I'd planned to post this before Christmas but the last minute rush of presents and getting things organised for a few days away with family meant I didn't get it uploaded:
The timber frames look great - having had time to wander around our new rooms at the weekend it's amazing to see what they look like and get a feel for how the spaces will work. Weird that the slabs looked quite small but with the 3D structures on them they suddenly look huge.
They sat all exposed over the weekend, apart from the vapour barrier on the outside of the walls, but the builders have been back today and have fixed the waterproof membrane onto the rafters to keep out any rain that may fall over the Christmas break. So the timber is all safely wrapped up, ready for the roofing and cladding to arrive in the New Year.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Friday, 19 December 2008
Timber
At long last, the timber frame has arrived! It's not been the best of weeks for it to arrive, with the days being so short, and with C being full of flu, so we've had very little time to see progress on site. Nevertheless there has been significant progress with the sole plates arriving on Tuesday and the bulk of the timber frame arriving and erected on Wednesday. Since then Crendon, the supplier, have completed fixing of the frame. So we now have the kitchen and utility structures up which is an amazing change compared to a few days ago when all we had were muddy concrete slabs indicating the building footprint.
Meanwhile, Paul the brickie and Terry the chippie have been continuing with the bedroom, working on the gables and the roof structure. I didn't get chance to take a look this evening when I got home but we should have something that resembles more of a building by now! I should be able to get some photos this weekend to update Flickr.
The builders are now on a 2 week Christmas shutdown so there won't be much to report over the holiday, but we are expecting the roofers on Monday to put a temporary felt & batten on the timber frame to protect it from the worst of the weather over Christmas.
Can't wait to have a good wander round in daylight tomorrow!
Meanwhile, Paul the brickie and Terry the chippie have been continuing with the bedroom, working on the gables and the roof structure. I didn't get chance to take a look this evening when I got home but we should have something that resembles more of a building by now! I should be able to get some photos this weekend to update Flickr.
The builders are now on a 2 week Christmas shutdown so there won't be much to report over the holiday, but we are expecting the roofers on Monday to put a temporary felt & batten on the timber frame to protect it from the worst of the weather over Christmas.
Can't wait to have a good wander round in daylight tomorrow!
Sunday, 14 December 2008
4 am
Saturday morning didn't go quite as planned.
It was the first weekend morning for what seems like an age where we didn't have much we 'had' to do, apart from get to Travis Perkins before midday to order the windows. So we were looking foward to a relaxed morning. The weather had other ideas.
I first woke at 2am and heard the torrential rain. Knowing that our temporary backdoor hasn't got a decent weather seal around the glass I went downstairs to put a few rags inplace to catch the drips. Got back to sleep very quickly.
I woke again at 4am, listened to the sound of the rain for a while, worried a little about the leaky door the finally dragged myself out of bed and went downstairs. Just as well, as it wasn't rain I could hear but the Hillside stream which had paid us a revisit. Thanks to the builders digging up the hill and putting it back they've trashed the work we did in our first winter to stop the Hillside stream. The torrential rain had caused our very own flash flood which was pouring (along with a cargo of loose topsoil from a garden free of vegetation) into the courtyard and garage. So shortly after 4am I was outside in my pyjamas (and a high-vis coat and wellies) ensuring the drains were clear and doing what little I could do to stop the house from flooding.
Thankfully the drains coped and I was able to go back to bed. But our leisurely morning was spent digging an impromptu drainage ditch once it was daylight to limit the water heading toward the house. We did manage to get to Travis Perkins just before they closed at noon, so the windows have been ordered. We even managed to find a few hours to go Christmas shopping, even if I was more than a little fractious due to lack of sleep...
And we've left the topsoil and silt in the courtyard and garage for the builders to clear up on Monday. Hope they don't mind!
It was the first weekend morning for what seems like an age where we didn't have much we 'had' to do, apart from get to Travis Perkins before midday to order the windows. So we were looking foward to a relaxed morning. The weather had other ideas.
I first woke at 2am and heard the torrential rain. Knowing that our temporary backdoor hasn't got a decent weather seal around the glass I went downstairs to put a few rags inplace to catch the drips. Got back to sleep very quickly.
I woke again at 4am, listened to the sound of the rain for a while, worried a little about the leaky door the finally dragged myself out of bed and went downstairs. Just as well, as it wasn't rain I could hear but the Hillside stream which had paid us a revisit. Thanks to the builders digging up the hill and putting it back they've trashed the work we did in our first winter to stop the Hillside stream. The torrential rain had caused our very own flash flood which was pouring (along with a cargo of loose topsoil from a garden free of vegetation) into the courtyard and garage. So shortly after 4am I was outside in my pyjamas (and a high-vis coat and wellies) ensuring the drains were clear and doing what little I could do to stop the house from flooding.
Thankfully the drains coped and I was able to go back to bed. But our leisurely morning was spent digging an impromptu drainage ditch once it was daylight to limit the water heading toward the house. We did manage to get to Travis Perkins just before they closed at noon, so the windows have been ordered. We even managed to find a few hours to go Christmas shopping, even if I was more than a little fractious due to lack of sleep...
And we've left the topsoil and silt in the courtyard and garage for the builders to clear up on Monday. Hope they don't mind!
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Timber is on it's way
Paul the brickie is continuing to do a great job of the blockwork on the bedroom/garage. Despite the freezing weather (which is causing some problems with mortar not setting when it's below freezing) he is now doing the gable end so the roof structure should appear soon.
Meanwhile, we've just signed off the timber frame design so that should go into manufacture tomorrow for delivery next week. The scaffold around the kitchen/diner was erected today, which will provide the platform for the frame erectors to work off next week. Signing off the design is a significant milestone, not least as other suppliers said the structure couldn't be built as designed without significant changes but our supplier, Crendon, have made it work. Okay, so they have had to resort to one major steel beam, but other than that they've used conventional timber and a few Glulam beams.
