What a week!

Ok - this is I hope the last time I write about money.  

At the start of the build I had a contingency which is now well and truly gone. After that I thought if we didn't buy outrageously expensive items, unlike the numerous couples of popular TV series trying to justify why they really did need to spend £20,000 more on a kitchen than they had planned for, I thought we would be in the clear.  The difficult part is how do you explain going over budget?  In short a combination of us changing our minds eg the wood shed roof material from a agricultural roofing material to slate (but then the whole design had to change which was considerably more expensive and only communicated by how much after it had been done).  The other factor was underestimation by the QS certainly in the amount of exterior oak cladding but possibly other areas.  Without someone taking hours to work this out we'll never know and frankly I'm not going start spending more money working it all out!  We've got a very good understanding of how much and Andrew will be letting us know of the financial progress in our weekly Friday meetings.

So apart from the money side of life (the house will in some optimistic way be completed) - it's been a week of decisions.  My head hurts just thinking about all the stuff that I'll probably forget about next week.  Trying to remember what Andrew or Garry said and then conveying it back to Flora can be really hard work!

Top points of the Pops this week: -

Our notes to Piers the plumber confirming the position of the loo in our ensuite bathroom.

• Bathroom / plumbing and all things watery - we've changed / finalised the layout of all two bathrooms and the downstairs loo.  Trying to future proof the plumbing we've also asked for a hot and cold feed to be factored in to run into the downstairs loo just in case we wanted in the future to instal a shower.

• The huge 500 litre thermal store (water tank) arrived on Friday.  Thank God for the very strong Lithuanian window fitted who kindly helped man handle the 400 kg tank into the house - equally thank God for the patio slide doors as the tank didn't actually fit through anything else.

The rather large thermal store supplied by Dunster Boilers - currently positioned in the dining room with Tilly looking in disgust.



• How do we get rid of excess heat from the solar panels / back boiler?  We're going to have one or two dump radiators in the hall and utility room if this is the case in colder periods of the year.  But then what happens if the amazingly efficient solar panels produce too much hot water in the summer?  Piers the Plumber suggested something he's installed recently into another house.  A hot water pipe running out of the house into potentially a green house providing so much warmth that the owner is now able to grow bananas! 

Utility room - outside door - notice the wet floor due to the leak in the roof!



• Who's doing what?  In an ideal world we wanted one plumbing company to do everything.  Well this was possible but it was going cost a considerably more so we now need to make sure that all three parties involved in the plumbing know exactly what they're required to do.
• Not a lot of slating has happened due to the snow but it's only going to be raining this coming week!
• Leak in the utility roof but apparently not everything has been finished / sealed.
• Delay Tom Maccurach completing the pergola until we know we'll be able to pay him.
• Confirm a rough time line with Andrew and finish date for GW Builders (Garry, Dave, Gareth and James) 1st March.
• Confirm light fittings and watch the first fix take place.

On the study wall we've decided on the light fittings (yellow marks)

• Talk about screed which then greatly affects how and when the stone flooring can be laid.

Our sitting room / snug toy free zone.

Access to the first floor - not quite the final hallway look at the moment.

Garden door and playroom window - see the black damp course membrane will be under the final floor level.

• Watch as the 1st floor internal walls become more solid with plaster board, floors chip boarded and outside walls insulated plaster boarding (yes that's right even more insulation).

Another spare room overlooking the garden - the chimney is behind the block work.

Girls bedroom - ok it doesn't show very much but the window to the right gets a great view to the school gates.

The spare room with stud work showing the built in wardrobe with it's back opening into the study, inspired by The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe .

Attic - but it has to have the ducting for the Mechanical Heat Recovery + rain water header tank (s) installed soon.

Leading across the hallway to the family bathroom and girls bedroom.

The round window and ideal position for a loo with a view.

The dining room doors below under the undercroft and study window all fitted.

Lighting in the snow

This blog was always intended to be a way of trying to collect my thoughts together over the years of building our house.  What was I thinking two years ago probably has changed considerably about either the design, money and people.  I think it's healthy to periodically look at how far we've come and so far we can both say it's been on the whole a really enjoyable experience.

The build took on a new phase this week going up about three gears in terms of people on site.  I counted 14 on Monday which is great but I don't want to add up how much that day cost us!

