More roof timbers (Friday)

Today the builder fitted the joists on the pitch with spacing for the veluxes that will go in.

Roof timbers go in (Thursday)

Today the roof timbers on the flat part of the roof went in. They join into the RSJ.

RSJ goes in (Wednesday)

Today the RSJ beam went in. It has been sitting in our garage for a week and weighs 197kg. To get it down to the extension, they filled an offcut of the soil pipe with concrete, and used it to roll the beam down the garden, "just like the egyptians", my builder tells me....

They then used a winch to get it up to the top.

Here you can see it sitting neatly on its grey blocks. The roof timbers will join into it, keeping it from going anyway...

Week 8: Brickwork continues (Monday)

Today they spent the day building up the brickwork to the height of the roof. As we are having a half flat, half pitch roof, the brickwork is on a diagonal.

Where the RSJ will go is marked by the grey brick (at approximately the halfway point).

RSJ delivered (Friday)

Today the builder appears to have done nothing other than take delivery of an RSJ beam which is now sitting in the garage.

Lintels go in (Thursday)

Today the lintel about the bifold doors and window went in. He then cemented on a layer of blocks, and then a wooden lintel, to which the roof will be attached. This is the final end height of the roof (flat then pitch)

Fence taken down and side wall built (Wednesday)

Today the builder took down our neighbour's fence to build the side wall (left side). He also mounted scaffolding so tomorrow they can build up higher.

No work today due to weather (-2 degrees) (Tuesday)

Week 7: Front walls built (Monday)

Today the builder started building the external wall on the front.

Internal walls finished and cavity wall insulation starts to go in (Thursday)

Today the builder finished off the internal walls, and made a start on the external wall on the adjoining neighbour's wall. He also started to fill the cavity with insulation. When Terry is back on site tomorrow, they will finish off the external walls in red brick.

Next week they will build the parapets and make a start on the roof! Due to bad weather (freezing rain) they have taken out a brick on the ground level to drain the water.

Cavity wall insulation

Internal side wall

Other internal side wall

Brickwork on the front

Insulation in the cavity

View from upstairs

External brickwork starts (Wednesday)

Today the builder brought along another bricklayer (who is about 80!). They made a start on the external brick wall. They had to remove one of our fence panels to gain access. So of course the first thing that happened was the dog ran straight onto the neighbour's lawn and did an enormous poo.
We were due another delivery of sand at 10AM, which turned up at 3PM. Hopefully tomorrow will be a more productive day.

Our new brickwork is on the left - matches our house quite well colour-wise

They have put these bricks over the bits with the drains

Wall construction begins (Tuesday)

Today the builder started building the walls with aerated concrete bricks.

The corners were built first.

And then the walls. You can see the fenestration holes where we will have the door and window. The wall will be another 2 blocks high, but as it is quite windy he has left off the top two layers in case they blow off over overnight before they set.

Week 6: Bricks delivered (Monday)

Today the bricks were delivered for the internal wall. The cost of the red bricks has gone up, so builder spent the morning sourcing a different supplier.