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SuomiWell, it has been another full week - so, quite a lot to 'report. As usual with building developments at this stage, some things take longer than expected, and some things go faster - and also, new things appear unplanned! Anyway, the window is now fully fitted, with the stonework surrounds - at the moment the window frame is white primer finished, but we'll be painting this with the same colour as all the other windows and shutters:
Inside, by the new window, there has been some fiddly plaster-boarding work around the area that will be our 'information space' for guests ... a sort of 'technology bar' - a WiFi hub, PC and large monitor, as well as printed information about the area, brochures and maps, which has to be planned so it is wheelchair accessible:
The stonework in this area is not particularly attractive, quite 'bitty', so this has been cladded .... and you'll see from the photo above that we're running electric cables into the area, to provide LED lighting above the information table. We are making use of the existing cattle troughs, so they can provide worktop bases.
There has also been a huge amount of work to finish off more plaster boarding, making good all the 'joints' with tape and 'enduit' (light plaster) and then these have to be sanded down, so they'll be completely smooth for any painting.
The next big job has been fitting the external door. First of all the area that was dug out to level the floor and also bury the swimming pool's heat exchanger pipe needed to be leveled and concreted. We also needed to lay the soil pipe that will be feed from the shower room/bathroom that will be part of our Phase 2 development - this goes across this area and under the new door to the septic tanks outside:
There has also been a huge amount of work to finish off more plaster boarding, making good all the 'joints' with tape and 'enduit' (light plaster) and then these have to be sanded down, so they'll be completely smooth for any painting.
The next big job has been fitting the external door. First of all the area that was dug out to level the floor and also bury the swimming pool's heat exchanger pipe needed to be leveled and concreted. We also needed to lay the soil pipe that will be feed from the shower room/bathroom that will be part of our Phase 2 development - this goes across this area and under the new door to the septic tanks outside:
While I was preparing a small trench across the area to lay the pipe, using an impact chisel, I punctured the heat exchanger pipe that I totally forgot we had buried there. Excellent! So, dig it up, rush off to the big swimming pool supply place that has all the pipe fittings in the world, and get a pipe joiner piece and pipe cutter - rush back, cut the pipe and then join it up and test that it is entirely watertight when the heat exchanger system is run. Then finally we can mix the concrete and fill the dug out area, butting up to the external door sill:
While this concrete is drying there is more plaster-board work to be done and finished off, constructing the large dividing wall between the new living/dining room and what will be the Phase 2 area.
Once the concreted area has dried off, the large external french door can be moved into place, fully wide enough for large wheelchair access - it is then temporarily fixed while its height is maneuvered to fit against the new floor level, inclusive of estimating the additional height there will be when the flooring tiles are laid:
Once the concreted area has dried off, the large external french door can be moved into place, fully wide enough for large wheelchair access - it is then temporarily fixed while its height is maneuvered to fit against the new floor level, inclusive of estimating the additional height there will be when the flooring tiles are laid:
From discussions with Nollie about keeping a balance of original wood and stone features, alongside the new fittings like the window and doors, David has built up stone pillar work either side of the external french door:
- and we have found in one of the other barns a fine oak plank that will be used above the french door as a 'false beam':
| At this close of Stage 3 it has been really important to assess overall progress and see just how much work remains and what is the position with materials ordering etc. We now reckon there will need to be two Stages of the work, between 220 - 240 hours to bring it to the point where it will be the final 'cosmetic stage' - decorated and furnishing. So, the next Stage will start at the end of October and will concentrate on laying the floor and building the large, 'inglenook' fireplace. Over October we will need to source and get delivery of all the remaining materials needed - amusant! ________________________________ |    |
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