The weather began dry, but changed to drizzle around midday. Two men arrived just before 8am for a prompt start, and ten minutes later began to demolish the roof of the garage/porch. More men arrived. A skip was delivered by 'Bristol & Avon'. Several of the old garage roof beams were put aside, at my request, to be used later as a replacement surround for my vegetable patch. Men came and went, work continued. Paver stones, previously laid by the front door, were stacked aside to be re-used later to form a path. By 3pm, when torrential rain stopped play, the external structure had been demolished and the site laid tidy, with footings marked ready to be dug out tomorrow.
Tuesday:
The weather began overcast but dry. Two men arrived at 8am...saying that a digger was on its way.
Both men seemed frustrated at 9am when the digger hadn't arrived. There wasn't anything they could do. One said that the footings need to be dug out today as the building inspector is due here at 10am tomorrow, with plans for concrete to follow at 2pm. Apparently the brick layers are due to be here on Thursday...and they want to get above ground level by Friday night. That sounds good to me, but we'll see.
11am: The sun is shining, but the digger still hasn't turned up.
12.0'clock: The digger arrived at 11.10am (from 'Stones Hire')...but was soon proven faulty, so work stopped.
12.40pm: A guy from Stones arrived and repaired the digger. A dumper truck also arrived. Activity commenced, but at 1.10pm the caterpillar tyre fitted to the digger split, which caused work to cease again.
2.30pm: The skip (full of bricks and rubble) was collected and another put in its place.
2.50pm: A replacement digger arrived. The broken digger is to be collected tomorrow morning.
Workmen left at 4pm.
Wednesday:
Two workmen arrived at 7.50am and began work immediately. The weather is damp but due to brighten.
12.0'clock: The trenches have almost been completed. Right now there's a bit of a blip in one corner where the presence of an electricity cable and a gas pipe are causing an issue. However, hand-digging is going on, which should solve the problem. The building inspector has just been contacted to visit. The skip is full and is awaiting replacement. All seems fine.
3pm: The building inspector arrived and isn't happy. He says the house is on a raft. This was known, and the structural plans for the new build were drawn accordingly. These plans, detailing the proposed foundation for the new build, were passed. So why is this suddenly an issue? A site meeting has just been called for 7.30am...inspector, husband and builder. Meanwhile the delivery of concrete, previously due for 10am tomorrow is on hold.
I've just had a thought! We have a trench that is just about the right size for burying a building inspector...
Later in the evening we discovered that the house 'phone isn't working...it seems that the cable has been disturbed by the build. My mobile 'phone (rarely used) has now been dug out of the bedside drawer, dusted and is being charged. Husband has been dealing with the issue of the foundations (he's a structural engineer) and is ready to do battle in the morning. This may save the inspectors life...which seems a pity really...
Thursday:
7.15am: The skip has been exchanged. The lorry driver seemed to be very much awake...I wonder what time he got up this morning. In contrast I am swishing around in a long skirt and vest top...looking about as efficient as a frilled lampshade. I need coffee...
9am: The meeting is over and the building plans have been deemed fit for purpose. However, there was room for misinterpretation, therefore the plans are being formally adjusted to provide clarification. No work will take place on site today. Incidentally the digger is faulty and has been returned for repair...
I need 'chill' time so am going out for lunch!
Friday:
No workmen on site again today. Husband says it's ok...things are being organised for a 'full steam ahead' on Monday. He's satisfied that the plans are now crystal clear and that the builders and the inspector are now on the same wavelength. He assures me that with this greater understanding work will proceed smoothly next week.
Fine!
Final words for this week:
I like the workmen, they are all polite, helpful and easy to get along with. They certainly don't stand around chatting and drinking endless mugs of coffee. In my opinion the digger-hire place is rubbish. In my opinion the skip hire place has been efficient. The building inspector is 'just doing his job'. On the 'down' side I rate the weeks progress as being 4/10 because in fact we've had only two days work out of five.
THE SECOND WEEK
Monday:
The repaired digger arrived on site over the weekend and two workmen arrived at 8am today. They began work immediately and things appear to be highly active. The weather is grey and damp with rain expected later...
10.30am: Work continues, with measuring going on and orders for beams and blocks being calculated. The digging isn't quite completed yet, but the 'next stage' is being set.
