30 March 2011

Typical Welsh weather today, the morning began overcast but I thought it would be fine (checked the BBC website and they said it won't rain until this evening) so set up the chop saw, got the radio going and spare drill battery on the go - just as I grabbed the first bit of timber it chucked it down!  Thank you BBC but I don't think I will qualify for the 100 yard dash at this years Olympics (but I must have been close!!)

29th March 2011

What a strenuous day today has been.  Before I continued with the frame I decided to fix some of the exterior ply sheets to help keep plumb the frame that is already up and to give the frame lateral strength.  I think it should have been me that needed the strength - forgot just how heavy 8'x4' sheets are and what an absolute nightmare it was holding them in place with whatever body part I had free to screw them into place!

After they were up I got about making the frame for where the lounge will be.  Thats about 90% ready to go up.

I'm absolutely knackered now!

27th March 2011

I haven't updated this for a while for one really good reason - I forgot my password!!

Things are picking up, despite the early spring climate.  Joist hangers are all up on the main stretch looking like little soldiers.  I have only three more to put on.  I broke a couple of drill bits so needed some more.  Here is a little tale for you...

In B&Q Bosch drill bits are £5 each so I found someone on Ebay who sold a 7 bit box set for £7.50 so I ordered them, a couple of days later a parcel arrived off Amazon with the bits in - the cheeky chappy made £2.50 on doing naff all apart from putting them on Ebay.

Below is the link to Amazon if you want some Bosch drill bits at really good value.

15th March 2011

Been raining (and I have been waiting for Mr Manweb all day)

13th March 2011

I has been a glorious day today so I have been out there early starting to get all the metal work done.  It won't be long until the final sections of the frame go up

12th March 2011

I haven't really been up to much over the last couple of days because of the bad weather, plus yesterday I could hardly shift myself with my back still playing up.

Today I was fiddling about for a bit dry setting the bricks for one of the chimney breasts to make sure the spacings between the bricks are spot on so I will only be using full and half bricks for that section.  I only had a bit of cement left so just laid a couple of courses so now I that's there ready to fly up.  I can't wait to be working at a stage where I am not bending over all the time.

My assistant was on duty today, my mum, so her job today was to shorten some bent straps with a junior hacksaw, builders merchants sent the wrong ones, I didnt giggle too much watching her sawing away but she announced it was raining after 5 mins - I'll trim them off tomorrow with the angle grinder.

Anyway, its rugby time (come on Wales!!)

9th March 2011

Today's weather has been a bit hit and miss so after my usual Wednesday shopping spree I did a little favour for the lady across the road - re-fixed a couple of tiles that had fallen off. 

Top tip of the day - if your doing something like this clean the old grout off the tile before re-fixing it.  The easiest way is to soak the tiles in water first and you will find the grout comes off a lot easier with a scraper or, in my case, an old chisel - for tough bits, take off what you can and then re-soak them.

8th March 2011

Another super day with the weather (but still a bit on the cold side).

I cleaned up the footings for the brick walls and laid the foundations for one of them - I didnt have enough cement to do both.


The DPC has now been finished off and laid around the entire building and now all the wall plates have been bedded and levelled.

Also, still can't believe I did this, but while I was smacking down the wall plates to level them with a hammer I somehow decided to put my finger exactly where I was hitting.  The sky was blue before but it was even bluer after I did that - poor thing has swollen right it (its the finger a woman wears her wedding ring on).  Still can't believe - never in my life have I hit a finger with a hammer - my thumb loads of times but never a finger!

6th March 2011

It has been a while since I have updated this and to be honest, I haven't really done that much in that time.  I pulled out my back the other week so haven't really been able to do much hard labour.

Since my last post I decided to spend a day cleaning gulleys and drains in the road (before you ask if that's the council's job, I know) but it was one of those jobs that had to be done and I cleared between 2-3 tonne of muck - no wonder the grounds of the bungalow wasn't draining properly.  Anyway, it was a day well spent (and keeps the neighbours happy - no more little streams down the road!).

I have also cleared away more rubbish from the site and today mum called down to help me clear some more.

The footings for the two walls that are going to be brick with chimney breasts have also been dug today.  The inner block cavity foundations were dug a while ago and the blocks laid two courses high.  The reason I am digging the outside foundations now rather than doing the two at the same time is because I am using what reclaimed bricks I can so I decided to have a stepped foundations so that the bricks don't go as far below ground as the blocks do - I have a limited supply of bricks and don't want to run out.

TROJAN VIRUS WARNING!

This morning I was informed that people visiting this site were attacked by a Trojan Virus.  I have removed the offender (from Clicksor Advertising).

I would encourage any regular visitors who use Windows to run a full virus check on their computer - please make sure your Anti Virus Software is fully up to date first.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused