....is most definitely all about concrete - Fred eat your heart out!
and then this happened..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39yco2i9Uas
That brings an end to Phase 2 - the Groundworks.....
Right - off to Norfolk to let the concrete dry out.
Friday, 30 September 2011
Day 19
....is most definitely all about concrete - Fred eat your heart out!
Its only 8.30am and we already have this parked up ready for action - apparently its a concrete pump...
and then this happened..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39yco2i9Uas
That brings an end to Phase 2 - the Groundworks.....
Right - off to Norfolk to let the concrete dry out.
....is most definitely all about concrete - Fred eat your heart out!
and then this happened..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39yco2i9Uas
That brings an end to Phase 2 - the Groundworks.....
Right - off to Norfolk to let the concrete dry out.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Day 18
Flushed with the success of their win at Poker last night - Paul and Jo 90 set about filing all our piles with a runny concrete mixture. They are lovely people, so nice to have around and have done a brilliant job!
They are in a Pool competition tonight. I had no idea that Hemel was so exciting!
The blue marker things are important - sadly I wasn't listening carefully enough to understand why! However its all very neat and tidy.
P has got a bit carried away with his video credits, but here is today's action..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMiuYQRKj6k
Tomorrow they fill the earthworks with concrete, 9 cubic metres worth, which = 1 and a half lorries worth - messy!....
Flushed with the success of their win at Poker last night - Paul and Jo 90 set about filing all our piles with a runny concrete mixture. They are lovely people, so nice to have around and have done a brilliant job!
They are in a Pool competition tonight. I had no idea that Hemel was so exciting!
The blue marker things are important - sadly I wasn't listening carefully enough to understand why! However its all very neat and tidy.
P has got a bit carried away with his video credits, but here is today's action..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMiuYQRKj6k
Tomorrow they fill the earthworks with concrete, 9 cubic metres worth, which = 1 and a half lorries worth - messy!....
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Day 17
Last day of piling....'shuttering' done by Pearson boys and last few piles sunk. We are being asked to make decisions like wet room vs shower room, doors etc, so things are shaping up!
(Brought Heston Blumenthal Christams Pudding! I'm not going to get caught out this year!)
They worked away until 5.30pm, but that is the noisy bit done! Phew!
Heres the last pile going in....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFB5-D7L-xw
So now it looks like this......hopefully the last we shall see of piles and ring beams...
EGM of WineSoc last night with Cowleys and Phillips's - great company and some fabulous and interesting wine tasting...
Last day of piling....'shuttering' done by Pearson boys and last few piles sunk. We are being asked to make decisions like wet room vs shower room, doors etc, so things are shaping up!
(Brought Heston Blumenthal Christams Pudding! I'm not going to get caught out this year!)
They worked away until 5.30pm, but that is the noisy bit done! Phew!
Heres the last pile going in....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFB5-D7L-xw
So now it looks like this......hopefully the last we shall see of piles and ring beams...
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Day 16
....is totally about piling. Our new friends Paul and Jo 90 from Doncaster had spent a good night in their B and B in Hemel (£20/night!) and started 8.30am promptly. They pile, make ring beams, shovel mud.....relentlessly. I make tea and biscuits! Big Ian and little Ian from Pearsons pop in and out to check on proceedings!
Sadly, they will not be done tonight - as the piles have been 10.5m today...and Pearsons need to do some 'shuttering' round a hole they made? Still we have nice tidy trenches full of metalwork etc where they have finished! Pilers are happy - its half price steak night in the pub near their B and B! (Read all their comments with a Peter Kaye accent!)
GEEK alert for the next lot of photos....interesting only to engineers I fear!
Went to see James Corden in 'One Man and Two Guvernors' @ The Waterside Theatre Aylesbury, fresh from the West End - just SO funny! That man is amazing. Brilliant seats right near the front...to be recommended! Catch it if you can.
....is totally about piling. Our new friends Paul and Jo 90 from Doncaster had spent a good night in their B and B in Hemel (£20/night!) and started 8.30am promptly. They pile, make ring beams, shovel mud.....relentlessly. I make tea and biscuits! Big Ian and little Ian from Pearsons pop in and out to check on proceedings!
