Hagg Leys Farm

Month: October 2013 (Page 3 of 4)

Blockwork complete on the extension

October 10, 2013 /

Well, complete – more or less.

The waterproofing (called “tanking”) of the portions of the walls that will be below ground level is now complete. The subsoil is being reinstated alongside the walls, so that the builders have a level surface to work off.

If the weather is ok tomorrow, we will start on the stone exterior of the extension. We will start at the front and work our way around to bring all the sides of the extension up to the same level. The the exterior wall will be built in courses right around the building. If it rains, we will have to find other things to do!

The blockwork is more or less complete and the tanking to the rear of the property has been completed. We are now already to start on the stone work.

The blockwork is more or less complete and the tanking to the rear of the property has been completed. We are now already to start on the stone work.

The blockwork is more or less complete. The insulation boards have been added (held in place by red round plastic clips). The pink boards at the base of the wall are to protect the damp proofing when the soil is put back in place. The large black pipe is the conduit that will carry the main electricity supply (hence the yellow warning tape you can see next to it).

The blockwork is more or less complete. The insulation boards have been added (held in place by red round plastic clips). The pink boards at the base of the wall are to protect the damp proofing when the soil is put back in place. The large black pipe is the conduit that will carry the main electricity supply (hence the yellow warning tape you can see next to it).

We are ready to start building the exterior stone wall at the front of the extension. The stone is being kept dry under the plastic in the foreground.

We are ready to start building the exterior stone wall at the front of the extension. The stone is being kept dry under the plastic in the foreground.

With the tanking complete, the subsoil has been reinstated. You can see here that the ground level outside is higher than the floor level inside the master bedroom.

With the tanking complete, the subsoil has been reinstated. You can see here that the ground level outside is higher than the floor level inside the master bedroom.

 

Trench for water and electric

October 8, 2013 /

We are going to be moving both the water and electric connections around to the new utility room.  This was something that got missed off the original budget and can be a significant cost.

We have decided to dig the trench now.  Once the new extension is built, the access would be severely limited by this trench.  So we are going to do it now, lay the pipework and fill it back in before the porch is built. 

We are also going to put connections into the outbuildings for both water (for the orchard and polytunnel) and electric for the sheds (lighting and power).

This was completed in a day. Probably another day's work will get it to the utility (!) room. We will put a connection into the outbuildings for both water and electric.

This was completed in a day. Probably another day’s work will get it to the utility (!) room. We will put a connection into the outbuildings for both water and electric.

The new water and electric connections will go in this trench. It is cheaper for us to dig it and put in the conduits rather than the utility companies doing it. The tarmac is cut with a floor saw and then a mini digger is used for the trench.

The new water and electric connections will go in this trench. It is cheaper for us to dig it and put in the conduits rather than the utility companies doing it. The tarmac is cut with a floor saw and then a mini digger is used for the trench.

Drains

October 8, 2013 /

I lifted one of the manholes to the septic tank yesterday.  I wish I hadn’t!

The drain to the tank was blocked and the content backed up the drain. I filled a dustbin with water using a hose and put that down the manhole in the hope that it would flush out the blockage.  No luck.

There was nothing else for it other than to use a set of drain rods to clean the blockage.  Not  a nice job.  I will save you the pictures, but it is safe to say the problem is now resolved.  It took a while for the back log (no pun intended) to completely clean as it had backed up a long way.

Although it doesn’t look like the septic tank is full, we don’t know when it was last emptied.  I have arranged for it to be emptied on Friday and then at least if we get more problems it will not be because the tank is full.  Ho hum.

I will save you from the photos of the inside, but the blockage has now been removed. Phew! Notice that this now has proper manhole covers rather than the homemade covers.

I will save you from the photos of the inside, but the blockage has now been removed. Phew! Notice that this now has proper manhole covers rather than the homemade covers.

Firebelly FB1

October 6, 2013 /

We have just purchased a Firebelly FB1 for the Snug downstairs.  This will be fitted in the middle hearth in the existing cottages.

We have looked around and these stoves are a great fit for what we were looking for.  They are also made in Eland  – 10 miles or so away!  You will find more information on Firebelly stoves here: http://firebellystoves.com/

 Unfortunately, we can’t fit it just yet as there is a slight leak down the chimney.  We have identified  the problem and will hopefully get to fix it in the next week or so.

We aren't quite ready to install this stove yet. Bit it won't be long! This is Firebelly FB1 in pewter. We have a stove pipe in the same colour to match.

We aren’t quite ready to install this stove yet. Bit it won’t be long! This is Firebelly FB1 in pewter. We have a stove pipe in the same colour to match.

Zep guarding the new stove!

Zep guarding the new stove!

Timber for the roof trusses in the new extension

October 6, 2013 /

The timber arrived at the end of last week for the three large roof trusses in the new extension.  These will be constructed in a local industrial unit.  The timbers will then be individually numbered and the whole thing taken apart and brought onto site.  This means that it will take a fraction of the time to construct the roof on site.  Which in turn means that it is less likely to get exposed to the weather (important at this time of the year).

The roof trusses are constructed from green oak.  This wood is heavy to lift and easily marks if it gets wet. 

It will require lifting equipment to manoeuvre the large pieces of timber into position.  The tie beams in particular are very heavy due to the size of the timber. Another reason for constructing the roof trusses off site initially.

 

Very large sections of green oak will be used to construct the three large roof trusses.

