Storm Gertrude takes a toll on the building programme........

Well, we really have had a very good run at this project with hardly any hold ups for bad weather.  However, the high winds from the recent storms have given us some problems this week.  On Wednesday the aluminium/zinc cladding was delivered and the the installation started.  However, handling long strips of metal high up on scaffolding in windy conditions is a health and safety nightmare so the front section of the roof has been completed but work has now stopped until the winds die down. It may be the middle of next week before they can get started again.

The first delivery of cladding

The cladding we are using for the new extension to the house is  Vieo - this is a cheaper alternative to zinc and, because the aluminium is coated in a zinc powder, should give a similar effect.  The builders are able to get on with the outside battening and insulation in preparation for the larch cladding which, together with a panel cladding by Marley Equitone Pictura in Moonstone and Deep Purple, goes on the existing part of the house. The idea of using different materials is to make quite explicit which part of the house is the 2016 extension. The pitch of the new roof at the back of the house is also very shallow and so this metal finish is ideal where tiles would not work.

 

Work inside continues at a great pace sheltered now from the worst of the wind and rain.  The upstairs extension is now insulated, and dry lined and you can already feel the difference in there even without the windows which are due to be installed from 8th February.


The kitchen and master bathroom first fix of electrics is almost done and we had to make lots of decisions this week about the exact siting of the kitchen island unit, power points, mirrors in the bathroom and attendant lights etc. etc.   The decisions are never ending is a really good job that we are decisive people and that we agree on what we want to happen - well most of the time!!



Our living conditions are interesting, to say the least, but we are getting warmer as more and more insulation goes on and once the windows go in we should feel a big difference.  We won't get our central heating back on for some weeks yet.  We expect to be another month without a proper kitchen too but luckily we have many good friends who take pity on us and local pubs!  

The bench seating which we saved from the original breakfast area is going to be cut down and remodelled as a window seat inder the new lowered window.

As the project gathers pace we are also getting to some of the nice bits like choosing radiators, carpets, colours and bathroom fittings. 
 

This carpet by Ulster Carpets (Boho range) has been made into a large rug in the dining room and the colour scheme for the rest of the ground floor is based upon it.

Today we have been making even more decsions about the security alarm and about where we want TV points etc. I have a spread sheet - (in fact we have several spreadsheets for different things like keeping track of the budget etc.) - my spreadsheet is to keep track, on a room by room basis, of the decisions we make re fittings and finishes. It is invaluable!
 

Wow! What a difference a week makes.......

We took a cheeky winter holiday and got out of the way of the builders for a week and my word they took advantage of that opportunity!

A reminder of what we are aiming for..........

 

List of jobs accomplished while we were away

• All but one of the steel lintels are installed and all bar one of the new openings between rooms created. 
• Kitchen fully opened up and the old chimney removed completely - roof to floor.
• Kitchen floor infilled with concrete ready for the latex self-levelling screed next week.
• New drain dug through the back lobby and storeroom
• First floor remodelled with stud walls and doorways moved to create new store and entrance to master bedroom extension and the spare bedroom - Henry's old room is no more.
• All the insulation is in the walls of the new extension (more on this below) and the external membrane is on and ready for the aluminium/zinc coated cladding (Vieo by Euroclad) which begins to be installed on Monday - more about this next week
• First fix electrical done in the new extension
• Floor screed down in the garden room extension and levelled to meet existing.

 Phew!!!

On the downside we have no central heating at the moment and no kitchen - however, as we are only living in 3 rooms we can keep those warm with the open fire and electric heaters.

We also have to get cracking with final decisions about certain aspects of the lighting, kitchen and bathroom fittings and get them ordered so we are not holding up the build. A weekend of planning ahead of us I think!

The kitchen is looking pretty clear now so here are some before and after (hopefully) pics

The size of the new window can be seen here - it will be lower than the original with  window seat under

Artist's impression looking from the same point as the picture below

 

We have some key dates in the program firmed up and the really good news is that the windows have been fabricated and are ready for installation on the 8th February - that same day we start replacing the old concrete tile roof covering with a new slate one.

