Smaller house and smaller workshop.

[powertools]

Well after what can only be described as the most frustrating 18 months of my life our new build house in the garden for us to retire into is finally under way with the arrival of the digger today.
The workshop in the background is going to be reduced in size and that is down to me and it has dawned on me the mammoth task I have set myself. I will be asking for advice.

 

[skronk]

Good luck Powertools. We have done 4 builds. 3 here on the Isle of Skye, and enjoyed them all. No more though !!!
Be prepared for contractors to spin you all the stories under the sun and don't get too down when the wrong material arrives.
Have a large weapon to hand when dealing with planning and building control. Remember they only do this because they can't get a real job :roll:

This is not a time to give up alcohol ! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Definitely worthwhile when complete.

 

[powertools]

Thanks for best wishes.
This was the inside of our garden up until a few weeks ago when the wife and I the process of a complete redesign to make way for the new house.

We have moved her rescue rabbits the shed and greenhouse to what was her mini farm and it is now more compact but works well, we also had to move the chicken run to accommodate the the shed and rabbits at the bottom end.

This is what her mini farm looks like now.

Our garden now after day 1 with the builders here.

 

[skronk]

Remember its better to buy the alcohol in bulk !!!! Cheaper.

 

[Woodchips2]

Good luck with the build but shame you have to reduce the size of the workshop.

Regards Keith

 

[powertools]

Thanks both for replies.
The wife has gone out from mid afternoon until late and I came home after doing some decorating for a customer with a 10 pack of Carling but I can now only find the empty box.
The workshop as it now stands is the best part of 1400sq ft and many years ago I used to run a car repair business in it as well as having an area for my woodwork having closed the business about 19 years ago I have just filled the space with all sorts of junk and I just want a smaller space of about 600sq ft and be much more selective about the things I keep.

 

[Woodchips2]

Could you just convert the existing workshop to a bungalow and build a new 600 square feet workshop? Saves a shedload of money to spend on new tools for the new workshop.

Regards Keith

 

[powertools]

End of day 2.

Due to the nature of our soil it has always been a toss up between having trench footings or piled but in the end trench was decided on and although there have been a few problems with a depth of 2.2mts in places all footings are now dug out and approved by building control and the concrete goes in tomorrow.

 

[powertools]

Could you just convert the existing workshop to a bungalow and build a new 600 square feet workshop? Saves a shedload of money to spend on new tools for the new workshop.

Regards Keith

That is a good point but the existing workshop is 1mtr away from the railway embankment would not have good outlooks over the surrounding countryside and the cost of converting a 1960's industrial building into a modern house would be more than the cost of building a new house on an empty site even if you could get permission to do it.

 

[powertools]

Thursday night was a bit restless with the wife worrying incase our resident hedgehog fell into the trench and me worrying in case the trench collapsed. The good news from the wife's point of view is that the hedgehog had the sense to stay out but the bad news was that a small section did collapse. The groundworkers didn't seem to concerned even though it was in a bad position to get to with the digger they cleared it out it just means more spoil to go and more concrete to go in.
If you are looking for a fast way to get rid of money and don't fancy a trip to Las Vegas just dig house footings into unstable clay soil up to 2.2mts deep.

Start of day 3 concrete pump and 1st of 8 concrete deliveries arrive on site.

End of day 3 concrete all in and materials on site ready foe Monday morning.

 

[gregmcateer]

Looks exciting, PT.
Keep the WIP pictures coming...

 

[powertools]

End of day 4.
Most blocks are in and floor beams arrive in the morning.
Work on the workshop will start next week.

I am a bit unsure if there is much interest in this thread but I will keep it going for a few more days.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Keep 'em coming PT......a new build is always good value. Groundworks are probably a little dull but once you're out the ground I'm certain it will spawn all sorts of debate.

 

[blackrodd]

W.I.P.
As Nev said, Please keep them coming!
Have to say from what what I can see, what an excellent example of setting out and blockwork, just looks right!
Regards Rodders

 

[Max Power]

Love a build thread PT

 

[powertools]

End of day 5.
Beams are in for block and beam floor and internal drainage is in and passed by building control.

Our BT phone line to the existing house that we were going to get BT to disconnect has now been disconnected by the digger when digging out the drain runs BT were fine about it but we have to give 30 days notice for them to accept that we are now disconnected.
Having paid UK Power Networks just over £4000 2 weeks ago they are coming in the morning to survey the site and give us a date when they can be bothered to install a new electric supply.

Thanks all for the interest and I can assure you all that this will get more interesting when I take control of the modifications to the workshop.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

They're going quick PT......what's the estimated move in date (roughly)?

 

[powertools]

They're going quick PT......what's the estimated move in date (roughly)?

The house is projected to be a watertight shell by the end of August things get a bit more interesting after that and depend on how the finance goes and selling our existing house.

I have a small pile of logs from the tree we had to take down and my ambition is to burn some of them on Christmas day on our log stove in the kitchen of the new house. If things don't go well Christmas could still be in our existing house or in our camper van.

End of day 6.
Block floor finished and more work on drains.
Survey for electric supply went ok but could be weeks away from it being done.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

excellent. Similar to us. Built the house we're in now completing Xmas 2007 and we had always planned to spend Xmas in it...moved in on Xmas eve

 

[powertools]

Well at the end of 7 working days the ground work guys have finished and have created a finished floor slab for the house in what was our garden 7 days ago including all drainage.
A nicer hard working efficient and considerate bunch of blokes you would be hard pushed to meet.
The digger has now gone he never did let me have a go but that is probably just as well.

End of day 7.
Site now ready for delivery of materials in the morning for main contractor to carry on work on Monday.