Last week we placed the order for the folding/sliding doors and are due to order the timber windows soon, hopefully to limit the time the timber frame is not weathertight. Things are coming together but there's still a way to go, especially sorting out the interface between the timber frame and the existing house. It'll be good once it's all erected and complete and the work inside can start.
Meanwhile, we've just signed off the timber frame design so that should go into manufacture tomorrow for delivery next week. The scaffold around the kitchen/diner was erected today, which will provide the platform for the frame erectors to work off next week. Signing off the design is a significant milestone, not least as other suppliers said the structure couldn't be built as designed without significant changes but our supplier, Crendon, have made it work. Okay, so they have had to resort to one major steel beam, but other than that they've used conventional timber and a few Glulam beams.
Last week we placed the order for the folding/sliding doors and are due to order the timber windows soon, hopefully to limit the time the timber frame is not weathertight. Things are coming together but there's still a way to go, especially sorting out the interface between the timber frame and the existing house. It'll be good once it's all erected and complete and the work inside can start.
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Shingles
No, not the illness, but a sustainable wood roofing material.
We're having to do some 'value engineering' to trim the project budget. The global economic downturn is having an impact on our finances (and has even resulted in our builder getting rid of some of his employees due to lack of other work) and we're seeing what we can do to trim costs. Instead of using an aluzinc standing seam roof for the kitchen/diner we've come up with a possible alternative. Aluzinc would be comtemporary and ultimately recyclable but is not cheap. An alternative that we've tracked down, which will suit the very low pitch roof (15 degrees), are red cedar shingles. These are much like conventional flat roof tiles except that they are slices of timber, and as a renewable material they are very sustainable.
Their eco credentials, combined with being contemporary in their own way and cheaper than aluzinc, may mean we opt for them instead. We just need the builder to confirm that his roofer can install them for less than an aluzinc roof, then we'll go ahead with the change.
We're having to do some 'value engineering' to trim the project budget. The global economic downturn is having an impact on our finances (and has even resulted in our builder getting rid of some of his employees due to lack of other work) and we're seeing what we can do to trim costs. Instead of using an aluzinc standing seam roof for the kitchen/diner we've come up with a possible alternative. Aluzinc would be comtemporary and ultimately recyclable but is not cheap. An alternative that we've tracked down, which will suit the very low pitch roof (15 degrees), are red cedar shingles. These are much like conventional flat roof tiles except that they are slices of timber, and as a renewable material they are very sustainable.
Their eco credentials, combined with being contemporary in their own way and cheaper than aluzinc, may mean we opt for them instead. We just need the builder to confirm that his roofer can install them for less than an aluzinc roof, then we'll go ahead with the change.
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Tar
Finally had some time to think about the stove tar problem yesterday evening. Since the builders installed the joists at the end of last week, we've had a problem with tar running down the outside of the stove flue after it has been lit for several hours. After they cut the holes for the joists, but before they'd installed them, I'd looked in the holes and checked that the stove flue wasn't damaged. So I was fairly confident that wasn't part of the problem.
When the stove was installed they also put in a liner plate, blocking the chimney off at low level. So my thought was maybe the debris that the builders have knocked out has fallen down the chimney, complete with solid lumps of tar from the chimney lining, and these are in contact with the flue and after a couple of hours of stove use get hot enough to liquify. So decided to lift the lining plate to see - only to find it welded in place. Nothing in my toolbox could break the weld, so has to rely on the builder and his grinder to help, which he did this afternoon.
Sure enough, along with a load of brick dust there seems to have been a lump of old tar sitting on the lining plate and touching the flue which was melting and dribbling down the flue. Thankfully that has all been cleared out and after a whole evening of burning the stove is back to normal. Just in time for visitors for dinner tomorrow evening, just hope they don't mind eating out on a building site!
When the stove was installed they also put in a liner plate, blocking the chimney off at low level. So my thought was maybe the debris that the builders have knocked out has fallen down the chimney, complete with solid lumps of tar from the chimney lining, and these are in contact with the flue and after a couple of hours of stove use get hot enough to liquify. So decided to lift the lining plate to see - only to find it welded in place. Nothing in my toolbox could break the weld, so has to rely on the builder and his grinder to help, which he did this afternoon.
Sure enough, along with a load of brick dust there seems to have been a lump of old tar sitting on the lining plate and touching the flue which was melting and dribbling down the flue. Thankfully that has all been cleared out and after a whole evening of burning the stove is back to normal. Just in time for visitors for dinner tomorrow evening, just hope they don't mind eating out on a building site!
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Joists
Last week saw rapid progress with the garage part of the extension. The inner skin of blockwork has shot up and as of yesterday we have joists at first floor level! So it's starting to look like a building rather than yet more retaining walls. The thermalite blocks have also turned up (for the bedroom walls) so it's good to be using blockwork with a high recycled content at last.
Meanwhile we seem to have a problem with the woodburning stove, which is proving to be a pain in the cold weather. Not sure if this is something caused by building rubble falling down the chinmey when they cut-in to the cottage to fix the joists - but we've had dark brown tar run down the outside of the flue onto the woodburner the last two nights once it's got very hot. Not very pleasant and rather smelly! Hopefully it'll be solved easily but we need to get in touch with the guy who installed it last year to find out how to remove the chimney lining plate. Just another job to do.....
Meanwhile we seem to have a problem with the woodburning stove, which is proving to be a pain in the cold weather. Not sure if this is something caused by building rubble falling down the chinmey when they cut-in to the cottage to fix the joists - but we've had dark brown tar run down the outside of the flue onto the woodburner the last two nights once it's got very hot. Not very pleasant and rather smelly! Hopefully it'll be solved easily but we need to get in touch with the guy who installed it last year to find out how to remove the chimney lining plate. Just another job to do.....
