Groundworks

Groundworks are scheduled to begin on 11th October. This largely includes: -
- Laying a temporary drive to the site
- Filling in the milking pit
- Removing timbers making up the first floor
- Demolishing stone wall to one side of barn
- Laying drainage pipes
- Pouring concrete floors
- Install a sewerage treatment plant
- Install a rain collection tank
- Lay discharge pipes, 250m to stream

I'm Still Standing, yeah, yeah, yeah!

It's not a game is it...  So before ruining the hard earned reputation of a our nice builders i ought to mention that the precariousness of the roof was the result of an unprofessional assessment (my own) and a natural nervousness mixed with a little artistic license to make this blog more readable. Upon request the said builders came out immediately to allay my fears... Apparently the roof it 'weighs a fricken ton and ain't goin nowhere'. To be fair this assessment is correct as it it still standing despite the weather on Friday.

Speaking of the weather we have now resorted to lighting the log burner in the caravan due to the cold northerly winds. Morning surfs are getting harder and i might even have to dig out my winter wetsuit. That said, a late morning of stick picking (after the hedges were flailed) with Sally was lovely warm sunshine, pretty hot work.

OMG We've kinda started

So it started with creation of concrete pads so that we can put in a 6 meter steel to support the roof. This allows us to pull the wall down below the steel and then lay one level floor as part of the ground-works.

The steel will be positioned a week tomorrow. Until then the roof appears to be balancing precariously on a couple of remaining stones. The worst thing that could happen is that my builder could go on holiday and a strong Northerly wind might kick in...

'Further outbreaks of rain are expected on Friday, these gradually clearing during the afternoon with most places dry by evening. It will feel very cool in the brisk northerly winds'... No postcard from the builder yet either'....!