building a house

getting there

2012-01-09T22:07:00.002Z

developments

2012-01-03T20:39:00.000Z

some changes thinking about how to accomodate solar panels and also break up the roof a bit, without being overly complicated.

some small changes

2012-01-01T21:19:00.000Z

floor plan

2011-12-29T23:24:00.001Z

elevations

2011-12-29T23:10:00.002Z

using google sketchup

2011-12-28T22:56:00.000Z

oh god

2010-11-20T20:54:00.001Z

we are thinking of doing this again.

comments

2009-10-05T15:10:00.000+01:00

we had the sky man here today to fix the sky telly. The dish had moved.

as he was leaving he said

"how long ago did you finish the renovation?"

he thought we had an old cottage and had done it up. he was amazed when i told him it was a new build.

job done again!

painted

2009-10-04T19:45:00.002+01:00

as was the intention, we have now had the house painted brilliant white outside.

what do you think?

gate erected!

2009-03-01T10:43:00.001Z

bored?

2009-02-22T22:32:00.003Z

Sunday night and I've got some time to spare before work starts again tommorrow.

So I've been surfing. I've been demoted out of Hebridean Home's news page by two or three newer articles. We've had at least four people contact us interested in their kits. We've been nothing but helpful and complimentary, so if you are reading this, a late Christmas present or some commission wouldn't go amiss. I've got hunners of gardening to do, don't you know!

This link is funny. It shows that if you want to increase the value of your house, just decorate. certainly don't build an extension, and not a conservatory (hah! i hate conservatories).

What other links can i find?

Given my shed problems, maybe this would be a good idea?
I want a hobbit house, but maybe a garage first.

wee bit snow

2009-02-08T11:20:00.003Z

not a lot of snow, but crumbs, now the garden is all one colour, it looks big............

not been on here for a while, but as the weather gets better, i might bore you all with gates, fences, grass, etc etc blah blah blah...........

tiltshift

2009-01-11T09:00:00.001Z

in

2008-12-09T00:25:00.001Z

we are in now, and have been for just over a week. the broadband was connected today, so i hope to get some piccies up this week.

downstairs en suite

2008-11-23T19:13:00.001Z

Bathroom

2008-11-23T19:06:00.002Z

hallway

2008-11-23T19:03:00.001Z

utility and front hall

2008-11-23T19:01:00.001Z

stove

2008-11-23T18:59:00.001Z

living space

2008-11-23T18:55:00.001Z

kitchen update

2008-11-23T18:51:00.001Z

2008-11-23T18:47:00.001Z

upstairs en suite

2008-11-23T18:40:00.002Z

upstairs bedrooms

2008-11-23T18:36:00.001Z

stove and chimney installed

2008-11-23T18:32:00.001Z

outside in

2008-11-23T11:53:00.001Z

upstairs update

2008-11-23T11:49:00.001Z

utility room update

2008-11-23T11:48:00.000Z

2008-11-23T11:44:00.000Z

living space

2008-11-23T11:40:00.001Z

chimbly breast inside

2008-11-23T11:36:00.002Z

more piccies

2008-11-23T11:32:00.001Z

the last picture is the door to the cupboard in our bedroom. We had assumed the kit include a door for it, but it didn't, and the plans don't show a door. The joinersknocked one up in no time at all though!

shelves in the upstairs cupboard and window cills

2008-11-23T11:29:00.001Z

internal update from a few days ago

2008-11-23T11:25:00.000Z

boiler in place

2008-11-23T11:22:00.000Z

update - shed

2008-11-23T11:12:00.002Z

I don't have any pictures because I could bring myself to take them.

:(

The shed blew away the other night; it was windy. I would also say it was very windy.
Given that it was really the only thing I have built by myself on the project, I'm not going to dwell on it. It's another advertisement for getting a good contractor to do stuff for you.
Yes it was bolted down, but maybe not well enough for the exposure. In anycase it's down now. It actually blew onto the road, which was worrying.

Thanks to one of our new neighbours, who spotted it, contacted our contractor and they both retrieved it and secured it. First I knew about it was when i was phoned aand told gently what had happened.

Thanks chaps, you know who you are!

I've ordered another shed. A wooden one this time, I may surround it with sandbags like a WW2 machine gun nest....

leccytrics

2008-11-12T21:29:00.000Z

flooring

2008-11-12T21:23:00.000Z

darkness

2008-11-12T21:17:00.002Z

it's been difficult to take piccies as it's pitch black by 5pm now.

view from along the road

2008-11-02T19:19:00.001Z

General update

2008-11-02T19:12:00.002Z

Not a lot was done this last week. Well i say that, but the flooring went down throughout most of downstairs, and the site is virtually clear of any signs of external works. Sparkie work was done too.
I'm hoping the plumber will get bashed on this week. We hope to be in by the end of November.

Some general photos.