The mechanical ventilation and heat recovery kit has been delivered by CVC Direct and is awaiting installation.  Next week we have to agree the routes for all the ducting - this is easy in the new build parts of the house but more of a challenge in the original part.

 

Now for some geeky bits! 

 

The insulation board that we are using is  Xtratherm (on the left of the pic above - really thick) this is being used in the new extension between the timber framing with chipboard and plasterboard over.  To the right here you can see this taking shape in one of the new bedrooms.

We are also using  Kingspan Kooltherm - I think this is for extra layer of insulation where we have existing filled cavity or block walls. We are looking to achieve U values of around 0.2 W/m²k - building regs want 0.3. To give you an idea of the improvement our previous house (Victorian) had an uninsulated solid brick wall with a U-value of around 2.70!! 



No wonder it was cold...and then there were the drafts (especially the sash windows and where the walls and floorboards met) - drafts will be banished here because we are aiming for a pretty airtight construction!

Fabric First - it is all about the envelope!! Hopefully this will lead to some serious savings on our energy bills and a lovely comfortable living environment - once we get the job finished!! 

Great progress and more vintage finds.....

Progress continues to be good however we are now down to 3 habitable rooms and a bathroom and will have to get used to living with all our belongings piled up around us.  We have removed lots of old carpets and the underlay has proved to be especially useful under the butyl pond liner for our new wildlife pond.  The pond is now filling up gradually - and, with the amount of rain we have been having, it shouldn't take too long. Then all that is left to do is to trim the liner into shape, find a good solar pump and fountain kit, and landscape it in the Spring.

Back to the building work and the old redundant chimney and flue are being removed from the top down and this meant Henry's bedroom became uninhabitable with soot and a hole in the ceiling - after a couple of nights sleeping on the settee he will be glad to be going back to Uni tomorrow!

Henry's room with flue removal and new bedroom
 visible through the window
 (Henry's room becomes a storage room and corridor)

The wall through to the new part of the master bedroom has come down and the boarding is going onto the walls of the new extension.  Lots of insulation panels have been delivered and those will go on next. 

Below - View from master bedroom window

View through to master en-suite as boarding goes on and the rooms take shape. 

Demolition of the old kitchen continues  - we are keeping wood window sills and wood panels and details for re-use wherever we can.  The original bench seated breakfast area has been carefully removed - we want to re-use the bench seating in the new kitchen - but look at the heating pipes we found underneath - a heated breakfast area - luxury!!!

 

The old breakfast area

Heating pipes revealed under the seats!

View from what will be the location of the breakfast table through the new kitchen space. More of the old kitchen, and the big chimney breast, still to clear.






The two small bedrooms at the front of the house have been knocked together now and form one lovely light room. All th fittings from the built in wardrobes have been saved so that they can be re-used in our new dressing room.

 

Finally I have some more great vintage finds on Ebay too with the purchase of a walnut dressing table and stool - 1960s Gunther Hoffstead for Heals.  This was from sweet-vintage.com

They are back........!

....and don't we know it.  Two days into the new year and things have really changed dramatically as demolition begins.  We have been busy clearing rooms and taking up old carpets ready for the knocking through of bedrooms - (all the old underlay is going to line our new pond under the butyl)

This will become part of the new master bedroom when knocked through to join up with some of the new build. 

The builders meanwhile have attacked the old laundry room and corridor all of which will become part of the new much larger kitchen.  The main trials are noise, dust storms and trying to keep the dog safe. The progress is great!

 

The old chimney breast below has to come out completely - it was where the original 
house boiler would have been housed. 

More walls to knock down in the next couple of days but the new kitchen should look great in this much larger open space.

New kitchen plan

In the meantime ... and for several weeks to come, we will be operating from this temporary kitchen in the dining room (microwave still to come) - CUTE!! - or maybe eating out quite a lot!

 

Temporary kitchen!