tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22853804279854046812024-03-07T12:59:47.406-08:00Welcome to Colemans Hill Farm EcobuildResponding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-40615768116764344432024-02-13T09:35:00.000-08:002024-02-13T09:45:35.827-08:00Ten years after completion - a 2024 update<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-D3hz7acWFZjGWcGasulI4qXOgMZy9PrNeQGVHgeS9ph3mpzzSxu3mrVnGS88LSB6Uviu1UKiYsm6V3Kf5HhSxwOS1c3rOvSzo7ZE9rnQdLBuDx8zEESeo0rmLRfQpw0h6KOc_rw8_mLcAIgRDieJeCbXmuTvb0twX5sg_HKwWedCCNOA5buNLGOm0zs/s1417/2024%20improvements.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="1417" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-D3hz7acWFZjGWcGasulI4qXOgMZy9PrNeQGVHgeS9ph3mpzzSxu3mrVnGS88LSB6Uviu1UKiYsm6V3Kf5HhSxwOS1c3rOvSzo7ZE9rnQdLBuDx8zEESeo0rmLRfQpw0h6KOc_rw8_mLcAIgRDieJeCbXmuTvb0twX5sg_HKwWedCCNOA5buNLGOm0zs/w400-h70/2024%20improvements.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ten years after completion a number of further imovements have been made to the house and surrounding land. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here is a summary:</span></div></div><p></p><p>1. <b>Heating</b>: The large wood-fired boiler has been removed together with the large thermal store; both were purchased by other eco-enthusiasts. The heating is now generated by a Mitsubishi 11.2kW Ecodan heat pump couple to a 300L Solar Thermal Cylinder. The 'Melcloud' software controlling this is very easy to use and operates the units with almost no user input. The efficiency and heat generation is now so efficient that half of the solar thermal tubes had to be removed to avoid overheating in summer. These too went to an offgrid eco development near Oxford.</p><p>2.<b>Energy use</b>: To optimise the use of the PV generated energy from the barn roof, a Tesla Powerwall 2 battery has now been installed. Illogically installing this alone would have incurred VAT but installing at the same time as solar panels would be VAT free. We therefore added a further six 410W solar panels ( an additional capacity of around 2.5kW and enabling the installation to be VAT free. Over the last couple of months UK government have removed this requirement an batteries can now be added to existing solar VAT free. The excellent Tesla software controlling charging times enables the battery to be programmed to recharge at off-peak rates (just over 7p per kw from Inteilligent Octopus Go).</p><p>3. <b>Testing v2h - bidirectional charging:</b> Colemans Hill Farm is now a partner in a test programme for v2H - using the considerable spare capacity of an electric car to power the house (our Nissan Leaf has a 60kW battery and for quite a lot of the time is standing idle). This is also pretty automatic so the EV is programme to top up the battery during off-peak and if remained plugged in, will automatically take over supplying the house when the Powerwall is exhausted. Using the combination of the Powerwall and the Nissan battery enables the house to be heated with off-peak electricity on most days for a full 24hrs.</p><p>4. <b>Growing vegetables:</b> two reclaimed greenhouses and a number of raised beds made from pallets, enables quite a lot of vegetables to be grown organically</p><p>5. <b>Biodiversity: </b>Some of the original oak trees along the drive are now more than 10 metres high and a large area behind the house has been sown with native wildflower. The original pond has been enlarged (with a rubber liner) and this has attracted frogs, toads and newts together with mallards which have bred on site. Some control is required to dissaude a large Grey heron from using the pond as a free larder! Maturing hedges, wildflowers and more uncut grassland have increased the numbers of mice and voles which in turn has attracted nesting barn owls to the next boxes installed in the barn. In 2022 a pair produced 6 eggs but didn't seem to know what to do with them. In 2023 a different pair produced a late clutch of 4 eggs from which two youngsters survived to maturity. A new larger box has been put up in 2024 and we haope that one of these nesting pairs will be back in the Spring.</p>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-71651249673009889232024-02-13T07:48:00.000-08:002024-02-13T07:48:33.631-08:00 Three and a half years later - would we do this again?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HxljJKipPWuKqP5MNV6-C3pjk0MEfLp0txAiUnOREqKjkqW867XjuBU1EFDmxpdVN3Nyl6eQvSb1RdPsCU9brcTXklbd0ZdxtEj4Ve5ZgJZoKv5Yh_8xxOkRHwnRm6pqGqOVDh2AZP97V59tvQXKY1TKnKPGF2MwFGscGd8rTmqLnrBLdb_xraQip-M/s1200/CHF_arial.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HxljJKipPWuKqP5MNV6-C3pjk0MEfLp0txAiUnOREqKjkqW867XjuBU1EFDmxpdVN3Nyl6eQvSb1RdPsCU9brcTXklbd0ZdxtEj4Ve5ZgJZoKv5Yh_8xxOkRHwnRm6pqGqOVDh2AZP97V59tvQXKY1TKnKPGF2MwFGscGd8rTmqLnrBLdb_xraQip-M/w400-h200/CHF_arial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Yes - three and a half years have passed, and the house has matured (and so have we!).<br /> Were we to do this again, then quite a lot of things would be done differently. So some reflections ...<br /> <br /> Too much emphasis in the design on appearance and it was left to us to research and implement all the environmental features - extremely efficient insulation, triple glazing, a passivehaus foundation and more, local labour, and as far as possible local sourced materials. It looks attractive but has more than 20 corners making it more expensive to build and much more difficult to make airtight.<br /> <br /> The extra cost of including green energy and water technology was worthwhile - though today some of this would have been done differently. Taking advantage of government incentives to encourage the take up of renewable energy has been controversial and not well managed by government. Doubters said we would never recoup the money (£28,000 or so) spent to put 9.8kW of solar PV on the barn in 2011. In fact it paid for itself in 7 years and will almost certainly continue to produce an average of 9500 kW hrs of clean energy every year for at least another 25 years - probably more. More than 70,000 kW generated so far; less than 50,000 used with the rest exported to the grid. Now you could install the same 9.8kW for well under half the cost and in many cases would be cost effective without any subsidy. During the first year - a rather a cold one - the house needed what we regarded as an excessive amount of electricity from the grid.