Sadly, they will not be done tonight - as the piles have been 10.5m today...and Pearsons need to do some 'shuttering' round a hole they made? Still we have nice tidy trenches full of metalwork etc where they have finished! Pilers are happy - its half price steak night in the pub near their B and B! (Read all their comments with a Peter Kaye accent!)
GEEK alert for the next lot of photos....interesting only to engineers I fear!
Went to see James Corden in 'One Man and Two Guvernors' @ The Waterside Theatre Aylesbury, fresh from the West End - just SO funny! That man is amazing. Brilliant seats right near the front...to be recommended! Catch it if you can.
Monday, 26 September 2011
Day 15
Bit worried as no show by anyone till 10am...new team of pilers - noisy!
However, they have been v quick and have completed 5 piles today. Apparently the land is harder the nearer to the road you get so the piles don't have to be so deep. Just 7M now. They are happy, but have compressor issues. We are getting a replacement tomorrow.
Digging should be done by the end of the day tomorrow!!
Here's today's video - mainly delivery of more iron work (ring beam reinforcements in the making!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEVhYbSXSA0
All good!
Bit worried as no show by anyone till 10am...new team of pilers - noisy!
However, they have been v quick and have completed 5 piles today. Apparently the land is harder the nearer to the road you get so the piles don't have to be so deep. Just 7M now. They are happy, but have compressor issues. We are getting a replacement tomorrow.
Digging should be done by the end of the day tomorrow!!
Here's today's video - mainly delivery of more iron work (ring beam reinforcements in the making!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEVhYbSXSA0
All good!
Days 13 and 14
Busy weekend on family stuff, no building works!
Adam and Amanda's wedding party
swiftly followed by Nicks half marathon
All great fun, good to catch up with Hudgell family, and to meet Nicks friends for post run extended lunch.
Finished the weekend with 'One Day' at the Rex....so bland/wooden, (I just didn't care really what happened to either of them!), but amazingly didn't fall asleep...was in bed though by 9.30pm
Busy weekend on family stuff, no building works!
Adam and Amanda's wedding party
swiftly followed by Nicks half marathon
All great fun, good to catch up with Hudgell family, and to meet Nicks friends for post run extended lunch.
Finished the weekend with 'One Day' at the Rex....so bland/wooden, (I just didn't care really what happened to either of them!), but amazingly didn't fall asleep...was in bed though by 9.30pm
Friday, 23 September 2011
Day 12
Surprise No. 2: Pilers only work a half day on Fridays! They arrived at 7.45am and were gone by 12.30pm. Downside...only 1 and half piles dug today....Upside - I can hang my washing up outside for a change, for all the world to see as they walk past!
What a wonderfully peaceful afternoon...french doors open, lovely and sunny and no builders - so peaceful. even the noise of Heathrow, the M25 and helicopters going to Chequers seem comparatively quiet!
Happy Friday!!
Surprise No. 2: Pilers only work a half day on Fridays! They arrived at 7.45am and were gone by 12.30pm. Downside...only 1 and half piles dug today....Upside - I can hang my washing up outside for a change, for all the world to see as they walk past!
What a wonderfully peaceful afternoon...french doors open, lovely and sunny and no builders - so peaceful. even the noise of Heathrow, the M25 and helicopters going to Chequers seem comparatively quiet!
Happy Friday!!
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Day 11
Surprise No. 1: Pilers arrive at 7.30am! All the way from Doncaster! Don't we have local pilers?
We also have an AC (amazing coincidence) - not only is chief builder called Ian (big Ian), as is his the site foreman (little Ian), chief piler is another Ian. How many more Ians can we collect on the project? Cowley?!
Ready for action.....
And so it went on all day...3 piles done. The constant vibration of the house, whilst almost imperceptible, doesnt do anything for my chakras!
I escaped to Yoga and wine course in London...P maintained his role of site manager! they are back tomorrow at 8am! Neighbours have all been apologised to, so far they are all being very pleasant about it!
P 's video of the day ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4KdUNptQnU
Surprise No. 1: Pilers arrive at 7.30am! All the way from Doncaster! Don't we have local pilers?
We also have an AC (amazing coincidence) - not only is chief builder called Ian (big Ian), as is his the site foreman (little Ian), chief piler is another Ian. How many more Ians can we collect on the project? Cowley?!
