Hagg Leys Farm

Category: Grounds (Page 4 of 7)

Terraces in the sunken garden

September 23, 2013 /

The concrete base and retaining walls are now finished in the sunken garden.  The blockwork will have a dry stone wall at the front.  We have bought some reclaimed stone for this purpose.  It is already coursed out – bags of 6 inch high stones and bags of 3 inch stones.  This allows us to break up the courses when building a wall – we will put in some 6 inch stones at random.  I built a small amount of test wall to make sure that it looks ok.  It is difficult to tell from such a small section, but I am sure it will look fine.

The dry stone wall will be back bedded – a small amount of mortar is used on the back of each stone to hold them in position.  Using mortar also allows us to cement in the metal (stainless steel) ties that have been left protruding from the retaining wall.

There are going to be 2 terraces in the courtyard garden. The white bags to picture right are full of reclaimed stone for the dry stone wall that will stand in front of the blockwork.

There are going to be 2 terraces in the courtyard garden. The white bags to picture right are full of reclaimed stone for the dry stone wall that will stand in front of the blockwork.

The dry stone walling stone has arrived. It has come in around 10 one tonne bags. These are easily lifted into position with the telehandler.

The dry stone walling stone has arrived. It has come in around 10 one tonne bags. These are easily lifted into position with the telehandler.

The soakaway is actaully a 15ft deep hole filled with clean rubble at the base. The rubble is covered with Visqueen (plastic) that stops fine dirt and earth from washing in and blocking up the drain.

The soakaway is actaully a 15ft deep hole filled with clean rubble at the base. The rubble is covered with Visqueen (plastic) that stops fine dirt and earth from washing in and blocking up the drain.

The land drain is installed behind the wall at the base. If any water gets caught behind the wall, it drains into the pipe and is then diverted into a soakaway. This stops water building up behind the wall and pushing it over (potentially).

The land drain is installed behind the wall at the base. If any water gets caught behind the wall, it drains into the pipe and is then diverted into a soakaway. This stops water building up behind the wall and pushing it over (potentially).

Close up of the land drain that is inserted behind the retaining wall. Any water that gathers behind the retaining wall will seem into this pipe and is then directed away from the house. The pipe eventually feeds into a soakaway - a large hole filled with rubble and then covered back over.

Close up of the land drain that is inserted behind the retaining wall. Any water that gathers behind the retaining wall will seem into this pipe and is then directed away from the house. The pipe eventually feeds into a soakaway – a large hole filled with rubble and then covered back over.

The blockwork retaining wall will have a dry stone wall at the front. The stone will be back bedded and tied into the retaining wall using stainless steel ties. This photo shows what the dry stone wall might look like. We are using local reclaimed stone.

The blockwork retaining wall will have a dry stone wall at the front. The stone will be back bedded and tied into the retaining wall using stainless steel ties. This photo shows what the dry stone wall might look like. We are using local reclaimed stone.

Retaining walls in the sunken garden

September 19, 2013 /

While I have been down in London for the past couple of days, the builders have made good progress with the retaining walls in the sunken garden.  The walls are now complete and ready for the dry stone wall to be construct in front of them.  Even the stone has arrived on site, so there is no excuse for not getting on with this work. 

While I have been down in London for the past 2 days, the builders have started (and finsihed) the retaining walls for the sunken garden.

While I have been down in London for the past 2 days, the builders have started (and finsihed) the retaining walls for the sunken garden.

This blockwork will be largely hidden by a dry stone wall at the front. There are metal ties that enable the dry stone wall to be attached to the blockwork at the back.

This blockwork will be largely hidden by a dry stone wall at the front. There are metal ties that enable the dry stone wall to be attached to the blockwork at the back.

The coil of black pipe is a "land drain" that will be inserted behind the wall. The pipe has holes in it allowing water to seep in. This will prevent any water that gathers behind the wall to seep into the pipe and run away into a soak away.

The coil of black pipe is a “land drain” that will be inserted behind the wall. The pipe has holes in it allowing water to seep in. This will prevent any water that gathers behind the wall to seep into the pipe and run away into a soak away.

This arrived while I was away in London. There are two bags with 6 inch courses, but the rest is largely 3 inch. This enables us to break up the courses a bit when building the wall.