<br /> <br /> The solar water heating provides virtually 'free' hot water for more than 6 months and valuable base-heating of the 800l thermal store for the rest of the year. Though widely regarded as one of the most efficient and effective solar installations - mainly in passive houses - it was failed by the nuclear expert the government sent in to inspect it and it took him well over an hour to find out how it worked. Why did it fail? Because some of the heat it generated from the sun was contributing to heating the house; it should only have been used to produce hot water. So the government grant withdrawn in favour of supporting less efficient installations.<div> <br /><br /></div>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-6640054958337919082015-07-17T06:20:00.000-07:002015-08-06T10:49:47.455-07:00Some final thoughts and tributes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The oak around the house is beginning to mellow and the surrounding landscape is slowly maturing. The grass - all sown from seed - is also improving, though thistles and docks are also doing well! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've planted another 15 trees - a mix of oak, ash and alder and sown wild flowers around the completed pond which is already attracting some gorgeous dragonflies and the occasional heron. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The two rustic seats in the foreground were made from the old cypress taken down at the start of the build. Our bird count is now in the low 20s with heron, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">barn owl, little owl (resident), sparrowhawk and woodpecker taking pride of place. Several insect 'hotels' are being well-used but are also supplying food for the woodpecker. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The house is proving to be negative energy (no - the one announced yesterday on the BBC was not the first!). Last week the PV panels celebrated their 4th birthday and showed 39,170 kW on the meter - and have generated more each year (10,313 this year). We have used just under 26,000kW since we moved on site indicating a surplus of 13,000 kW which has gone back to the grid. From an economic standpoint the installation has already paid back well over half the initial cost in just four years. The potential for storing 'spare' solar generated electricity is developing fast and this is a technology we are watching with interest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The solar thermal system is working well and provides all the hot water we need for around 7 months of the year and very useful base heat all-year round. Even in mid winter the water in the thermal store rarely drops below 25 degrees C. Unfortunately the powers that be have decided that our system does not qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive as some of the heat generated by the evacuated tubes helps to heat the house - not just the domestic hot water. Large thermal stores (ours is 800 litres) are widely recognised as the most efficient way of optimising solar heat but the regulations say that they must only contribute to hot water - not space heating. So if you are planning a new build, think carefully about using a thermal store. It may be the most efficient system, but OFGEM doesn't recognise this and you won't get any RHI payments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reclaiming the VAT was a time consuming process putting all the receipts in chronological order and making a matching spreadshett to meet VAT specifications. There are never enough hours in the day during the build but doing the VAT monthly as the build progressed would have made it much less arduous at the end. In my view HM Customs were prompt and fair despite what others have said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our old VW Golf worked hard moving goods around during the build (still running on 100% biofuel) but we decided that at 15 yrs old it might prove expensive at the next MOT, so decided it was time to change using the VAT refund. We had been watching the development of the electric car market for some time and after much thought, decided that a plug-in hybrid would best suit our requirements. We found a demonstration Prius plug-in at an attractive price with only 1300 miles on the clock and have now run this for nearly a year. Technically it only does 16 miles on a charge and it would be nice if it did more like the Audio, VW and Mitsubishi which have arrived since. However in practice I think it was a sensible choice. Most of the time we charge it for free from spare solar (charging time is just over an hour and a half) and on dark winter days, we charge at night on off-peak. We rarely get less than 80 mpg equivalent - even on long journeys - and the speedo is currently showing the last 750 miles at 142 mpg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Winner - Best Sustainable Dwelling 2015</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">One pleasant surprise was to learn that our Building Control Inspector had recommended the house for a special award. On 17 April we were invited to an Awards lunch in Stratford and Colemans Hill Farm was announced as the winner of the best new sustainable dwelling 2015 - a fitting tribute to three years of very long days and some sleepless nights!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is also a fitting tribute to all those who contributed to the build - some of whom went way beyond the usual service you would expect from contractors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A big thank you to:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Winchcombe Reclamation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who carefully removed the old farmhouse</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pete Tonks</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for designing the new one</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jay Hubbard and Robin Vincent of English Brothers</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for supplying the timber frame & their constant support</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Phil of Eazylay Concrete at Admington</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who delivered and poured seemingly endless cement, often out of hours</span></div>
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<b>Jason Watts and the Forest of Dean 'hemcreters'</b></div>
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who installed the hemcrete under monsoon conditions</div>
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who installed the PV and solar thermal</div>
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<b>Martin and Stuart Turville</b></div>