3.15pm: The skip is full. The diggers are quiet. The trenches appear to be 'done'. The steel mesh reinforcement stuff is being delivered tomorrow morning. The building inspector is due tomorrow afternoon, bless him. The site is also scheduled to be tidied (old timber roofing beams are being removed) tomorrow.
A heavy thundering rain storm has just kicked off. So we could have a water-filled moat around our house by tomorrow morning! I already have a water otter in my kitchen...a water otter...a kettle! Get it?
3.20pm: Heck! Wow! There is now electrical cracking, popping and sparking coming from a cable in the trench! The builder has called in the emergency services....! I've gotta go and take a look...
6pm: Well that was great fun! The mains electricity cable had clearly had it's covering nicked during the build...and it really kicked off in the rain storm and caused bangs and flashes to light up the area. The emergency services reacted promptly...saying they'd be with us within four hours! The electricity cable was beneath a gas pipe so the gas services were called out also. The builders said it was fortunate that it rained...otherwise tomorrow when the steel reinforcement is placed in the trenches there could have been a fatal accident. Although, of course from my perspective, we have a séance tomorrow evening and it'd be fantastic evidence to receive an immediate response from the deceased...it would nevertheless have been difficult to write a séance report in a positive tone, given the nature of the incident and the potential interest of the local media.
Whatever...the adventure this evening resulted in 81 local people having a power cut at tea time. As a high percentage of people now attend weight-watchers I consider this power cut to be a beneficial aid in support of their weight loss intent. Never a dull moment!
Pause for a song...
Tuesday:
I now realise that yesterday I overlooked a money-making venture. I was, for a short period, offered an opportunity to set up home-based cremation facilities and on-site burials, followed by snacks (we have an Asda store opposite our house for convenience) with a séance to follow. I could have done this at fantastic profit, as to the best of my knowledge no-one else is doing it. Why not? It would, I feel, appeal to a niche market. However...it's too late now. The workmen are due at 8am and they will be setting steel cages into the trenches. I can see further potential for profit though. If I nip over to Asda for a few bottles of booze and some fairy lights, I reckon I could set up a fettish event for those that fancy being restrained in steel wire cages! Or...whilst the trenches are here, I could hire the site out to WW1 enthusiasts for re-enactments!
8.10am: Builders have arrived and work has commenced. The digger is awaiting collection, as is the filled skip...and the delivery of steel mesh is due.
9.30am: The builders are now needing the delivery of steel mesh...it's late, which is a bit frustrating.
9.45am: The mesh has arrived...blimey...that's some strong stuff....
11am: I have to say that not once during the set-backs have I heard any of the builders complain, swear or gripe. Whilst I've felt a little frustrated at the delays, as I’m sure they have too, I realise that most of the set backs have been caused by faulty hired machinery, genuine accidents and building inspection glitches. When building work is undertaken set-backs do happen and frankly no-one wants to listen to miserable moaning builders every time a challenge occurs. This lot are hard working and are doing their best to keep on track. They don't slob around dunking digestive biscuits into mugs of tea and they don't let the dog out or take crafty kicks at the cats. They are instead becoming part of the family...although I wouldn't like to wash their skanky tee shirts at the end of the day!
12.15: The building inspector has just been around. This was a different guy to the one that came last week. Whatever...this bloke wants to trenches to be deeper. That's really bad news for the builders, who have moved on to line the trench with steel mesh and now have to remove it. The inspector has arranged to return in the morning to check that all is as it needs to be before the concrete is poured...that's due to arrive tomorrow lunch time. Incidentally for those who reckon that the extra hours worked equates to extra money, forget it. The total payment for the job has been agreed. I still haven't heard the builders lose their tempers, though the young one is complaining that with all the digging that's required (by hand now) he won't be fit enough to go to the gym!
2.20pm: The inspector required the trench to be dug deeper. This is due to the presence of a soil pipe that lays across the site. The required depth has now been achieved...but the soil pipe has just become cracked as a result of a fall of heavy clay/substance landing upon it from above. Someone is now coming to repair the pipe...but in order to do this they have to free the pipe to enable access. This, of course, requires further digging. The foundation trench of this build is becoming ever deeper and wider. When filled with reinforced steel and concrete it will be strong enough to support a tower block!
