20. Snow stopped play

20.             Snow stopped play, but not without an excuse for bubbles

I’m really sorry I missed the usual Sunday slot.  Not very good I know after leaving you all on tender hooks to see if we could complete the action packed week or not.

You’re obviously all thinking – NOT!  You’re right – sort of.

The week started off well with Max, Stefan and Jake flattening off the ground inside the building in preparation for the damp proof membrane (DPM).  It looks really good – the rooms look more like rooms with a flat floor, and everything looks a bit tidy.  Always fills me with delight.

On Tuesday afternoon I started cutting the large ‘radon proof’ rolls down to size.  The trade name for it is ‘Red Baron’ – so it makes the site look very bright and pretty. (So sorry I was so involved I forgot to take any photos.)  It comes in 25meter x 4meter rolls.  A reasonably convenient size for our particular floor plan, meaning a few large sheets could be cut rather than lots of little ones.  Not an easy material to unfold, but Max helped and once done the process was quite straight forward.  The Red Baron has to be laid to cover the ground and folded up the wall to meet the damp proof course (DPC) which is the strip of black waterproof sheet laid in the blockwork, or in our case often on top of the block work. The DPC sheet has to be a minimum of 150mm up from the ground level outside the building.

The Red Baron doesn’t like the cold, it can go brittle and deteriorate if the temperature falls below zero – so having cut some of it in preparation, it then had to be folded up again and stored inside over night.  You may think this sounds tedious, it is, and what's more the next day Wednesday, we had to cut the rest of the sheets so that we would have the whole site ready for the Building Control inspector who was due on Thursday.  Yes indeed, that meant folding all those sheets up again and storing inside – a much bulkier size than when they were delivered!   Not much room left inside the site office.

Thursday morning was an early start to get all the cut sheets laid out by 10:00am ready for the inspection.  One development that had occurred during the week was that the forecast had changed for the worse, and the temperature for pouring concrete was going to be far too low.  The suppliers would not take responsibility for the concrete, and so we decided to abandon this until the weather has improved.  I did call the Building Inspector to ask him if he would be happy to see the sheets in place even though (yet again) we were going to have to take them up, fold them up and store until a later time.  He agreed that this would be OK as long as he was able to take some photos to have on record.

Up early we laid the sheets, the inspector arrived, (earring in place) and he gave us the go-ahead.  This is a real help, as we will now be free to complete this stage without delay as soon as the temperature rises, and the snow is gone.  So in effect we feel we have basically completed this stage, even though we had to fold up all those sheets three times.  I’m quite conversant now on how to handle the Red Baron.  He doesn’t answer back so forcefully anymore.  He’s been locked away in the container, with some parts stuffed in the coal bunker where my tumble drier operates, leaving my office reasonable unencumbered.  I hope he survives.

Last week we had ordered the beam and block floor that is in the raised area of the living room.  The bit that floats over ground.  This all arrived on Wednesday and the concrete beams were slotted in place between the two steel beams by Stefan in his big Hi-Mac, and the concrete blocks then placed between the concrete walls.  It makes a good insta-floor.

Beams arriving by Hi-Mac with blocks in the foreground

Jake cutting the beams to size, Max and Stefan fitting the concrete beams 

between the web of the steelbeams

Some of the concrete beams in place, the concrete blocks are laid between them

On Thursday night the promised snow came and was dumped over the site as if it was pretending to be the concrete slab.  It looked pretty, but not as good as concrete for the purpose intended, so we have not approved it on inspection.  We have ordered it off site.

On Friday we received the two quotes we had been waiting for, for the windows.  One was really good – it provides the specification, and for a very competitive price – the other was way over the top.  However the second lot have provided a very good quote and specification for a front door that we had seen at their showrooms that we really like, so both parties may benefit but for different items.

We have confirmed the order with the former and so this deserves the promised bubbles.

We feel on target.

However, a slight change of plan to the schedule means that Max and I are halting the building work for a month whilst we plan for the next stage.  It will coincide with the poorer weather and we feel we can make best use of this time to prepare for the builders so that we are fully conversant with how the next stage will proceed, and exactly what materials are needed, and when. Some things will need to be ordered now so that they are ready to be delivered to site as required.  It is most important that once the builders start they have everything on site in time so that they can be fully occupied. 