who laid the bricks<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ben of JBM Scaffolding</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for erecting the scaffolding at short notice</span></div>
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<b>Built Environment Technology</b><br />
who installed the MVHR system<br />
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<b>Elliot Atkinson and his friendly team from Black Pig</b></div>
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who glazed more than 50 fixed windows</div>
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<b>Frank Horsfall of Calarel Ltd</b><br />
who made the triple glazed oak doors and windows<br />
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<b>John Devine</b><br />
who painted them<br />
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<b>Bernard Prickett Joinery</b></div>
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who made the oak staircases<br />
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<b>Clint Parker</b><br />
for the electrics<br />
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<b>Solar-Sense UK</b><br />
for the PV and solar heating system<br />
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<b>Mario the Plumber</b></div>
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who meticulously laid the kitchen floor and bathroom tiles<br />
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<b>Chris Hurley</b></div>
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who helped with the foundations and installed the wood stove<br />
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<b>Martin Bennett, Head of Stratford District Council Building Control</b></div>
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for constantly monitoring the build and his helpful advice<br />
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<b>Charlie and his team from Cotswold Green Energy</b></div>
for the UFH, the plumbing and the EcoAngus boiler<br />
and their marvellous support throughout the build<br />
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<b>Steve and Debbie Savery (& son)</b></div>
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for their patience, impeccable carpentry and painting skills<br />
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<b>Peter Boait of Exergy Devices</b></div>
who generously designed and installed<br />the intelligent energy management system<br />
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and above all</div>
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<b>Nigel Brookes</b><br />
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who after selling us his mobile home, ended up as our constant mentor<br />for his skills preparing the foundations, installing the passive slab</div>
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the complex drainage system, the rainwater harvesting, making the pond</div>
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and landscaping the entire site.</div>
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We could not have completed this build without him.<br />
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<i>markandsonia@gmail.com 01386 438572 07776 036884</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Mark Boulton July 2015</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-59309568839772565072014-08-05T14:37:00.001-07:002014-08-05T14:37:29.502-07:00Complete - well almost!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br />View from East side over wild pond - August 5 2014</b></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After a further three months or so of seemingly endless "final" tasks we have (virtually) finished though more seeding and planting still remains to be done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Following is a summary of the final aspects of the build.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With just two of us working a couple of days a week progress has been slow. Because the land is on three levels a full length block wall needed to be constructed the full length of the house with associated drainage and then faced with bricks - many from the original farmhouse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Once this was complete the patio was built with steps to the upper garden and into the rear entrance and sun room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This just left finishing the pond in the lower garden which appears to be holding water (the overflow rainwater from the underground tank together with the run off from the house) without the need for a lining. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWsFJbada9XsZgS2kN2rITjDQOEUwWRiTlyrqBwFl2bwRm1g0ZstCjMm_ilYKprVM6BOmG9tn3ezHvfFXcQHBQ_s69XEXUPU-2NIg5O0hcGkllJTNMzncU9zepbeJQuoGHs9vyIlnZ038/s1600/_23A3230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWsFJbada9XsZgS2kN2rITjDQOEUwWRiTlyrqBwFl2bwRm1g0ZstCjMm_ilYKprVM6BOmG9tn3ezHvfFXcQHBQ_s69XEXUPU-2NIg5O0hcGkllJTNMzncU9zepbeJQuoGHs9vyIlnZ038/s1600/_23A3230.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3ewgN0RakeaBoxj_x-T01VSZ72iCGJu2Bfww3FO1HWc73GMGL9hjp05VfQ-LgxsEX2dq-TX4LhmvB66umPVDbe2tLFe0HTQ1mfJRaVAF4v1J1hFaUNkDhCHA7lmxJEqsgpudInZdWRhW/s1600/CHF_pond_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3ewgN0RakeaBoxj_x-T01VSZ72iCGJu2Bfww3FO1HWc73GMGL9hjp05VfQ-LgxsEX2dq-TX4LhmvB66umPVDbe2tLFe0HTQ1mfJRaVAF4v1J1hFaUNkDhCHA7lmxJEqsgpudInZdWRhW/s1600/CHF_pond_2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sections from the foundations from the original farmhouse were used to make a path and some natural stone (thank you freecycle!) used for edging. A range of native aquatic plants and two toads and two frogs discovered under the Cotswold stone.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp4Pn5-iaLTb247k5DClRqoBoMjMy0dwz3knZoXTVmCo95bkLYo9Lqf6brQJ3Ehy6s2VMtCudRPp7nYidv4F1tD33z-Q6Ck6i7sv4IrKjlpF9ZfOVetjlICLW7DhaZOIEXtOrNGNK9LuO/s1600/CHF_pond_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp4Pn5-iaLTb247k5DClRqoBoMjMy0dwz3knZoXTVmCo95bkLYo9Lqf6brQJ3Ehy6s2VMtCudRPp7nYidv4F1tD33z-Q6Ck6i7sv4IrKjlpF9ZfOVetjlICLW7DhaZOIEXtOrNGNK9LuO/s1600/CHF_pond_7.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last pile of topsoil saved when digging the foundations was used to landscape the area leading down to the pond which is now being planted with trees and shrubs.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Milestones</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What was the final timeline?