Day 10 - We have a Dormer!

Marcus was greeted this morning with Nicole informing him that we have changed our minds about the size of the bathroom window following a redesign of the layout. Now it's going to be 1500 and as they are building the dormer today, leaving the holes for the windows to the bathroom and bedroom, there is no going back. Well, we could change it again, but that would mean paying more money to have the work redone, so we had better be happy with what we have decided! And then they were off. Marcus was up onto the ridge and started taking the ridge tiles off. Unfortunately, they are old and were extremely well cemented on. He has to resort to the angle grinder to remove them. Then off with the tiles and felt - and we had a big hole where our roof should be. Then up with the new wood for the frame and then the beginnings of the new flat roof, the plywood. Unfortunately they lost time this morning with the ridge tile problem and so they couldn't quite get to where they would have liked to have finished for the day, despite working their ***** off. So they weatherproofed it all, cleared up and called it a day, especially since it was now dark. It looks fab. Can't wait to go into the loft and see how it really feels.

The other event of note today was that the plumber, Steve, turned up for a site meeting. Having spoken to Marcus and both of us, all is agreed and seems to be fine - and he wasn't even too shocked that we were going to have not one, but two macerators in the bathroom. Reason for this is that we can use one for the basin and toilet and another for the shower. This means that the one for the shower can be located beneath the floor, thereby keeping the shower tray on the floor and leaving plenty of headroom once we are in the shower. If the shower tray had to be raised it would be a tight squeeze, though not impossible. He will be back towards the end of next week for the first fix.

Day 9 - More of the Same and a Window!

The rest of the floor joists were laid down today and then a nice surprise, there was time to do one of the Velux windows in the study. It really feels like it's taking shape now. Decisions were reached on the new bannisters and spindles. Also finalised the finishes of the dormer - white plastic cladding along the back (to match what's on the lower level) and tiles to the sides.

Day 8 - Off We Go Again!

Well here we are in 2009 and the work starts again. Today another crane came and delivered more wood, windows and also the plywood for the dormer. M&S carried these through to the rear of the house and got very cold hands since it was snowing. They then worked on the floor joists for the dormer section. They will carry on with this tomorrow and, weather permitting, start to build the dormer on Wednesday. Marcus queried the size of the window we wanted in the bathroom, but we said this was dependent on where the stairs went - giving us what depth the bathroom could be - and from that measurement we could then decide on the layout of the bathroom and hence the size of the window. Fortunately the stairman (sorry I can't remember his name) was in the neighbourhood and he came and measured up and worked out what would work. Not completely straightforward as headrooms have to be allowed for and our new staircase was going up under a valley in the roof and then a 90 degree turn towards the back of the house and the ridge steel had to be taken into account. Anyway, he got there and now we have the depth of the bathroom and the design sorted and therefore the size of the window! (800mm in case you were wondering!) Will let Marcus know tomorrow.

Day 7 - Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve 2008.  Time to wrap up work for a week or so and take a well-earned break!  Simon was here first, very early - just as I left for work - and they were down to work straight away.  We haven't been up there today, but they took some photos for us to show progress.  The uprights for the purlin wall in the study are in place, and the rafters are tied together at the top.  That really brings down the ceiling height, and defines the width we're going to have there.  They've taken out the temporary supports and the old piece of wood that used to span the loft at chest height, getting in the way.  So it's all open, if a little low.

They tidied up well and knocked off at midday.  They've left it so that I can get in fairly easily for my aerial project (and to take a look!), but they've put the tiles back more securely than normal so as to avoid an leaks while they're on holiday.  I think they're going to be away, so there won't be an option to call them in if we start getting drips through the bedroom ceiling.  I'd better be careful putting those tiles back again!  Here are some of the pictures they took:

Day 6 - We Take a Peek

Tuesday, and we couldn't hold our enthusiasm back any longer.  Marcus turned up at normal time and I asked him to show me how to get in.  He demonstrated which six tiles you need to remove and we were in!  I'm going to need to get access to complete the telly aerial installation, so I'll be going in there after Christmas while the builders are taking a break.  They've been making some steady progress - joists are down at the front of the house.  They'd had to removed some of the support for the purlins, so there were various other props and a big piece of wood tying the two sides of the roof together.  Apparantly they can bring the stairs out directly above the existing stairwell by the addition of a large Velux window, and he showed me exactly where the landing will be.  I didn't think that was going to be possible, but we won't know for sure till the stair men come and measure up.

Nicole also went up there later in the day, despite of her fear of ladders.  They needed to discuss where the Velux windows will go in the study end, so there really wasn't any option.

Other encouraging news - I've finally got all the paper-work sorted so that the insurance for the rest of the house is still valid.  Also, the mortgage company have agreed that we do have permission to proceed.  Good thing really!  I was wondering what I would tell them if they said no!

Day 5 - More of the same

M&S working again on the floor joists.  Usually they would be taking the roof off and building the dormer, but there isn't enough time before Christmas to do that and make it secure, so the floor joists and insulation are being worked on instead.  We discussed having another window in the study area as there is not a lot of headroom in there and having windows helps with this.  So that would bring the number to 3.  Noise levels are low, you know they're there but it's not particularly noisy.  The wood is being cut on the scaffolding outside (scary!) so it looks like it's snowing when the wind blows the sawdust off!  As we said yesterday, access is only via the scaffolding, so unless they happen to come down or are out on the scaffolding and I go outside, I don't see them - which means not much coffee making duties.  I'll make up for it when the stairs are in.

Day 4 - Access Denied

After all the excitement of the start of this project, Friday brought a shock withdrawal.  The next phase of laying floor joists involved covering over the loft hatch with joists and fire-proof insulation.  Now we have no access to our loft, and no way to see how it's progressing.  The only way in is via the scaffolding and the hole in the roof.  At the end of the day the builders left the roof carefully sealed and waterproof so as not to let it leak over the weekend.  That was good, but it did mean that we had no way of inspecting progress.  Oh the suspense!  They did take a few pictures for us so we can see what's going on.  It won't be until after the new year, when they take off the back slope to build the dormer that we can get in and see what's really going on.