This arrived while I was away in London. There are two bags with 6 inch courses, but the rest is largely 3 inch. This enables us to break up the courses a bit when building the wall.

This is the first stone that we have imported for building dry stone walls. It will be used to face the blockwork in the sunken garden. It is much better than any of the other stone we have been using to build dry stone walls with.

This is the first stone that we have imported for building dry stone walls. It will be used to face the blockwork in the sunken garden. It is much better than any of the other stone we have been using to build dry stone walls with.

Pouring the concrete for the retaining walls

September 16, 2013 /

There are going to be a couple of retaining walls built out of concrete blocks in the courtyard garden.  You can see the 3D view of the courtyard garden here.

There will be a dry stone wall in front of the blockwork, but the blockwork is there to ensure that the soil doesn’t push the wall over. Since we are on bedrock, there is hardly any need for the concrete, however, it does provide a level surface from which to build the retaining wall.  This was the same concrete pump that we used to lay the foundations for the extension.

Half way through pouring the concrete, it started to rain. 

The chap on the left is remotely controlling the boom arm on the concrete pump. The pump has reached over the house and is pouring the concrete in the back garden.

The chap on the left is remotely controlling the boom arm on the concrete pump. The pump has reached over the house and is pouring the concrete in the back garden.

Pouring the concrete for the retaining walls in the garden.

Pouring the concrete for the retaining walls in the garden.

Just in case you ever thought that working on a building site was fun! And yes, it does rain in Yorkshire. A lot.

Just in case you ever thought that working on a building site was fun! And yes, it does rain in Yorkshire. A lot.

Foundations for the garden walls

September 11, 2013 /

Before the excavators are returned, we have been doing some tidying up.  This has included reinstating bits of the top soil and digging the footings for the retaining walls in the garden.  I am quite keen to return parts of the site back to it’s original condition asap.  This way the grass will have a chance to re-establish itself before we move in (otherwise, it will be like living on a building site).

We have also started stacking all the blocks ready for when the extension starts to get built.

We have dug out the footings for the retaining wall in the sunken garden. There will be a dry stone wall in front of the retaining wall. We will build the dry stone wall ourselves.

We have dug out the footings for the retaining wall in the sunken garden. There will be a dry stone wall in front of the retaining wall. We will build the dry stone wall ourselves.

It rained this afternoon and there is nothing more miserable than a wet building site. The blocks are all stacked ready to start building the extension.

It rained this afternoon and there is nothing more miserable than a wet building site. The blocks are all stacked ready to start building the extension.

Topsoil and re-seeding

September 11, 2013 /

More of the top soil has gone down today.  One of our next jobs will be to re-seed this area.  The seed arrived today.

We are using grass seed that is specifically intended for reinstatement after groundworks.  I didn’t know there was such a thing, but you will find the description here. I only ordered online at the weekend and we should hopefully be in a position to re-seed part of the field this weekend (weather permitting).  It looks as if a 25kg of grass seed should be enough to re-seed all of the top field.  We need to get going as grass stops growing once the temperature drops below 5C.

We have re-layed a lot of the top soil on the area of the field that it is unlikely to get used over the next few months. Next step is to re-seed it. Hopefully, we will get around to it this weekend (weather permitting).

We have re-layed a lot of the top soil on the area of the field that it is unlikely to get used over the next few months. Next step is to re-seed it. Hopefully, we will get around to it this weekend (weather permitting).

With any luck, this 25kg bag of grass seed should be enough to reinstated the top field. We will see. I hope that we will be able to re-seed the field this week. This will give the grass half a chance of germinating before the winter sets in.

With any luck, this 25kg bag of grass seed should be enough to reinstated the top field. We will see. I hope that we will be able to re-seed the field this week. This will give the grass half a chance of germinating before the winter sets in.

Re-laying the top soil

September 11, 2013 /

All of the ground loops for the ground source heat pump have been covered.  The ground loops were  pressurised to 1 bar when they were installed.  And there are still pressurised to 1 bar after the soil has been put back.  At least we know that none of the pipes have damaged while the soil has been reinstated.

We are going to re-lay the topsoil on those areas of the field away from the builder’s cabin and the house.  We can then re-seed this part of the field and it will have the opportunity to the grass to grow before the winter sets in.  I am guessing that we will reseed at least 1/3 of the field (around 450 sqm) in the next few days (weather permitting).