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>February 2011</b> - Moved into old mobile home on site; preliminary site surveys take place boundaries established and fenced; designer working on plans</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>April/May 2011</b> - Pre-planning application presentation completed and submitted mid-May; preliminary drainage and levelling of site. Solar PV installed on barn roof; veg plot fenced and recycled greenhouse erected</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>June 2011</b> - temporary wind turbine superceded by establishing grid connection - an interesting (and frustrating) experience over some months!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>July/September 201</b>1 - Planners slow to respond to application but after some intervention, eventually grant planning permission with 13 conditions 28 September</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>October/December 2011</b> - work on site to meet planning conditions including construction of bat loft in barn, selection of bricks & tiles, and levelling of site</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">____________________________________________________________________________</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>January 2012</b> - Conditions fulfilled and sent to SDC; demolition of old farmhouse and continued levelling of site</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">March/April 2012 - Footings dig to support brick walls; perimeter walls constructed and central core filled with old bricks ready for building passive slab. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>May 2012</b> - Structural polystyrene (ESP) arrives but turns out to be the wrong material; replacement material arrives within four days with Air Packs in Ireland pulling out all the stops. What an incredible service! Slab complete day before timber frame arrives 28 May</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>June 2012</b> - Wettest "summer" for years. Timber frame erected under challenging conditions</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>July 2012</b> - Hemcreters arrive from Forest of Dean to mix and pour hemcrete under continuing torrential rain</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>August/September 2012</b> - Outer (non-structural) brick walls started at the same time as tiling commences; first of the large oak trusses moved into place. Crane arrives at end of month for the two very large oak window frames. Sun room frames also require crane to move into position. Oak porch uses man!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>October 2012</b> - Cotswold Green Energy begin first fix plumbing; triple glazed windows arrive. Extensive reticel foam insulation through roof</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>December 2012</b> - Underfloor heating system laid out. Solar thermal evacuated tubes installed with Sigma tank for heating. Electricians begin first fix and MHVR team compete mechanical heat ventilation system. Small "Badger" Wood stove fitted and plasterers begin work</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>January 2013</b> - Second fix electrics, plastering, plumbing and painting</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>March 2013</b> - Steve finishes oak staircases and carpets fitted upstairs;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>May 2013</b> - Biopure septic tank installed and Nigel begins excavation for Stormsaver rainwater harvesting system</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>June/September 2013</b> - F<b>inally moved in June </b>whilst work continues and mobile home sold to young couple starting new build in Solihull</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>October 2013</b> - Lots more finishing work internally and landscaping/drainage externally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pair garage doors constructed from spare oak floorboards. Bespoke Wattbox energy management system installed with energy used remotely monitored from Cheltenham </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>November 2013</b> - Magnet ex-display kitchen and Everhot cooker installed</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>May/June 2014</b> - House finally officially signed off after completing air test; work continues on walling at rear and construction of patio</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>August 2014</b> - Work on the pond finally completed and formal date of <b>completion 4 August 2014</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeB2UAIaY96XFtQ9tEOLvPsXAlsNIZm7POqtq4vjGHj7ZP2Eu8B85HOO9sTu-6bE-xXSDlNEU6WvST8ycCO3UXuH-pFpxI2xKV7RN1jSJ8ozixlPDwOtJKytQbP55S6teT-OH6wjvAJEE/s1600/CHF_Eastview_Sept4_panS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeB2UAIaY96XFtQ9tEOLvPsXAlsNIZm7POqtq4vjGHj7ZP2Eu8B85HOO9sTu-6bE-xXSDlNEU6WvST8ycCO3UXuH-pFpxI2xKV7RN1jSJ8ozixlPDwOtJKytQbP55S6teT-OH6wjvAJEE/s640/CHF_Eastview_Sept4_panS.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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It doesn't seem possible we have not updated the blog for more than 6 months. Just when you think you are almost finished there are still seemingly endless small (and not so small) tasks to be completed. A bannister for the back stairs, tidying up hairline cracks which form as the timber frame settles, the last sections of oak cladding, doors for the workshop and the garage, a wood shed and a very long retaining wall on the south side. Add to this relocating the enormous heap of clay, spreading the topsoil and seeding the lawn areas and the last blog in May seems like yesterday.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-2DMB0CyUwYJ7ZpM1345_LtgQSuw0Em-dVNmXip-6Z9GJuszucVZv_cfjXvhLgAniWPEUb8RJESwVgr3di-w4ZhJGBUmA1NivM6SxFum3oEwjRdAG4hY_0KUNZuML71zIbCwR2TAoqL1/s1600/CHF_landscaping_Sept41S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-2DMB0CyUwYJ7ZpM1345_LtgQSuw0Em-dVNmXip-6Z9GJuszucVZv_cfjXvhLgAniWPEUb8RJESwVgr3di-w4ZhJGBUmA1NivM6SxFum3oEwjRdAG4hY_0KUNZuML71zIbCwR2TAoqL1/s320/CHF_landscaping_Sept41S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing the lower lawn area for seeding</td></tr>
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But looking back we have made good progress. The house is 99% complete and the major landscaping done. Now the rain has returned the pond and the wildlife area in the lower garden will probably have to wait until the spring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVNu-UoOdzdYOnMJ5sZH0-5j8hhNwrbGYSoR1IR40wF4moGRBJnmic7cxP2HxMkOXAYeAyWGLi-50_BeXKuglMAhXZU4S9JYwQgESoO5Ftn6JjRvWmXeEQ-WCu5LULsuSc3zhx3KMWhp8/s1600/CHF_rear_garage_cladding2S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVNu-UoOdzdYOnMJ5sZH0-5j8hhNwrbGYSoR1IR40wF4moGRBJnmic7cxP2HxMkOXAYeAyWGLi-50_BeXKuglMAhXZU4S9JYwQgESoO5Ftn6JjRvWmXeEQ-WCu5LULsuSc3zhx3KMWhp8/s320/CHF_rear_garage_cladding2S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing the oak cladding on the rear of the garage</td></tr>
