Sunday 8 July 2012


Hello all, it's taken me a while to get round to doing this blog post but here it is!

With the caravan out of the way, we were able to construct the soakaway where all the rainwater will drain to:

Dismantling the shed from its old location:

And putting it back together again in its final spot:

The fence separating the driveway from the garden:

Step to the front door, with steel shoe cast in ready to receive the canopy post:

Grading the levels back using the mini digger to create the driveway:

A layer of Type 1:

Followed by a layer of gravel and compacted.


Framing out for the decking:

And the finished article. Timber posts have since been added around the edges to stop you falling off the side!
 

Structure for the canopy:

Tiling and rainwater goods to the canopy:

Turfing the garden!


The juliet balcony has been fixed on:

Air tightness test - this is a requirement to meet building regulations standards. We booked a company to come and do the test, they fix a large fan into the doorway which sucks air out of the house to measure how draughty it is. We had a target rate of 6.5 (the higher the number the more draughty the house...) but the test revealed we had achieved a rate of 2.8! Chuffed with that as it means we have done a good job at the interfaces where floors and roof meet the walls.

Ramp for disability access as required by building regs:

Dropped kerb installed (we paid a company to come and do this) and the stonework finished either side of the entrance.

We have now received the building regulations completion certificate and the certificate of the 10 year warranty. Mission accomplished!
Hope you enjoyed reading the blog!

3 comments:

  1. Hello,

    I was interested in your blog. Hope you're enjoying your new home now!?

    Together with colleagues at the Centre for Housing Policy we're undertaking research on self-build housing. I wondered whether you'd be willing to talk to us about your project, what worked well, what pit falls you encountered etc?

    Information about the research is contained here: http://www.york.ac.uk/media/chp/documents/homeownership/Selfbuild.doc

    If you can spare half an hour or so on the phone, we'd love to hear from you.

    Many thanks,

    Alison

    (Research Fellow, Centre for Housing Policy)

    ReplyDelete
  2. my email is on attacment but it is alison.wallace@york.ac.uk
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow Kai and Iona. I discovered this blog on the internet on my phone last night when i couldn't sleep. I have since spent most of today reading through it and studying the pictures. what a great blog and fantastic story of your self build. I've never really read a blog before but this one had me glued from the start. I bought my own building plot in West Yorkshire a few years ago now but haven't managed to start anything yet. Like you i'm a bit of a novice and i didnt wanna start something without the funds and depth of knowledge to finish it. This blog has given me a great insight into the process in great detail and maybe given me the spur i need to get things going. Was this the first major project for both of you? Looks like you both put in some serious hours and effort. Hope your fully enjoying all the hard work now.
    Rich.

    ReplyDelete