Ready for action.....
And so it went on all day...3 piles done. The constant vibration of the house, whilst almost imperceptible, doesnt do anything for my chakras!
I escaped to Yoga and wine course in London...P maintained his role of site manager! they are back tomorrow at 8am! Neighbours have all been apologised to, so far they are all being very pleasant about it!
P 's video of the day ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4KdUNptQnU
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Day 10
Its been quiet here today, just little Ian digging another drainage hole at the far end of the works.
Pilers due tomorrow.
Bricks chosen, they appear to look a pretty good match.
S came for a site survey and quizzed us on levels...all in hand!
Skip removed, driveway seems usable again - ready for whatever piling equipment arrives!
The works.....
Fingers crossed that piling commences tomorrow. Builders seem anxious to get that bit out of the way, I guess because its out of their control...subcontracting. They will be happier once its done.
PS: Started reading 'The Red Queen' by Phillipa Gregory....it sent me to sleep and so has been abandoned! Next up 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop, despite S's disapproval - I will make up my own mind!
Its been quiet here today, just little Ian digging another drainage hole at the far end of the works.
Pilers due tomorrow.
Bricks chosen, they appear to look a pretty good match.
S came for a site survey and quizzed us on levels...all in hand!
Skip removed, driveway seems usable again - ready for whatever piling equipment arrives!
The works.....
Fingers crossed that piling commences tomorrow. Builders seem anxious to get that bit out of the way, I guess because its out of their control...subcontracting. They will be happier once its done.
PS: Started reading 'The Red Queen' by Phillipa Gregory....it sent me to sleep and so has been abandoned! Next up 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop, despite S's disapproval - I will make up my own mind!
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Day 9
Today seems largely to be about drains...the trenches have been dug out a bit more, and water pipes tracked. Explicit instructions not to use loos, dishwashers etc for the next hour or so....fine I think....go to the loo and then flush it! DOH! Its so automatic. Luckily, little Ian and Michael not too pissed off....'awkward'!
I retreat indoors and read a book for the afternoon - The Small Hand (A Ghost Story) by Susan Hill - not a major literary work, but it passed the time!
They installed a new drain for the shower room in the extension, and then covered it all up! As a result the pics don't look much different from yesterday, but little Ian is 'glad to have got the job done'.
...and here is P's video diary for today - I think that he is getting carried away with his production techniques!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Today seems largely to be about drains...the trenches have been dug out a bit more, and water pipes tracked. Explicit instructions not to use loos, dishwashers etc for the next hour or so....fine I think....go to the loo and then flush it! DOH! Its so automatic. Luckily, little Ian and Michael not too pissed off....'awkward'!
I retreat indoors and read a book for the afternoon - The Small Hand (A Ghost Story) by Susan Hill - not a major literary work, but it passed the time!
They installed a new drain for the shower room in the extension, and then covered it all up! As a result the pics don't look much different from yesterday, but little Ian is 'glad to have got the job done'.
...and here is P's video diary for today - I think that he is getting carried away with his production techniques!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Monday, 19 September 2011
Day 8
Digging recommenced 7.30am sharp!
And the whole day has been a bit like Time Team...no treasures, but a water pipe that no one is certain about - is it ours? It runs the wrong way, loads of brick and rubble and 2 large oil drums filled with cement! We remember now that they used to have long poles in them supporting the overhead power cables. Thank you Berkeley Homes for not clearing up your rubbish!
Its also a bit damp...Mmmmmm...do we have a leak somewhere?
Digging recommenced 7.30am sharp!
And the whole day has been a bit like Time Team...no treasures, but a water pipe that no one is certain about - is it ours? It runs the wrong way, loads of brick and rubble and 2 large oil drums filled with cement! We remember now that they used to have long poles in them supporting the overhead power cables. Thank you Berkeley Homes for not clearing up your rubbish!
Its also a bit damp...Mmmmmm...do we have a leak somewhere?
....and then of course Patrick's edited video highlights - great if you like watching a professional digger in action!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIf4GaXlnKo
Finished 'Tales of the City' by Armistead Maupin - brilliant - now have 7 more in the series to read!
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Days 6 and 7
Its the weekend and we are enjoying the peace and quiet of no builders! We have full control of the driveway! Nice!