Monday, 17 November 2008
Slabs, timber & drainage
The build has moved on well over the past few weeks, with far more progress than I've had time to capture here of late. Better late than never, here's an update on where we are:
We've ordered the timber frame - hurrah! And we've had the first meeting with Crendon, the supplier, who have gone off to design the frame with a plan to have it onsite late December. Due to the size of the structural openings we require for the sliding/folding doors and general open-plan layout I think they've got a challenge on their hands! Hopefully nothing a glulam beam or two can't solve.
The slabs for the kitchen/diner and utility are poured so we can now get a sense of the size of both those spaces. They've not been able to pour the slab for the garage thanks to a few drainage problems - not least that the existing foul drain (that we're still using) passes through the garage. This means the garage will be built and the slab cast last, once we've moved out and they can disconnect the WC.
After a very dry early autumn rain has finally arrived en-masse, resulting in a stream coursing through the 'garage', and washing mortar from between blockwork while Paul has been trying to lay it. This has slowed progress, understandably and highlighted the fact that they need to get the drainage right. Something that we are all too well aware of! Site is therefore extremely muddy and the guys are now laying drainage pipes and loads of gravel to give a reasonably decent work surface.
We've ordered the timber frame - hurrah! And we've had the first meeting with Crendon, the supplier, who have gone off to design the frame with a plan to have it onsite late December. Due to the size of the structural openings we require for the sliding/folding doors and general open-plan layout I think they've got a challenge on their hands! Hopefully nothing a glulam beam or two can't solve.
The slabs for the kitchen/diner and utility are poured so we can now get a sense of the size of both those spaces. They've not been able to pour the slab for the garage thanks to a few drainage problems - not least that the existing foul drain (that we're still using) passes through the garage. This means the garage will be built and the slab cast last, once we've moved out and they can disconnect the WC.
After a very dry early autumn rain has finally arrived en-masse, resulting in a stream coursing through the 'garage', and washing mortar from between blockwork while Paul has been trying to lay it. This has slowed progress, understandably and highlighted the fact that they need to get the drainage right. Something that we are all too well aware of! Site is therefore extremely muddy and the guys are now laying drainage pipes and loads of gravel to give a reasonably decent work surface.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Dumped
We've been thinking about putting a gate on the entrance to the orchard/plot/land (name to be agreed) recently but haven't got around to doing it yet. Plus gates don't appear to be cheap things to buy. Today's discovery may speed this up.
Got back home today to find somebody had left their X reg Nissan Silvia in the gateway to the 'orchard'. Not an obvious place to leave a car if it had broken down en route somewhere so we assumed that wasn't the case, and that it was most likely it'd been dumped there last night. The fact it was left unlocked reinforced this.
Thought this would mean us paying for somebody elses wreck to be disposed of. Just incase we phoned the local police to see if it was stolen etc, but they couldn't find the registration on their records. I pointed out that the tax disc was dated 2001! Much to our suprise the police told us they'd send somebody out to look at it soon, and less than 2 hours later (while we were cutting down brambles) they turned up along with a breakdown truck. After taking a note of the chassis number the wreck was dragged onto the truck and taken away! We were amazed, and relieved that it didn't cost us a penny. Maybe it'd been used in some unsolved crime and gave the police the missing lead they needed.....
Whatever the history of the Nissan, we've been impressed by the speed by which the police responded to something we thought they'd not be the slightest bit interested in.
Better get the gate sorted.
Got back home today to find somebody had left their X reg Nissan Silvia in the gateway to the 'orchard'. Not an obvious place to leave a car if it had broken down en route somewhere so we assumed that wasn't the case, and that it was most likely it'd been dumped there last night. The fact it was left unlocked reinforced this.
Thought this would mean us paying for somebody elses wreck to be disposed of. Just incase we phoned the local police to see if it was stolen etc, but they couldn't find the registration on their records. I pointed out that the tax disc was dated 2001! Much to our suprise the police told us they'd send somebody out to look at it soon, and less than 2 hours later (while we were cutting down brambles) they turned up along with a breakdown truck. After taking a note of the chassis number the wreck was dragged onto the truck and taken away! We were amazed, and relieved that it didn't cost us a penny. Maybe it'd been used in some unsolved crime and gave the police the missing lead they needed.....
Whatever the history of the Nissan, we've been impressed by the speed by which the police responded to something we thought they'd not be the slightest bit interested in.
Better get the gate sorted.
Friday, 31 October 2008
In the dark
Okay, so I've been a bit tardy recently with no posts for a couple of weeks due to being so busy. Thankfully so have the builders, been busy that is.
With the clocks going forward last weekend it's been more difficult to catch up on every day's progress. And with winter arriving early it's not been quite so appealing going out in the dark and freezing conditions to try and see what has been completed during the day - especially with the muddy obstacle course where our garden used to be.
However, progress update time. The retaining wall is virtually complete - both skins are full height and the final pour of concrete between then happened today. Other than finishes (cap stones and render) which won't be applied till next year, that's the walls done. Brickie Paul is now well on the way with the kitchen/diner footings and we'll have to order the timber frame soon. They've also done the tanking for the rear walls of the garage - required to prevent moisture ingress into the garage from the hill. And they've been able to do some backfilling of the retaining walls, so the spoil heaps have started to come down which is good to see, and starts to give us some idea of how the garden levels will work.
Thanks to the cold the stove is back in action!
With the clocks going forward last weekend it's been more difficult to catch up on every day's progress. And with winter arriving early it's not been quite so appealing going out in the dark and freezing conditions to try and see what has been completed during the day - especially with the muddy obstacle course where our garden used to be.
However, progress update time. The retaining wall is virtually complete - both skins are full height and the final pour of concrete between then happened today. Other than finishes (cap stones and render) which won't be applied till next year, that's the walls done. Brickie Paul is now well on the way with the kitchen/diner footings and we'll have to order the timber frame soon. They've also done the tanking for the rear walls of the garage - required to prevent moisture ingress into the garage from the hill. And they've been able to do some backfilling of the retaining walls, so the spoil heaps have started to come down which is good to see, and starts to give us some idea of how the garden levels will work.