3.10pm: The soil pipe has been repaired. Tomorrow is another day...
Wednesday:
8.05am: The workmen are on site and working. The filled skip has been replaced and rubbish from around the site has been put into it. The weather looks pretty good. I have my fingers crossed for it to be a good day. Two extra men have arrived...there are now four working on the site.
10am: Well...you'd better sit down with a cup of coffee before reading this! The first building inspector, when he was here, apparently entered the rear garage area (which is now open to the elements due to the demolition of the front section). Whilst there he allegedly took a sample of the roofing board and found that it contains asbestos, which comes as no surprise. Most integral garages contain asbestos due to it's fire-resistant properties. Anyway...this 'gentleman' has now decreed the site unsafe for building inspectors to visit!!! Yep...it's true!
Pause for a song....
Now...further to this...British Gas, who fitted our central combi-boiler in the rear of the garage, are being called out to repair a snag in the asbestos board, as they caused this when fitting the boiler. IT has been agreed for a sheet to be fixed to the 'garage' opening to prevent asbestos dust leakage into the atmosphere so that the second inspector can return to check the build. The first inspector is now abroad on holiday by the way. Y'know...I knew I should have buried that first inspector in the trench...there was something about him...for a start, he had an eye set above his cheek bone on each side of his nose...that's always a sign of trouble.
11am: Panic is over, and the life of a building inspector has potentially been saved again. Apparently the sample of asbestos wasn't taken from our property and there has been a bit of a mix up in the building controls department...sincere apologies have been offered and gracefully accepted.
11.40: A large section of the trench is now ready for concrete to be poured. The remaining section will be easier to deal with once this section has set. One of the problems for builders is that the soil here is silt and clay, so it both slides when damp and cracks and clumps when dry. They get one part of the trench clear cut and looking fine, and then with rain or overnight dew bits of the sides slide again...or else the sun dries the caked surface and huge cracks appear.
11.50: Yeh! Yippee! We have concrete!!!! A huge white lorry 'Chelmix Ltd' is making it's way down to drive. Would you believe it...a soddin' building inspector has turned up just before the pour! This is the third one...how many are blokes are employed in that department? He had a bit of a moan and pointed out a few factors that needed to be done prior to the pour. These issues were sorted within a few minutes though....Ok...the inspector has left the site (I think) and the trench fill has gone ahead...
12.15: Well that's it...2/3 of the trench area is now concrete-filled. All the reinforcement material is covered with concrete. It looks fine : )
2pm: The builders have packed up for the day. All is well.
Thursday:
The weather is good, warm and sunny today. Two builders arrived at 7.30am and began work immediately. They are working to a plan this morning and have a delivery of concrete booked for 12.0'clock. This will complete the concrete pour. After that it's on to block and beam...I presume this starts later today...or more probably tomorrow. These two builders are due to be on another site later today.
11.30: The trenches were made ready and the concrete has just been poured. The builders are now off to their other job. There appears to be no plan to work here this afternoon...though with wet concrete on the (fairly small) site I guess that's understandable. I hope that some brick laying is carried out tomorrow so that the beam and block stuff can be put in place on Monday.
Friday:
7.45: Four workmen have arrived...all are working.
9am: Some bricks and blocks have been delivered. It's all 'action' out there this morning!
12.0'clock: Things have slowed down. Two builders have moved to another job. The other two...I mean, the other one, is working...slightly hindered at times by the second. I guess youngsters need to learn. However...it's like I've always said...my preference is to let them practise elsewhere and come to me when they know what they're doing!
3pm: It has to be said that I do have a concern about the measuring...but will go into this in more length after the weekend...right now the yard looks a mess and I don't want to put my foot in it...but the brick/foundation alignment appears to be a mile out to me...
Saturday: The cement lorry caused leaves to fall from the neighbours trees, so to keep them happy my husband tried to sweep them off the gravel driveway, without success. He eventually got the garden vacuum thing out of the shed. So...the problem has now been sorted and my neighbour has a smile on their face after having a blow job in the hedge!
Before we started...and the work so far. Yep...it looks worse of course...
The repaired digger arrived on site over the weekend and two workmen arrived at 8am today. They began work immediately and things appear to be highly active. The weather is grey and damp with rain expected later...
