Flora in the bath

Over the Christmas period we've been working hard trying to keep things simple .... what does that actually mean?  

It's our belief that the next 5 months or so are going to full of making a considerable amount of choices, help!  So if we can try and take things a little more slowly in other areas of our lives (wishful thinking) and concentrate on the house surely this has got to be a the way forward? Going to Scotland for New Year was very very tempting.

It's really hard to find time especially in the term time, where both Flora and I can go investigating some materials or products without two small children in tow.  We managed to get out thanks to Flora's Mum a few days ago to look at stone flooring and bathrooms.  The flooring in particular is really important not only because it's so expensive but it's also amazingly obvious and we're unlikely to replace it in a hurry.  Being a male I'm not as patient as Flora so I helped her in a limited way to work through the choices (helped by free coffee - thank you Mandarin Stone).  Thankfully she is just better at this sort of thing than I ever will be, it made me feel like we were choosing our wedding list again where it highlighted my short attention span (but she still married me)!

Flora taking bathing extremely seriously in the showroom!

The floor I think we've decided on!

I did learn a thing or two about the about the process of laying stone flooring (and probably other types).  It's quite a considerable amount sealing the screed (3 layers) then adhesive to stick the special matting down then more adhesive on top of that to stick the stone tiles to the matting.  After this procedure it's a simple grout finished off with 3 more layers of another type of sealant.  I now understand why the QS factored doubling the overall expensive from the actual purchase price.

Just before Christmas I think the best phrase to use is that we had a Grand Designs moment.  

The QS told us that the wood store has cost a considerable amount more than we anticipated.  What he didn't say was why!  Yes we've made a few changes as the original roof had agricultural corrugated roofing material which was very practical and cheap but it looked like an eye sore in comparison to the rest of the house.  So we decided to use the same reclaimed Welsh slates as the rest of the house, this in turn meant the roof pitch had to change, then in turn part of the roof was changed to a flat roof.  This gives a perfect explanation of taking what seems to be a simple idea and making it considerably more expensive.  Had I known or been told then we've would have never gone down this route.  Now we're going into damaged limitation mode.  The QS is going to send the breakdown of the increase and we'll be able to see what, if anything we can actually do about it.  Lesson learnt - change is ok but getting a proper price (even if you've got lots of other things whirling around in your head just before Christmas) is essential!  Double whammy that we also found out the ground works actually cost £15k more than the original increase... for a moment I could even hear Kevin McCloud's narration in the background asking the viewers "Have Matt and Flora just been a little too grand?" before cutting to a commercial break.

Polly in the red coat on the digger (no keys attached).  The oak cladding is looking lovely (right hand window is the study / man cave).

Oak cladding before Christmas

Well thank God we never dreamt we would 'be in for Christmas'!  Building a house has many areas that it's possible to become very stressed by so cutting out one factor of never really having a completion date makes it easier to manage.  That isn't to say we don't want to move in or even worse we're really looking forward to be paying both the mortgage and the rent for Pottery Cottage.  But no matter how good the builders are,  brilliant the architect or amazing the technology there are always going to be delays in the work schedule.

We've hopefully sheltered ourselves from the worst that can happen i.e. running out of money 1/2 way through the project due to massive underestimating of the enormity of the project by us or someone else!

It is interesting to scan through the photos we've taken in the sure mind that I've got a photo for example of the wood shed and strangely there is but it's weeks old (cleared area) and the wood shed is actually up with a roof.  The point I'm making is that it's easy not to take photos at every stage even though I walk up to The Ropewalk at least four times a week.

This week we're mostly thinking about:-

1)  Meeting up with Andrew from 3f2 Carpentry tomorrow morning.  Andrew is taking on the management of the project from 1st January.  We will be sad to see GW Builders team leave as they've made a brilliant job of building the outer shell of Ropewalk House.  I think that they are all proud of their work which they should be as it's absolutely brilliant.  Anyway back to our meeting we've got to write out a list of things to research and make a decision on during the next two weeks.  Additionally we're be asking Andrew to tell us when we need to make a decision for the next remaining many internal aspects.

2)  Solar Sam plumbing will start at the beginning of the January.  Sam has kept me posted on the developments of who he's sent the drawings to and anything other important decision we need to make including that 4 solar thermal panels would best in order to give us a whooping 9 months effective usage from the panels.