Thanks to the cold the stove is back in action!
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Planning No. 3
And I almost forgot...we received confirmation yesterday that our latest planning has been approved. Hooray!
Until recently you could make amendments to existing planning applications. This is no longer the case and if you want to change anything (We wanted to add a small window in the kitchenand alter the garage doors) you have to submit a new application. A tedious and relatively expensive exercise for such minor changes but it's now the only way to get them approved so we didn't have much choice.
At least it's all sorted and signed off now - just the Building Regs approval for the timber frame that is left to do now.
Until recently you could make amendments to existing planning applications. This is no longer the case and if you want to change anything (We wanted to add a small window in the kitchenand alter the garage doors) you have to submit a new application. A tedious and relatively expensive exercise for such minor changes but it's now the only way to get them approved so we didn't have much choice.
At least it's all sorted and signed off now - just the Building Regs approval for the timber frame that is left to do now.
Going up
It's been a busy few days. Not only have I been very busy, hence the lack of posts for a week, but so have the builders.
Despite a heavy shower or two last tuesday, the concrete pour all went to plan with the footings for the retaining wall and kitchen/diner put inplace. Since then Paul the brickie has been on site putting up the blockwork for the retaining wall. Friday saw another pour for the garage footings and so far this week Paul has started on the garage retaining wall while the other guys put the drainage behind the retaining wall. All in all lots of progress and it's great to see the walls coming out of the ground, even if they're only the retaining walls.
With the weather still being very kind to us its good that the guys are making such progress. Hopefully they'll carry on at this pace and get fully out of the ground, for the extensions as well as the retaining walls, before we see any change in the weather. That said, the long range forecast for this winter is for a drier and warmer than average one so maybe it'll stay like this for a while.
Despite a heavy shower or two last tuesday, the concrete pour all went to plan with the footings for the retaining wall and kitchen/diner put inplace. Since then Paul the brickie has been on site putting up the blockwork for the retaining wall. Friday saw another pour for the garage footings and so far this week Paul has started on the garage retaining wall while the other guys put the drainage behind the retaining wall. All in all lots of progress and it's great to see the walls coming out of the ground, even if they're only the retaining walls.
With the weather still being very kind to us its good that the guys are making such progress. Hopefully they'll carry on at this pace and get fully out of the ground, for the extensions as well as the retaining walls, before we see any change in the weather. That said, the long range forecast for this winter is for a drier and warmer than average one so maybe it'll stay like this for a while.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Mudslide
Thankfully the Met Office have been their usual pessimistic selves. The heavy rain forecast for Sunday didn't turn up - yes it rained all morning and was enough to turn parts of the garden into a quagmire, but it wasn't the torrential rain they implied we would get.
There has been a mudslide, but only a very minor one with a few handfuls (quite literally) of earth slipping into the base of the retaining wall trench in the far back corner. It's nothing of any consequence thankfully.
We've not had chance to see the builders today but it looks as if they've got everything ready for the big pour tomorrow, shame we'll be at work. We thought they might have to postphone the pour with more heavy rain forecast, but that seems to have changed with only occasional showers now expected. Should get home to find a load of concrete.
Had an interesting and unexpected visitor yesterday - a woman who grew up at Hillside, the granddaughter of the boy that planted the Horse Chestnut tree! More details to follow...
There has been a mudslide, but only a very minor one with a few handfuls (quite literally) of earth slipping into the base of the retaining wall trench in the far back corner. It's nothing of any consequence thankfully.
We've not had chance to see the builders today but it looks as if they've got everything ready for the big pour tomorrow, shame we'll be at work. We thought they might have to postphone the pour with more heavy rain forecast, but that seems to have changed with only occasional showers now expected. Should get home to find a load of concrete.
Had an interesting and unexpected visitor yesterday - a woman who grew up at Hillside, the granddaughter of the boy that planted the Horse Chestnut tree! More details to follow...
Saturday, 4 October 2008
Rebar, tree huggers & rain
It's been a busy week. The steelwork turned up on Tuesday (with more on Thursday) so the builders have been setting out the rebar for the retaining walls. Progress has looked slow after the drama of the excavation, with a lot of time involved in setting out the reinforcement and wiring it all together. The delay in getting it on site has meant that the concrete pour now won't be until next week.
Mid week we had a phone call from the builders to say we had a 'planning observer' and a 'tree hugger' on site claiming we don't have planning permission. They'd flashed a business card claimimg they were from the local council so the builders believed they were legitimate and let them wander round our garden and take photos. We spoke to our planning officer who knew nothing of any visit and had no idea who or what a 'planning observer' was! After 24 hours wondering who had been snooping around our garden, it turns out it was a 'tree protection officer' from the council - he contacted us to point out that the spoil heap could be having a detrimental effect on the Horse Chestnut tree. As if we would want to damage the tree! And with the spoil heap being more than 10 metres awy from the trunk we can't see that it'll have any detrimental effect for the (hopefully) short time that it's there.
After two weeks of dry weather the builders are worried about rain and the impact it may have on the soil heaps. Once they get the concrete in they can do a load of backfilling and get rid of a lot of the spoil, but in the meantime it's towering over the footings and house, causing the builder to have few sleepness nights! Rain has arrived this afternoon and it hasn't been a problem, but tomorrow's forecast is a lot worse - hopefully the worst will miss us leaving the piles of soil/clay intact and the trenches free of debris so the concrete pour can happen as planned on Tuesday.
We'll all be a lot more relaxed once we get out of the ground...
