Granite work started

Another productive weekend and a half has seen the outside of the house really starting to take on what will be its final appearance. I had the oppertunity to spend some more time on site earlier this week as I was in Aberdeen for a training course so could spend a couple hours on site in the evenings before it became too dark to work. This allowed me to get a bit more varnishing of the larch cladding done but there is still a good amount to go!

At the end of last week the remedial brackets were installed onto the corner windows steel lintels. These brackets transfer the load of the walls into the steel work at these locations and allow us to avoid having a pillar in the corner of the window apart from where the window meet. This allowed me to remove the temporary supports, which was a rather nerve racking affair to start with. However the saw blade never jammed once indicating that in fact there wasn't much load being taken by the temporary supports.

Temporary supports gone

With this done the corner windows could be installed along with the utility room door and the boys bedroom windows.

Master bathroom corner window installed

Windows installed in Ewan's bedroom

The only outstanding windows to be delivered when I left yesterday was the family bathroom window and that was due today. So hopefully we now have a wind tight structure.

Probably the biggest visual change in the last week though has been the start of the granite work on the walls. The brickies so far have managed to take our wishes into account and the stone work is really starting to look good. Its quite a jigsaw puzzle for then trying to get all the pieces to fit.

Detail of the granite work

West face with granite almost complete

With all the ground floor windows in now it shouldn't take them long to complete the masonary work and I expect that by the time we go back in mid October for a few days (school holiday time) externally the house will be complete. It will be exciting to remove the scaffolding and have clear view of the house.

Dad unfortunately developed a bad hernia last week so won't be on site again until he is fully recovered. This will make it a bit more challenging to keep updated with progress so updates maybe less frequent for a while.

Blockwork started

Work progressed visually again this week with the main progress being the start of the external blockwork skin in the areas where there will be a wet harl render finish and where there will be granite work

Blockwork outside the utility room

Electricity meter box installed

At the end of last week we had one more door show up which happened to be the front door and this was installed and the larch cladding completed at the main entrance way.

Front door with larch cladding

The brickies started the block work by first finishing off the stove enclosure. This will allow us to get the stove flue installed while we still have the scaffolding in place and easy access to the main ridge.

Stove enclosure

The blacksmith was out on Monday morning this week to look at what was needed to implement the remedial bracket solutions that will support the structure at the corner window locations. Apart from having to move the steel lintels out a bit to allow the brackets to be installed the solution the engineer developed was fairly simple. Hopefully we will get done soon and get the last remaining windows on the ground floor installed - looks like I'll get get the job of removing the temporary supports when I am back next weekend. I know I'll be holding my breath when I do that!

A slower week

Not much to report for the week just past. The slating of the north roof did get finished and the ridge is on so we should now be water tight. The ridge blends really well with the slate and we are very happy with the way it looks.

Roof with ridge installed

The flat lead roof area over the main entrance was also completed during the week.

Lead roof completed

We did get the last of the windows installed on the ground floor ... now only if we could get some doors delievered.

Last lounge windows installed

The only other thing of note to happen was the erection of the steel lintels for the corner windows of the master bathroom and the study.

Steel lintels to support granite work above the windows

This though brought to light to a problem regarding how these corners are to be supported with the details having avoided the structural engineers drawings. The intenetion is to avoid having a support column on the cill to give a clear unobstructed view out. A solution is being worked up and we will hopefully be able to get it implemented this week.

Next blog in two weeks time since this week is going to be very quiet with the build waiting on the arrival of the last doors, the window solution and the brickies.

Roofing almost done

Progress on several fronts this week with the main north roof slate work being finished, larch cladding approaching completion and the lead work on the flat roof over the entrance starting.

The north roof slate work is now complete and the slating will now take a break until the scaffolding over the utility room and boiler room section is gone.

Entrance flat roof

Quentin finishing off the last section on the main roof

The lead work for the flat roof over the entrance way also started at the end of the week

Lots of detailed work in the flat roof

and with the ridging will go on on Monday so the main part of the building will be water tight.

The larch cladding on the main wall sections is progressing and should be completed by the middle of next week.

Cladding around Ewan's windows

On Friday we had the last of the ground floor windows delivered along with 3 doors. Unfortunately 2 of the doors are for the garage, which hasn't started yet. The remaining doors will arrive the next week.

Progressing with roof, larch cladding and window installation

A couple of weeks worth of work to catch up on in this post. It was good to be back on site for the last couple of weeks, even if it was frustrating sometimes with the boys wanting constant attention. Thankfully mum helped out looking after the boys for a few days which allowed me to get on with my to do list. It really is useful being able to look at things with the tradesmen and come up with solutions to problems. Thanksfully most things have been relatively small issues and easily rectified. This time I think we solved more than we uncovered :)

Progress has been good but hindered by the weather at times especially on the roof work thanks to the miserable weather we had for some days. However the north roof is progressing and the plumber was back to measure up for the flat lead roof.

North roof is about half finished now

Hopefully by the end of the coming week we will have a water tight roof in place.

The larch cladding has continued with both dormers now completed

North dorner fully clad

Detail of the larch bead and window frame

most soffits in place and work now starting on cladding the main structure where it is specified.

Master bedroom windows and larch cladding

All this larch is being coated with a UV protection oil to try to maintain the original colour of the larch and prevent weathering at different rates. The painting of the larch has been a family affair with Ewan and Fraser "helping" me complete the job

Ewan & Fraser hard at work applying UV protection oil

All barge boards and fasica boards have been completed now, only the soffits to go!. Between the weather and running out of oil I got everything done that I could.

The other big thing that happened was the installation of a majority of the full height windows on the ground floor. I helped with some of the smaller ones and can attest that these large triple glazed units are heavy. Its going to be tough for the guys when they come to installing the large windows upstairs.

Dining room windows and balcony doors

Kitchen windows and doors

Lounge full height windows

The down side on the windows is that we have to wait another month until the rest of the units are delivered and installed so unfortunately it will be another month before we are weather tight.

We also had some significant material deliveries during these two weeks with both the ground floor insulation and MVHR ducting and fan unit being delivered. There were 59 pack of insulation deleiverd which all needed moved inside the house.

Ground floor insulation delivered

Due to the scaffolding this was a very physical activity and with each pack weighing 31kg and measuring 2.4 x 1.2m it was a very awkward job. I moved 42 of these by myself before the guys felt sorry for me at the end of the day and pitched to move the remainder. Just as well because my arms were shot  - I ached for two days after that work out!.

The other good news is that the swallows have fledged now and we have removed the nest, so no more waiting on the birds to get the windows installed!

Windows going in

A productive week this week with the west wing roof going on and the windows arriving on site and the first ones were installed.

West wing roof

Windows in Fraser's bedroom

Entrance hall windows

Utility room window

More of the same next week. I'll be back in Aberdeen again, this time with the boys only while Heidi stays at home and looks after Hunny. It will be good to see the rest of the windows installed and as usual I have a long list of things to get done.

Roof is taking shape

A short but productive week with some very obvious progress to the roof.

The joiners have made good progress with the larch cladding and have starting to clad the dormers.

West end is starting to take shape and is looking good

The larch cladding looks great

On the south roof we now have the solar collectors installed and slated in place

Solar collectors being installed

Solar panel and solar tube slated in

South roof almost slated

We now have a two week break for the trades fortnight so a bit of time to take it a bit easier and prepare for the next significant stage of the build - installation of the windows and doors.....oh and the rest of the roof installation