Ep 1. Mistley Maltings

In season 2 episode 1 of Scrap Kings, the team heads to Mistley Maltings, an old Victorian maltings house in Essex, England, with the aim of transforming it into a stunning new event space. However, before they can even begin their work, they must first navigate the challenging terrain of the Maltings. The building has been empty for over a decade and is now a physical and corroded mess. Team leader Paul and his squad, including Lee, Jonny and Shane, have a lot of work to do.

Paul initially takes the team through the property, pointing out areas of high interest and danger. He points out the potentially hazardous asbestos-filled rooms and warns the team to wear protective gear throughout their stay. After surveying the premises, Paul emphasizes how they have to pay close attention to the weather as the place is fragile and could become a hazard during the wrong conditions.

Once they have got the lay of the land, the team begins the demolition phase. The team uses pneumatic drills, cutting torches, and sledgehammers to break down walls, floors, and ceilings. Every piece of waste material is sorted, and the team plans on selling or recycling the steel and copper and turning the wood into biofuel. The team works on getting rid of layers of rusted pipes and exposed steel beams.

As the days go by, the team discovers something surprising. Underneath a pile of rubble, they come across an unpainted chamber wall with ornate detailing, which they decide to salvage and restore. They opt to clean off the soot and grime from the feature wall using a water slide since the wall is friable and easily breakable. The restoration process takes time, but the result is a stunning feature wall.

Progress is slow due to asbestos that needs to be handled with the utmost care and the potential for the building to collapse. The team tries to stabilize the property’s structure and carry out the demolition in specific areas. They need to remove the old filtration system, which weighs over 4 tons, and the old tunnel's old conveyor belt system, which has some precious copper wires inside.

The team's technical director, Shane, is tasked with removing chutes, which are heavy and accessible only by the demanding stair system. Shane is a specialist, and his sole job is to cut out portions of the structure using advanced machines.

In the midst of removing the conveyor belt and other historical objects, an unexpected hurdle arises when they discover the huge metal gantry post ends. They are in high demand and extremely valuable. The team deliberates whether to sell or upcycle the metal into something useful. Paul and the team sell the post ends to a local scrap yard, but it's not as lucrative as they initially expected.

Finally, after weeks of painstaking work, the team completes the work on Mistley Maltings. The team has successfully transformed the once decrepit Victorian maltings into a vibrant and sleek new event space. After all the hard work, the team can't resist putting on a little party- what better way to celebrate than to hold a dance contest with live music to make sure Mistley Maltings makes its grand opening a night for everyone to remember.

Overall, season 2 episode 1 of Scrap Kings is a thrilling look into the hectic and often dangerous work of transforming decrepit buildings into something beautiful. It captures the team's resolute determination to turn Mistley Maltings into something special, showcasing their unwavering optimism and ability to create something beautiful.