Mid week we had a phone call from the builders to say we had a 'planning observer' and a 'tree hugger' on site claiming we don't have planning permission. They'd flashed a business card claimimg they were from the local council so the builders believed they were legitimate and let them wander round our garden and take photos. We spoke to our planning officer who knew nothing of any visit and had no idea who or what a 'planning observer' was! After 24 hours wondering who had been snooping around our garden, it turns out it was a 'tree protection officer' from the council - he contacted us to point out that the spoil heap could be having a detrimental effect on the Horse Chestnut tree. As if we would want to damage the tree! And with the spoil heap being more than 10 metres awy from the trunk we can't see that it'll have any detrimental effect for the (hopefully) short time that it's there.
After two weeks of dry weather the builders are worried about rain and the impact it may have on the soil heaps. Once they get the concrete in they can do a load of backfilling and get rid of a lot of the spoil, but in the meantime it's towering over the footings and house, causing the builder to have few sleepness nights! Rain has arrived this afternoon and it hasn't been a problem, but tomorrow's forecast is a lot worse - hopefully the worst will miss us leaving the piles of soil/clay intact and the trenches free of debris so the concrete pour can happen as planned on Tuesday.
We'll all be a lot more relaxed once we get out of the ground...
Monday, 29 September 2008
Building control?
Sense prevails! Building Control have agreed that we don't need to excavate any further, below the level of the rock the existing cottage sits on, which is great news and saves us from sending more material off-site. It also avoids the potential damage that undermining the existing house could cause.
As a result, and due to all the trenches for footings being finished last week, the larger of the two diggers has been taken offsite. Hopefully steelwork for reinforcement of the retaining walls will arrive tomorrow in time for the steel fixers to assemble ready for a concrete pour before the end of the week.
We'd prefer not to have to use steel or concrete (due to embedded energy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embodied_energy) in both materials, especially concrete thanks to the temperatures required to produce it) but there are no sustainable alternatives that provide adequate strength for the foundations and retaining walls - and that are acceptable to Building Control. Kind of ironic when you consider that the Cottage has been standing for 103 years on rock with no foundations whatsoever!
Once we are out of the ground, we'll be using thermalite blocks which comprise approximately 80% PFA (pulverised fuel ash, a by-product from coal fired power stations) to reduce the amount of natural resources used in each block. So not all the concrete will be 'bad'!
As a result, and due to all the trenches for footings being finished last week, the larger of the two diggers has been taken offsite. Hopefully steelwork for reinforcement of the retaining walls will arrive tomorrow in time for the steel fixers to assemble ready for a concrete pour before the end of the week.
We'd prefer not to have to use steel or concrete (due to embedded energy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embodied_energy) in both materials, especially concrete thanks to the temperatures required to produce it) but there are no sustainable alternatives that provide adequate strength for the foundations and retaining walls - and that are acceptable to Building Control. Kind of ironic when you consider that the Cottage has been standing for 103 years on rock with no foundations whatsoever!
Once we are out of the ground, we'll be using thermalite blocks which comprise approximately 80% PFA (pulverised fuel ash, a by-product from coal fired power stations) to reduce the amount of natural resources used in each block. So not all the concrete will be 'bad'!
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Rock bottom
Looks as if peak lorry day was Friday, with only a few loads yesterday and one today.
Meanwhile we've quite literally hit rock bottom (or maybe it should be top!). Turns out that the cottage is built on rock (Good to see that somebody has read their New Testament) as the builders have hit it adjacent to where the old 'summer room' was. Hopefully this means less foundations, and therefore concrete, as long as we can agree this with the Building Control Officer.
Elsewhere huge trenches are being dug for the retaining wall foundations - again the rock is proving helpful here as the excavations are incredibly stable as a result. It would be nice to think we can simplify the retaining walls accordingly but this is something we'll have to discuss with Building Control and our Structural Engineer.
Portaloo still hasn't appeared...
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Eighteen
That's the number of lorry loads that left site yesterday! And they'll be back on Monday and probably Tuesday.
Meanwhile, we had the first of what will probably be many bonfires today to get rid of some of the wood debris that's not suitable for using on the woodburning stove.
Also found out some of the history behind the goat skeleton - apparently the previous owner decided he would 'let nature take it's course' rather than bury it when one of his goats died. I'm still planning on giving the bones a burial.
Meanwhile, we had the first of what will probably be many bonfires today to get rid of some of the wood debris that's not suitable for using on the woodburning stove.
Also found out some of the history behind the goat skeleton - apparently the previous owner decided he would 'let nature take it's course' rather than bury it when one of his goats died. I'm still planning on giving the bones a burial.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Day two
I was greeted by a hive of activity as I left for work this morning (which reminds me that I must let the builder know about the wasps nest in the porch roof before he demolishes it!). Two huge 'muck away' lorries, Dave the digger driver, and the electrician were all on site bright and early. C stopped counting after lorry number 7 had taken another load of spoil away. They'll be back again tomorrow as there's still a huge mound outside.
Meanwhile the annexe has been partially demolished. I was suprised to see that it was a cavity wall construction, considering how cold a room it was. But then the roof was nothing more than clay tiles over a few timbers and 10mm of polystyrene, so I think that's where all the heat was lost!
The weather forecast remains good for the days ahead which is a godsend - the scale of excavation would be awful (and probably quite dangerous) if it was like the Somme out there.
Added panes of glass and roof tiles to the piles of reclaimed materials.
Meanwhile the annexe has been partially demolished. I was suprised to see that it was a cavity wall construction, considering how cold a room it was. But then the roof was nothing more than clay tiles over a few timbers and 10mm of polystyrene, so I think that's where all the heat was lost!
The weather forecast remains good for the days ahead which is a godsend - the scale of excavation would be awful (and probably quite dangerous) if it was like the Somme out there.
Added panes of glass and roof tiles to the piles of reclaimed materials.
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Out of the blue
We'd resigned ourselves to starting the build next year, due to our preferred builders not being available till then. Things have changed!