Shed

2008-11-02T19:00:00.002Z

I built a shed yesterday. Its 3m by 2.4m, although next to the house it looks like a dog kennel. I am actually proud of myself. There are only blood stains on the inside. It's bolted down, so if it blows away, I'm blaming B and Q.

flooring skirtings and electrics progressing

2008-10-27T23:12:00.003Z

while a lot of people are putting down real wood floors, we've chosen a good quality laminate system. We've done this because it's hygenic, and good for allergies, well good for helping with them, not good for.......you know what i mean.
The skirtings are going on after it's laid on the system underlay that is designed for underfloor heating in a concrete slab. It has a dpm you know. the underlay. And the slab, but it's the underlay I mean, just now.
Electrics are onto the final fix.

kitchen update

2008-10-23T19:02:00.000+01:00

signs of the fusebox.

2008-10-23T19:00:00.000+01:00

outside update

2008-10-23T18:56:00.000+01:00

decking

2008-10-23T18:50:00.001+01:00

the structure for the deck is done. Now we will get some nice rough sawn planks on it. Maybe we will sand it, maybe we will live with skelves in our feet. Who knows?

oil tank base

2008-10-21T20:57:00.002+01:00

white white white

2008-10-21T20:53:00.001+01:00

kitchen started

2008-10-21T20:49:00.001+01:00

path

2008-10-21T20:45:00.001+01:00

some nice slabs now lead from the front door out to where the drive ends.

doors and facings

2008-10-16T18:31:00.002+01:00

doors and facings are completed. Skirtings not on as we will wait until the flooring is down......need to go buy that this weekend.

no pictures as I forgot the bloody camera!

now and then

2008-10-13T21:34:00.001+01:00

decking

2008-10-13T21:31:00.001+01:00

no, not a friday night post pub disagreement.........

a wee bit of drainage..........

2008-10-13T21:29:00.000+01:00

base for shed

2008-10-13T21:27:00.002+01:00

It was supposed to be slabs, but I'm happy with the concrete. Now I'll need to put the bloody thing up!

stove delivered

2008-10-10T20:48:00.002+01:00

leccy

2008-10-09T20:05:00.001+01:00

The electrical power cable has been laid from the pole with the transformer on it, all the way into the house, and connected to the newly installed meter.

harling completed!

2008-10-08T18:24:00.003+01:00

now all that's needed is it painting brilliant white.

harling

2008-10-06T17:36:00.003+01:00

update

2008-10-04T09:48:00.002+01:00

Because of the heavy showers, the harling has had to come to a grinding halt. Meanwhile all the finishes and kitchen is waiting inside to be fitted, and some painting is to be done. Only two rooms, those of her majesty, are to be coloured, the rest white, the kitchen magnolia.

nite time shot.

2008-10-04T09:47:00.001+01:00

oven came......

2008-10-04T09:43:00.001+01:00

.......on thursday, after much a shouting and a complaining. I had to make the guy wait an hour, which he wasn't happy about.

oven

2008-09-30T22:37:00.001+01:00

I had a call last friday telling me oven was coming today as planned, but that it would be a pm delivery. Oh i says. Not good, you need to rearrange for am.

erm she says. I'm just telling you it's coming pm.

oh says I (bearing in mind all the mix ups earlier, I am what you would term an angry customer. (I'm sure they have funnier terms)

If you cant change it to am, please put on your manager. erm she says, he is on a break. Now, bearing in mind the call was at 2.05pm, and from Ireland, who gets a break then. Ok i says, when he comes off his break, get him to call me.

I'm still waiting, but not surprised.

Anyway, i gets anotrher call this morning,, from another kind lady, telling me it will definelety come today, it is on the lorry in Aberdeen, on it's way. it will be today, not tommorrow.

It didnt come.

A Walk Across The Rooftops

2008-09-29T20:07:00.003+01:00

entrance platt

2008-09-29T20:02:00.000+01:00

The bit of wood has a message on it. Don't step on the steps.

e'r wan e'r wan....erm ken whit a' mean?

2008-09-29T19:52:00.002+01:00

one gable yesterday, one today. It was raining today, so can you guess which one it which?

All the scaffolding is now down too, so it's looking more like a house yet again.

e'r wan update...........ken?

2008-09-29T19:43:00.002+01:00

update.......

2008-09-26T20:26:00.001+01:00

not blogged in a few days, cos I've been too busy. I'll just post these two pictures which shows where we are today.

harling started

2008-09-23T23:01:00.003+01:00

The harling has begun, and at least one of the chimneys now looks like a chimney....if you know what I mean?

more taping and filling

2008-09-22T20:36:00.001+01:00

harling prep

2008-09-22T20:31:00.001+01:00

metal beads for the bottom of the harling (at dpc) and movement joints are being fixed.

windows cills 1.5

2008-09-22T20:22:00.002+01:00

we have some blockwork completed below the rear windows also, so that cills can be fitted there too.

chimbly pots

2008-09-22T20:18:00.002+01:00

We've gone for some black chimney pots, which will look better than the usual terracotta or buff ones. they landed on site today. yay!

windows cills 1

2008-09-22T20:13:00.001+01:00

the front windows have had their cills fitted. lovely.

power cable

2008-09-22T20:07:00.002+01:00

the electricity power cable has been laid from the pole over to the plot. it's had to be taken straight across as the water main is between it and the road, but much further back into the field than anticipated.

last nights sunset.....which will be our view from the big windows....well, when the sun is setting anyway.

