Dominic Chinea, the popular engineering specialist from The Repair Shop, has shared a challenging update on his workshop in Cornwall, as severe storms continue to batter the region. Since relocating from Kent to Cornwall last year with his wife Maria and their dog Wendy, Chinea has faced persistent weather-related issues that have tested his resilience.
Ongoing storm damage
In January, powerful storms caused significant damage to the workshop roof, forcing Chinea to perform emergency repairs while juggling renovations on his farmhouse kitchen. He noted at the time: “The storm has caused a lot of damage, the workshop roof, various tiles and bits and bobs. I'm doing my best to deal with those, I've ordered more roof sheets and I've lined up roofers to try and fix the roof, but I'm also juggling trying to finish this kitchen.” A month later, another storm led to a partial roof collapse, damaging a rare vehicle he was restoring.
History repeats itself
Now, over a year after the move, Chinea says history is repeating itself. In a recent video, he described the conditions as “brutal,” with weather warnings for wind and rain. “Today is probably one of the worst days,” he said. “There is sideways rain, crazy strong winds. It is really not looking good out there. I'm hiding at the top of the workshop because the roller shutter is rattling around and it is so loud down there.”
He admitted that recent sunny spells had lulled him into a false sense of security, but the reality is that gutters are still leaking badly. “I have a plan, but I need bright sunny weather to be able to do that,” he explained.
Workshop vulnerabilities
The workshop’s roof has cracks and holes that have worsened with the wind, letting in water. Water also creeps under the roller shutter, which Chinea plans to address by adding a slope to the concrete. Beyond the workshop, newly planted trees in the field are struggling against the wind, despite being staked. “I don't know if they're going to survive or not, but we'll have to see,” he said.
A life-changing move
Chinea has previously described the relocation as “life-changing” but stressful. “I'm never moving again. It was stressful, but it's like having that workshop and having that at home has been a dream for so long. And I'm very, very fortunate, very grateful that I've actually been able to do it, but it doesn't come easy,” he said. He added that the workshop is still very much derelict, with him shovelling cow manure out from where his tools are stored.
Fans can catch Dominic on the latest episode of The Repair Shop, airing tonight at 8pm on BBC1.
