The first signs of a house!

For a couple of weeks we have continued with the foundations amidst a steady stream of niggling crises. 

First the ESP delivery (the high density polystyrene from Ireland) turned out to be both incorrect and incomplete.  Fortunately AirPacks – the manufacturers – pulled out all the stops to remedy the situation and within 48 hrs the Managing Director himself arrived (at 5.0 am) with a new consignment, checked everything on site and left us all the incorrectly labelled material (“I’m sure you can make use of it somewhere in the build”). Such prompt and comprehensive customer support is all too rare these days. Well done Airpacks and thank you!

Before we can set up the 300mm of insulation, the walls need to be constructed to DPC level.  We decide to use concrete blocks for the section below ground with brick for the top two courses (to avoid possibly frost damage).  Having taken delivery of the 100 mm blocks we find they are in fact only 95mm.  Balancing 102/03mm bricks on 95mm blocks is not the best way to start a firm foundation so we sent them back.  On further investigation it seems all 100mm concrete blocks are in fact 95mm (at least all those we could locate). So why not use red engineering blocks – right colour and frost resistant. Unfortunately a 400mm high foundation (the height of the polystyrene edges) does not sit well with standard architectural practice; complicated but in principle it means the brick courses above the damp course won’t meet the window sills properly so all the first course of engineering bricks have to be cut.  

Ever tried cutting engineering bricks – not to mention over 400 of them?  After using several special concrete saw blades on site we decide on the solution – order a special diamond blade for cutting “very hard materials” on next day delivery. Unfortunately the blade doesn’t seem to know it’s supposed to cut engineering bricks so after 50 or so it would be quicker to use a nail file.  New solution? Drive to Leicester with half a trailer load of bricks to have then cut commercially by specialist company (necessary to avoid remainder of grey hair falling out).

Meanwhile on site Nigel, our indomitable builder, wrestles with 22 corners - each having to be in exactly the right place and exactly the right height (we are talking mm accuracy). Engineering bricks are more difficult to lay normally – much more so in endless rain which it did constantly until a couple of days ago.

Nigel makes occasional comments about the desirability of house with only four corners – but undeterred we carry on day after day.  Today – with a little help from two friends – the house actually rises 6 courses from the footings. Happy day!

To prepare for the insulation, I try to remember the rudiments of my school physics. The challenge – to make a hot wire cutter to size up the polystyrene. Some folk use hand saws, even chainsaws, but not wanting to litter the countryside with polystyrene granules, we chose hot wire.  The construction was easy: an old school desk courtesy of Freecycle, the “U” shaped timber section from one of the delivery crates and bits and pieces from various junk boxes. The electronics was more tricky. 

Much googling suggested using variously guitar strings and NiChrome wire powered by old computer power packs, laptop chargers or car batteries. After burning out several wires using an old car battery, google and eBay came to the rescue. The Mark 4 version today with 26g NiChrome wire connected to the car battery and 12v charger works perfectly.

The sand goes down tomorrow and a fine day is forecast for Wednesday when the insulation will be laid.  Watch this space . . .