The back walls were repaired by using original wood brick made on site with red clay from the back of the cottage and mud bricks dried on the griddle over the open fire. All restoration work done with materials recycled. Bricks from underneath the floor joists were used to repair the fireplace in the kitchen.
A 4" steel support was erected between the two upper bays to support the roof structure. This was kept out of sight by removing the door architrave and setting the 4" steel at the back. Then welding a head above the doorway continuing the same in the roof space. Orginial old thatch, original scraw sods, and roof timbers have been kept under new thatch. Where replacement timbers were needed these were birch cut from the local moss (bog).
A reinforced cement beam has been cased over the back back wall along the two middle bays. This with the 4" steel support is to strengthen the house and support the weight of wheat straw used to thatch the house. Altogether, there was over 6 ton of wheat straw used to thatch the cottage. This wheat straw was organically grown in Devon, England. The straw is held in place by over 30,000 scullops.
The front porch of the cottage, built around 1912, was taken away and a wind break rebuilt following the original designed depicted in old postcards, using the original brick from the porch.
When the plaster was stripped off the house, original small windows were discovered built up with bricks.
The tiles in two of the bedrooms were relayed with a damp course put in underneath the orginal tiles. Mud from underneath the floor boards was sieved and mixed with lime and water, then poured through funnels into the walls to fill cavities. This was done to the back and front walls and was referred to as 'gravity grouting'.
What has been known by the family as 'Sammy's wee room', to the south side of Dan Winter's Cottage, has been reconstructed into toliets with an alley way from the front through to the patio at the rear were picnic tables are provided. Apple orchards surround the farm and a vietnmese pot bellied pig roams about at leisure.
The area backing onto the apple orchard has been landscaped and now consists of various types of flowers and shrubs.
