Work Progresses...
No photos this week, as there is not much new to show, although work has carried on, mainly though with stuff you just can't see.
The pillars are now all poured, including the ones for the main entrance porch. Next up this week will be the placing of the lintels over the windows and doors. This should be quite interesting, as the main patio doors have an almost 4 meter span. I suspect a very large chunk of iron-ware will be used here, rather than a pre-formed off the shelf lintel. The other doors and windows are all 'standard' sizes, so they are most likely just going to be dropped into place, having been fabricated off site, or even perhaps bought off the shelf.
After that is done... well, I am not quite sure what happens next! At some point the floors have got to be poured, and it would (to me) make sense if that was done before the upper structures started to go on. But we will see. I'll be asking my project manager next time we are in touch.
As the summer progresses we are running into higher temperatures and of course the festivals that seem to come around with alarming regularity (for a Brit.). So of course, both of these things are going to have some impact on the rate of progress. Once we get above the mid 20's temperature, it goes without saying that construction work is a hard and sweaty business. I'm sure afternoon breaks will be extended. And who can object. These guys are not working in an air conditioned office!
So that's all to report from the build....
Meanwhile, a couple of things have been happening at home: As I mentioned in my last interim post, I got some more money out of the country. Really, it had to be done. I went to transfer the balance of the building costs the other day, and both Lloyds and the Halifax had 'problems' with their transfers and faster payments. I can only surmise that they might have been trying to prevent a run on the bank post the latest Brexit news, which continues to be a complete jerk-about.
My intention this weekend was to start on a clearance of my garage here in the UK, ready to store moving items, and so I could make sense and clearance of the house. But, unfortunately this couldn't be done as to be honest it has just been too hot both outside and under the tin roof of the garage.
It's a job that needs doing though, now that the Lotus has been sold, and there is a big empty but dusty and cobwebbed space there. Also, at the back of the garage is enough 'tat' and rubbish to fill a disposal skip. So that's got to be done too.
Once I have clear space I can sort out things for sale and try and raise a few bob with a garage sale. It is amazing just how much crud you collect over the years.
So, since that job was a non starter, I did at least make a go of starting to clear out my wardrobes. Now this is really sad. When you have to throw out anything that says "Large" and only keep stuff that says "Extra Large" (or indeed above).
So I have got massive piles of clothes for disposal - I was quite harsh, and anything that I have not worn for a year is now in the dump pile. I have also binned all suits, all funeral gear and all formal heavy overcoats.... oh, and ties and white shirts. Sod it, since my dad died, I'm not doing any more funerals, and that is the only time I wear a tie and suit....
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Planning fitment of the house has gone on, getting into a few further details:
One of the pressing issues was access to the under stairs storage. I think I mentioned this in last weeks post.... After having a word with my project manager to check viability, it is decided to put the access to this area from the entrance lobby rather than from the living area.
Two good reasons really; first it will make the living room wall more aesthetically pleasing - no interruptions by doors, and secondly, a larger twin louvered door can be implemented from the entrance lobby, which will give easier access, and provide a space for shoes and boots etc.
Heres a section of the plan showing double louvered doors to access under the stairs. The maximum door height can only be just over a meter, but makes a nice place for bags and shoes, cases and cleaning products etc.
This is a view from the open front door - difficult to get a render of this with space being so tight, but it shows how neat it looks.
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Other items considered: ventilation for the bathroom and extractor above the hob. These have been mentioned in outline to the project manager, so they don't get overlooked...but it's very early for these finishing items.
This weekend has seen me pricing up bathroom fittings... what a job, but more of that later!
Next Up - Lintels? Not Lentils.