I went to Birmingham yesterday to help install Florence at Uni. Lovely flat, friendly flatmates and the Uni looks good. She will have a grand time I'm sure. Just 10 years since James started at Bristol. What a lot has happened in the intervening years....much success and happiness, and also such sadness....but we are all the 'richer' for it.
What will the next 10 years involve?...a new extension for starters!
Its the weekend and we are enjoying the peace and quiet of no builders! We have full control of the driveway! Nice!
I went to Birmingham yesterday to help install Florence at Uni. Lovely flat, friendly flatmates and the Uni looks good. She will have a grand time I'm sure. Just 10 years since James started at Bristol. What a lot has happened in the intervening years....much success and happiness, and also such sadness....but we are all the 'richer' for it.
What will the next 10 years involve?...a new extension for starters!
Friday, 16 September 2011
Day 5
Another sunny day - we have been lucky - digging.....3 skip fulls of our precious bucks clay/rubbish soil have gone to a new home....
Ian, Ian, Michael , Elliot and Dickie the digger have been so pleasant, courteous, non invasive....long may it last!
No buried treasure just yet!
All according to plan...long may it last!
Another sunny day - we have been lucky - digging.....3 skip fulls of our precious bucks clay/rubbish soil have gone to a new home....
Ian, Ian, Michael , Elliot and Dickie the digger have been so pleasant, courteous, non invasive....long may it last!
No buried treasure just yet!
All according to plan...long may it last!
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Day 4
The digging commences.....
...and now...no back passage, and markers where the decking is to extend to...
The digging commences.....
...and then the skip arrived...
And then if you have 6 minutes ( P will have to learn how to edit his videos) you can watch the mastery of Dickie the Digger driver - all traces of the log cabin now gone, and we have no usable back door - so 3 months of trailing the rubbish through the house....Not certain how I feel about his!
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Day 3
We are out all day....leave in the morning shed walls still standing, back at 5 to this!
The garden looks HUGE!!
Excellent - Phase 1 completed!
P obviously anxious re security! No back gate to lock!
We missed the builders, but presumably excavations start tomorrow!
No sadness about decommissioning, just excitement re next phase. Glad to be shot of it!
Builders loo still at a jaunty angle....
We are out all day....leave in the morning shed walls still standing, back at 5 to this!
The garden looks HUGE!!
P obviously anxious re security! No back gate to lock!
We missed the builders, but presumably excavations start tomorrow!
No sadness about decommissioning, just excitement re next phase. Glad to be shot of it!
Builders loo still at a jaunty angle....
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Day 2
Patrick has written today's copy....
''Well the roof of the log cabin is finally off and now we have a new addition to the front garden. It isn't what I would call "en-suite" but it is at a very jaunty angle. I hope they told the builders not to lean sideways when they are using it!''
I think that they underestimated the thoroughness of the original log cabin builders! Its only Day 2 and its already taking longer than they thought!
Bit dull, but here is a vid of this mornings activity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Patrick has written today's copy....
''Well the roof of the log cabin is finally off and now we have a new addition to the front garden. It isn't what I would call "en-suite" but it is at a very jaunty angle. I hope they told the builders not to lean sideways when they are using it!''
I think that they underestimated the thoroughness of the original log cabin builders! Its only Day 2 and its already taking longer than they thought!
Bit dull, but here is a vid of this mornings activity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Monday, 12 September 2011
Day 1
Sunny and windy and builders arrive just before 9am - good start! They have spent the day, painstakingly taking the log cabin apart. Zero stress on our part...it has opened up the garden a treat! Biggest problem is car placement - what's the betting we get at least one parking ticket (no cars allowed on these roads between 11-12 each day) before the end of the project!
Sunny and windy and builders arrive just before 9am - good start! They have spent the day, painstakingly taking the log cabin apart. Zero stress on our part...it has opened up the garden a treat! Biggest problem is car placement - what's the betting we get at least one parking ticket (no cars allowed on these roads between 11-12 each day) before the end of the project!
P managed to take a video of proceedings....http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I have asked Russell, the Yoga Master, whether it is auspicious to start such a project on a Full Moon day ...he will check it out and report back on Thursday!
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