Our Own Grand Design: 35 Time for the cover up

I forgot last week to show the studio wall being prepared for the full cover up. So here are a few photos to show the work involved before we could mound the earth up against it and eventually over the roof. I have to say before you start looking that I was involved with a great deal of it! Somehow, the men seemed busy elsewhere!!

Initially the steps in the blockwork had to be painted with thick bitumen to prevent any water penetration and the blocks painted with a primer which allows the bitumen to adhere to the walls

Max just making sure Stefan understands 'exactly' what is required!

These are the rolls of bitumen that have a paper backing sheet that have to be laid like wall paper on the walls.and pressed firmly to ensure that they fully adhere. This is your main prevention against water penetration.

The sheets in place

Now the wall is covered with sheets of 4" thick insulation to keep the house warm

The wall extending to the right is an additional retaining wall to make the mound that goes over the roof appear wider so that it looks more effective, and also provides an enclosure and privacy to the back of the house. It therefore doesn't need the water-proofing or insulation.

The insulation panels are just supported by any means prior to the earth being poured up against it. Max giving the sign of approval that everyone waits for!
However, it looks as though the whole building is about to topple over on top of him,
Fortunately it's just the photographer that was at fault.

The white cloth at the bottom is the 'geotextile covering' to the land drain that wraps around the bottom of the wall. The land drain collects the water that drains down through the soil and moves it away from the building, The geotextile fabric is meant to protect the pores in the land drain from getting clogged up.
It's all there, we just hope it all works!

Now the earth is moved in

Looking more like the intended result, prior to the grass growing.

And this is Max's shed that was built last week.
What a lucky fella.

Completed - and to match the house

This week's work on the terrace

Max has laid a lot of the footings for the ashlar (lookalike bath stone) walls that we are having to create planters around the terrace.

Drains (with the upturned saucepan, waiting to be cut down to size), levels, shuttering, building materials all in a day's work.

All ready for the concrete to be mixed and poured.

The view from the terrace.
This is what we are working towards

The Mondrian kitchen wall progresses

The vertical and horizontal having been painted, masking tape yet to be peeled off carefully.

The shelving components in position showing the Mondrian proportions of the verticals and horizontals, with the kitchen base units also in place. Other cupboards awaiting to be positioned.