This multi story building at Woody Point (Redcliffe Peninsula) is currently being revamped by a team of experts in the business. It’s one of several we’ve helped prepare for building rejuvenation for this team of specialists.
Their challenge is to repair concrete cancer, refit/replace windows (that, incredible as it seems, were originally….almost a decade previously… installed upside down), track water seepage and rectify the resultant problems …then, finally repaint the building exterior.
Historical Perspective
Woody Point is historically renowned for being the landing spot of Mathew Flinders in 1799 and almost two centuries later , the Bee Gees, who launched their spectacular careers from the Palace Hotel. Situated near the beach is the rusting hulk of the HMQS Gayundah, which acts as a breakwater, protecting the shore from erosion. The Gayundah was, until the end of WW1, used as a mine sweeper. It first took to the water in 1885 but was decommissioned in 1958 and towed to it’s final resting place.
Building rejuvenation at
Woody Point
Wreck of the Gayundah
A view to kill for from the penthouse of this apartment block
Waste Water Management
Our part in the building rejuvenation has been to pressure clean the external painted surfaces starting from the penthouse and working down by accessing the balconies at each level. The stippled balcony ceilings were noticeably dirty from ground level, and generally the paint was oxidized. This combination, together with the prevalence of salt air, presents difficulties for paint adhesion. Cleaning the oxidized paint resulted in cloudy waste water so we needed to take precautions to ensure it did not enter the bay through the drainage system. In fact the Moreton Bay Regional Council paid a visit on the second day but appeared satisfied with the measures we had adopted.
To date all has gone to plan with the building rejuvenation with only the remaining shear walls to be scaffolded for painting.
When the high rise residential building opposite the Polo Club (Mary & Felix Streets) was being built roughly a decade ago the crane burst a hydraulic hose, showering the 127 year old building in oil from the roof down, requiring a heritage building clean.
We cleaned the whole building including the roof at the time and returned on a regular basis for routine cleaning of the lower front facade.
It hasn’t been cleaned for a number of years now, but some restoration work is now in progress necessitating another clean.
The building fronting Mary Street was almost black with carbon(road) grime and required special chemicals in combination with hot water pressure cleaning to restore it to an acceptable standard.
The pictures below tell the story, particularly the first one in the sequence, which shows the carbon deposits dissolving on the facade.
A Brisbane Landmark – Naldham House
And just down Mary Street we recently cleaned another heritage listed building, formerly the Belgian Beer Garden and now the Buffalo Bar.
Arriving in the early hours for both buildings ensures we don’t fall foul of pedestrian traffic, some of whom need to steady themselves before negotiating faster moving objects such as buses and taxis. Actually the early morning revellers are generally a good-natured lot, but our staff are reassured by the back-up they can give one another if things do go pear shaped. The Buffalo Bar facade also suffers from heavy soiling due to the high volume of traffic and requires a similar approach in cleaning technique.
Over almost three decades we list heritage building clean at Newstead House, Customs House, and the Old Museum at Bowen Hills among our clientele.
Buffalo Bar spruce up
Buffalo Bar looking good at dawn
This four level building cleaning task at 366 Queen Street, Brisbane commenced with internal restoration and is now available for leasing following an external makeover by Waterworks Professional Exteriors (WPE).
It’s an impressive combination of marble panels and glass, complete with a glass paneled awning over the footpath and grand entrance. The building cleaning commenced from the rooftop, and progressed down to the awning and ground level, respectively.
The first photo from the ground doesn’t quite capture the poor condition of the awning which was tainted by a green mould, however the after shot gives an idea of not only the awning’s improvement, but also the external glass above it, achieved using pure water in conjunction with water-fed extension poles fitted with soft brushes.
In an endeavour to minimize costs to the owners, WPE by-passed alternative access methods for building cleaning such as boom access, which would have involved expensive road closures, whilst achieving the desired result.
The other photos indicate the various methods (including safe work practices) used to successfully complete the building cleaning.
If you want your building cleaning to stand out from the rest, give the experts a call WPE on 3300 6100 for a free appraisal.
Putting the finishing touches to this project at Kelvin Grove involved building cleaning bricks by acid washing on this new building’s front facade.
Care needs to be taken and the right technique to avoid brick discolouration and damage to the window/door frames.
Call us on 3300 6100 for a free quote.
During a weekend in March this large heavy machinery hire facility’s concrete apron (approximately 2,500 square metres) near Ipswich was pressure cleaned before concrete sealing using airless spray equipment.
The owner, keen to keep the new concrete looking its best for the longer term chose a durable water and oil resistant, clear, penetrating product which was applied according to the manufacturer’s specifications, in two generous coats.
We’re often asked about concrete sealing but caution against choosing cheap products
and even cheaper applicators ….neither of which go the distance.
If you’re not sure, just call us for obligation-free advice on (07 ) 3300 6100.
It’s always a challenge building clean – multi-story in the City, especially in the Mall where strict working hours must be observed to ensure the safety of the public, and more particularly, just prior to Christmas.
The Pavilion Building stretches some 30 metres into the Queen Street Mall, opposite Beck House aka Hungry Jacks (which we also cleaned and partly painted a couple of years ago) then down Albert Street and another 30 metres around the corner into Burnett Lane.
With a little bit of co-ordination we managed to commence at the building rear in Burnett Lane, closing off half the Lane to traffic, as well as clean the alfresco dining area of Jo Jo’s, before moving into the Mall at midnight, to continue into the wee hours.
The Adult Entertainment Industry is fairly well represented in that part of town and our team was likewise kept entertained by the comings and goings of revelers topped up on some early Christmas Cheer…luckily we finished off in the early part of the week, as I think what we witnessed was just the curtain raiser.
Below are some photos showing the building clean – multi-story before, during (nothing to help you here Santa …with your black marker pen), and after.
Over the years we’ve carried out building clean – churches, sealed and painted houses of worship and restored roofs including but not limited to, a Taoist Temple , Anglican Church, Uniting Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Cathedral and a Catholic Church, which is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment, including re-roofing and repainting in the new year.
Building Cleaning Brisbane Church
Church before restoration
This factory in the eastern suburbs was originally manufacturing cement and much of the product drifted upwards and out on to the roof ridge where it combined with the elements to form a thick layer of concrete.
The new owners contacted us seeking a roof clean – industrial to clear up the mess.
If you look at the photos, it gives some idea of the extent of the problem, exacerbated by the fact that the deposits were a good ten metres above ground level.
High pressure cleaning using one of our high volume blasters in conjunction with a heavy duty turbo-head provided the solution but we were asked to return on a rostered day off, with tests proving far too noisy for the Company’s workers inside the complex. Makes you wonder about the lung condition of the original staff, doesn’t it!
During May this year, the Redcliffe Cultural Centre underwent a building clean – restoration, which involved being clear sealed and generally made waterproof with newly cut and sealed expansion joints.
See the “before” photograph showing, particularly the eastern Tower wall, which looks cleaner than the rest of the building.
The reason for this is that we painted it way back in 2002 (during a refurbishment involving a name change from the then “Entertainment Centre”) but only because it had already been previously painted. We applied a clear sealer to the other upper walls.
The “after” picture shows, inter alia, the same wall; but whilst the plain masonry walls have been re-sealed with a clear sealer, Council decided it wasn’t necessary to repaint the Eastern Tower wall on this occasion.
Not a bad endorsement for the product and applicator.
If you’re thinking building clean – restoration, why not give us a call on (07) 3300 6100
