Could this really be the last of the cement in this side of the house? The brick and cement wall built on the side of the chimney breast to support the tie beam can now be removed. The tie beam has been extended and built back into the wall and steels added to strengthen it,… Continue reading Last of the cement?
Category: Roof
It’s a goddamn monsoon!
The day started hot and muggy and by lunchtime we experienced the most severe storm this year, just like a tropical monsoon! It came through the tin roof on the scaffolding, through the windows, doors and walls, sometimes pouring, sometimes dripping, but almost everything got a soaking. In the morning Tom started pointing the sitting… Continue reading It’s a goddamn monsoon!
A very messy process…
Tom is fast becoming an expert at fitting these steel bars (commonly known as ‘Helibars’). This is a process for ‘stitching’ cracks in old masonry that is recognised and approved by conservation officers as it minimises any damage to the original fabric of the building. The steel bars get hidden between the stones, like an… Continue reading A very messy process…
Magnificent cutting machines
It was a very noisy morning with these two. Tom cutting stone and Dan cutting steel. Very cool toys though, I want one. Tom is filling in the gaps in the stonework today (he has run out of steel bars for now). All the fiddly little bits that need attention. This is the chimney breast… Continue reading Magnificent cutting machines
The last corner?
The last corner! Or is it…? It’s the last corner in the older part of the house, but there is a corner in the dining room (the side of the house we are tackling in phase two) which Martin, our structural engineer, wants Tom to fix in this phase, annoyingly for Tom… Like all the… Continue reading The last corner?
Going topless
Another full on day! The sun is shining, it’s Dan’s birthday and the roof is coming off……. This has been a long time coming, it was planned for week 2 before we discovered the state of the walls and corners and before we found ‘The Chasm’. So 5 weeks later than planned, all the steel… Continue reading Going topless
Plumbing begins
The plumbing first fix began this morning with Billy and Andy installing the water pipes for the new bathroom and the radiators. We had no services in this side of the house at all, so the only pipework was old pipework for the radiators, and that was too narrow and pretty furred up with orange… Continue reading Plumbing begins
Exhaustion kicks in
Monday morning after a very tiring weekend kicked off before 8am with Tom and Dan back (thank god) and the oak for the new dormer windows being delivered. Our plumbers Billy and Andy then arrived to begin the first fix for the pipework to the new bathroom and the new radiators. Lots of discussions were… Continue reading Exhaustion kicks in
The big clean up
The day we were not looking forward to has arrived… BUT Colin arrived with not one but two compressors with air lines! So also thank you Phil who owns the second one. We tested them out and OH MY GOD it works an absolute treat!!! Our arms and backs are saved. The plan of attack… Continue reading The big clean up
Soda blasting, day 2
David and Neil are back, have finished off the ground floor and are moving up to the first floor. We gave up on the cleaning last night. There is little point until they have finished as each day everything gets covered in a thick layer of white dust. We are so pleased with how these… Continue reading Soda blasting, day 2