Spoke to Shaun and the hole/waste pipe problem is now resolved.
The structural engineer that Fowles engaged came up with a much simplified solution which was approved by building control and the work's been completed!
They had to dig a little further down and then encased the pipe in some padding, put a steel over the top and then filled the hole in with hardcore and then concrete for the footing.
By the time we saw it the wall was already up on top of it!
Thursday 27 August 2009
Wednesday 26 August 2009
Day 52 - Wembley Windows
Now the hole issue is fixed the decision on the windows becomes more pressing.
We've had a couple of quotes for UPVC windows but we're really not thrilled by the designs. They all have very wide and chunky frames - it seems that's just they way they are.
Peter (from Fowles) had mentioned a Polish company they'd worked with on a couple of jobs in London who offered quality aluminium windows at a lot less than other companies and got them to quote for our job. The quote wasn't too much more than the UPVC but we hadn't seen the windows - were they really very different to UPVC?
So this week we decided to go up to London to check out the windows in their factory/showroom.
The company are in Wembley and have the very English name of Henry & Sons but everyone we met was Polish.
They offer two types of aluminium windows (as well as UPVC) but one, Beaufort, is more suited to residential use.
We really liked them, the width and profile of the frames is much narrower and more elegant than the UPVC, if elegant is a word you can use about windows!
They offer bevelled or flat options and in a choice of colours - we'll probably go for white. The finish is powder coated so no maintenance required and the windows are guaranteed for 10 years.
We then had a look round the factory (where they make the windows) to see some finished windows
Flat profile in Black.
French doors
We've had a couple of quotes for UPVC windows but we're really not thrilled by the designs. They all have very wide and chunky frames - it seems that's just they way they are.
Peter (from Fowles) had mentioned a Polish company they'd worked with on a couple of jobs in London who offered quality aluminium windows at a lot less than other companies and got them to quote for our job. The quote wasn't too much more than the UPVC but we hadn't seen the windows - were they really very different to UPVC?
So this week we decided to go up to London to check out the windows in their factory/showroom.
The company are in Wembley and have the very English name of Henry & Sons but everyone we met was Polish.
They offer two types of aluminium windows (as well as UPVC) but one, Beaufort, is more suited to residential use.
We really liked them, the width and profile of the frames is much narrower and more elegant than the UPVC, if elegant is a word you can use about windows!
They offer bevelled or flat options and in a choice of colours - we'll probably go for white. The finish is powder coated so no maintenance required and the windows are guaranteed for 10 years.
We then had a look round the factory (where they make the windows) to see some finished windows
Flat profile in Black.
French doors
Day 52 - The Wall dividing East and West Lounge goes up
Part of the changes we're making is to steal some space from the lounge to make a study/den for the boys. Somewhere they can play computer games on the laptops, do homework, play on the wii and watch what they want on the TV - not all at the same time obviously!
It's not going to be a huge room but it should be big enough for some desks at one end and a small sofa and tv at the other.
Lounge side view - this will end up being a corridor with access to the storeroom, utility room and the new lounge
Study side view - The boarding is what used to be the patio doors in the lounge. At some point they'll be a window there
It's not going to be a huge room but it should be big enough for some desks at one end and a small sofa and tv at the other.
Lounge side view - this will end up being a corridor with access to the storeroom, utility room and the new lounge
Study side view - The boarding is what used to be the patio doors in the lounge. At some point they'll be a window there
Day 52 - Openplan ensuite anyone?
The toilet door gets blocked up
and the wall between the toilet and lounge comes down
and a strange hole appears in the hall
Tuesday 25 August 2009
Day 51 - I wanna be tall, tall, tall, as big as a wall, wall, wall
We have back walls
and a rather small looking back window
and full side walls. Which are obviously taller than me already ;-)
and a rather small looking back window
and full side walls. Which are obviously taller than me already ;-)
Monday 24 August 2009
Day 50 - Another hole update - bored yet?!
We just got back from our excellent hols and popped round to 'the property' (as the builders call it) to check out the progress...
And the hole looks different - deeper, rounder, smoother we think...
And the hole looks different - deeper, rounder, smoother we think...
Thursday 20 August 2009
Day 46 - Good news at last
Still on hols but spoke to Shaun this morning. Mark Fowles is back from holiday and agreed to get their structural engineer involved. The new guy visited the property last night and has already put together a plan for the drain. And even better it's a much simpler solution (which will hopefully take less time and cost less!)
And more good news the lads have been moving on with the downstairs work - building the boys den and starting on the store and utility so hopefully they'll be lots of new things to see when we're back next Monday
And more good news the lads have been moving on with the downstairs work - building the boys den and starting on the store and utility so hopefully they'll be lots of new things to see when we're back next Monday
Monday 17 August 2009
Day 43 - More delays
Gawd - we're on hols this week (just arrived at Centerparcs) but have just had a call from Shaun. The info has come through from the Structural Engineer but it's practically useless. He says it's only about 1/3 complete and is real back of a fag packet stuff - just a quick drawing and no calculations.
