Week 19: Superstructure nears completion

With only one week to go now until Easter, the superstructure of the house is nearing completion.  The brickies should complete the block work in the w/c 30/3 and the roof trusses are due on site on 2/4.  

Most of the window openings are now fully framed and the full size and shape of the house is now there to be seen.  JS Geddes, our kitchen supplier have also just sent us a pack with full details of the kitchen specification and layout.

Week 18: Final steelwork now in situ

More progress to report this week as the final steelwork has been installed in the hall and on the first floor to form the window opening upstairs in the lounge. The builders have also left some boards on the floor joists meaning that, for the first time, we've been able to stand in the lounge and see the view framed by the window steels.

Steels form the lounge window opening

Our architect, builder, glazier and structural engineers have also been refining the design for the staircase.  The brief was 'minimalist' and after several iterations they've come up with something really special.

Joe surveys the build from the scaffold platform

We're probably running a few weeks behind schedule now, mainly due to bad weather.  Next week sees Bernhard & the brickie back on site to finish the block work and then the following week should see the beginning of the installation of the roof.  

Week 17: The Joiners have arrived!

After months of cement, blocks, bricks & mortar ('fifty shades of grey') it's been really nice this week to see the arrival of the joiners on site.  

They've started laying the first floor platform and strapping the walls.

It's now possible to get sense of the room sizes and overall layout of the building.

Susan checks the hall for size

One of the joiners laying the engineered floor joists

The upstairs floor starts to take shape

Next week should see the final steelwork being installed, that in turn will allow the completion of the blockwork and then the roof.  

All, hopefully, this side of the Easter weekend. 

Week 15: Blockwork nears completion

Another highly productive week on site at 'High Pines' this week.
  
We visited the site at lunchtime today and for the first time could really make out size and shape of the superstructure of the house.

Susan at the front door looking in to the hall

Joe takes in the view from the balcony

Week 14: Landscaping the site

Our architect Ewan Cameron has been busy this week producing a few rough ideas for the eventual landscaping 'look & feel' for the site.
  
As we have a sloping site the use of terracing seems to be most appropriate and will make best use of the garden.
  
This image gives an impression of how the site & house may look eventually.

Week 14: Ground floor walls built and window openings formed

The three bedroom window openings are now formed

The first floor balcony is now visible to the left

The walls, insulation and steelwork are all getting fully integrated

Week 13: 'The brickies are back'

The past few weeks have been painfully slow progress on site - mainly down to snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures.  Bernhard and the boys had been eager to make a start but there was no way they could mix mortar and expect it to set safely when 'it's Baltic outside'.

"...just like icing a cake"

"many hands make light work"

Joe breaks the ice on a frozen water bucket

With an increase in temperature on Monday this week a team of brickies arrived back on site and got to work like a team 'possessed'.  By the end of the week they've pretty much laid out all of the ground floor walls and doorways. 

It's not a building site without a Lucozade bottle

The view of the ground floor from high above Joe's bedroom

Dougie from PAN builders has also been able to confirm the dimensions for the first floor joists and get them ordered for a few weeks time.

The brickies 'crack on next week' and we should see the walls continue to rise and the window openings formed.