In the last few days we've signed the contract with another builder who has had several projects cancelled and as of today has his groundworkers available. So I got home after work today to find that our garden has disappeared to be replaced by two blue JCBs and a huge pile of earth! They're not hanging about, especially as the weather forecast is good for the next couple of weeks.
Inline with our eco ethos we're keeping as much material as possible - with piles of bricks, flagstones, paving slabs and top soil already set-aside in the garden for reuse later. A large amount of clay and other spoil will end up being removed offsite but there's not much we can do with the house backing into the hill.
At long last the build is underway!
In the last few days we've signed the contract with another builder who has had several projects cancelled and as of today has his groundworkers available. So I got home after work today to find that our garden has disappeared to be replaced by two blue JCBs and a huge pile of earth! They're not hanging about, especially as the weather forecast is good for the next couple of weeks.
Inline with our eco ethos we're keeping as much material as possible - with piles of bricks, flagstones, paving slabs and top soil already set-aside in the garden for reuse later. A large amount of clay and other spoil will end up being removed offsite but there's not much we can do with the house backing into the hill.
At long last the build is underway!
Sunday, 14 September 2008
Shallow Grave
Thanks to a dry weekend we've been able to start clearing nettles and brambles off the new bit of land (must think of a name for it...).
It's proven heavy going, so think we'll clear the top bit first so that we've got a usable area and the remainder will be a longer term project!
Amidst the first patch of nettles we stumbled across a few bones, no real suprise till the collection got bigger and bigger, all arrayed in a line across the ground and ending in a skull! I'm no expert but it looks like the body wasn't buried, just dumped in the weeds. Thankfully it's not a case for the police as the skull, complete with horns, must be the remains of a goat or sheep. Hope it's the only body we find!
Once we've cleared some more ground we'll have to dig a hole and give the remains a deeper resting place - all good stuff for the soil.
It's proven heavy going, so think we'll clear the top bit first so that we've got a usable area and the remainder will be a longer term project!
Amidst the first patch of nettles we stumbled across a few bones, no real suprise till the collection got bigger and bigger, all arrayed in a line across the ground and ending in a skull! I'm no expert but it looks like the body wasn't buried, just dumped in the weeds. Thankfully it's not a case for the police as the skull, complete with horns, must be the remains of a goat or sheep. Hope it's the only body we find!
Once we've cleared some more ground we'll have to dig a hole and give the remains a deeper resting place - all good stuff for the soil.
Friday, 12 September 2008
Another 1/3
We made some significant progress this week.
Hillside is set in 1/3 of an acre - not a vast garden but large enough to allow space for the extension works plus various trees (including the coppiced hazels and the huge 100 yearold chestnut) and still leave space for other plants once we get around to developing a plan.
So you might wonder why we'd want more space...! After several months of negotiation, and 'processing' by our solicitor's, as of Tuesday we are now the proud owners of another 1/3 of an acre now that we have bought the piece of land next-door.
Covered in a mixture of long grass, brambles, nettles and assorted saplings it'll take a bit of clearing to make it usable. But for what? Well, it'd be great to grow some of our own veg, fruit trees and extend the area of hazel etc to coppice for fuel. It's technically agricultural land and not garden (unless we can get the planners to agree to change of use) so it'll probably end up as the 'working' part of the garden, with the original 1/3 being the more 'ornamental' bit.
As for clearing it, I think we've a bit of work to do. We now own a petrol strimmer which will help but there'll still be a lot of back-breaking work involved. I've read up on the best ways to clear ground of nettles and brambles and it seems that goats and pigs are the best option - unless you want to apply a weedkiller such as Roundup, which goes against our organic principles. With no plans currently to introduce livestock I think we'll have to clear it by hand...once it stops raining.
Here's to a winter of looking through seed catalogues choosing interesting veg to grow, I think it'd make Dad proud!
Hillside is set in 1/3 of an acre - not a vast garden but large enough to allow space for the extension works plus various trees (including the coppiced hazels and the huge 100 yearold chestnut) and still leave space for other plants once we get around to developing a plan.
So you might wonder why we'd want more space...! After several months of negotiation, and 'processing' by our solicitor's, as of Tuesday we are now the proud owners of another 1/3 of an acre now that we have bought the piece of land next-door.
Covered in a mixture of long grass, brambles, nettles and assorted saplings it'll take a bit of clearing to make it usable. But for what? Well, it'd be great to grow some of our own veg, fruit trees and extend the area of hazel etc to coppice for fuel. It's technically agricultural land and not garden (unless we can get the planners to agree to change of use) so it'll probably end up as the 'working' part of the garden, with the original 1/3 being the more 'ornamental' bit.
As for clearing it, I think we've a bit of work to do. We now own a petrol strimmer which will help but there'll still be a lot of back-breaking work involved. I've read up on the best ways to clear ground of nettles and brambles and it seems that goats and pigs are the best option - unless you want to apply a weedkiller such as Roundup, which goes against our organic principles. With no plans currently to introduce livestock I think we'll have to clear it by hand...once it stops raining.
Here's to a winter of looking through seed catalogues choosing interesting veg to grow, I think it'd make Dad proud!
Monday, 4 August 2008
Building Regs Part Two
Progress at last. We haven't received final written confirmation yet, but Building Control have confirmed verbally that they are happy with our Building Regs submission. We've had to provide a few additional bits of information, details of vapour barriers and wall ties etc that our Architect has dealt with, but other than that it's been a straightforward process.
The only outstanding bits of info are the structural calculations for the (kitchen/diner) timber frame. These won't be produced until we employ the builder or timber frame specialist (depending on which route we go down) so they'll be signed off later.
Meanwhile the builder saga continues with silly prices and timescales longer than we'd hoped being order of the day. We're working on both...
