the structure you are referring to is our ruined Orangerie. It was a building for storing citrus trees (and other plants) during the cold winter months.
@ Ahhh...again, not unlike the setup at Versailles.
💙💙💙💙
Will Purnon be like painting the Sydney Harbour Bridge? It takes about 7 yrs to do it. Then they start again !!!So Once you get to finish Reno on Room 101 it will be time to revisit room One again after what 5yrs? 6yrs………?
Fair point. In a grand old home of this scale the maintenance never ends. Bu the structural issues like the roof, frame and stone work should endure for long periods after a restoration of this scale. We also hope that by fixing some earlier ill-advised changes (like the 19th century zinc guttering) and the addition of waterproofing membranes and insulation in the roof we are making inter-generational investments. Thanks for following our journey!
Stupid question: Are you going to fill all the gaps in the floors around those pipes with like...a sand...or some type of medium ? I'm assuming electrical lines and heating and cooling (as you said) will also be hooked up and laid through thr floors. I'm just thinking in the future, if a repair has to be made for any one of these systems (electrical, heating/cooling, plumbing) would it be easier just to lay down the wood floors on top of a um...like a plywood board and leave the gaps just as they are? Or are you going to fill them?
Definitely a great project.
Just curious, what would the cost comparison be to simply build a brand new replica of the home in another location? Would it be as expensive and take as much time? Restoring what you have saves on materials over a new build. But the labor costs must be astounding for this. Either way, keep up the great work.
A very interesting question: As a general rule (ie not talking about French chateaux) it's almost always cheaper to build new than to restore something as old as this building. Having made that general observation, we should add that building Chateau de Purnon from scratch these days would be an almost impossible task. You touch on two key elements - materials and labour costs. But there are other issues that are a little difficult to quantify. How far are some of the materials being transported and what's the embedded energy cost in creating new materials (such as quarrying the stone and slate or felling the oak trees that would be required to completely replicate the incredible original oak frame)?. But when you build from scratch you do have certain advantages in terms of the order in which tasks are carried out without having the existing structure in the way. Thanks for following our journey!
I need a question….because it’s 100 rooms, you will probably never get them completed…so do you have bedrooms that are okay with a good clean and you can set up. Using these rooms while for you and families workmen While working on the main rooms. Now I love that you have backing of good people behind you, devil is in the details.
Thanks for your question. There are several rooms on the ground floor and the first floor that we could use with just a deep clean after we arrived. Unfortunately, the electrical connections in these rooms were somewhat haphazard. So upgrading the electrical fittings as we progress through the interior rooms is a priority. But we now have several room restorations and some renovations underway at the same time and we hope to bring these various projects to completion over the coming summer and autumn.
Are the stone masons local, do they commute, or live in the area temporarily for a big project like this?
They are from our region. They commute each day. Stonemasons, roofers, the oak frame restorers, plumbers and electricians.
The shower: is that the same as the Venetian plaster that seals and is waterproof? What will moisture do the walls above not protected?
It's not quite the same. Tadelakt is waterproof whereas typically Venetian plaster is not. But they both produce a very durable and highly polished finish which lasts a very long time. Regarding your second question, we are installing a continual fan in the ceiling that will keep humidity out of the room. Thanks for following our journey!
the tuffeau stone does it get sealed at all to protect it from the elements ?
The stone is a natural product so the stone masons don't seal it as such. It is treated with a product during the cleaning to protect it a little against humidity.
The tadelakt is interesting and lovely, how will it go with soap scum? My shower glass shows me up! I follow several chateau restorations, and they are all good and interesting and a huge investment of effort and money, but they are as minnows to the whale that is Purnon!
The tadelakt is specifically designed for wet areas (like hammams in the Middle East and North Africa). Although its our first time using the product, we are assured it ages wonderfully in such spaces if it is applied correctly. We must be careful not to deploy aggressive cleaning agents on it. Thank you for following our journey!
I can’t imagine how much this all costs. How do you pay for it all?
Great question! We've committed our life savings and we're being supported by the French Government. We've been selected for several philanthropic grants. But we've also generated funding from the ads that appear on this UA-cam Channel, our Patreon subscribers and even by selling the beautiful old slate tiles that are coming off the roof as boxed sets of drink coasters. We also released a beautiful book that documents our adventure so far called "Chateau Reawakening". You can find it at www.chateaupurnon.com We do lots of the work ourselves (particularly maintaining the huge park and inside the chateau). We'll save as much as we can in our lifetime! Thanks for following our journey!
I am guessing that the roof restoration is $4,000,000. Am I close?
The project to restore the chateau roof is part of a much larger stage of works that includes the restoration of the chateau's stone facades, all of the windows on the second floor (as these sit within the envelope of the slate roof) all of the shutters on all of the chateau's windows, the restoration of the chateau's ten chimney stacks and several complex statue restorations. The combined cost of these works is approx. 2.7 million euros. This cost is shared between us as the chateau's owners and the French government. Having committed our life savings to this project, we are immensely grateful for the support of the French Government. Thanks for following our journey.
@ $2.7 million is a lot of money, but with the scope of the restoration, its not as much s I have guessed. I can't imagine how much it would cost in the USA. I have a friend who restored a "Guilded Age" mansion in Newport RI. and it cost him $16+ million over 4 years. His house was 1/4 the size of Purnon and not nearly as old. he actually had 19th century plumbing!
I cannot believe you are not using mask working in all that dust.
Where do you actually live? It would be so awful to live in amongst all that day in and day out.
We live in a small section of the eastern section of the ground floor of the Chateau. In this section the heating system still works and we have enough safe power outlets functioning to have a reasonably comfortable life. The works you saw in the interior on this video were mainly on the first floor. Thanks for your question!