Demolition starts

On Monday the project started and the site began to take shape.  We are using T.G.Sowerby Developments from Scunthorpe as we have worked with them before and have full confidence in the team.  I know this sounds obvious but, it is really important to have a team of architects and builders with whom you can have a good relationship, so many problems that develop in building projects come when the builder client relationship breaks down. 

There has been a long process of costings, re-costings and planning revisions before the final specification was settled.  Some things, sedum roof for example, have had to go because of the cost but other exciting things have developed as ideas flowed!!   It is also vital to be clear about the plans and the budget before starting and we now have a building contract in place signed by all parties. 

From 8am onwards the site hut, toilets, equipment... oh and the all important skip all began to arrive.

The first job for the builders is to demolish the existing garden room which is to be rebuilt and knocked through into the main house to provide a new, spacious, light living room. This will have a large triple glazed corner of windows overlooking the garden. These windows are useful for passive solar gain but could also cause overheating so they will have thermal glazing and an overhang has been designed into the flat roof to shade the room from height of summer sun.

The windows are a hugely important part of this project and the subject of endless discussions, meetings, emails, costings and drawings!  We are using Olsen and really like the quality of the aluminium and wood triple glazed units they supply.  I am quite sure I will return to this in more detail in a future post.

Demolition of the garden room begins

The garden room timbers were quite rotten and the roof structure stuffed with polystyrene blocks as insulation - not very effective and a nightmare to get rid of. However progress is good and as I look out now the garden room has completely gone. Tomorrow the concrete slab will come up and the new room can begin to take shape.