Hagg Leys Farm

Month: August 2013 (Page 5 of 5)

Telephone connectivity

August 5, 2013 /

One of the problems in a number of homes that I have owned is that the telephone points are never where you want them.  This either results in unsightly cables or poorly cabled extensions.  We want to avoid this in this house.

The plan is that every room will have at least two data ports (RJ-45 sockets) cabled back to a central point using CAT5 cable.  All the cables will terminate in a patch panel.  Then by using a patch cable at the central point, it will be possible to supply the sockets in each room with either data or telephone services. 

The incoming telephone line goes into a hub which then connects the line to 4 RJ-45 sockets.  I found this 1U rackmounted kit at Cyber Select.  I have actually added the optional second voice hub to the unit which means that potentially two separate phone lines could be brought into the house and distributed independently.

I am going to install a small 19″ rack in the cellar.  This will house a RJ-45 patch panel (for all the terminations for the cables to the room outlets), this telephone hub, a 48 port ethernet switch and the broadband router.  The telephone master socket will be in the cellar, thus making it easier to connect up to the rest of the house.

Treating the timber trusses

August 4, 2013 /

The Blanchon oil arrived last week from Peak Oak and I painted a small patch to see what impact it has on the colour of the oak.  Just as planned. It is the natural finish, but it did look dark when I painted it on.  It takes 6 hours to dry.  It hasn’t really lighten up very much as it has dried, so I am in two minds about it.  Even leaving it to dry for 3 days hasn’t made that much difference.

I would like to get the oak sealed before the plasterers start any work.  Otherwise, there is a chance that we will get plaster (and/or paint) on the oak and it will be very difficult to get off.

The architect is on site tomorrow, so I will seek some guidance before doing anything else.

New windows

August 4, 2013 /

The weather has been very changeable over the past few days, but nevertheless all but 4 of the 36 windows are installed.  The foam and DPC needs to be trimmed and mastic applied, but we should be done by the end of Wednesday.

We are still deliberating over the window catches, but to be fair this is more of a case of choosing ALL of the hardware (door handles, light switches, power sockets etc) rather than a specific issue relating to window furniture.

The DPC and foam has still to be trimmed and mastic applied. This photo also shows the colour of the new lime based pointing.

The DPC and foam has still to be trimmed and mastic applied. This photo also shows the colour of the new lime based pointing.

A DPC (damp proof course) has been inserted between the stonework and the windows. The windows are then strapped to the stonework and foamed in. This will later be trimmed and a stone coloured mastic applied.

A DPC (damp proof course) has been inserted between the stonework and the windows. The windows are then strapped to the stonework and foamed in. This will later be trimmed and a stone coloured mastic applied.

There is still quite a bit of work to do specifying the finish on the inside of the windows. However, the architect is well on with this. Most of the windows have an exposed stone surround between the inside of the window and the stone wall. This will allow us to be angled panels into the recesses (just like they were originally).

There is still quite a bit of work to do specifying the finish on the inside of the windows. However, the architect is well on with this. Most of the windows have an exposed stone surround between the inside of the window and the stone wall. This will allow us to be angled panels into the recesses (just like they were originally).

Most of the windows are now installed in the front of the property. By the time we get to the end of the week, all of the windows will have been installed.

Most of the windows are now installed in the front of the property. By the time we get to the end of the week, all of the windows will have been installed.

We still have the downstairs rear windows to install, but we are making progress.

We still have the downstairs rear windows to install, but we are making progress.

Progress on the rear of the property

August 4, 2013 /

With the windows all installed, our attentions have moved to getting the openings sorted out for two pairs of large doors at the rear of the house.  I always knew that there were big (particularly after having seen the quote for supplying them!), but I hadn’t realised quite how big until I saw the openings – each door is over a metre wide.

The ashlar surrounds for the window at the rear and the two openings for the doors was around £3,000 (just for the materials).

Where openings have been walled up, there are now some stones that need to be sandblasted.  It just mean getting the sandblaster out again, but he is relatively local and doesn’t seem to mind.  It shouldn’t take long to sort out these odd patches.

The gas board have also disconnected the gas supply so that we can move the pipework at the front of the house.  This leaves black marks on the stonework where the sandblaster could get to the stonework as the pipes were in the way.  This can all get picked up when he comes back.

The windows are all in and they are covered on the inside with some lightweight plastic to protect them while the inside of the property is being plastered.

The last of the wagons collected the waste spoil in Friday and the site is starting to look altogether more tidy.

The last of the wagons collected the waste spoil in Friday and the site is starting to look altogether more tidy.

We have now replaced the ashlar above the window to the left. The window head is now the same thickness as the other windows, but the stones that have been used to wall it up need to be sandblasted. There are two pairs of doors at the rear and the stone surround for the first of them has gone in.

We have now replaced the ashlar above the window to the left. The window head is now the same thickness as the other windows, but the stones that have been used to wall it up need to be sandblasted. There are two pairs of doors at the rear and the stone surround for the first of them has gone in.

The newly rebuilt extension is looking really great. Still a bit of tidying up to do and some pointing, but we are definitely getting there.

The newly rebuilt extension is looking really great. Still a bit of tidying up to do and some pointing, but we are definitely getting there.

Now all of the windows are in, we have covered the insides with a lightweight plastic to protect them while the inside is being plastered. The windows were installed with the final coat of paint already on.

Now all of the windows are in, we have covered the insides with a lightweight plastic to protect them while the inside is being plastered. The windows were installed with the final coat of paint already on.

Extension roof complete

August 2, 2013 /

I have been down in London for the past couple of days and it is always great to come back and see the progress on the house.  The builders always seem to make more progress when I am not here!  I wonder why!

Anyway, the roof is finally complete on the rebuilt extension.  We were held up for a few days after the wrong size Velux rooflights were delivered.  Anyway, the correct ones arrived earlier in the week and the roofers returned to finish off the job they had started.

It looks really nice and it very light inside.  We have double the size of the window in the wall and increased the size of the rooflight and then put in two instead of one!  Much of the window sizing was based on what was there previously (although there was never a rooflight).  The problem with this approach is that this part of the building was a coal hole!  There was no point in rebuilding it to have a very modern coal hole.  It was easier enough to increase the window sizes.  Since none of the windows overlook anyone else, or in fact can be seen by anyone, we didn’t need to go back to Planning.

When I get some time, I will take some photos from the inside.

The roof on the newly re-built extension has been completed. The Velux windows finally arrived a couple of days ago which meant that the roofer could get on and finish the job (despite the rain!).

The roof on the newly re-built extension has been completed. The Velux windows finally arrived a couple of days ago which meant that the roofer could get on and finish the job (despite the rain!).

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