Day 29 – 28-04-03 Wet and windy – Bill and the lads worked really well considering the bad weather, doing brick and block work. Got the lintels over the front and side windows. Over the weekend we cleared the front bedroom completely ready for the roof work.
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Day 30 – 29-04-03 Few showers even though forecast was not good. Pretty much all of the brickwork is completed ready for the roof (will be delivered on Friday). Michael (double glazing) came out and measured up windows and took details for openings – he will supply 90′ openers for exit windows. Velux windows arrived as well as pipes ready for plumber tomorrow. Wood plate put over cavity and cemented in place ready for the roof. The existing wall lintel is causing problems as it will prove very difficult to cut (because of risk of fire) and will probably have to stay, this will make it visible in the hallway which we are trying to avoid. Bedroom 3 side wall will be removed tomorrow, and beam placed to hold up my bathroom – this could be a problem and my wall could come down !!!
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Day 31 – 30-04-03 Light showers. Scaffolders arrived before 7:30 to raise to roof level. Today was very hectic with plenty of action. First decision was to decide positions for radiators as plumber was putting pipes into positions. The wall in bedroom 3 was removed and also the window taken out. John started the removal of the pitch marked bricks (where the porch was) and also fitting the ‘old’ and soldier bricks. Bill started to build up a block wall for the master bedroom.
Day 32. 01-05-03 Heavy showers. Quiet day, John put in the soldier bricks above the study window and used old bricks making the ‘old’ house match well with the new. Grant the plumber finished off all of his pipework as he is getting married on Sunday and going away on his honeymoon.
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Day 33 – 02-05-03 Heavy showers. The roof trusses were expected to arrive early and the chippies were here ready and waiting. Bill chased and found that delivery would probably be about lunchtime so the chippies went off somewhere else. About 10:30 the trusses arrived as well as the chippies and then it was rapid action with all hands getting everything off the lorry and onto the roof. Block wall was completed in master bedroom, and outer brick skin was removed as well as the lintel above the window. The existing radiator in bedroom 3 needed to be removed as it was where the new door is positioned for entry into the dressing room. Bill estimates about another 6 weeks work to completion (finishing slightly ahead of schedule) and that he will arrange for the tiler to come round next Friday.
Day 34 – 03-05-03 Saturday – Previous night was heavy rain, flooring in bedroom 3 got wet and rain did come in through my bathroom window. Bill removed the bathroom window and the outer brickwork ready for the insertion of the supporting steel beneath. The block wall has a crack running floor to ceiling plus a joist making the insertion of the steel very difficult. According to Bill the bathroom wall needs to come down and be rebuilt at our cost, this will create a big problem with tiling. I advised that plumbing costs appear to be costing a lot more than estimated (at least £1300) plus further costs for boiler replacement. Requested details so that we can order solar pipes (this will be done on Tuesday by chippies). Overall my feelings are that the architect appears to have made an error in not supporting the bathroom wall and this is having considerable repercussions and will result in further building costs.
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Day 35 – 06-05-03 Another warm sunny day. Knocking out of the dining room wall and also the bathroom wall. A steel lintel was then put in to support the new bathroom wall. Bill decided to have a go at cutting the steel lintel supporting the original outside wall – he managed to cut through one of the I beams without too much of a problem and was held back by the blockwork stopping him completing the cutout. The chippie made good progress on the construction of the roof. We ordered the solar tubes for the master dressing room, landing and family bathroom, expected delivery Thursday. On saturday we also ordered all of the sanitary ware from Ashford Plumbing.
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<Week 4