3)  I need to chase the Green Building Store (or Andrew) as I haven't heard from them at all considering the Mechanical Heat Recovery Unit.  Simply put it means that the house has been designed to have ducting into each room taking the dirty or warm wet area which will then be cleared and re-distributed into other rooms of the house.

4)  Nigel Davis (Quantity Surveyor) met Garry today so I need to know when he's likely to tell me we're on track with the finances or we need to be making some cut backs.

17th December - solar panels on, battening for oak cladding in front of the TLX Gold insulation

Garry and Dave nailing in the first oak cladding to the north wall

Dave with oak cladding behind - due to the tannin in the oak we're going to leave the plastic skirt uncut hanging over the stone walling in order to protect it for a year.

Tom McCurrac (middle) showing me the height of the possible hipped porch to the back door.  Once again Harry the architect was absolutely right that it should be like this.

Water tight, plumbing and more insulation!

The cold and clear weather I think has made everyone a little happier.  Once again a cold spell (it was -7oC last night in Bruton) focuses me on insulation.  This year I can actually see it in place rather than just thinking how lovely it would be to have a warm house that didn't take a huge amount of fossil fuels to heat (and money).  The insulation is pretty substantial TLX gold, 130 mm celotex and then on the inside TLX silver - it probably doesn't probably mean a huge amount when I say the U value will be around 0.012?  

Ok I think I've come to the decision that we're going to try without connecting gas boiler to the system and I also don't think we're really be needing heating up stairs.  All the bedrooms open out to the landing where the lovely warm air from downstairs will rise.  If that's not sufficient then a small electric oil fired radiator might be a cost effective solution rather than installing radiators in every room.

The TLX gold covers both the roof and 1st floor ready for the oak cladding

So the focus what can be done before and after Christmas.  We learnt that the windows from Rawlinson were delayed until the week of the 7th January.  I don't think this has messed things up apart from Dave and Garry having to find a solution to fitting the oak weather boarding before the windows are fitted.  We just praying that the colour for the outside of the frames are as good as we thought or true to what we have in our heads.

Polly looking a bit nervous on the scaffolding with Flora, Isla, Garry and Dave

The other pressing issue has been trying to get a plumber to work with Solar Sam he's been finding it hard as most of them are booked out after Christmas.  There may be a few possible ones in or around Bruton which would be great if we can get something decided that was within our budget.

Solar Sam unveiling the new Navitron panels that will provide a decent amount of our hot water for 9 months per year.

The oak weather boarding waiting to be nailed on to the outside of the 1st floor.  They're turn a silvery grey after a few years.

We're meeting Andrew next week to discuss and agree an order of priorities list. We've devoted from after Christmas to starting work on 7th to investigating flooring, white goods and many more things.  The house at last feels like it's getting to be real house especially now the rain can't drip in apart from the large open windows.  The plan is to get the plumbing and electrics 1st fix straight after the New Year.

Insulation, roofs & round windows

Time is rushing by having to make serious decisions now since the roof joists are complete and it's looking like the roof will be watertight by Christmas before.

Every day I'm going up to the Ropewalk and we're trying to think of things that are coming up over the horizon.  Today was confirmation that we should have made a decision about the insulation in the roof space months ago rather than not getting on with it or at least confirming the standard rock wool rolls we not going to take the houses U value anywhere to what I want!  I'm convinced by having a warm loft will mean we can store things without them being subjected to extreme temperatures and things like pipes not freezing ever surely has got to be a good idea.

It may be an obvious thing to point out but it's always a shame that in a normal build the things we actually see see are things we probably have to compromise on as the finances are being strained ... We've trying to be organised by hopefully not doing this by employing a quantity surveyor etc but being told this way of insulating the roof is going to cost £5k+ isn't what I wanted!

East side facing towards the utility room, our bedroom and a good place the yard for car parking.

North side - cars from Polly's primary school it's that close.

Dave's round window far better than I ever expected giving lots of light to our bathroom.

West face looking towards our garden.

North east face where we'll drive the car in walk to the back door.

8 days makes lots of difference.

Well we went away for half term to try and find some sun.  I think probably at the best time in the whole project as the wooden frame was just into the first stage.  Is it slightly sad to drive by The Ropewalk at 8 pm on a Saturday evening when you haven't actually returned home from the airport? No, I didn't think so either especially as the girls were sleeping we wanted to see the progress but we weren't prepared for such a rapid development. Hurray it really does seems to getting on.