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The following "point and shoot" photos will give some idea of the interior. When time permits they will be updated with more professional images.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIW9hNKqgJnp9Yv1QcFYSDjVt2IgJiJaunxn1zbvBReUw5wfE5WyVqQM962nWW86Tqg6S9bWJHZYMlPe_u38VV5qEorJKNEMWURwW-APOK6UpyYUgJy0WUU8kf50ToTeel-xr-qTPIJRz/s1600/Livingroom1S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIW9hNKqgJnp9Yv1QcFYSDjVt2IgJiJaunxn1zbvBReUw5wfE5WyVqQM962nWW86Tqg6S9bWJHZYMlPe_u38VV5qEorJKNEMWURwW-APOK6UpyYUgJy0WUU8kf50ToTeel-xr-qTPIJRz/s200/Livingroom1S.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-54381543168242001012013-10-15T10:28:00.002-07:002013-10-15T10:28:28.115-07:00It can't possibly be six months<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yAu87d-2dLphsVg4jNlJnpS-sJoAKzTJlyYQGML_pGJ1LAF16Mw3K6GNI5sZoAqJdIC4MC6zgYIu-m80ybtgDGaAvxzIgxSflQsEIxLa8N8n9CDMmuWOEtPf2QVh2k0GDQ9ur-lOOW2c/s1600/CHF_Eastview_Sept4_panS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yAu87d-2dLphsVg4jNlJnpS-sJoAKzTJlyYQGML_pGJ1LAF16Mw3K6GNI5sZoAqJdIC4MC6zgYIu-m80ybtgDGaAvxzIgxSflQsEIxLa8N8n9CDMmuWOEtPf2QVh2k0GDQ9ur-lOOW2c/s400/CHF_Eastview_Sept4_panS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It scarcely seems possible that six months have passed since we last updated the blog. Yet for the whole of that period (apart from a 4 day break in September) we have continued to work every day on the build. Just when you think you are nearly there, you realise there is a still multitude of finishing touches still to do; many of them turn out to be significant tasks in their own right once you actually start to tackle them.<span id="goog_1956992089"></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgfVtcIZBSR7oJgWKpTYK7wzxAN3V-71eP6y3bxpz3PYkU13nrvVGEAiPrS1ynP7VIcn1qS4kYNsAZxQWF1paYo-SIr9PmGjRYqbpSl3n0fQFbs8MH9XzWNN-oGd29djYfvenXJ_dLorY/s1600/CHF_landscaping_Sept41S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgfVtcIZBSR7oJgWKpTYK7wzxAN3V-71eP6y3bxpz3PYkU13nrvVGEAiPrS1ynP7VIcn1qS4kYNsAZxQWF1paYo-SIr9PmGjRYqbpSl3n0fQFbs8MH9XzWNN-oGd29djYfvenXJ_dLorY/s320/CHF_landscaping_Sept41S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Preparing the lower garden area for seeding</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The house itself is now 99% complete and the landscaping well underway - though I suspect it will be next Spring before we start the pond and the wildlife garden. What follows are a series of "point and shoot images" just to give some idea of how the house looks inside. These will be replaced by more more professional images when we have more time.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3ZZx34WqS080HAwVA1REzJjMNUJ-MWfIuaQoUSq8kvNMpBUHTIj4kH8aqWUcS1V0hYtGeBHO6_lgLlJEQCPxBcsZQw10THlZBhJ22a-uohf4d9vy2kojf_f-z85_AbzfvBaTKnnUhxpr/s1600/GaragedoorsS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3ZZx34WqS080HAwVA1REzJjMNUJ-MWfIuaQoUSq8kvNMpBUHTIj4kH8aqWUcS1V0hYtGeBHO6_lgLlJEQCPxBcsZQw10THlZBhJ22a-uohf4d9vy2kojf_f-z85_AbzfvBaTKnnUhxpr/s400/GaragedoorsS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Garage doors made from oak floor boards and spare timber left over from the build</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv5Lf7lPfkntUS4wfuz6EgKiBti-V3EdzyJj2dFnZ7WhsD1YvridAWe0wOQyxzI7jIoZssa0SeXThvq2Css453qusGONEUJjKTuDU9Xy7K3QZ9XnkH12YDD8O4aifcQ_nMRw5EvySyWN9/s1600/EntranceHall1s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv5Lf7lPfkntUS4wfuz6EgKiBti-V3EdzyJj2dFnZ7WhsD1YvridAWe0wOQyxzI7jIoZssa0SeXThvq2Css453qusGONEUJjKTuDU9Xy7K3QZ9XnkH12YDD8O4aifcQ_nMRw5EvySyWN9/s400/EntranceHall1s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Entrance hall with central staircase</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgCbYsrK5Six1OanO8DWB3GkJPUwiESvOGdCZRDKXHP70NvVNkhQorzwXEJxOXgzfoKLDOcLKjq0_7j-_m6EEGsC5-kTq-mKew_FA12qjCAmYl14IDy33slrfHX4S8iPqQo2mUzIyO6t4/s1600/Staircase2s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgCbYsrK5Six1OanO8DWB3GkJPUwiESvOGdCZRDKXHP70NvVNkhQorzwXEJxOXgzfoKLDOcLKjq0_7j-_m6EEGsC5-kTq-mKew_FA12qjCAmYl14IDy33slrfHX4S8iPqQo2mUzIyO6t4/s200/Staircase2s.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlv-kYRbDckrJvle49hmK1-lt75YMvOOGmTXl9Qo40QP7ekLa1bea-O5z530KR2HKCVAo8zy-33P8XDZWG3VM8-ts6MqGRq0H88sV6fwlm6EFfcwSe6awz5iDE4cy5UsKIlNdkBKC3azJ/s1600/Staircase1s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlv-kYRbDckrJvle49hmK1-lt75YMvOOGmTXl9Qo40QP7ekLa1bea-O5z530KR2HKCVAo8zy-33P8XDZWG3VM8-ts6MqGRq0H88sV6fwlm6EFfcwSe6awz5iDE4cy5UsKIlNdkBKC3azJ/s200/Staircase1s.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JYO4d5RmAwu8evebEnhfxDRckq8Gvap6JwhCRyZFSmEbBDJFRpclcPFQr5BqIE9nZfRodBJ3R-ESpHYKeB4YR1hMdpYku0ba_ds8Ugbamtn0OmpJ7Nu9NSImEQnXcdfaTGsJs5IJzbpF/s1600/Livingroom1S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JYO4d5RmAwu8evebEnhfxDRckq8Gvap6JwhCRyZFSmEbBDJFRpclcPFQr5BqIE9nZfRodBJ3R-ESpHYKeB4YR1hMdpYku0ba_ds8Ugbamtn0OmpJ7Nu9NSImEQnXcdfaTGsJs5IJzbpF/s400/Livingroom1S.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Open plan living areas</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Kitchen and adjacent sun room</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Landing and ensuite</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWhtAWbFLrU3c8kaadY5asmhhWVQPKIMTK_qqRdEmBFtUOa2JKB2vTurQSBAm97Qq9QIF4eag_FrQmhJ9GjcJ1P5D3VmfeAGwtbRd4yvjROZXVqoQmPI5fskhTRPFZkM7-Wu7vu7q0e8J/s1600/Landing1S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWhtAWbFLrU3c8kaadY5asmhhWVQPKIMTK_qqRdEmBFtUOa2JKB2vTurQSBAm97Qq9QIF4eag_FrQmhJ9GjcJ1P5D3VmfeAGwtbRd4yvjROZXVqoQmPI5fskhTRPFZkM7-Wu7vu7q0e8J/s200/Landing1S.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZkZxV3SxBFuh_50uVc6B6h8PGwzvQ93ei9fUJG69bUFfYgi10rDKt5QYDcN8trqnjjOKmjgk_lTQyX0y1jzKL8w81TMmXmm0b7Ccbs3z3QWwykCDgMAluaJDMGmXktB5lAud4ubmRJpS/s1600/Ensuite1s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZkZxV3SxBFuh_50uVc6B6h8PGwzvQ93ei9fUJG69bUFfYgi10rDKt5QYDcN8trqnjjOKmjgk_lTQyX0y1jzKL8w81TMmXmm0b7Ccbs3z3QWwykCDgMAluaJDMGmXktB5lAud4ubmRJpS/s200/Ensuite1s.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf8Lb3_cBLuRnTrFqdjuuPSlx7aGixQcbdJPu6hPmmyymI4mk8MsccVplfiGMmvY4M2Z2Kmo_gs6ZnSxykDPZXKGFLJe65YP-KQLqmqxTjNZht8CiRYRZvJYMjRAGuwbMWqYVSNdidb-K/s1600/Landing4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf8Lb3_cBLuRnTrFqdjuuPSlx7aGixQcbdJPu6hPmmyymI4mk8MsccVplfiGMmvY4M2Z2Kmo_gs6ZnSxykDPZXKGFLJe65YP-KQLqmqxTjNZht8CiRYRZvJYMjRAGuwbMWqYVSNdidb-K/s200/Landing4s.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljQxupph7mu586lIjitK_0CiLfi7iemQTo6pB31Bgt4UPuO70GRxZEs_nKb5zcjS1SRAyF3Hp70tF59CUzMrHPcJe6x91bO08wMI6XuljFSBh82wPwJursLvTceLLun9IVoK_KtVPEO8Q/s1600/StudioS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljQxupph7mu586lIjitK_0CiLfi7iemQTo6pB31Bgt4UPuO70GRxZEs_nKb5zcjS1SRAyF3Hp70tF59CUzMrHPcJe6x91bO08wMI6XuljFSBh82wPwJursLvTceLLun9IVoK_KtVPEO8Q/s400/StudioS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Studio room over garage</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More to follow in due course</span></div>
