20. Drainage

It's been a while since my last post so I thought I'd take a few minutes to bring things up to date...

A Saturday morning sees the brickies lay around 300 solid concrete blocks to bring us up to floor level on the garage. Those things weigh around 15kg each so I'm glad they brought their own labourer...

I get started on backfilling and digging out the old inspection chamber.

A new inspection chamber is installed to accept connections from the new ensuites and kitchen extension.

The new trench for the ensuite passes under the existing floors...

...as does the one to the new kitchen.

The new pipework is laid, completing the modifications to the foul drainage.

A new storm drain inspection chamber is installed to connect to the new and relocated downpipes.

More digging of trenches...

...and a further inspection chamber to accept surface water from the patio area and workshop roof.

More digging and pipe laying completes the modifications to the storm drains...

...and finally backfilling can commence.

It's been four weeks of hard digging but at least the weather has been fine for most of it. Now to fill it all back in...

19. I'm back...

After around 8 months of working every hour available in my day job, finally I can take a bit of time out to get things moving on the house project. Next on the agenda is a shiny new garage. Although as usual, first there's some demolition to do...

This is how things looked last year. As you can see, the old glass roofed garage is looking a bit shabby. As well as leaking like a sieve. That's my dad modelling a length of 4"x3".

First job is to remove that leaking roof.

Then up comes the floor. Another skipload of concrete to get rid of.

The building inspector isn't happy for us to build off the old garage walls so they have to be completely removed. Along with the foundations.

A heavy downpour causes the trench to collapse so some old slabs come to the rescue to hold things up.

More digging. The trench for the new foundations has to be dug out in sections to protect the neighbouring property. It's not easy to dig the soil out 1.5m down but finally the building inspector is happy.

After concreting, the sections inbetween can be dug out. Ensuring the neighbour's house doesn't fall into my trench.

Finally after much digging, the concrete goes in. My trusty spade is about an inch shorter and my wallet £420 lighter. Ouch.

18. Some roof tiles.

The roofer is back to retile the whole roof including the extension.

After a short delay due to the unpredictable British weather, the ridge tiles go on. They make a neat job of the pointing so I am happy. Meanwhile, I fit new guttering, downpipes...

...and the Solatube which will provide light for the new ensuite.

The scaffold is finally removed, revealing the extension for the first time. I am happy with the results, although some windows and doors would be nice...

It's a big change from how things looked back in April.

Unfortunately, there's been a big change to the balance of our bank account too. Which means as of Monday, I'm back to doing some real work (well, paid work at least). I sense this blog will be running for some months yet....

17. Fixing the old roof.

Recently I've been working 7 days a week to repair the roof so there hasn't been much time for blogging. Eventually we seem to be getting there though...

The existing roof over the bay had dropped quite badly.

Stripping back the tiles reveals there's not much holding it up. So far I haven't been impressed by the standard of 1930's builders...

...although it seems that generations of birds weren't too bothered.

Several areas have seen better days.

Nothing to do but rebuild the area above the bay using some serious timbers. The carpenter spends a day on it...

...leaving me to finish things off. There's no way this roof is going anywhere.

After a week or two making various other repairs, I can get back to the good bit. New fascia and soffit means it's starting to look more like a roof again.

Eventually I have to give in and draft in some hired help. The roofer puts the lath and felt on in two days...

...although it seems that for tradesmen, this is an acceptable way to leave the site. Looks like I'll have to get my broom out again. Great.

16. Chimneys

As we plan to install a woodburning stove at some point, we'll be needing a functional chimney. While the roof is scaffolded, it makes sense to do the necessary work now...

The existing chimneys had at some point been lowered and capped. They were also leaning quite badly...

...so the decision was made to take them down.

The stack at the front of the house was no longer required so it was capped below roof level and tiled over.

Time for the brickies to come back to rebuild the rear stack.

More scaffolding and the chimney is restored to its former glory. The pattern was taken from a neighbouring house which still had its original chimneys.

Inside the house, the flue is exposed...

...allowing the new stainless steel liner to be lowered in from above.

The liner is bricked in and backfilled with vermiculite for added insulation.

The reclaimed chimney pots complete the job, and luckily the rain holds off. Thanks again to my dad for his help - fitting the liner is definately a two man job.

A final look out from the top of the scaffolding before it's taken down. I'll miss the view but not climbing those ladders.

15. Interlude

Not much has been happening on the building front this week, I've been far too busy visiting my wife in hospital, who gave birth to baby Thomas on Wednesday.

Mom and baby are doing fine and should be out of hospital soon, all being well. Which means I need to get back to work so that Thomas can have his own room when he's a bit older...

14. A floor and a roof

The hangers are now bricked in, giving me chance to install the floor joists for the bedroom extension.

Meanwhile, the scaffolders are back to install the final lift.

This allows the brickies to complete the brickwork...

...and me to install the wallplate ready for the roof to go on.

Two days work from the carpenter sees the extension roof complete. Which would probably have taken me two weeks. Money well spent.