The view from the soil pile - we are relaying the top soil on the far part of the field.

The view from the soil pile – we are relaying the top soil on the far part of the field.

We are going to be putting the topsoil back down on the area of the field away from the builder's cabin and the house. We will relay the rest of the topsoil, once the building work is finished.

We are going to be putting the topsoil back down on the area of the field away from the builder’s cabin and the house. We will relay the rest of the topsoil, once the building work is finished.

The subsoil has been tracked in and levelled. There are 1000m of pipe under this particular patch of the field.

The subsoil has been tracked in and levelled. There are 1000m of pipe under this particular patch of the field.

Back filling the ground loops

September 9, 2013 /

We have spent most of today back filling the land after installing the ground loops last week.  We have installed 1800m of ground loops in the field adjacent to the house.  This has been a mammoth task since it has involved removing all of the topsoil and subsoil from this field, installing the pipes and then back filling the field.

Today, the last of the pipes were covered up.  Hopefully, we will not be seeing these again for a very long time.  The pipework has been pressurised while we have been backfilling. If any of the pipes get damaged, the pressure would drop immediately.  Fortunately, the pressure has remained exactly the same throughout.

I took some time lapse video of backfilling the field today.  You will find it here on YouTube.

We have made some serious progress today on reducing the size of the spoil heap. All of the subsoil is back down.

We have made some serious progress today on reducing the size of the spoil heap. All of the subsoil is back down.

This is probably the last we will see of the ground loops. Hopefully. Covered with light grey sand and then buried under the subsoil.

This is probably the last we will see of the ground loops. Hopefully. Covered with light grey sand and then buried under the subsoil.

Last 1000m of ground loops installed

September 5, 2013 /

The last 1km of ground loops were installed today for the ground source heat pump.  We thought we might have run out of space, but much to our surprise, it all fitted with a little bit of space to spare.  Phew. This was some welcome good news as we thought we might need to dig up even more land. 

Tomorrow, we can start filling it all back in!

All of the remaining 1000m of pipe have been installed today. We thought there might not have been enough room, but it all fitted in with a bit to spare.

All of the remaining 1000m of pipe have been installed today. We thought there might not have been enough room, but it all fitted in with a bit to spare.

The stones and bricks are just used to weigh the pipes down while being installed. The stones will be removed before being covered with sand.

The stones and bricks are just used to weigh the pipes down while being installed. The stones will be removed before being covered with sand.

This is the third of the three manholes which houses the last 600m of ground loops.

This is the third of the three manholes which houses the last 600m of ground loops.

Getting ready to install the last 1000m of ground loops

September 4, 2013 /

Now the last part of the field has been excavated, we need to lay sand on the bottom of the hole to protect the pipes that will be laid on top.

By the time we have finished, we will have use almost 200 tonnes of sand.

At the moment, this part of the field more closely resembles a beach!

I just hope that it is going to be big enough to take the remaining pipework.

This has to be the largest expanse of sand in Holmfirth. We reckon it is somewhere between 800-900 sqm.

This has to be the largest expanse of sand in Holmfirth. We reckon it is somewhere between 800-900 sqm.

Sand is put on the bottom of the excavated ground to protect the pipework. More sand will be put on top of the pipes before the subsoil is re-instated.

Sand is put on the bottom of the excavated ground to protect the pipework. More sand will be put on top of the pipes before the subsoil is re-instated.

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Concrete floors and ground loops

September 3, 2013 /

We have made some good progress today.  The concrete floors in the extension have been laid.  The concrete was poured first thing this morning and by “going home” time it was possible to walk on it.

We have also finished excavating the land for the ground loops.  This is just as well since we seem to be running out of space to put all of the spoil.  Tomorrow we will put down sand on the base of the area and on Thursday, we will install a 1000m of pipework for the ground loops.  We aren’t entirely sure if we have the space, but we will only find out when we try.  Let’s see what happens later in the week.

We started pouring the concrete first thing this morning and by close of business we could walk on it.

We started pouring the concrete first thing this morning and by close of business we could walk on it.

Tomorrow we need to put around 60 tonnes of sand on the bottom of this patch of land before installing the ground loops for the ground source heat pump on Thursday.

Tomorrow we need to put around 60 tonnes of sand on the bottom of this patch of land before installing the ground loops for the ground source heat pump on Thursday.

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