So things were chatting thinking about this week:-

1. We've been in contact with Nigel Davis QS to make sure we're on track financially.  Garry really wanted to know as he has been trying to get the best prices for all the materials.
2. I had an idea that we could make the study roof vaulted so we had an impromptu meeting with Harry and Garry and they think it's possible hopefully with a minimum amount of spend.

Dave, Garry and Harry having a chat.

The frame before 1/2 term

Tom working on the oriel window part of the study.

James next to the utility room.

Sunday 4th November roof is starting to look good.

Looking through downstairs from the sewing room / Flora's place!

This is where the stairs are going.

The play room from the dining room / kitchen with the block wall nearly finished.

1. Plumbing - I've spoken to Solar Sam having had a meeting with Andrew from 3f2 Carpentry - he's going to be in charge of the 2nd phase.  The plan sounds possibly complicated but it's so important to get a standard plan to then be able to put out to tender to the other plumbers.  The other part that I've learnt is to get someone to commission the system which we didn't have for the Longhouse build and we've had continual problems!
2. Oak cladding / weather boarding needs deciding as soon as possible.

Oak posts delivered

Today was exciting.  I had to walk up and see for myself that the huge oak posts being put into place by Tom and his team.  Knowing that this oak has grown in Flora's family farm for the last 150+ years just makes it more special.  Obviously I felt like a complete spare part but it gave me the opportunity to look at real craftsmanship in place.

The oak frame being assembled - an undercroft to sit under & above will be the study

The oak dowels being cut away

By contrast we (that includes Garry and Dave) were appalled to see a vent pipe sticking out of the beautiful wall in a really obvious height put there by Celtic Renewables last Friday when they did the initial installation of the wood burner.  Without any consultation to anyone, it just looks like they did the easiest thing for them which is a shame as I'm going to ask them to do it again in a less obvious place!  It also worries me about thermal bridging (conduction of the heat through the pipe to the outside) so I'll ask Phil Neave (of Thermal Phil as Harry the House calls him) our environmental consultant.

Two stories high

Where did October go?  I was only thinking a few days ago that September was the stone cladding month followed by October being the laying the floor joists / wood month and suddenly we have less than two weeks before it's November.  My concern was always getting the house water tight before the autumn rains but frankly at this rate winter may be cold but it might be considerably less wet than our summer.

Things we're thinking about this week like faux bookends .......

Last weekend we stayed at this house

Even better this was the entrance to our bedroom! This is the sort of entrance  I want for the monks staircase up to the study.

Second floor going up (taken from the primary school car park)

View from the scaffolding to our garden

• Heating - the wood burner has been installed (1st part).  I've tried to find another company approved to install both wood burners and solar thermal panels but to no avail even rang up both accredited associated websites.
• We think the windows and doors are going to look good but frankly it's too late now!  They should be delivered in early December.
• Tom McCurrac is arriving today to erect the wooden oak frame to hold the study up and the oriel window.

Sunday walk around

I've just seen an email from Garry which says something about an invoice so at the moment it's better to look at that in the morning and concentrate on the progress of the Ropewalk House.  Apart from last weeks wet weather which nearly dampened the spirits of the GW team I think it's going pretty well.  Tom McCurrac is coming to Bruton in the week of the 21st which again will be really exciting to see his progress having picked up the oak trees from Dennings Down Farm a few weeks ago.

Flora on the scaffolding outside the play room window

The part of the wall Flora built

Garden door archway which I think it beautiful

The rough view from our bedroom window

Look down the monks stairs void

Directly in front is kitchen, left playroom, beyond downstairs loo

Looking out from the sitting room window into our garden

A seasoned but new oak beam dividing the kitchen and playroom

South wall window just to the right will be the monks stair

Play room window (left) and sitting room window right but will have a dividing wall

 

Stoning

I think the stone work is nearly complete which is great as it looks brilliant but it's also taken ages so I would like to see some vertical improvements please.