And now he's sunning it up in the Caribbean.
Shaun (& Fowles) want us to think about getting another structural engineer involved, almost certainly at extra expense to us....
And now he's sunning it up in the Caribbean.
Shaun (& Fowles) want us to think about getting another structural engineer involved, almost certainly at extra expense to us....
Thursday 13 August 2009
Day 39 - Drain Update
The plot thickens.
Last week our architect (JD) spoke to the Structural Engineer (JB) and thought that everything was resolved. JD told Shaun, who told us. We were all expecting plans & details of the solution to come through this week, but so far JD, Fowles nor ourselves have received anything and now it seems JB has gone to the caribbean for 2 weeks!
Lets hope the info is just delayed in the post.
We don't want to push JD too much as he's just had a significant bereavement in his family.
Last week our architect (JD) spoke to the Structural Engineer (JB) and thought that everything was resolved. JD told Shaun, who told us. We were all expecting plans & details of the solution to come through this week, but so far JD, Fowles nor ourselves have received anything and now it seems JB has gone to the caribbean for 2 weeks!
Lets hope the info is just delayed in the post.
We don't want to push JD too much as he's just had a significant bereavement in his family.
Day 39 Moving out
The removal men are in today, packing up the lounge and most of upstairs.
They had some trouble sourcing diesel this morning so didn't arrive till 9.30 but they've been working pretty fast since.
They had some trouble sourcing diesel this morning so didn't arrive till 9.30 but they've been working pretty fast since.
Wednesday 12 August 2009
Day 38 - Breaking through
The builders have broken through! Well, only little holes so far...
We have some temporary supporting steels poking through in the wardrobe in the main bedroom and the bathroom
and the ceiling is part missing in the downstairs loo.
and the old porch
Thankfully this didn't turn up any new problems -hooray!
No-one else will be onsite this week but as we're moved out from tomorrow they can crack on with downstairs work.
Shaun thinks they have 2 weeks more work, building the boys den, the utility, downstairs loo and store room before they have to close the site.
Hopefull we'll be moving on the drain situation by then. It does take the pressure off us to decide on the windows before holiday though.
We have some temporary supporting steels poking through in the wardrobe in the main bedroom and the bathroom
and the ceiling is part missing in the downstairs loo.
and the old porch
Thankfully this didn't turn up any new problems -hooray!
No-one else will be onsite this week but as we're moved out from tomorrow they can crack on with downstairs work.
Shaun thinks they have 2 weeks more work, building the boys den, the utility, downstairs loo and store room before they have to close the site.
Hopefull we'll be moving on the drain situation by then. It does take the pressure off us to decide on the windows before holiday though.
Monday 10 August 2009
Day 36 - Things are moving
Quick update - Shaun has heard from the architect who has heard from the structural engineer who has finished our design - hooray.
The removal folk are coming on Thursday - eek!
We have to decide on windows, soon. UPVC or aluminium, except we haven't seen the ali ones....
The removal folk are coming on Thursday - eek!
We have to decide on windows, soon. UPVC or aluminium, except we haven't seen the ali ones....
Sunday 9 August 2009
Day 35 - More moving out
This weekend we finished off the moving out (well, nearly)
We took things down from the walls (shelves, blinds, mantlepiece etc), collapsed beds & temporary wardrobes and packed up stereo and lights in the bedroom.
We also removed all the empty boxes from the stinking hot loft. Unlike my previous house in Slough where the loft was full of 'stuff', mostly broken stuff purchased from car boot sales, the loft here is very tidy and organised but does contain a large number of empty gadget boxes. I think it's fair to say both Ern and I have an empty box problem. In theory we keep them so we can move or dispose of items in their original boxes...
Also in the loft was one reminder from the car boot days - a very old Russian linguafone on vinyl, and not even 33rpm by the looks of it!
And all my old vinyl which probably just needs donating to my folks for Cancer Research or binning - does anyone buy old vinyl? Mine's not even cool stuff, just cheesy 80s electronica.
On Monday I'm hoping to book the removal company for this week before we head off on hols.
We took things down from the walls (shelves, blinds, mantlepiece etc), collapsed beds & temporary wardrobes and packed up stereo and lights in the bedroom.
We also removed all the empty boxes from the stinking hot loft. Unlike my previous house in Slough where the loft was full of 'stuff', mostly broken stuff purchased from car boot sales, the loft here is very tidy and organised but does contain a large number of empty gadget boxes. I think it's fair to say both Ern and I have an empty box problem. In theory we keep them so we can move or dispose of items in their original boxes...
