More Extract Fan Ducts

the ducting has got longer. Of course there has been other work, more electrical roughing (why are there so many wires?), including all the BT stuff, arial stuff, and even wiring for the doorbell. Oh and for an external light.

Windows....yet again

Another gratuitous picture of my big huge massive great big WINDAES!

Ducts For Extract Fans

Yes, yes I know, this is getting pretty desperate for topics. We now have ducts for the extract fans. We did consider passive stack ventilation, but crapped out of it. For no other reason than there are still electrically operated components in them, so i thought, stuff it; lets keep everything "normal". Because that's what i am. Normal. Honest.

Outside Socket

Thankfully the sparkie reminded me that I wanted an outside socket. He reckons it is vital for the Christmas lights.......

Nah, is vital for pottering about with power tools.

More Wires!

More electrical roughing done today, including BT and arial wiring.

Electrical Roughing

The sparkie has been in today and started roughing his installation. That means he has started putting the wiring in place. This is also called the first fix of electrical works.

Lots of wires!

damaged windows

We had some damage to the big windows when in transit. Eagle eyed builder spotted it and has reported it to the manufacturer. They have an on-site repair team being dispatched, much like International Rescue I'd imagine. We'll see what they look like when repaired.

F.A.B.

chimbleys

The start of the chimneys has, erm, started. While at one end a metal chimney will come up through the boxes from the stove, they really are decorative. I'm not sure of the detail where the blockwork comes up outside, but I'm confident my builder has got a handle on it. I'm hoping to meet him this week.....tommorrow maybe, to discuss it.

The house has horns.

velux windows

Window number one, serving the smaller of the upstairs bedrooms. It still has it's flashings and trims to be fitted.
Window number two, serving the big upstaits bedroom. It has it's trims on. I'm sure there is a flashing piece which gets fitted under the slates.
Window number three. This one sits quite low in the roof, but is shafted down to the front hall. Because the front door has no window, this provides the natural light.

Stair Trimmed

The stair trimming has been formed. You can now get a real feel for the space up stairs. Well, I can, you maybe can't

WINDOWS!

all the windows came yesterday, and went straight in. also the front door.

very please :D

Some more internal trimming has been done, around the stair and around the two large velux windows which are installed.
We also met the sparkie and discussed lights, sockets, bt positions etc etc. He is off on holiday in a couple of weeks, but says he will have it roughed by then.

yay!

Top Hats

These are the top hat beams which help to hold the roof together, especially over the velux window to the second first floor bedroom. I guess they are there to connect the double truss at the vaulted ceiling over the trimming for the velux, to the racking triple truss.....or something. They are big pieces of wood, with triangular bits at the top, to fit in at the top of the truss. Top hats, how posh!

Stair well

The trimming of timber members for the stairwell has begun (it's where the ladder is in the picture). As odd as it may seem, the big hole which has been formed will be made smaller. It makes sense to me, but then, I've seen the kit erection drawings.

First floor, first steps, didn't fall....

So the first floor has been partly floored. The engineers required that this is done as soon as possible, and certainly before the velux windows are cut out. The pictures don't do it justice, but it's actually bigger than I thought it would be.

Breatheaeaeaeaable Membrane

The sarking is complete, and the breathabeaeaaeaeable membrane has been laid and fixed. The slates will be nailed directly on top of this in due course. Green and orange. No sectarianism at ma' hoose!

Sarking

The rest of the trusses are in place, and most of the sarking is completed. The sarking is 22mm softwood planks, and is traditional construction in Scotland. It leads to a better, stronger roof. On top of this will be laid a breathable membrane, which in addition to doing the same job as felt, will allow us to NOT have any ventilation above the insulation. This ventilation is usually there to provide some airflow, and help prevent interstitial condensation in the roof build up.The membrane, unlike traditional felt, allows the roof to breathe directly. So no vents top and bottom of the roof, which allows the more traditional look. The traditional look worked fine in the olden days, when roof had no insulation whatsoever.

Strawberry

We currently have one strawberry plant in our garden. When we move into the new house, we are planning all sorts of veggies and fruit.
We do have half an acre.

Above is one of the strawberries; I thought I'd better take a picture because i ate it 5 seconds later. It was very, very tasty.

Roof Beam

To support the rafters above the living room, a steel beam is installed, supported at one end on the gable panels,and at the other end on a double truss, underneath which will be a racking panel, to give the whole house some structural stiffness at this point.

The rafters will be toothed into the beam and a timber tie fixed to attach one side to the other, and make sure it they are seated nicely on top of the beam. Once the roof is sarked the whole thing will hold together.

planes

We are near a bombing range. Well, about 8 miles away, but you do see a lot of jets at times. I have no idea what they are, although I'm convinced I saw a Euro Fighter one day.


Like a big dart. Sometimes you see Chinooks, off to drop commandos in some loch or something.

Anyone tell me what these planes are?

Trusses Up

A busy day on site today...hah, that sounds like I was there doing manual labour, which I wasn't. Anyway, as you can see the roof trusses are all up. When I say roof trusses, I mean the prefabricated "room in roof " trusses, with gable ladders at one end. The steel beam which will support the rafters over the vaulted ceiling is in place. Pictures of that in a wee while.

It's really starting to look like a house now, which is a good thing. I meant to take a picture from along the road, which would show how well it is matching the cottage next door. Well in terms of height, without the chimbleys, it's the same. Which is good.