10.30am: Work continues, with measuring going on and orders for beams and blocks being calculated. The digging isn't quite completed yet, but the 'next stage' is being set.
3.15pm: The skip is full. The diggers are quiet. The trenches appear to be 'done'. The steel mesh reinforcement stuff is being delivered tomorrow morning. The building inspector is due tomorrow afternoon, bless him. The site is also scheduled to be tidied (old timber roofing beams are being removed) tomorrow.
A heavy thundering rain storm has just kicked off. So we could have a water-filled moat around our house by tomorrow morning! I already have a water otter in my kitchen...a water otter...a kettle! Get it?
3.20pm: Heck! Wow! There is now electrical cracking, popping and sparking coming from a cable in the trench! The builder has called in the emergency services....! I've gotta go and take a look...
6pm: Well that was great fun! The mains electricity cable had clearly had it's covering nicked during the build...and it really kicked off in the rain storm and caused bangs and flashes to light up the area. The emergency services reacted promptly...saying they'd be with us within four hours! The electricity cable was beneath a gas pipe so the gas services were called out also. The builders said it was fortunate that it rained...otherwise tomorrow when the steel reinforcement is placed in the trenches there could have been a fatal accident. Although, of course from my perspective, we have a séance tomorrow evening and it'd be fantastic evidence to receive an immediate response from the deceased...it would nevertheless have been difficult to write a séance report in a positive tone, given the nature of the incident and the potential interest of the local media.
Whatever...the adventure this evening resulted in 81 local people having a power cut at tea time. As a high percentage of people now attend weight-watchers I consider this power cut to be a beneficial aid in support of their weight loss intent. Never a dull moment!
Pause for a song...
Tuesday:
I now realise that yesterday I overlooked a money-making venture. I was, for a short period, offered an opportunity to set up home-based cremation facilities and on-site burials, followed by snacks (we have an Asda store opposite our house for convenience) with a séance to follow. I could have done this at fantastic profit, as to the best of my knowledge no-one else is doing it. Why not? It would, I feel, appeal to a niche market. However...it's too late now. The workmen are due at 8am and they will be setting steel cages into the trenches. I can see further potential for profit though. If I nip over to Asda for a few bottles of booze and some fairy lights, I reckon I could set up a fettish event for those that fancy being restrained in steel wire cages! Or...whilst the trenches are here, I could hire the site out to WW1 enthusiasts for re-enactments!
8.10am: Builders have arrived and work has commenced. The digger is awaiting collection, as is the filled skip...and the delivery of steel mesh is due.
9.30am: The builders are now needing the delivery of steel mesh...it's late, which is a bit frustrating.
9.45am: The mesh has arrived...blimey...that's some strong stuff....
11am: I have to say that not once during the set-backs have I heard any of the builders complain, swear or gripe. Whilst I've felt a little frustrated at the delays, as I’m sure they have too, I realise that most of the set backs have been caused by faulty hired machinery, genuine accidents and building inspection glitches. When building work is undertaken set-backs do happen and frankly no-one wants to listen to miserable moaning builders every time a challenge occurs. This lot are hard working and are doing their best to keep on track. They don't slob around dunking digestive biscuits into mugs of tea and they don't let the dog out or take crafty kicks at the cats. They are instead becoming part of the family...although I wouldn't like to wash their skanky tee shirts at the end of the day!
12.15: The building inspector has just been around. This was a different guy to the one that came last week. Whatever...this bloke wants to trenches to be deeper. That's really bad news for the builders, who have moved on to line the trench with steel mesh and now have to remove it. The inspector has arranged to return in the morning to check that all is as it needs to be before the concrete is poured...that's due to arrive tomorrow lunch time. Incidentally for those who reckon that the extra hours worked equates to extra money, forget it. The total payment for the job has been agreed. I still haven't heard the builders lose their tempers, though the young one is complaining that with all the digging that's required (by hand now) he won't be fit enough to go to the gym!
2.20pm: The inspector required the trench to be dug deeper. This is due to the presence of a soil pipe that lays across the site. The required depth has now been achieved...but the soil pipe has just become cracked as a result of a fall of heavy clay/substance landing upon it from above. Someone is now coming to repair the pipe...but in order to do this they have to free the pipe to enable access. This, of course, requires further digging. The foundation trench of this build is becoming ever deeper and wider. When filled with reinforced steel and concrete it will be strong enough to support a tower block!