GW Builders - Garry, Dave, Gareth and James
3f2 Carpentry - Andrew, Robin, Rob and Alex
Rawlinson Windows - Russ + 2
Lead man
Chris the electrician
Solar Sam

Andrew from 3f2 Carpentry was always going to be in charge of the project from the first fix onwards.  He in theory was going to be in around October time so he's been delayed but fortunately he's had plenty of other work to keep him and his team busy.

Andrew and Flora chatting in our ensuite bathroom (use your imagination!)

It's been hectic going up to see progress trying to make decisions and talk to everyone.  It's at the crucial stage where we've had a very good look at the finances.  For whatever reasons we've reached a point where we now have a good idea of the final cost from GW builders.  There are other elements outside the structure of the house that we've asked for a fixed price just to be able to make an informed decision about whether we can afford the non essential items.  We need some sort of drive way covering for example but we don't actually need the entrance gate and wall to be built at this very point in time.  To try and build a wall using lime mortar isn't very practical.  We always had it in our minds that we wouldn't move in until everything was complete but this may have to change, financial unknowns and giving a little more time to decide and see how things can work we think should be considered.

We really like these light fittings from Original BTC company

Something we must make a decision about is lighting.  This morning after tobogganing with the girls braved the again snow, borrowed the 4x4 from Mill on the Brue and drove to Fiat Lux lighting shop in Frome.

The view from the study window out to the very white garden

There are two aspects to lighting - technical stuff i.e. electricity consumption and the aesthetics.  Frankly if we didn't give a hoot about trying to minimise our impact on the this world then the former probably wouldn't register in a conversation.  Most of the time when Flora and I have gone somewhere to look at something I've been the one to crash out first and get bored, until today......  In retrospect perhaps I might have started the conversation with the very pleasant and clearly knowledgable man in the shop about something else than the merits of LED lighting.  At which point Flora walks off to look at lights around the shop until we've finished and my head has stopped spinning.  There are some lovely lovely lights and essentially if you're thinking about trying to save energy then it's harder due to the whole industry being in the state of huge technology advancement.  The visit was interesting, thought provoking and we're nearer to deciding than we were yesterday.  What it really hard to decide is how do you know you're going to have enough lighting in the right place looking good without blowing the budget and being paranoid in the future of turning anything on? In the end you just have to make decision and get on with it and try your best without going completely mad.

The front of the study roof is nearly complete

Garry nailing on another reclaimed purple Welsh slate

So at the end of week whatever

1. Most of the windows and doors are in - we've had good comments even from Harry and Flora's pleased so that's great.

The beautiful round bathroom window

1. The third layer of insulation in the roof - TLX silver has been fitted (I made the decision not to have another layer of celotex rigid insulation back with plasterboard as it was going to cost loads more despite improving the U value of the house).

The chip board floor already makes a difference.  Looking from our bedroom along the hall to the family bathroom.

1. The slates to the roof are getting there not helped by the biting cold wind ending up with 10cm this morning.

1. James is slowing ploughing on with the north wall.
2. Upstairs the chip boarding is nearly complete and the stud walling is about finished.
3. Chris the electrician has started the 1st fix
4. The flat roof to the oriel window, garden porch, utility room and flashing on the back door porch has been fitted.

Lead roof over the utility room

A cold Sunday walkabout

Summary of the week - lots happening!

1) Reclaimed Welsh slates are going on.

2) Tom returned and put the hipped porch up.

3) Windows finally arrived and have started to be put in.

4) North wall is progressing well with the help of James.

5) Friends came to have a look!

Time well spent up at the house

It feels great to be doing something physical that is contributing to the build of the house rather than coming up with some of the ideas, making decisions and supplying the funding!  We've had the time for the last few days to watch the girls playing in the garden whilst we have been lucky enough to have a few hours helping the building team.  For me I've been staining the ends of the roof joists a grey colour.  Each soft wood joist protruding out from the roof have been cut at the lower facing end in a curve which gives a really noticeably more elegant look to the roof structure already.  By staining the ends of the joists we hope the soft wood will be less stark in comparison to the oak that will turn a silver grey in a few years time.

Carefully does it painting the ends of the roof joists.

Polly's contribution to the stone wall building smoothing out the lime plaster.

The undercroft to the right will be the dining room area through the doors.

North elevation cladding.

Flora drove up to Bristol to look at more stone and came back with an even better type with a really good price which is at the moment a very good thing!

Polly has been so enthusiastic trying to help both of us over the last two days it's been lovely.  Climbing up the scaffolding to help me paint didn't bother her at all nor the mud and dust from helping Flora build the garden stone wall.

West elevation.

Wood shed - roof.

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.