Remedial work to Fermain Tower

The National Trust of Guernsey wish to announce that we are temporarily halting the letting of our much-loved Tower at Fermain Bay to enable contractors to undertake long-awaited remedial works to the basement shower room.

The works are needed to remedy the damage caused as a result of a water leak that we became aware of during a routine inspection of the basement in the early days soon after taking possession of the completed building. 

Once the problem was reported to the project architect and our original contractors, investigation works began in order to locate the nature and position of the leak, this operation being made difficult as access to the basement was limited to the brief periods allowed for cleaning between the arrival of new guests. A further complication to the process was that it was important that any surfaces disturbed or opened up during these works were reinstated carefully before the property was opened for the next guests. 

When the source of the leak was finally discovered it was referred to the Trust’s insurer, Insurance Corporation, who commissioned specialist contractors to undertake further detailed investigation whereupon it was decided that the only sure way to eradicate all possibility of leaving potential damp timber in place was to strip out the whole basement construction and start afresh. This work is both extensive and disruptive involving the removal of all sanitary ware, mirrors, shower tray and screen, followed by the removal and disposal of the saturated plasterboard and stud walls including the supporting concrete screed, back as far as the basement tanking membrane. 

These are the works that will now take place starting in January 2023 with a programme period of approximately three months. 

We are particularly grateful to Insurance Corporation for their careful attention to detail with these remedial works, and also to contractors Rihoy & Son who have enthusiastically agreed to carefully remove and retain for re-use as many of the existing high-quality fixtures and fittings as possible. 

So, we look forward to the arrival of Spring and being able to open our Tower, complete with a dry and renovated shower room, and welcome back our guests at the start of what we already know will be another busy season at Fermain!