Hagg Leys Farm

Author: stephen (Page 30 of 61)

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.

More reclaimed stone arrives

October 3, 2013 /

Our 2nd of three loads of reclaimed stone for the exterior of the extension arrived late this afternoon.  This makes a total of 140 sqm on site.  Tomorrow, this stone will need to be coursed out.  A job that can apparently be done in the rain. This is just as well as the forecast for tomorrow is for showers!

Another 70 sqm of reclaimed stone arrived today. This is the 2nd load of three. Tomorrow, it will need to be coursed out.

Another 70 sqm of reclaimed stone arrived today. This is the 2nd load of three. Tomorrow, it will need to be coursed out.

When this stone has been coursed out, it will be sorted into the same piles that you can see in the background.

When this stone has been coursed out, it will be sorted into the same piles that you can see in the background.

First fix – still not ready

October 1, 2013 /

Well, there was a lot of work to be done in a short time, but the contractor was confident of getting it all done last week.  Unfortunately, it looks like we should be ready by tomorrow lunchtime – 2.5 days late.  As it happens, it shouldn’t cause too much of a problem.  While the plasterers are due to start tomorrow, I suspect that they will spend most of the day getting the plasterboard to where it needs to be – we have just brought it inside the house (out of any potential weather), but will leave it to the plasterers to carry it up the stairs!

This is the cabling for the lighting, network, power and telephone. It all comes back to a central point in a cupboard on the top of the cellar steps.

This is the cabling for the lighting, network, power and telephone. It all comes back to a central point in a cupboard on the top of the cellar steps.

This is a photo on the first floor. You can see the underfloor heating above the cables. Yellow cables are for light switches (Cat5e), black are co-ax for the TV/radio, purple are Cat6 network cables, white cables are for the alarm system and the grey round cables are for data/telephone. There are a lot of them!

This is a photo on the first floor. You can see the underfloor heating above the cables. Yellow cables are for light switches (Cat5e), black are co-ax for the TV/radio, purple are Cat6 network cables, white cables are for the alarm system and the grey round cables are for data/telephone. There are a lot of them!

Coursing out the reclaimed stone

October 1, 2013 /

The builders took a couple of hours this morning and coursed out all of the stone that was delivered yesterday.  “Coursing out” means sorting the stones into groups that are all the same height, i.e. stones that can be used to build a single course.

For each stone, you identify the front face and then measure it’s height with a tape measure.  For some reason, this is all done in inches.

This makes building with this sort of stone much quicker as the labourers aren’t hunting around searching for the right size stone.  It also means that you might not start a course of a particular size, if you can see that you don’t have enough stones.  You can get the stone yards to supply the stones already sorted and bagged according to their size.  However, many builders prefer to do it themselves.

It took the builders a couple of hours to course out all the stone that was delvered yesterday. It is sorted into piles according to the height of the stone (with it's front face forward).

It took the builders a couple of hours to course out all the stone that was delvered yesterday. It is sorted into piles according to the height of the stone (with it’s front face forward).

All the stones in these rows have a height of 7.5 inches. There is a clue on the brick in the background.

All the stones in these rows have a height of 7.5 inches. There is a clue on the brick in the background.

 

Getting ready for the plasterers

October 1, 2013 /
With the plasterers starting tomorrow, the materials arrived today ready for them to start. There are 120 boards on the right. This is about 80% of what will be needed - we will order the remainder once we know exactly how much more we need.

With the plasterers starting tomorrow, the materials arrived today ready for them to start. There are 120 boards on the right. This is about 80% of what will be needed – we will order the remainder once we know exactly how much more we need.

The insulated plasterboard is for the inside of the exterior walls (remember these are solid walls with no cavity) and for the first floor ceiling. The insulation in the yellow bags is for the inside of the partitions (for soundproofing) and in the ceiling on the ground floor (to ensure that the heat rises from the underfloor heating).

The insulated plasterboard is for the inside of the exterior walls (remember these are solid walls with no cavity) and for the first floor ceiling. The insulation in the yellow bags is for the inside of the partitions (for soundproofing) and in the ceiling on the ground floor (to ensure that the heat rises from the underfloor heating).

There are 50 bags of plaster here. With rain forecast for tomorrow, we can't leave it outside overnight.

There are 50 bags of plaster here. With rain forecast for tomorrow, we can’t leave it outside overnight.

The plasterers are due to start tomorrow and much of the materials that we have ordered for them turned up today.

Unloading them from the lorries wasn’t too much of a pain (it was all on palets), however, it had to be manhandled into the house – with 150 sheets of plasterboard and 50 bags of plaster, this takes time!

Still it is all indoors now ready for tomorrow.

 

First fix electrics – almost finished

September 30, 2013 /

The first fix electrics were due to be finished last Friday.  It looks as if the electrics will be finished tomorrow (Tuesday).  This is just as well since the plasterers start on Wednesday.  The plasterers will start by boarding and plastering the ceilings before moving onto the walls.

I have no idea how much cable we have used, but it seems like a lot!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

First fix electrics are due to finish tomorrow. Just as well since the plasterers are due on Wednesday.

First fix electrics are due to finish tomorrow. Just as well since the plasterers are due on Wednesday.

Progress on the extension

September 30, 2013 /

Work continues on the blockwork and there are probably 3-4 days left before we reach roof level.

The reclaimed stone that is going to be used for the exterior skin turned up right at the end of the day.  The first job will be to “course out” the stone  – sorting it according to the height of the stone.  Stones of the same height will be used to make up the courses with the larger stones at the bottom and the smaller stones at the top.

This is going to be time-consuming process.  In the meantime, the work will continue on the blockwork.  The other factor here is the weather – it is possible to put up the blockwork in the rain, but not the reclaimed stone (the rain can wash the mortar down the front of the stones).  The weather forecast for the rest of the week is “mixed”.

There are another 3-4 courses of blocks to go before we reach roof height. The reclaimed stone for the exterior skin arrived this evening - well the first batch anyway. The exterior wall is going to be a lot slower than the blockwork.

There are another 3-4 courses of blocks to go before we reach roof height. The reclaimed stone for the exterior skin arrived this evening – well the first batch anyway. The exterior wall is going to be a lot slower than the blockwork.

At this rate, we will have a large proportion of the blockwork completed before the end of the week.

At this rate, we will have a large proportion of the blockwork completed before the end of the week.

We can't go any further with the internal wall in the kitchen as the interior wall is made up of re-used stone that we have reclaimed during the demolition. The bi-folding doors are on order.

We can’t go any further with the internal wall in the kitchen as the interior wall is made up of re-used stone that we have reclaimed during the demolition. The bi-folding doors are on order.

70 square metres of reclaimed stone. This is the first of three loads. It will be used for the exterior wall on the extension.

70 square metres of reclaimed stone. This is the first of three loads. It will be used for the exterior wall on the extension.

These are one tonne bags that have more than a tonne in them. No prizes for guessing what happens!

These are one tonne bags that have more than a tonne in them. No prizes for guessing what happens!

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