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-64823374970504337882013-05-05T01:13:00.004-07:002013-05-05T01:19:41.152-07:00Too busy to blog!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Despite the silence we have been extremely busy - too busy to blog - so herewith an attempt to catch up. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With better weather and longer days we have been able to concentrate on installation of the septic and rainwater harvesting tanks, both of which involved a lot more digging and shifting soil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After careful research we chose the BioPure 2 septic tank system from "We Build It Ltd" in Bridgnorth. The tank is UK made (and reasonably local), has a 25 year guarantee, is low maintenance, consumes only just over 40w. The tank only needs emptying every 3-5 years and the technical support is excellent.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtpzMKMzAmIest7ZIfEFQFV1HHb-GSsyAi6CfY4fV3jWVqkbRUE0r6QjVYiSSWJGfpTLrE_XNRygiQUc8szCEi4p6oBy2qi5QwPVwgeCFNVAtijTDps2-Aup2BKQToRWrJO4sL5a1Zsti/s1600/CHF_Septic_Tank_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtpzMKMzAmIest7ZIfEFQFV1HHb-GSsyAi6CfY4fV3jWVqkbRUE0r6QjVYiSSWJGfpTLrE_XNRygiQUc8szCEi4p6oBy2qi5QwPVwgeCFNVAtijTDps2-Aup2BKQToRWrJO4sL5a1Zsti/s320/CHF_Septic_Tank_4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The rainwater harvesting system is from Stormsaver - a company with a long experience of commercial installations which has more recently begun marketing domestic systems. We chose the German manufactured 5000 litre low profile Monsoon tank which has meant less digging backed up by their Eco Control system and the highly efficient 90w submersible pump. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BqX9_NdjI6TKMfbubhjK6tOKePegF2asVt5ER8_pFdqQeC0Fgw7lV_y6OtNAFGnPld-XpprmXeg_Kq_V6ImbWjXbt2bGsj79R5JmjrgCSnQYIRVmd262wyPdG0zQJ3YbbQvNAnyhCpBk/s1600/CHF_Stormsaver_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BqX9_NdjI6TKMfbubhjK6tOKePegF2asVt5ER8_pFdqQeC0Fgw7lV_y6OtNAFGnPld-XpprmXeg_Kq_V6ImbWjXbt2bGsj79R5JmjrgCSnQYIRVmd262wyPdG0zQJ3YbbQvNAnyhCpBk/s320/CHF_Stormsaver_5.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9YpIwaxaFsZQeKCCY_MEZGx_UZu4sDPLC2NuS8oXig8okKpkkOD8owgy1ROZFVXZ2MjKnuqI-rUiFSMdz45PDzpyplWUMiBrJZNN3kNZldCNZ6FcWqDVydbr_2_fM-a5vvhkgDBpJ7aB/s1600/CHF_Stormsaver_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9YpIwaxaFsZQeKCCY_MEZGx_UZu4sDPLC2NuS8oXig8okKpkkOD8owgy1ROZFVXZ2MjKnuqI-rUiFSMdz45PDzpyplWUMiBrJZNN3kNZldCNZ6FcWqDVydbr_2_fM-a5vvhkgDBpJ7aB/s320/CHF_Stormsaver_0.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The company claims a high level of customer care and support and we think this is an under statement! Over the last few days they have responded immediately to a host of our email queries, sent us the new colour installation manual updated just a couple of weeks ago and suggested we fit a couple of updated parts in the tank (they have a policy of continuing research and improvement) which they have sent out free of </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">charge. The company is also active in raising money for charity and has donated more than £13,000 to WaterAid in the past couple of years. Couldn't be a better choice!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">The current spell of dry weather has enabled us to begin shifting the mountain of soil and to spread some of the top soil which was carefully saved during the original excavation of the site. With luck we should be able to able to connect the downpipes from the barn and begin excavation of the pond in the next couple of weeks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Peter from Exergy Devices has also been constantly tweaking his bespoke intelligent Energy Management System (controllable from his office in Cheltenham!) and this is now settling down and provides us with a daily supply of hot water above 50 degrees - all of it free over the last week when the tank has on occasion reached more than 65 degrees C.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More on this in the next blog.</span></div>
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-64986616502651551482013-03-04T14:14:00.001-08:002013-03-04T14:22:17.618-08:00A good day . . .<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some days leave you wondering what everyone has been doing all day; fortunately others seems so much more productive. Today was such a day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Carpet fitters from Kidderminster Carpet arrived just after 8 am and after battling to get the large 5m roll into the studio above the garage worked like beavers completing a superb job of all four rooms and the landing by early afternoon. Thoroughly recommended both for the value of the carpet and extremely pleasant and competent fitters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The main oak staircase - a superb piece of work from Bernard Prickett Joinery near Stratford - is almost installed and the end of the main drainage is in sight. The septic tank should be in tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The clouds cleared early today and spring sunshine brought the temperature on the roof into the mid 60s and raised the water in the 800L tank to 50 degrees C. The energy management system courtesy of Exergy Devices is now virtually complete and showed PV on the barn generating more than 7kW at midday and the temperature in the foundation slab at 16 degrees. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All very encouraging - and needs to be after 26 months including two winters in the old mobile home!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope to upload some new images by the week-end.