The only outstanding bits of info are the structural calculations for the (kitchen/diner) timber frame. These won't be produced until we employ the builder or timber frame specialist (depending on which route we go down) so they'll be signed off later.
Meanwhile the builder saga continues with silly prices and timescales longer than we'd hoped being order of the day. We're working on both...
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Carbon Footprint
Two weeks ago I finally got around to using my birthday present from my 'big' birthday last year - a session driving a Ferrari F360 and Porsche 997. I had a great time being coached on racing driving technique whilst driving a couple of 'supercars'.
Okay, so this doesn't sit very comfortably with being green, or does it? I think it's fair to limit extreme use of fuel to one afternoon every few years (or even decades!) and thoroughly enjoy the experience whilst trying to be as energy efficient as possible the rest of the time. After all, we all need the occasional binge, be it with chocolate, a fast car etc, dont we?
So I'm not going to offset the carbon I burnt in the Ferrari & Porsche. There's a huge issue with offsetting and the companies that are cashing in on the eco-guilt - does spending a few pounds here and there to offset really help the planet? The answer seems to be no, it may get rid of your guilt and line the coffers of the offset companies, but it does little for the environment. As for me, I'll keep limiting the energy (including embedded) that I use, in what we do at Hillside and in life in general. And as for the Ferrari & Porsche, if we still have oil in another 40 years maybe I'll have another 'binge'!
Okay, so this doesn't sit very comfortably with being green, or does it? I think it's fair to limit extreme use of fuel to one afternoon every few years (or even decades!) and thoroughly enjoy the experience whilst trying to be as energy efficient as possible the rest of the time. After all, we all need the occasional binge, be it with chocolate, a fast car etc, dont we?
So I'm not going to offset the carbon I burnt in the Ferrari & Porsche. There's a huge issue with offsetting and the companies that are cashing in on the eco-guilt - does spending a few pounds here and there to offset really help the planet? The answer seems to be no, it may get rid of your guilt and line the coffers of the offset companies, but it does little for the environment. As for me, I'll keep limiting the energy (including embedded) that I use, in what we do at Hillside and in life in general. And as for the Ferrari & Porsche, if we still have oil in another 40 years maybe I'll have another 'binge'!
Building Regs
It's been quiet on the blog but we've been busy. Our buildings regulations application has been lodged with the council and is (hopefully!) being reviewed by Building Control. This means we should have approval and/or comments within the next couple of weeks.
Meanwhile discussions with the builder are frustratingly protracted with a firm price and start date long overdue - but we keep chasing....
Meanwhile discussions with the builder are frustratingly protracted with a firm price and start date long overdue - but we keep chasing....
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Pellet Boiler
Had an interesting afternoon trip to see some boilers on Friday. Not just any old boilers though. We went to see Solar Thermal in Chippenham, where they sell, along with solar thermal hot water systems, wood pellet boilers and stoves.
We're not in the market for a pellet stove as the Riva Cube woodburner is working a treat, especially during chilly May evenings now the mini-heatwave is over. But we are looking for a pellet fired boiler to allow us to heat the house using renewables. There are boilers available that can burn logs but these have to be loaded every day, making it labour intensive, and therefore less appealing. Pellets allow weekly filling if a small storage hopper is built in, and even less frequent filling where a bulk hopper is used.
So it was good to see a couple of boilers 'in the flesh' and talk through technical details with the guys at Solar Thermal. They sell Windhager boilers, very good Austrian bits of engineering which would be great to be able to use. However, with an installed cost in the range of a brand new small car I think they'll fall outside the budget, even with a £1500 grant. So we'll probably have to source a slightly lower spec' model, such as Janfire, but I don't want to go for something really basic that requires a load of maintenance. As with lots of things on the project, watch this space for more info on what we finally select - and details of whether it was worth it!
With fuel costs (Oil & gas) racing skyward at the moment it'll also be interesting to see if the relatively small market for domestic solid fuel (biomass) boilers takes off in the UK in the coming months/years.
We're not in the market for a pellet stove as the Riva Cube woodburner is working a treat, especially during chilly May evenings now the mini-heatwave is over. But we are looking for a pellet fired boiler to allow us to heat the house using renewables. There are boilers available that can burn logs but these have to be loaded every day, making it labour intensive, and therefore less appealing. Pellets allow weekly filling if a small storage hopper is built in, and even less frequent filling where a bulk hopper is used.
So it was good to see a couple of boilers 'in the flesh' and talk through technical details with the guys at Solar Thermal. They sell Windhager boilers, very good Austrian bits of engineering which would be great to be able to use. However, with an installed cost in the range of a brand new small car I think they'll fall outside the budget, even with a £1500 grant. So we'll probably have to source a slightly lower spec' model, such as Janfire, but I don't want to go for something really basic that requires a load of maintenance. As with lots of things on the project, watch this space for more info on what we finally select - and details of whether it was worth it!
With fuel costs (Oil & gas) racing skyward at the moment it'll also be interesting to see if the relatively small market for domestic solid fuel (biomass) boilers takes off in the UK in the coming months/years.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Extension of time
No news on the blog doesn't mean things aren't progressing with the extension/renovation. It's just that there's not been much in the way of tangible progress.
That said, we now have written quotes from our two shortlisted builders, have spent a load more time looking at our budget to see where/if we can make some savings, and we've been in touch with a few previous clients of the builders to find out how they got on with them. All good news so far, which is promising, but then I should hope so as the builders gave us the contact details!
We should therefore be able to come to an agreement with our preferred builders over the next week and get things moving. Who knows, we might even see some activity on site this month!
Meanwhile, we'll have to do more finalising of materials, specifications, finishes etc. And there's always more clearing of things in the garden that we want to reuse, such as dry stone walling, bricks and paving slabs. Beats going to the gym!
That said, we now have written quotes from our two shortlisted builders, have spent a load more time looking at our budget to see where/if we can make some savings, and we've been in touch with a few previous clients of the builders to find out how they got on with them. All good news so far, which is promising, but then I should hope so as the builders gave us the contact details!