Also in the loft was one reminder from the car boot days - a very old Russian linguafone on vinyl, and not even 33rpm by the looks of it!
And all my old vinyl which probably just needs donating to my folks for Cancer Research or binning - does anyone buy old vinyl? Mine's not even cool stuff, just cheesy 80s electronica.
On Monday I'm hoping to book the removal company for this week before we head off on hols.
Day 34 - Weekend update
Little bit of progress this week on the side walls.
This will be the utility room outside door
Downstairs toilet window
View of the internal walls from the back
We're still waiting for the workaround design from the Structural Engineer - Ern is going to give him a call on Monday as it's been two and half weeks now.
We also spoke to our neighbour, Joe, about getting his agreement for the work. Looks like he's going to be fine about it which is good - we must be due some good news!
This will be the utility room outside door
Downstairs toilet window
View of the internal walls from the back
We're still waiting for the workaround design from the Structural Engineer - Ern is going to give him a call on Monday as it's been two and half weeks now.
We also spoke to our neighbour, Joe, about getting his agreement for the work. Looks like he's going to be fine about it which is good - we must be due some good news!
Monday 3 August 2009
Update on the hole/waste problem
I got an update from Shaun about the hole. The architect and Structural Engineer were round last Wednesday night to examine the waste and decide what had to be done.
It's not good news, although it could've been worse it seems.
Unfortunately a live waste drain from the house 3 doors further down the road comes right across the garden and then goes under the house and under next doors house before joining the main sewer in the middle of Fernbank. The hole where the foundations should be was an open inspection chamber and there's another one under next doors house!
This means the drain crosses the new extension twice, once on the outer wall and more signficantly where the new lounge and 5th bedroom walls will be - two storeys of weight to carry.
The inspection camera was able to follow the drain out to Fernbank and back to the originating house. They also had to jet wash out the pipe in order to see clearly - euuuwwgggh.
Nobody is quite sure what was happening to the 'waste' before as it was blocked with rubble when they found it but started flowing once it was cleared. The open inspection chamber has now been replaced with a proper pipe.
The Structural Engineer isn't happy with the weight of the house sitting on top of the drain. The current proposed solution is to sink 3 piers around the hole, one to the left, one right and one towards the garden. These will be like pillars of foundation that will take and distribute the weight of the house. There will also be wire mesh embedded in concrete across the hole. There will also need to be some reinforcement where the drain crosses the outer side wall of the extension.
And the holes for the piers will be 2 metres deep which makes them dangerous and expensive to dig. There's no room for the digger so they'll have to be hand dug.
Unfortunately this also means we have to get a party wall agreement signed with our neighbours as the 'piers' will be within 1 metre of their foundations/house.
We haven't been able to clarify how or if we should've known about this. The waste isn't connected to the waste from our house or next door - both of which route from the front of the houses. From a bit of searching on the internet it seems drains before a certain time weren't documented and it can be just luck as to whether anything turns up when you dig. The building controls man said that there's no way the original house build should've been approved with this setup, but of course that doesn't help us much now.
It's not good news, although it could've been worse it seems.
Unfortunately a live waste drain from the house 3 doors further down the road comes right across the garden and then goes under the house and under next doors house before joining the main sewer in the middle of Fernbank. The hole where the foundations should be was an open inspection chamber and there's another one under next doors house!
This means the drain crosses the new extension twice, once on the outer wall and more signficantly where the new lounge and 5th bedroom walls will be - two storeys of weight to carry.
The inspection camera was able to follow the drain out to Fernbank and back to the originating house. They also had to jet wash out the pipe in order to see clearly - euuuwwgggh.
Nobody is quite sure what was happening to the 'waste' before as it was blocked with rubble when they found it but started flowing once it was cleared. The open inspection chamber has now been replaced with a proper pipe.
The Structural Engineer isn't happy with the weight of the house sitting on top of the drain. The current proposed solution is to sink 3 piers around the hole, one to the left, one right and one towards the garden. These will be like pillars of foundation that will take and distribute the weight of the house. There will also be wire mesh embedded in concrete across the hole. There will also need to be some reinforcement where the drain crosses the outer side wall of the extension.
And the holes for the piers will be 2 metres deep which makes them dangerous and expensive to dig. There's no room for the digger so they'll have to be hand dug.
Unfortunately this also means we have to get a party wall agreement signed with our neighbours as the 'piers' will be within 1 metre of their foundations/house.
We haven't been able to clarify how or if we should've known about this. The waste isn't connected to the waste from our house or next door - both of which route from the front of the houses. From a bit of searching on the internet it seems drains before a certain time weren't documented and it can be just luck as to whether anything turns up when you dig. The building controls man said that there's no way the original house build should've been approved with this setup, but of course that doesn't help us much now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
