freezing

The weather has been kind so far, and it could be a lot worse; but today, like a few days before Xmas, we didn't get above freezing.
What do we do?
I take a 5 litre container of water from home, for cups of tea, mixing filler, etc. (one day before Christmas I forgot it, so thanks to one of our new neighbours, Jane, who filled the kettle for us)
I bring all the washing up home with me.

That's easy - then today the chemical loo & sink froze; in anticipation I had put wipes for hand cleaning, not realising that they too would freeze! Fortunately we had more inside the house!

Our experienced bricklayer, John has tubs of water ready, in the hope that they don't freeze completely - today he only had to smash through 3" of ice to get at the water. He also adds "frost protector" to the mortar.

Inside, the excellent insulation is already showing its worth. We have a 3 kw fan heater and it certainly helps with the work.

Today was also momentous, because I made what I sincerely hope is my last trip ever up any scaffolding to take down the last of the protective film from the upstairs windows (sorry I forgot the camera to take a last photo!). If all goes to plan, it comes down tomorrow.

Keeping to time

;
Fotheringhay Forge popped in on Wednesday to pressure test the chimney & it was passed, so the roofers came to tidy up the tiling on Friday.

This week we had one of those moments that plagues every build. We have been only able to open the upstairs windows a crack because of the scaffolding. We suddenly realised that the scaffolding lifts had been dropped some weeks ago, so we should now be able to open the windows, but actually we couldn't! The fascia boards came down a little too low and it was they impeding the opening. Fortunately we realised whilst scaffolding was still in place. So Keith has been up there cutting back the boards, which actually looks planned & decorative.

Whilst up on the boards he took a picture of the chimney which does look very fine.


I spent some time insulating half the loft - the other half has to wait for the last ceiling boards to go up. I wanted to get half done, as we have now moved in some of the boxes that came out of the loft at Crosslands! Thanks to Neil who came to help, and even took 3 of his own boxes away with him!
We also moved a couple of my parents' old armchairs into the "office" at The Bright House, so we feel a bit more comfortable during our breaks.

Next week the main scaffolding comes down, and a small amount goes back up around the garage so that the roof can go on. We are looking forward to seeing the "real house" and getting the last protective film off the windows.

Happy New Year

Work has been continuing, and a lot has happened since Christmas.


John & Ali have been building the garage. Those of you with sharp eyes will see that the bond is different to that on the house. I love the classic "tied bond" usually found on Victorian and early 20C houses, associated with a double brick wall, as you can see clearly here. To get that effect on a single wall house, the bricks have to be cut especially, which makes it more expensive. So our house is in the usual, modern "stretcher bond" but as the garage is a double wall, we can have the tied bond.

Steve & Richard, the professional & friendly plumbers from Ian Young Plumbing have been back, installing & connecting up our waste pipes, rainwater harvester, and this wonderful hot water cylinder:

You can't see on this photo, but I have labelled all the pipes with markers so I know what they are. The water will be warmed by the solar panels on the roof, and when that is insufficient, by gas.

We have yet another timeline set up - regulars here can see if this one works!
Friday 13th Jan: Fotheringhay Forge come to pressure test the chimney - we really hope it works, because the following week, the roofers will dismantle the chimney scaffolding and tidy the tiling.
Then the scaffolding can be dismantled, so the garage can be finished.
In the week 30th Jan - 3rd Feb, the trenches can be dug so that the utilities can be connected.
We really hope this works, because we are moving out of Irthlingborough the weekend of 18th/19th February.
We do have 2 kind offers of temporary accommodation in Denford, but hope not to trouble anyone. As long as we have heating & a flushing toilet, I reckon we can manage. The Nene Leisure Centre with a swimming pool & showers is only a mile away. I am too soft to bathe in the river in all weathers, although within my memory one Denford resident never missed his daily dip by the war memorial.
Inside, we have almost finished the boarding, and Mick our electrician will come to do the second fix at the end of January.
To finish, here are pictures of the swans & geese, taken today:

Happy Christmas

The holly tree is in the garden of my parents' house.

For all of you who have been dipping in to our blog, have a wonderful Christmas
and join us in our toast: next year, in The Bright House!

With all best wishes, Jacky & Keith

the garage

This sits in the front of the house, and will, of course, be Keith's workshop. The space between the garage and house will be roofed in and be a porch.
The garage is not timber framed. John, our bricklayer and his team have just begun work, this shows him laying the black plastic to the floor ( a bit blurry as I took this in very dim light at 3.30pm yesterday).

This was followed by insulation (no photos as I was helping lay it)
This morning, the strengthened concrete floor was poured.

The precess was similar to the screeding in the house, but as this is open to the elements (and cats) we've had to cover it with a tarpaulin.



Soon, the scaffolding can come down, we just need to get the soil pipes in place, and the chimney pressure tested; however, we wait on the holidays and the weather.

geese & balconies

The brickwork at the back of the house is finished, so Keith has been putting up the balconies. (see footnote)


The geese are coming to feed:




It is now very cold, so we go to work with a lot of layers on (I have been saving old clothes for exactly this purpose)! I am especially glad of my Falke merino socks and my Buff which is permanently round my neck for warmth, and can be pulled over my mouth & nose when sanding or handling insulation, and round my hair when needed.

We take Thermoses of home-made soup to sustain us (and mince pies)

The brickwork on the chimney began this week, and the end of external work on the house is in sight. The guttering needs finishing and soil pipes need installing.

Footnote: why are they called "Juliet" balconies? She had a very large balcony, certainly big enough to put Romeo on, not just a little railing flush with the brickwork to stop people toppling over.
The more so because Shakespeare knew his building work: Hamlet knew a hawk from a handsaw, I now know a spatula from a compound mitre saw.

plodding on

Our main task continues to be boarding: Keith cuts all the holes for lights, speakers, sockets, and puts the boards up. I check the screws, scrape the adhesive off, slap on filler and sand it down.
We both put up insulation: most people deal with the stuff a few times in their lifetime, but never forget it as it prickles and gets everywhere; so we often to be found "togged up" including barrier cream (we did get some special stuff, but I'm also using up the free samples of nappy cream that I used to get!)

The brick delivery is held up by "quality control issues" so external work is slow.

We spent the early part of the year sourcing materials for the build: some of them we bought and asked the supplier to hang on to them for us. Every so often one of them will ring us to check we are still alive, and that we haven't forgotten we own a planer thicknesser, hundreds of tiles, or ovens.

The white blob is a swan, and the darker ones the geese who fly in daily to feed.