So it may not be as exciting on site over the next few weeks but I’m sure there will be things to tell you to keep you interested / on tender hooks. . . .

Once the Red Baron is laid to rest, I will take photos and then more to show the concrete slab being pumped in over him.  From then on it’s upward and onward.

D-day gets closer and closer.

19. Planning for an action packed week

19.             Nothing new – just preparing for an action packed week

This week has been a week of finishing off one big stage and preparing for the next.   I’m afraid there are no photos this week, but next week should make up for this as it will be truly action packed. 

Max has completed the last course of blockwork for the high retaining wall to the studio. He’s done an impressive job.  No mean feat.  We’ve got someone to finish off the rest of the stepped wall.  Max has done the tricky part, but has decided that someone else can do the simpler construction, but ‘heavier’ task.  A wise move, we are no longer youngsters after all.

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We had a meeting early in the week with the joiner who is going to build all the timber for the external and internal walls.  We decided it was important to plan the build process together and produce a schedule so that everything is done in the right order.  We discussed the work to make sure he knows exactly what is required – we have supplied him with all the drawings, and asked him to come back with his suggested plan of action, and a realistic timescale in which he thinks he can complete the work.  It is important that we all agree to a schedule at the beginning, so that we keep moving forward at the rate we have planned for.  I am also planning the next 16 week Gantt chart based on our discussion.  This will be adapted to the eventual shared plan of action. I hope to have it posted here in the next week or two.

We have the scaffolding scheduled for this 16 week period (this will include a roof over the two storey section and the living room).  At the end of the16 weeks the house should be weatherproof, with the roof completed, the windows in, and the external cladding all in place.  The scaffolding will then be dismantled, just leaving the internal fit out to do.  We won’t start this 16 week period until we are ahead of the game with everything ready and us in control.  We believe that stopping for a break to prepare for this will pay dividends in the long run. 

Also met the building supplies rep to get prices, know the quality of his materials, ensure he will have them in stock for us so that supplies arrive as per the ‘just in time’ principle.  There’s not much room for storage on site, and having things arrive as they are needed will hopefully minimise damage.  I like a tidy site too, so I try to avoid unnecessary clutter.

Still a lot to do on this, more research on products and more competitive quotes needed.

We are preparing the site ready for Stefan and Jake’s return on Monday 14th.  They will fill the gaps by the walls with hardcore, and level up the ground inside the building so that it is flat and ready to take the slab.  So today we took delivery of 20 tons of 20mm gravel.

On Monday evening the joiner is coming with his laser leveller so that we can mark the line to which the slab will be poured.  We need to get this as accurate as possible as this will provide the final floor zone in which to fit the floor insulation, the screed for the central heating pipes, and the final floor finishes.  There are not many millimetres to play with once one reaches this stage, so levels are critical. 

When this is done they will lay out the damp proof membrane (several large sheets of thick polythene) that cover the floor and up the walls to lap under the damp proof course.   This will probably take most of Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th as it all has to be sealed and taped where the sheets overlap.  The polythene is a higher quality than normal to safeguard against Radon gas!  A Health and Safety requirement. 

The damp proof membrane has to be inspected by Building Control to ensure that it has all been done correctly.  He is scheduled to arrive at 10:00am Thursday morning 17th.  We are doing our best to keep the sheets warm as they tend not to stick in cold weather – so they have been moved to the best position in the site office - by the heaters.  

With the damp proof membrane approved, Max and Jake will spend the rest of Thursday fixing vertical battens to the walls with the bottom of the battens on the horizontal line that was made with the laser leveller indicating where the top of the slab should come to.

With the damp proof membrane in place, and having the line clearly marked we will be ready to pour the slab.