Today I went up having dropped off Polly at the Primary School in the pouring rain.  Everyone was sheltering (Garry, Dave, Gareth and JJ) under a very temporary roof.  I think they may or may not have sacked the day as they wanted to put on the plates to hold in the timber roof joists.  We were going to have the more modern zig zag sort of I beams but now we think a solution to run the MVHR ducting down past the various wardrobes gives us a saving going back to the more conventional material.  I don't care as long as we don't hear every foot step from up stairs and it doesn't take the electrician and plumbers far longer to run the services through. I've been assured that this is unlikely to happen.  What hot this week: -

Stone window sills from Bruton

Flora adding even more credibility points helping with facing the walls

1. Another oak beam (new one this time) was delivered and installed on Monday separating the dining room through to the play room.  It looks surprising good already which is very exciting.
2. Windows have taken a huge amount of Flora's time checking and double checking.  I think we may be there now we decided that the larder door is to be a outside door as the larder will be having two outside vents to keep it cool.  An unforeseen expense of £900 has arisen due to having to have toughened glass for some of the windows as they're below 800 mm from the floor.
3. We choose and paid for a Rangemaster cooker + got a 1/2 price cooker hood at the same time from Spillers of Chard.  Very happy with all of this, well done Mrs RP for the research.
4. Going to fix up a meeting with Nigel Davis (QS) and Garry to match actual expenditure to predicted.
5. Mortgage application has been accepted so now I've got to submit some final paperwork but it's looking positive.
6. Been talking to Celtic Renewables with reference to the plan and then backing up my knowledge with a very useful conversation with a friend in the know.  It's never simple and I need to get a decision once and for all.  I think they're good but I'm still slightly wary that they coming from Cornwall and I should be able to find a more local company.  This is tomorrows quest!

Oak Beams

A really frustrating aspect to computers is having saved the latest blog pain stakingly typed from my phone it then doesn't so here goes for a second and it all better be worth it.

Decisions have in my view slowed down over the past couple of weeks possibly due to Garry going on holiday and Dave and the team concentrating on the stone work. Still things have progressed

1) The brick work looks higher and the stone work is chasing it up quickly.

2) David Brayborn sent us his report about the trees on the eastern boundary and in short we're going to leave them be for at least this winter and the next.

3) The oak beam which will be set above the cooker was researched and ordered by Flora. I had the task of picking it up from Glastonbury reclamation.  Luckily it just fit into the estate with probably less than 20 cm.  It looks great to finally see something in place that we know we're be looking at for many years to come.  All the internal block work will all be covered up and even the plaster gets paint over and eventually chipped and scratched.  This old oak beam already had history from another house and it was really lovely to know that we're reusing something again for a purpose.  Full credit to Flora I know she has considerably more patience and drive in these areas of detail.

4) We went to Devon to stay with Flora's Mum for a week which was great!

Arched window

Popped into Ropewalk House this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to see Dave had completed one of the arched windows looking out from the dining room next to the secret stairs.

Week Decisions

I've just woken up at 6:00 am and today is my 39th birthday!  I feel pretty good waking up early having slept through the night not thinking about house issues.

The house has immersed us in the cycle of having to make decisions.  I thought that we had done lots of research in years gone by but until you get into the detail and finally make a decision it just doesn't stop.  Take one single element i.e. we (Flora mainly) really wanted a rainwater harvesting system rather than Matt's strategically placed raised water butts.  It took not only the internet time but many discussions with Gary and Dave and then more time with the tree expert from the council who was worried that our C graded trees were being possibly affected by the large hole.

Quick summary of where we're at: -

1. Block work about 7 ft in height.
2. Windows and doors finally ordered apart from garden door that may be made separately.
3. Wood burner stove - from Stovesonline now ordered (double insert back boiler).  It's going to give out 5 kw to the room and 14 kw to the thermal store.  I thought we were going for the smaller version 5kw and 10 kw but maybe it's better to have too much than too little?
4. Kitchen 'range / chimney' insert dimensions adjusted and starting to be re-built.
5. Money leaving our bank account at a fast rate of knots... mortgage application sent to the Ecology Building Society.
6. Kitchen confirmed from Howdens but need to get Garry to order it and confirm the trade price.
7. Accepted expensive water connection quotation from Wessex Water.
8. Sent Gas and electricity paperwork for estimates.

Flora and Tilly standing in the kitchen / dining area

Things to be done soon: -

1. Expensive seasoned oak beams to be ordered for above the cooker.
2. Make a decision about the fireplace wood storage.
3. Order the MVHR (mechanical ventilation heat recovery) from the Green Building Store.
4. Confirm prices of wavy edged oak weather boarding.
5. Research more plumbers that can instal solar thermal and back boilers (easier to find fairies at the bottom of the garden).
6. Come up with a estimated lighting cost from the Original Lighting Company. Went up to London for the Olympics and at the same time visited their showroom to take some pictures.

Looking from the dining area to the play room and beyond to the sitting room