6.  Foundations and structure pretty well sorted

Sunday September 23^rd

More good progress has been made by the architects.  They were determined to finalise the foundations and structure of the house this week so that we can sign it all off at a meeting with them this coming Tuesday.  This marks the end of Stage E in the architectural process and on to Stage F.

Stage F is the detailing of the finer points e.g. how windows and the external cladding meet, how corners are turned, how ceilings and walls meet and recesses for blinds are handled, the door architraves, how floors and walls meet ‘without skirtings’.  etc etc.  For us, it’s what makes the building come alive.

Their structural drawings, marking the end of Stage E (we hope) came through by the end of the day on Friday and they look really good.  It is so exciting seeing how the house will actually hold itself up.  Up until now the drawings have been a visual process of appreciation rather than a technical one, and more and more we have been getting impatient for this hard edged stage.

There will be elements that need tweaking, but on the whole this is how it will be in terms of space allocation and structure.

Ground Floor Plan

Section through entrance, open plan corridor, kitchen and bedroom and bathroom above

Section through living room, Di's office, snug

Section through Dining, open plan corridor, hallway and stair to main bedroom and bathroom

East Elevation

North Elevation

The quantity surveyor has done his part in giving us more accurate quantities taken from these drawings.  This is all really helpful information because Max has been able to get new, more accurate quotes for so many of the elements that previously had provisional sums.  The exciting thing is that the figures have moved in our favour, rather than against, so we are feeling very encouraged.  It means there should be more in the pot for the finishing off – which is where there is nearly always a shortage and where we hope to beat the system.

So everything is looking good at the moment.

The caravan was delivered this week.  Max has been making a list of the bits and pieces needed to connect everything up to the mains water and electricity.  Easier said than done.  Why is it that the connection from one pipe to another smaller pipe is never the part that seems to be standard off the peg stuff?  We have standard sized pipes – but nevertheless the connectors are not available.  Beats me.  I think caravans only work if you are plugged in to a campsite standpipe and metered socket.  They are not really designed to be in your own back garden.  I’m sure Max will solve the problem; he always does, as long as I keep out of it.

I have started feeling a bit house proud so have washed and ironed all the curtains.  They hardly needed it, but it is good to feel that any future dirt is ours and only ours.  I have also put down a carpet protector so that the carpet remains as good as 'almost new' when we come to sell it on.  I'm determined to get the majority of our money back to make it all worth while.

The site office is looking much more like a ‘possible’ place for a desk and computer, though still a bit to do.  The biggest improvement is that we have taken some insulation from the house roof, and lined the office roof with it, and then covered it in polythene to prevent the fibreglass falling gently down on us in the coming months.  Already feels warmer.  Toasty in fact!

All the larger tools that were being housed in here have now been taken out to the container so that we have been able to vacuum and sweep the floor.  It’s now all ready for some office shelves to be cut and positioned, and then the desk, kitchen sink etc brought in when we are ready to move.  The floor might even get a coat of paint to keep the dust down.  Could almost feel luxurious by the time it’s finished.  (Oh dear!  I’ve just been out to take a photo of this wonderful insulated ceiling and see we have a leak! – that’s tomorrow’s job lined up)

Insulated roof.  Fluorescent lighting in place too.

The architect has provided a gantt chart which we have overlaid with elements for which we have responsibility.  You all want to know when we expect to be demolishing this house, when we start living in the caravan, and when the new house will start to be built.

Well the schedule looks something like this:

We will probably move out of this and into the caravan about November 5^th

This is when the ground works will start; the house will then be demolished about a week later after we have stripped it of anything faintly useful.

Once the house is demolished, the foundations will be laid ready for the steelwork to be erected mid December - we hope just before the Christmas break.  We will then be in a position to start the timber construction early January.  We have had a quote for the scaffolding to include a roof over the main body of the house so that the house will be dry to work in.  This will mean that the main timber framework should be up within 3 weeks WHATEVER THE WEATHER!!  This will be our birthday present.

Hermione is banging at my door to complete this blog - she's so excited! – so I’m going to close it now – add the pics and send it poste-haste to you all.

xx