We should therefore be able to come to an agreement with our preferred builders over the next week and get things moving. Who knows, we might even see some activity on site this month!
Meanwhile, we'll have to do more finalising of materials, specifications, finishes etc. And there's always more clearing of things in the garden that we want to reuse, such as dry stone walling, bricks and paving slabs. Beats going to the gym!
Saturday, 16 February 2008
Solar Power and Applewood
At long last we've had some very sunny days over the last week or two. As a result the solar panel attached to the outside light has seen plenty of sunlight and not the dull January cloudiness that plagued it during the first few weeks of the year. So, the outside light is working fine with plenty of power supplied to the batteries. Okay, so it's only one LED outside light that we've hooked up to the power of the sun but it's a start!
Meanwhile, we've just boosted next years log pile by felling the old apple tree. It only took a couple of hours to remove the branches at the top and then fell the trunk with the aid of a chainsaw. Whilst it's a shame to lose the tree, it was rotten through the middle of the trunk and the apples are not the greatest. Plus it's in the way of the house extension. The wood will come in useful, mostly for the woodburner, but I'd also like to use some of it more creatively...not sure how yet but give me time!
Meanwhile, we've just boosted next years log pile by felling the old apple tree. It only took a couple of hours to remove the branches at the top and then fell the trunk with the aid of a chainsaw. Whilst it's a shame to lose the tree, it was rotten through the middle of the trunk and the apples are not the greatest. Plus it's in the way of the house extension. The wood will come in useful, mostly for the woodburner, but I'd also like to use some of it more creatively...not sure how yet but give me time!
Monday, 4 February 2008
Coppicing
One thing we have plenty of are trees. And now that we have the woodburner, trees mean warmth!
Pervious owners of Hillside have neglected the garden and allowed the numerous Hazel trees to run riot, resulting in very tall trees which provide too much shade. So while we're still waiting for building work to start it seemed a good time to do some woodland management.
Hazels thrive when cut right back to just above ground level, a term known as coppicing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppice, allowing the wood to be harvested for fuel or other uses. (Hazel also makes great walking sticks but I think it'll be a while before I have time for such hobbies!) So we've just coppiced some of the Hazels and plan to do the rest over the coming weeks, giving us a great stack of Hazel poles ready to be sawn into logs to start the woodstack for next winter. I think the squirrel will be unimpressed though.
Not burnt any Hazel on the stove yet but it is supposed to be a good fuel. http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs315001.pdf
Pervious owners of Hillside have neglected the garden and allowed the numerous Hazel trees to run riot, resulting in very tall trees which provide too much shade. So while we're still waiting for building work to start it seemed a good time to do some woodland management.
Hazels thrive when cut right back to just above ground level, a term known as coppicing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppice, allowing the wood to be harvested for fuel or other uses. (Hazel also makes great walking sticks but I think it'll be a while before I have time for such hobbies!) So we've just coppiced some of the Hazels and plan to do the rest over the coming weeks, giving us a great stack of Hazel poles ready to be sawn into logs to start the woodstack for next winter. I think the squirrel will be unimpressed though.
Not burnt any Hazel on the stove yet but it is supposed to be a good fuel. http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs315001.pdf
Monday, 21 January 2008
Solar power
We've just joined the select band of photovoltaic solar panel owners! At long last we now have a PV cell 'array' mounted on the house ready to charge up the NiMh battery to which it is attached once the sun appears from behind the clouds. Slight problem there - January this year has proven very lacking on the sunlight front so there's not much PV activity taking place.
As for the 'array' - it's a 200mm by 200mm panel mounted on the side of the house and connected to an LED outside light. With building works due to start in the near future I couldn't see much point sorting out mains wiring for an outside light - so I went for the solar option. It worked really well for the first few days thanks to some sunshine at the start of the month. Since then sunlight has been virtually non-existent, and even daylight has been minimal at times. Hence we've run the battery flat so the light isn't currently working - ah, the joys of being green!
Hopefully we'll see the sun again sometime soon and we can all have our batteries charged once more!
As for the 'array' - it's a 200mm by 200mm panel mounted on the side of the house and connected to an LED outside light. With building works due to start in the near future I couldn't see much point sorting out mains wiring for an outside light - so I went for the solar option. It worked really well for the first few days thanks to some sunshine at the start of the month. Since then sunlight has been virtually non-existent, and even daylight has been minimal at times. Hence we've run the battery flat so the light isn't currently working - ah, the joys of being green!
Hopefully we'll see the sun again sometime soon and we can all have our batteries charged once more!
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
Green Christmas?
We tried to stick to our increasingly 'eco' lifestyle this Christmas. This did bring it's challenges, especially with it being seemingly impossible to buy some presents that weren't wrapped in excess packaging and made from virgin plastic.
The successes - bamboo socks from http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk/, veggie friendly shower gels etc from Lush http://www.lush.co.uk/, and the homemade chocolates and biscuits that I received.
The successes - bamboo socks from http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk/, veggie friendly shower gels etc from Lush http://www.lush.co.uk/, and the homemade chocolates and biscuits that I received.
The compromises; pink ployester dressing gown for neice No.5 - did try to get one manufactured from natural fabric but they don't seem to exist!; Roary slippers for Nephew No.1 complete with flashing lights (and power source destined for landfill at some point in the not too distant future). Hopefully as they get older they'll appreciate the benefits of slightly less 'fashionable' presents....ironic when it's partly their generations future that we're doing this for!
We also used simple wrapping paper this year, using Ikea Christmas string instead of curling ribbon (except where we've recovered some from last year!), and as ever, we used last year's Christmas cards for gift tags. Hopefully some of the string will be used to tie up beans etc across the family gardens this summer!
Homemade presents (or none at all!) next year?!
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