Extension Day 20: Lintel by Lintel

More progress with the walls at a good height and when you stand in it now I can imagine where things will be. Lintel is in above a lovely large 6ft window (we wanted lots of light) and the patio doors and not too far off thinking about the roof structure.

Extension Day 19: Walls Rising

The walls continue to go up at pace now the rains have eased up.  Further internal and external walls have gone up adjoining next door and the opposite wall is now growing fast.

Extension Day 18: Inside Out

The forecast for a washout this afternoon was spot on unfortunately (and unusually)...but they managed to get the inside walls up to a similar level to the outside walls before the rains came. Hopefully the forecast for a dry day tomorrow will be as accurate.

Extension Day 17: Oh No....Jonas Has Arrived!

Progress was limited today with just a couple of rows of bricks laid due to the arrival of storm Jonas and heavy rain making it unwise to try and lay bricks. The weather forecast for tomorrow doesn't look good either, which I suppose is the challenge you face when undertaking building work in the winter. On the plus side we will be able to enjoy it in the summer and the kids will have use of the garden again, which unsurprisingly they are not missing at the moment.

Extension Day 16: Another Brick In The Wall

Now it's really starting to take shape!! The outside walls are being built up and we can start to see the space for the rear window and the patio doors.  It is impressive how quickly the brick walls go up when they're on a roll, though I think this view makes it look even bigger.

Extension Day 15: All About That Base

Well the base level concrete floor is down and despite a little rain today it is now starting to go off.  

Extension Day 14: Game Called On Account Of Frost

Unfortunately due to the low temperatures forecast today it was unwise to do the concreting (which is the next step), so work has been put on hold until tomorrow when it will be slightly warmer.

Extension Day 13: A Cold Day For Whacking

All the hardcore has now been spread out and gone over with the whacker, then the sand has gone down - now we just need the concrete. Unfortunately the minus temperatures today have meant that job has been pushed to tomorrow (when hopefully it will be a few degrees warmer)!

Extension Day 12: Sewer Sign-Off

The sewer changes agreed with Thames Water have all been done now and the creation of an access hatch with manhole has been created to the side of the new extension. Building Control have been and signed it all off so we are now moving on to building the shell.

Extension Day 11: Sewer

We never did manage to find where the flow was coming from but the builders had done the prep work in such a way that the short term bung was sufficient while they made the final change to the sewer system. 

So today they removed the old access hatch and created an opening for the new one.  In addition we have the temporary inlet in place until the feed from the house moves to the new site once the soil stack gets moved.

Extension Day 10: A Leak? Who Has A Leak??

Well now the mystery starts. The channel has been dug for the new entry into the sewer and for the access (marked on the picture below). However there has been a constant flow of clear water in the sewer.....meaning someone upstream either has left a tap running or has a problem with their toilet etc. Having spent time on the phone to Thames Water who have no interest in fixing it as it is flowing correctly into the sewer (despite being a huge waste of water), we have narrowed it down to 5 houses, my challenge this weekend is to start knocking on doors to see if I can find out if anyone has a known problem. 

The trouble with that amount of water flowing constantly is a temporary bung while they do the changeover may not work.  They have done as much prep as they can so it is ready to do on Monday with as little time as possible stopping the flow (fingers crossed my Poirot sleuthing this weekend unearth the culprit)!

After Saffi's operation yesterday she is not allowed to jump so they even put out a ramp for her.....now if she'd just use it!!!

Extension Day 7: Child's First Building Blocks

I really am a child, getting so excited over a few bricks. The grab lorry cleared all the debris yesterday, the digger has gone (no I didn't get to try it out) and the first lot of bricks have arrived - that means building starts soon!!!!! 

Extension Day 9: Singing In The Drain

Today doesn't look like a lot changed but there was a lot of prep work for the sewer access that needs to be moved to the side of the house (the current access soon to be buried under the house).....hope they seal that up well!

Extension Day 8: Building Blocks

Wow, now it really begins. The first layers of bricks are down now and the building is progressing well. You can see where the RSJ is seated over the sewer to bear the weight so all good to go. I'm always impressed by how quickly these walls go up and love the nifty laser gadgets they have to get the same level as indoors!

Extension Day 6: Spring Clean

Today saw the arrival of yet another grab lorry to remove the significant pile of debris at the end of our garden/building site! I'm glad we had already decided to return the lawn after this as it is now a quagmire - play spot the grass!

Extension Day 5 1/2: Build Me Up Buttercup

After a week of demolition and digging out, today was the start of the building work. Bright and early on a Saturday morning we had a concrete mixer, pumping truck and four builders here to pour the foundations.

By half nine it was all poured and levelled and ready to set over the weekend. Having not seen concrete poured before Cian and I quite enjoyed watching it (despite Tommy calling me a big kid)- dad I'm beginning to understand your fascination with building sites!!

Now the fun starts and we can watch it coming together (super excited)!!

Extension Day 5: Garden Sprung Another Hole!!

The garden sprang a leak today in the form of a very large soak-away. Which Saffi keeps wanting to jump in!!

The footings are all dug now and ready for the concrete truck which is coming tomorrow morning. Luckily for the builders they finished just in time for the rain this afternoon.

Extension Day 4: No Kitchen Is An Island

Now very clear to see where the new walls are going - it's gonna be huge!!!  I'm not entirely sure that Saffi is particularly thrilled with the temporary reduction in size of her garden but I keep telling her it will be so worth it (for us at least). The only thing I'm dreading is putting the garden back together afterwards - it's a bit muddy out there!!!

 

Extension Day 3: Mind the Hole...

I think Saffi is a little confused as to what has happened to her garden, there's now a great big hole where the patio used to be and where the new kitchen will stand....the footings have begun. Impressed with how much they got done today though it is definitely easier with a digger than doing it by hand (do you think they'll let me have a go)?!?!

Extension Day 2: Demolition Complete

It's definitely quicker to take them down than put them up. Today was the turn of all three sheds and outside toilet to come down and then the patio came up... With the space marked it is now easier to picture the final size and I am even more excited (if that was possible).

The only downside is that with all the rain the lawn is now a mudpit - all the more reason to returf it!! 

Extension Day 1: Garage Be Gone

Thrilled with the first day of work, with the whole garage having been taken down ready for removal, it really has made such a difference to the size of the garden. I never realised quite how much space there was back there.

This was the garden before and you tend to think that the garden finishes at the garage...

Then as if by magic the roof is gone...

And then you realise just how much space there is back there...

And then from halfway down the garden...

And then again standing where the extension will finish....

All of sudden my garden feels so much bigger and I can't wait for the summer job of landscaping it.....

Extension Day 0: Once More Into The Breach Dear Friends

Tomorrow we are finally taking the plunge into the final extension of our house - this time a single storey rear extension to provide a spacious kitchen/diner and I cannot wait. This is definitely the way to start a new year, though it has meant we've spent the last few days in heavy rain emptying the garage and sheds ready for demolition and loading up a skip (which once again isn't big enough for all our tat)!! 

I am beyond excited at the prospect of this...

becoming this...