Very large sections of green oak will be used to construct the three large roof trusses.

More timber for the roof trusses.

More timber for the roof trusses.

These are the horizontal beams (refered to as "tie beams") for the three roof trusses.

These are the horizontal beams (refered to as “tie beams”) for the three roof trusses.

Utility room

October 5, 2013 /

The utility room is fairly big – 2.3m x 3.8m – but there is a lot of kit to go in here.  Two cylinders for the ground source heat pump, under floor heating manifold, pump module and the ground source heat pump.  The layout suggested by the ground source heat pump installer would have effectively converted the utility room into a plant room.

We realised early on that there was significant height in this part of the extension and therefore decided to raised the two cylinders up onto a platform so that the underfloor heating manifold and pump could be installed underneath them.  This reduces the amount of space required in the utility room to install this kit.

The steels that will support the platform for the cylinders were installed this week.

There is a lot of kit to go into the uitlity room that relates to the ground source heat pump. By putting some steel beams into the utility room we can raise two of the water cylinders up and put additional kit underneath the cylinders.

There is a lot of kit to go into the uitlity room that relates to the ground source heat pump. By putting some steel beams into the utility room we can raise two of the water cylinders up and put additional kit underneath the cylinders.

Courtyard garden wall

October 5, 2013 /

The weather was ok today with no rain, so we spent the whole day on the wall in the courtyard garden.  We have now got the end wall above the level of the blockwork for the reatining wall.  The wall will need to come up a little further, but it will do for now.  We are now starting to work on the wall that will adjoin the timber steps that lead to the upper terrace.

We spent most of the day today building the wall in the courtyard. We are making the most of the fine weather, after all, it isn't going to be last much longer. We are now about to turn the corner where the timber steps will be built.

We spent most of the day today building the wall in the courtyard. We are making the most of the fine weather, after all, it isn’t going to be last much longer. We are now about to turn the corner where the timber steps will be built.

The end wall is now up to the same level (and in some place, above) the retaining blockwork. We have used 3 one tonne bags of 3.5 inch stones and one bag of "jumpers" (the bigger 6 inch stones).

The end wall is now up to the same level (and in some place, above) the retaining blockwork. We have used 3 one tonne bags of 3.5 inch stones and one bag of “jumpers” (the bigger 6 inch stones).

We are sorting out the reclaimed stone as we build the wall. The stones are sorted into groups according to their height. All of these stones are 8cms high.

We are sorting out the reclaimed stone as we build the wall. The stones are sorted into groups according to their height. All of these stones are 8cms high.

Progress in the courtyard garden

October 3, 2013 /

I have been busy on other things this week and not had a lot of time to work on the wall in the courtyard. However, I did get a couple of hours on it today, in between showers. Unfortunately, I have had to cover today’s work with hessian to prevent rain running down the front of the stones and washing the cement out.

Today's work is covered in hessian to protect it from the rain. With the weather, we only got a couple of hours to work on it today.

Today’s work is covered in hessian to protect it from the rain. With the weather, we only got a couple of hours to work on it today.

Plasterers start

October 3, 2013 /

The first fix electrics completed yesterday – 3 days late.  The plasterers started today. 

The first job is to boarded out all of the walls, ceilings and partitions.  Once this is done, the walls and ceilings will be plastered.

Upstairs insulated plasterboards (50mm insulation on a 12.5 plasterboard) is used on the ceilings.  This is on top of the 50mm insulation that has already been installed between the rafters.  The boards are cut to exactly fit the purlins leaving them exposed in the room below.  This is a very time-consuming job and these ceilings alone are going to take the best part of a week to complete.

The partition to the bathroom has been boarded. The inside of the partition is packed with isolation (for soundproofing) before the other side is boarded.

The partition to the bathroom has been boarded. The inside of the partition is packed with isolation (for soundproofing) before the other side is boarded.

The rafters are going to be covered but the purlins will still be largely expose through the plasterboard. Since the purlins are odd shapes (some odder than others), all of the boards have to be cut individually.

The rafters are going to be covered but the purlins will still be largely expose through the plasterboard. Since the purlins are odd shapes (some odder than others), all of the boards have to be cut individually.

The exterior wall is still to be boarded with insulated plasterboard, but we should get this done tomorrow.

The exterior wall is still to be boarded with insulated plasterboard, but we should get this done tomorrow.

More progress on the blockwork

October 3, 2013 /

Although the work is still to start on the exterior wall of the extension, the internal blockwork seems to be shooting up.  In much of the extension we are up to ceiling level.  We can build up into the gables, but by the end of the week much of the blockwork will be complete.

As the walls go up, the thing that is most striking is the height of the rooms inside. This makes this space feel very open.

As the walls go up, the thing that is most striking is the height of the rooms inside. This makes this space feel very open.

Despite the showery weather we are making good progress on the blockwork for the extension.

Despite the showery weather we are making good progress on the blockwork for the extension.

The large brown pipe protruding from the wall is the air intake for the log burning stove that will be installed in the lounge.

The large brown pipe protruding from the wall is the air intake for the log burning stove that will be installed in the lounge.

You can see part of the dry stone wall in the courtyard garden in the foreground.

You can see part of the dry stone wall in the courtyard garden in the foreground.

There is a large square opening between the lounge and the kitchen. A large oak truss will sit on top of this wall supporting the roof.

There is a large square opening between the lounge and the kitchen. A large oak truss will sit on top of this wall supporting the roof.

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