2008-09-22T07:29:00.004+01:00

Plasterboard Taper is in.

2008-09-18T09:53:00.002+01:00

Spoke to him this morning. A very nice man.

drylining

Skew and Chimbly

2008-09-18T09:49:00.001+01:00

No, not a solicitors firm from Grimsby.

Kitchen arrives........almost all of it.

2008-09-18T09:39:00.002+01:00

The kitchen arrived, minus the oven, yesterday. In two loads by two different carriers which was odd. Given that the re ordered oven was always coming at the end of the month, after the first load arrived, I literally had everything except the kitchen sink (including taps and waste!).

I had surmised, and this was after discussion with the first set of delivery chaps, that as yesterdays load was supposed to come the day before, that yesterdays real load (the sink) would come today. That would have been a pattern that you could follow, so that didnt happen. I got another call and the chap delivered the sink in the afternoon.

Now where are the bloody stove and shed?

shed

2008-09-16T21:01:00.001+01:00

and this shed too. this week. apparently.

bloody.

stove

2008-09-16T20:58:00.002+01:00

this stove should also be delivered this week. I bet that goes wrong too.

bloody bloody bloody

Kitchen

2008-09-16T20:47:00.002+01:00

this is why I'm saying bloody a lot today. the kitchen was supposed to be delivered a week ago last Thursday. It didnt arrive. When I called the bloody call centre they told me it had been noted in their system as out to the carrier, but the carrier said they didnt have it.

I camly explained that this was not my bloody problem.

It was explained to me that there was some confusion, and despite them having phoned me on the Wednesday to confirm that it would be delivered, the best thing for me to do would be to phone them back in the morning.

Not bloody likely says I. You phone me back, and it had better be before 10 am.

They duly did and re-ordered the whole kitchen. Except sir, erm, the oven, sink and taps are out of stock......

dramatic pause and then my response was...that's an interesting problem for you to resolve, isn't it?

Cutting a longer story short, we marched into the shop and demanded x, y and z. Duly all re ordered for delivery today. Phone call yesterday no less to confirm, not only today, but between 8am and 12 noon.

Didnt bloody arrive did it?

Call centre lady say, yes it's today, but will be tommorrow.

Just as well I'm on holiday this week. but I won't go into the logistical nightmare that is my having to be in two places at once tommorrow. They are to phone and tell me an exact time tommorrow.

Wanna bet it will be when I have to be elsewhere?

raked and seeded, now jaded.

2008-09-16T20:40:00.002+01:00

I cordoned off some of the garden area this morning, and raked, seeded and raked it. Yes there are still weeds there, but we aint going for a bloody bowling green. Something for the beasties to live in will be fine, ta.

busy week ahead?

2008-09-15T21:57:00.003+01:00

this could be, should be, a busy week, so I've taken some time off work.
We should have most of a kitchen delivered, a stove delivered, and a metal shed delivered.
as the ground has been levelled out the back, i should also be sowing some grass seed.

I say should be doing all these things, but you never know eh?

look at my insides!

2008-09-09T19:19:00.001+01:00

end of blockwork?

2008-09-09T19:14:00.001+01:00

ground floor partitions

2008-09-06T16:29:00.001+01:00

blockwork nearly finished

2008-09-06T16:26:00.002+01:00

ground floor plasterboard

2008-09-04T21:53:00.003+01:00

yet more blockwork

2008-09-04T21:40:00.001+01:00

more blockwork...again

2008-09-02T20:20:00.003+01:00

More blockwork done today, which is coming along at a steady and neat pace. No snotters!

More internal roughing of plumbing work done today as well.

more blockwork

2008-09-01T22:53:00.001+01:00

view halloo

2008-09-01T20:06:00.004+01:00

29/08/2008.....that's today

2008-08-29T18:47:00.001+01:00

cills

2008-08-28T20:06:00.000+01:00

the windows are having their metal cills fitted.

pretty blockwork.....

2008-08-28T19:59:00.003+01:00

more blockwork

2008-08-28T19:55:00.002+01:00

hole

2008-08-28T19:43:00.003+01:00

remember that hole in the gable end panel. I discovered it was to get the top hat beams in, as they were too awkward to fit up into the trusses once they were up...which they had to be for the top hat beams to go in.
Anyway, its seealed up now, prior to blockwork.

more blocks

2008-08-27T21:12:00.000+01:00