</span>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-6019947745367092842013-01-31T14:08:00.000-08:002013-01-31T14:08:18.729-08:00Slow process . . . but we are getting there<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No - we haven't finished and no - we haven't moved in! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Second fix electrics, plastering, painting and plumbing, hanging doors and fitting architrave and skirting- all seem frustratingly slow - but this is the penalty for building a largish eco-house with 24 corners, a house where the hemcrete walls were installed in the wettest June on record and where the magnesium silicate MultiPro boards used for the internal shuttering require a complex process of priming and special lime plastering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But we can now see light at the end of the tunnel and friends who visit are suitably impressed with the progress. The discontinued rustic oak kitchen bought from Magnet at a substantial discount is now fully fitted, the Everhot stove is fully functional and the bathrooms are almost fully tiled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The modest Morso Badger stove is supplying core heat. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The 80 HP400 solar tubes on the garage roof are already pumping in heat at almost 40 degrees C on the (rare) days when we have a few hours of winter sun. Most of the lighting is complete and the new JCC LED downlighters are impressive consuming no more than 3-7 watts per unit. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">By the end of next week the bespoke energy management system courtesy of Exergy Devices will be monitoring and controlling heat in the foundation slab which will function as a giant radiator/energy store. Soon we will be able to tell exactly how much (PV) electricity is being produced, how much energy is being used, and the temperatures in the foundation slab, the outside temperature and the living area in the house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The house is bright and light thanks to the zero VOC EcoSure paint from Dulux on the ceilings and the off-white Earthborn Clay paint on the walls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Drainage work continues and if the weather is favourable, the BioPure septic tank and the 5000 L Stormsaver rainwater tank should be operational by the end of next month.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We will have been living in the mobile home for two years this week-end and it is beginning to feel like it. The first year was spent finalising plans, obtaining planning permission, and levelling the site. It was not until late May 2012 when the timber frame arrived so 9 months is probably not bad going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sorry there has been not time to take photos but some of these will follow with the next posting.</span>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-29033709719216768032012-12-07T13:47:00.000-08:002013-10-24T10:51:04.534-07:00Slowly but surely . . .<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. . . the build is coming together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over the last couple of days we have kept the mud at by with 20 tonnes of local stone across the front of the build minimising the constant trail of sticky clay which finds its way into the house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Solar ETs - 80 of them went up on Monday and on Tuesday their first day of operation - they had raised the temperature of the 800L tank to 24 degrees. The following day the electric extension lead to the system was accidentally turned off and in the (weak) winter sun on the tubes reached 118 degrees!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So all the early indication are that even in mid-winter, solar thermal will make a substantial contribution to space heating. Hopefully in a few days the grid connection will have been brought into the plant room and this heat can be pumped around the floor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The modest Morso Badger wood stove - one of the few small stoves with a direct air supply - is performing extremely well and providing valuable core heat to the building. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Plastering the difficult multipro board is now underway using German primer and plaster though thanks to the appalling weather in June when the hemcrete was installed, there is still moisture appearing on the floor of a couple of the bedrooms. Definitely not the time to put any carpets down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The traditional thistle plastered are now being painted using Dulux EcoPure on the ceilings and Earthborn eco clay paints on the walls; both are zero VOC and have excellent environmental credentials though they are more expensive than standard paints.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A couple of the wide oak (veneered) internal doors from Magnet have been fitted and today the stunning insulated oak front door was hung. By the middle of next week the house should be fully weather sealed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sorry there are no photos on this posting but there aren't enough hours in the day.</span>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-80388914366442441802012-12-04T13:56:00.001-08:002012-12-04T13:56:06.988-08:00Twenty three months later . . .<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. . . we are still in the mobile home. Patience and persistence are essential attributes for self builders if they are to remain sane!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">" <i>When the roof is on and you are nearly watertight you must be nearly half way</i>" said my son-in-law more than two months ago. Very depressing at the time, but not far off the mark. As soon as the brickies and tiler left,carpenters, electricians, painters, plumbers, plasterers arrived to take their place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last three weeks have been a hive of activity and our 15 hr days continue unabated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Having completed most of the first fix Charlie, Freddie and Ash - our highly efficient eco-plumbers - laid the underfloor heating a full day before the screeders came in to cover it all up again. Having carefully covered the piping with boards to protect it from large feet we failed to notice one had the remains of a projecting screw which penetrated the pipe causing a small fountain and a minor crisis as we had to replace the damaged loop in the dark.