Welcome!
This page will be updated as the build progresses.
Thank you for visiting.
Day 1(ish) - Saturday 17th February.
Shed demolition underway...
Day 2 - Sunday 18th February.
Shed frame and most of the base gone...
Day 3 - Monday 19th February.
Summer House site clearance almost complete, it's starting to look like a building site now...
Day 4 - Tuesday 20th February.
First batch of electrical supplies arrives and passes inspection...
Going to try and remove the 2x2 slabs and stack them on the driveway but damn, those things are heavy - about 45Kg each I think!! Waiting for Amazon to deliver a sack barrow which should make things easier. Meanwhile, I've broken up a line of slabs so that I can carry on and lay the cable duct...
Day 5 - Wednesday 21th February.
A short interlude to repair the wobbly back fence, it's not perfect but it'll do...
Day 6 - Friday 23rd February.
Slabs lifted and stacked neatly ready for a new home - it's all about having the right tools for the job!! Site now ready for digging and levelling...
Day 7 - Sunday 25rd February.
Pond moved to it's new home and foundation digging underway. Plenty of help from Wendy today as it's the weekend...
Day 8 - Monday 26th February.
Most of the grass removed and neatly stacked...
Day 9 - Wednesday 28th February.
Site levelling underway but cut short as there's no more space for the waste topsoil!! Skip arriving tomorrow...
Day 10 - Thursday 29th February.
Skip arrived first thing this morning, more digging and soil shifting...
Day 11 - Friday 1st March.
Site levelling continues and bird feeder moved, that's all for today...
Day 12 - Saturday 2nd March.
A good day's work in the fine weather...
Day 13 - Sunday 3rd March.
The fine weather continues and so does the work...
Day 14 - Monday 4th March.
Well that's it, site preparation complete and most of the tidying up done (apart from the ubiquitous ginger cat!!). I'll not have much to do now until the cabin arrives which hopefully will be before the Easter holidays...
I'm a bit concerned about the weight in the skip - it should be below the 8 tonne limit but I really can't be sure. I've measured the topsoil volume as 4m x 4m x 0.25m i.e. 4m cubed, sandy topsoil weighs about 1.8 tonnes/m3. Total weight 7.2 tonnes plus whatever Wendy has added. Fingers crossed!!
Day 15 - Wednesday 20th March.
It's arrived and well within the 7-8 week estimation... now the proper work starts!! First job is to get the foundation beams out of the package and apply a bitumen coat before the weather closes in....
Day 16 - Sunday 24th March.
A welcome break in the weather and some welcome help on hand!! Foundation frame complete and turned over in to it's final resting place...
Day 17 - Tuesday 26th March.
Initial levelling of the foundation frame and another damp course in place...
Day 18 - Thursday 28th March.
Floor frame build underway, studiously inspected by the other ubiquitous ginger cat...
Day 19 - Friday 29th March.
Floor frame build complete, final damp proof course and side drainage underway...
Day 20 - Sunday 31st March.
Foundation finally complete and level...
Day 21 - Monday 1st April.
Mains, solar and network cables laid...
Day 22 - Tueday 2nd April.
Some concrete added around the edges to give just a little bit more support. Everything's finally ready for the build proper to start...
Day 23 - Thursday 4th April.
The build is finally underway. John constructs, Wendy applys the wood preservative and the cats are absolutely no help whatsoever...
Day 24 - Sunday 7th April.
The building work continues, so far it's just like a giant lego set - it can't be this easy surely!!...
Day 25 - Monday 8th April.
I was right, it's not that easy!! Lifting lots of these logs up above head height gets pretty tough after a while (especially recoverying from spinal surgery). We'll be glad to get this phase of the build finished...
Day 26 - Wednesday 10th April.
Finally something different - building the frames for the sliding doors and checking for squareness. Light at the end of the tunnel?...
Day 27 - Saturday 13th April.
Roof construction started even though the weather's terrible...
Day 28 - Sunday 14th April.
The weather's rotten again today but at least the cavalry has arrived to lend some much needed help to get the sliding doors fitted...
Day 29 - Tuesday 16th April.
Better weather today so I've been able to use the power tools outside!! Final roof board cut and fitted, remaining timber moved in to the garden room to dry out...