3.10pm: The soil pipe has been repaired. Tomorrow is another day...
Wednesday:
8.05am: The workmen are on site and working. The filled skip has been replaced and rubbish from around the site has been put into it. The weather looks pretty good. I have my fingers crossed for it to be a good day. Two extra men have arrived...there are now four working on the site.
10am: Well...you'd better sit down with a cup of coffee before reading this! The first building inspector, when he was here, apparently entered the rear garage area (which is now open to the elements due to the demolition of the front section). Whilst there he allegedly took a sample of the roofing board and found that it contains asbestos, which comes as no surprise. Most integral garages contain asbestos due to it's fire-resistant properties. Anyway...this 'gentleman' has now decreed the site unsafe for building inspectors to visit!!! Yep...it's true!
Pause for a song....
Now...further to this...British Gas, who fitted our central combi-boiler in the rear of the garage, are being called out to repair a snag in the asbestos board, as they caused this when fitting the boiler. IT has been agreed for a sheet to be fixed to the 'garage' opening to prevent asbestos dust leakage into the atmosphere so that the second inspector can return to check the build. The first inspector is now abroad on holiday by the way. Y'know...I knew I should have buried that first inspector in the trench...there was something about him...for a start, he had an eye set above his cheek bone on each side of his nose...that's always a sign of trouble.
11am: Panic is over, and the life of a building inspector has potentially been saved again. Apparently the sample of asbestos wasn't taken from our property and there has been a bit of a mix up in the building controls department...sincere apologies have been offered and gracefully accepted.
11.40: A large section of the trench is now ready for concrete to be poured. The remaining section will be easier to deal with once this section has set. One of the problems for builders is that the soil here is silt and clay, so it both slides when damp and cracks and clumps when dry. They get one part of the trench clear cut and looking fine, and then with rain or overnight dew bits of the sides slide again...or else the sun dries the caked surface and huge cracks appear.
11.50: Yeh! Yippee! We have concrete!!!! A huge white lorry 'Chelmix Ltd' is making it's way down to drive. Would you believe it...a soddin' building inspector has turned up just before the pour! This is the third one...how many are blokes are employed in that department? He had a bit of a moan and pointed out a few factors that needed to be done prior to the pour. These issues were sorted within a few minutes though....Ok...the inspector has left the site (I think) and the trench fill has gone ahead...
12.15: Well that's it...2/3 of the trench area is now concrete-filled. All the reinforcement material is covered with concrete. It looks fine : )
2pm: The builders have packed up for the day. All is well.
Thursday:
The weather is good, warm and sunny today. Two builders arrived at 7.30am and began work immediately. They are working to a plan this morning and have a delivery of concrete booked for 12.0'clock. This will complete the concrete pour. After that it's on to block and beam...I presume this starts later today...or more probably tomorrow. These two builders are due to be on another site later today.
11.30: The trenches were made ready and the concrete has just been poured. The builders are now off to their other job. There appears to be no plan to work here this afternoon...though with wet concrete on the (fairly small) site I guess that's understandable. I hope that some brick laying is carried out tomorrow so that the beam and block stuff can be put in place on Monday.
Friday:
7.45: Four workmen have arrived...all are working.
9am: Some bricks and blocks have been delivered. It's all 'action' out there this morning!
12.0'clock: Things have slowed down. Two builders have moved to another job. The other two...I mean, the other one, is working...slightly hindered at times by the second. I guess youngsters need to learn. However...it's like I've always said...my preference is to let them practise elsewhere and come to me when they know what they're doing!
3pm: It has to be said that I do have a concern about the measuring...but will go into this in more length after the weekend...right now the yard looks a mess and I don't want to put my foot in it...but the brick/foundation alignment appears to be a mile out to me...
Saturday: The cement lorry caused leaves to fall from the neighbours trees, so to keep them happy my husband tried to sweep them off the gravel driveway, without success. He eventually got the garden vacuum thing out of the shed. So...the problem has now been sorted and my neighbour has a smile on their face after having a blow job in the hedge!
Before we started...and the work so far. Yep...it looks worse of course...