To pour the concrete slab we are hiring a pump as it is impossible to reach everywhere with Stefan’s machines now that blockwork walls surround the house.  The pump has a 30 foot reach so that we can pour it into most areas without difficulty, saving the need to barrow concrete around.  There will be a lot of spade work needed but we are hoping to minimise hard labour!  The secret is to call in as many men as I can muster.  The pump and the concrete are booked for Friday morning 18th.  The pump arrives first – the operator sets it all up to ensure he knows how he can reach all the extremities of the building.  Once satisfied he phones the quarry to send the first load of concrete.  This is then followed half an hour later by the second load, and then if needed, a third load. 

End of Friday 5:00pm – we should have the slab in.  This will be a day that deserves a good celebration.  (Must make a note in the diary to get the bubbles in!)

Next week’s blog should give you the answer whether we managed to pull off these 5 action packed days - or not.  Should be lots of photos too.

18. Tesco coming soon

18.             Tesco coming soon.

We are back after a really enjoyable Christmas break.  We have recharged our batteries and full of vitality to return to the building site.

We have taken on the completion of the block work ourselves, and have made good headway.  We have completed all blockwork for the main house, except for a small strip under the main dining room window which we will complete this weekend.

The blockwork makes it easier to see the shape of the house as areas are more visibly defined.  

The entrance is just to the right of column 15
The stair raises up to the first floor in the area between 13 and 14, and 11 and 15.
The block work wall in front of the pile of blocks with hessian sacks on indicates where the level change is (with 2 steps down)
The black steel beams open to the ground is where the living room floats over the ground.
The floor is a beam and block construction which I will show you when it's installed.

This corner room (the other side of the column marked 13) will be the snug.
Small, enclosed, and inward looking 

In the foreground is where the staircase will be, within the entrance hall.
The entrance hall will be double height.
The concrete blocks running left to right in the picture represent a change in level down to the dining room which opens out onto the terrace (where the pile of stones is)
to the view beyond.
The higher wall to the right of the dining room windows is where the kitchen will be.
My small office is to the left (out of the picture) on the higher level, looking over the living which makes an L shape with the dining room
Max's studio is to the right (out of the picture) 

Having completed this stage in the main house leaves 'just' the stepped retaining wall of the studio to complete.  This is a fairly mammoth task.  One person mixes the concrete, another barrows it to the base of the wall.  The concrete is then transferred to a bucket (half filled only) and lifted up on to the staging, for a third person to pour it in between the two faces of blockwork, filling the cavity where the steel mesh is.  Quite a slow and heavy process as we can only fill two or three courses at a time.  We are now up to the last two sections.  The higher it gets the tougher it becomes.    We have decided to use the pump for the last section (a good back saving devise) as it will be coming to the site with the ready mixed concrete lorry when we lay the slab in a week’s time.
Fred, our local hero has found us a labourer to help with this last stage.  By the end of this coming week we hope to have the blockwork behind us.

This is what we have achieved this week - thanks to Max.

Two amusing things have happened.  With all the rain it was a battle to keep everything dry.  Unfortunately the file with all the key drawings of how to build the blockwork, all colour coded for ease of explanation, got left out as everyone dashed for cover when the rains came down.

Here they are drying out in the caravan with the heating turned up high.
The whole caravan was converted into a drying room for 3 hours.
All was OK

This colour key represented a different structure of a wall.
It was no mean feat to keep track of exactly what one should be doing where.

And this was a particular junction that very nearly defeated us.
But what we have built, actually does look like this.
Except for the colour.

The second event: We returned from a shopping trip to find a notice on one of the fences.

We were fairly certain that it was a joker in the village, so we left it up.
It does look a bit like Tesco at the moment but it will soften once the cladding is on.

The best laugh was when some young riders came by, and I heard one of them say to the other,

"Oh wow, we going to have a Tesco soon! How brill is that!"

What a disappointment it's going to be for them.

At a New Year's Day village lunch party given by Fred and his wife we discovered who the culprit was.  He is the butterfly expert in the village with whom we have had several conversations, and he is renowned for his pranks..  He couldn't resist mentioning the Tesco notice as soon as he saw us.  We sussed him out - and he owned up.
Everyone who stops by enjoys the joke too, we believe!

I think it will remain there.

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H A P P Y  N E W  Y E A R  TO  E V E R Y O N E

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