Brewery space disaster

[DocAnna]

Sadly not a sci fi movie about a brewery in outer space, nope this is a bit of an explanation, and a bit of an apology for why I've not been around the forum or sent off beers as planned.

I was mid rebuild of my CO2 piping supply when the roofing contractors came to replace our 45 year old slightly leaky flat roof. From day one we have had gallons of water pouring in through the ceilings, my daughter had to move out of her room, the ceiling has been brought down. In my brew space everything is coated in dirty water, the plug electrics have fused, my fermenting and serving fridges are soaked, the immersion heater electrics have fused. All my fermenting buckets - including the 60 litre ones are collecting dirty water dripping or pouring through the ceiling, and the boiler vent is temporarily blocked so the garage is full of gas boiler exhaust fumes, so any time in the garage has to be transient. Over the last week for 3 nights I had to be up during the middle of the night to empty some of the buckets so they didn't overflow.

Yesterday a completely new roofing team showed up, were aghast at the mess and removed almost all the previous work and got a lot done - we are still having leaks though, but not as bad but there's still work to be done. Oh and we've contractors in doing stuff with the windows so there is dust everywhere!

Sooo... long way of explaining I can't pour a beer, can't make anything, can't package anything and feel pretty stressed by the whole thing. My entire brewspace is going to need cleaned, caustic, and sanitised.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Sorry to hear that @DocAnna - sounds like an absolute nightmare! Hopefully it all gets resolved soon!

 

[Pennine]

Terrible... I can imagine the mess is awful but not being able to brew is tough. Sorry to hear about the roof.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

That’s awful, you must be completely deflated. Remind yourself this will come to an end and you’ll be able to enjoy life again. As if NHS life isn’t stressful enough!

 

[DocAnna]

Thanks all, it's been naff and I just didn't have the concentration to be on here. Looking at how everything is dirty and messy is just a bit miserable. I'm just really hoping the fridges haven't shorted out as well. Most of my malts other than the base malt is in air tight containers so will survive. It's going to be a couple of weeks at least till I can even remotely consider making anything .

 

[Clint]

Sue the rsoles.

 

[An Ankoù]

Thanks all, it's been naff and I just didn't have the concentration to be on here. Looking at how everything is dirty and messy is just a bit miserable. I'm just really hoping the fridges haven't shorted out as well. Most of my malts other than the base malt is in air tight containers so will survive. It's going to be a couple of weeks at least till I can even remotely consider making anything .

Bloody hell, that's a story to bring tears to my eyes.

 

[Druncan]

OMG that's a nightmare.
Through COVID we lived in our building site while our property was converted. We got a loan of an industrial vacuum that made such a difference. Also a VAX commercial cleaner. Just make sure you claim any additional costs from the original contractors? Photograph everything to show damage?

Hope it all gets sorted and you get back to the brews!

 

[DocAnna]

That’s more of the ceiling fallen down and there’s damp everywhere in the brew space. I’m going to have to throw out the unsealed grain as I wouldn't trust it in a brew now .

 

[Justin Dean]

Having recently had a flat roof converted to pitched with Velux Windows at the back of my house I sympathise. There is light and joy at the end once completed. You will get there.

 

[DocAnna]

Just when we thought we were getting somewhere last week, the roofers tried to connect the flue on the boiler - and messed it up and broke the boiler.....£1000+ of repair later . Then today when finishing and edge that was supposed to be lead covered batten, they instead covered a 1 ft square box of wood which raised the height of the border wall..which my neighbour isn't happy about either. My brew space looks like a bomb site and still isn't usable. However there is a glimmer of brightness... my kegerator lives . No CO2 supply mind you... and it looks increasingly bleak for everything else, but hey at least I can pour a cold beer while the keg pressure holds up.

 

[The Baron]

What a shocker Anna, hope all gets well in the end

 

[Deadhead]

Oh my goodness, what a bloody nightmare!

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hang in there Anna all will be good, also so will the retribution don't let them get away with it, have a few calming beers

 

[JockyBrewer]

Sorry Anna, I hope this gets sorted soon.

Having work done on your house is one of the most stressful things in life, massively more so with children and/or pets. Having the roof replaced while it's raining, that's sheer hell.

 

[klaus]

Hope it'll be sorted - I expect the roofers will arrange the boiler repair or replacement as they are insured (or should be). Having had roofers round before Christmas to do gable end repairs they were quite keen to let us know about their public liability insurance (not surprised when I saw the scaffolding). Thankfully nothing went wrong and they left the place neat and tidy. That's always the best moment when you had workmen round.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Sorry you're all going through that Anna - I had no idea.

The light at the end will be coming though

xx

 

[DocAnna]

Today has been mixed...This morning I got 'hot' annoyed, which very very rarely happens. I ended up swearing properly at the roofers telling them to get off my f'ing roof and off my site. The culprit when faced with the pigs ear of a mess he'd made, asked well what would you have done better.. "I'm a doctor not an F'ing roofer" was the reply, though personally think yes I could have done better. I spent the morning feeling small and demeaned that I'd ended up swearing as I just hate doing so (I'm fine about others ... it's just a me thing). Anyway, new team on site who were appalled but I was now in director mode so they were getting my full 'disappointed parent' discussion. They are now under strict instruction not to cut, or build anything till I have gone through their plans, dimensions and seen the materials in place. There are other things I've discovered they've done wrong which I'm not going to go into here, but it is beyond incompetent... almost seems like malicious damage.

Ok .. so the teeny bit of positive. I've been really disappointed by the twist flow control taps on my kegerator, they just seem to pour foam. The lager has not had a CO2 supply now for 3 weeks despite regular 'sampling' and is now pouring an ok pint, not really the carbonation I'd like but hey it's a glass of cold beer, which sadly I am now partaking of despite it being midweek... this is not the usual Anna!

 

[DocAnna]

I should explain, the numpty that caused all the damage the first week was brought back this week, and he again has been the one that caused all the damage this second time. Speaking to the new lead who seems to know what he's doing, he's said it's unlikely the numpty will keep his job. I do feel a bit sorry for him, but the level of damage and incompetence is just unbelievable.

 

[Alastair70]

Sounds like a complete horror show, I reckon you thoroughly deserve your mid week snifter every bit as much as the roofers deserved their telling off.

I’d also be making very sure that the costs of making right are shouldered by the roofing company. It’s impossible to keep a sense of perspective when you are embroiled in the middle of everything. I had a not dissimilar experience when we moved into our newly built house over 10 years ago. Our sanity was saved when we got our solicited involved. He brought in an independent expert who oversaw the builder doing it the way he should have the first 2 times he had a go fixing the problems he’d left.