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

Week 11 - 1st week August out of the ground

Week 11 - August

Time rushes by when work cranks up and then you've also got lots of ringing around to for the house thus the last thing on my list is to actually record what has been going on!

In a month things are looking really positive having now poured a considerable amount of concrete and the weather for a short spell decided to clear up with a week of sun.

Concrete piles being delivered - early July

17th July after considerable amount of rain the cellar still looks good - had to be pumped out again

Looking at the wood store & utility room then the trench foundations for the kitchen and dining room

27th July - all the concrete has finally been poured!  Aircrete blocks can start to be laid.

South west corner of the house showing the monks stair indent

1st August it's starting to look more like a house!

a)  Things that I've just completed and feel considerably more relieved by finally doing so: -

1) Gas application - this shouldn't be too bad considering Dave thought (as did everyone else) that the large concrete bollard thing next to the site was water when in fact it's mains gas!

2) Electricity - day after I posted the application they've already contacted Garry so I'm impressed but we're see.

3) Water application was a pain in the arse asking for schematic which yours truly attempted to do and come up with a simplified version.  They've also made contact.

b)  Things to do.

1)  Windows - Having been badgered by Flora who is understandably apprehensive about the cost of triple glazing I finally got ringing the various other companies.  Having sent a few emails about 5 weeks ago and received nothing telephoning is certainly the more effective way.  Two alternative companies we going to obtain quotes for are the Passivehaus Stove in Devon and Rawlinton in Bristol.  We're going to do a whirl wind tour at some point in the next few weeks to see the actual windows.  I can't decided whether having aluminium powder coated is better than painted.  Essentially the former doesn't need any maintenance which sounds great but it may only last 30 / 40 years where as the painted wood version needs reapplying every 5 years but may last considerably longer.

2)  Heating systems - Stovesonline have been really useful talking about installing a double insert stove with back boiler. I hoping they're be able to recommend a plumber who might be able to design and commission the heating system.  I've had a quote from Celic Solar who seem pretty expensive but they may be in the end the ones to go for.  Passivehaus Store also have a non anti freeze system which apparently makes a low maintenance opinion.

3) Flora is researching the kitchen having gone to Howdens and spoken to Andrew about other ideas.  She's come up with the good idea of making the kitchen range area more interesting looking by adding a fire place / kink to hide the extractor fan.  The range / induction cooker has so far been sourced.

4) Lighting - we were recommended to look at http://www.lightingmatters.co.uk which for the first time I've actually come across a lighting website that I thought had some wonderful ideas.  It actually got me excited rather than down hearted to think we might be able to have some of these in our house.  We both agree that we're spend our money on the main communal areas with ordinary lighting upstairs.