Build has slowed a little as we wait for better weather to replace the roof. However the inside is now fully insulated and the plastic membrane fitted along with the wire. The wire is to stop the insulation falling if the building goes on fire – just a small question. In a timber farme house what will hold up the wire? The regulations require it, so it went up.

Talking of regulations, we have now installed the full fire extinguisher  set, two large water/foam and two dry powder plus a fire blanket. The smoke fire alarms have been ordered and should be installed by end of March. They are the new bluetooth type that talk to each other.

I have started to install my garage. Built the work bench, fitted the shelf racking and unpacked – better described as moved, the small mountain of unopened boxes since we moved here in September 2010.

With a working garage workshop the house build should be easier for all involved.

Working with Andres our builder, Johann one of his team has installed all the windows and made a new frame for 2 of them. Also installed are the two end walls and their respective doors. One door we got from a friend for 2 cases of IRN-BRU the other door was our old front door. We now have part one of a two part roof cover on the new flat roof (its not actually flat but has a slope to either end but is less acute than the house and garage roofs. The garage roof and walls now have weather coatings but await the corrugated metal sheets. Insulation and vapour barrier are installed inside. The internal  fire door between the garage and house is installed. We have also reused the old blue cladding timber and rebuild the new ends to match the existing blue clad house. This will extend over the gable end of the garage but the long sea side of the garage will be covered with the corrugated sheets from the roof as we replace the house roof with new.

Also installed is the under ground heating for the front entrance. I need to redo this in the summer as I set the pipes too far apart to melt all the surface.

Next will be the house and garage corrugated roof and the timber on the garage so we are water tight. Then the partition walls.

We are back from a trip to the UK. Starting back on the building progress. Weather is colder now. Roofer did not fit first layer of felt to protect us from the last 3 weeks of rain. had I known I could have put up some temporary cover before going. So much for a promise!

We have changed plans a little and have saved buying anymore doors and windows. Also good for the environment as we are re-using existing items.

A friend gave us two old doors one inside and one outer. the outer door is sold wood so it will be the new bathroom to hotpot door, this side can take some heavy wind and rain so it’s the best for the job. Our existing door is being moved to the new entrance location.  The existing garage external door will be closed off and the door re skinned as a fire door and reused to connect house to garage. Steel on garage side and gypsum board on house side. The windows panels in the door given to use will be sued at the new front entrance giving more light. The existing door side glass panels will be used where the old garage door was for day light.

The other door our friend gave us will be the door from the new entrance to the storeroom.

Our garage windows are being moved to the end of the new garage. The stair window, which will now be internal, is being cut in half and the opening part used in the new bathroom. This leaves one complete window, in the twin room, being removed and stored, (the space will be the door to the new bathroom). The windows on the ground floor are all the same size, so we will have a spare window. Just worked out we still need one new door for this bathroom to bedroom doorway.

Now at the outer skin stage, we still have to cover with waterproof membrane but we need a day’s drying on the timber so it does not sweat underneath. Booked the roofer for the hot roof covering. We will do the steel roof cover ourselves. Plumber has had a heart attack but is better now, so hopes to connect the underfloor heating next week. This will help dry things out a little.

Well you can not make an omelet without breaking eggs. It is the same with a house extension, at some time you need to open up the old roof.

Then the storms and rain came!

The frames went up with just a 12mm difference in alignment before we corrected. Problem was foundation wall was not accurate.