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vPsYMRp04vTBEEzBU72_FhgmKmLXI_aPoicK42KKbucLyIT39L1jIGggMJw0jJLS6cnUuPmwWIQBcWBx90bXv7Mltw2mBlL1Ee3pT8MHAIgcxTWSBb0i0Ox8snGCggGzZnRxqjv41wEh/s1600/UFHmanifold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vPsYMRp04vTBEEzBU72_FhgmKmLXI_aPoicK42KKbucLyIT39L1jIGggMJw0jJLS6cnUuPmwWIQBcWBx90bXv7Mltw2mBlL1Ee3pT8MHAIgcxTWSBb0i0Ox8snGCggGzZnRxqjv41wEh/s320/UFHmanifold.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Electricians completed their first fix leaving a maze of cables; only they know what goes where (of course they have a master map) even if some are hidden behind the freshly plastered ceilings. Steve and Debbie are painting the ceilings with EcoPure (white no VOC) paint on the ceilings and Earthborn (breathable) claypaint on the walls. Mario is laying end of line tiiles in the bathrooms and on the kitchen floor and the Everhot range cooker is in place having arrived last week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday Mark and Adam from SolarSense fitted the 4 banks of 20 HP 400 thermal tubes on the garage roof though the light was fast failing as they finished.. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqiX7snBmLs_MfoL35k8sQPhlxk3PLppM19kDCeVI8hZ7kK_hCaooe6JHlLJhr4Orqwju5jRVlfmRaf4wNqIJmNZiPr-kCl1d-vwNMlSyDbTJEl3tvKZOKBaptSRlrm8RoqLOifl26GrB/s1600/CHF_installing_SolarET3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqiX7snBmLs_MfoL35k8sQPhlxk3PLppM19kDCeVI8hZ7kK_hCaooe6JHlLJhr4Orqwju5jRVlfmRaf4wNqIJmNZiPr-kCl1d-vwNMlSyDbTJEl3tvKZOKBaptSRlrm8RoqLOifl26GrB/s320/CHF_installing_SolarET3.JPG" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today the panels raised the temperature of the 800 litres in the thermal store from 4 to 24 degrees in the weak winter sun. Looking good.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnyuBUztaKbREIfvOoC_41BFirMXZKs2MExXARtU63l4X5H81viPkmD1JRmwqCxB5obqRkNNoZwq1gpvieQrm1LoAoKi6D7zV153fAO7YAE2TNv_I3_c2DihelqrEoHsRTqqu-ySOOnBW/s1600/SolarET80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnyuBUztaKbREIfvOoC_41BFirMXZKs2MExXARtU63l4X5H81viPkmD1JRmwqCxB5obqRkNNoZwq1gpvieQrm1LoAoKi6D7zV153fAO7YAE2TNv_I3_c2DihelqrEoHsRTqqu-ySOOnBW/s320/SolarET80.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today Sam and Amber - the mechanical heat recovery team - also completed their MVHR installation which will be commissioned on Friday whilst Nigel and Paul completed the ground drainage in front of the garage.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wS5rUbpmzdxJezUP2jePt1fKzhjjd8WgJAJhRGGV2I3n5aWZHLKEcMu6rFrGsWSSQx_BJx_HRxwJO3fr3zqNr7B3O0qQelqaeNZK8p8Oc54-XBxqoPEzERHk2rUfi1s6T5t216EKhmx_/s1600/CHF_front_drainage_Dec20124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wS5rUbpmzdxJezUP2jePt1fKzhjjd8WgJAJhRGGV2I3n5aWZHLKEcMu6rFrGsWSSQx_BJx_HRxwJO3fr3zqNr7B3O0qQelqaeNZK8p8Oc54-XBxqoPEzERHk2rUfi1s6T5t216EKhmx_/s320/CHF_front_drainage_Dec20124.JPG" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And today the first batch of JCC 3W LED downlights werefitted in the hall ceilings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tomorrow the ex demo kitchen from Magnet will arrive - but that's another episode.</span></div>
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-5023297083687126312012-11-18T13:52:00.001-08:002012-11-19T12:24:56.485-08:00Progress and problems<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttoXFchM7wxMSKd5zmyOD4IMpl9OXwEW4opAx5zfybduxvg6IDGXZU9kaSa4Z_VJIoMZ6ul1GKiUiYupzqrm16WhL_zSgJckdkUicLVM7mzUs3M6hPxfA_LqCiWbGyOXupN6LnPWDwjTk/s1600/CHF_17Nov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttoXFchM7wxMSKd5zmyOD4IMpl9OXwEW4opAx5zfybduxvg6IDGXZU9kaSa4Z_VJIoMZ6ul1GKiUiYupzqrm16WhL_zSgJckdkUicLVM7mzUs3M6hPxfA_LqCiWbGyOXupN6LnPWDwjTk/s320/CHF_17Nov.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="text-align: start;">Photo courtesy Bethesda Backpackers taken Nov 17;</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">looks much more finished than in fact it is!</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It doesn't seem possible more than a month has passed since the last posting . . . yet we seem to have been working harder and longer than ever. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, plasterers, tilers and window fitters have all been been coming and going whilst the resident team has been insulating (seemingly endless) and plasterboarding though none of this is very obvious to the casual observer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Problems are never far away on a new build - especially one as complex as this one. The windows have given us some problems - not the quality (which is excellent) - but the fact that two of them are (just) two small to jump out of. Current legislation requires every main room on the first floor to meet the latest health and safety legislation and have a minimum clearance of 450 mm as an escape route. Hopefully changing the hinges will enable us to get the extra 10-15 mm or so required by Building Control. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All (three) external doors are now on site and should be fitted in the next couple of weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Water draining from the adjacent fields continues to cause headaches making the whole area around the house like a marsh. Progress has been started on a retaining wall on the south side which will hopefully collect all the drainage water and (eventually) route it to a wild pond in the lower section of the garden. More work is required here before the septic and rainwater harvesting tanks can be installed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Electricians and plumbers have almost finished their first fix and low energy lighting and efficient bathroom fittings are currently being sourced. Plumbers have just finished laying the underfloor heating and the screed will be poured this week followed by installation of the wood burning stove and solar thermal evacuated tubes. Tiling has been started in the bathrooms and the range cooker should be functional before the end of the month.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All this represents a lot of man (and woman) hours reminding us (if any reminder was necessary) that a great deal of detailed and often time consuming work remains even when external appearances suggest the house is nearing completion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is no doubt that this is proving a challenging and often very difficult build. To quote a popular TV programme "It's not easy being green". </span><br />
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-65695194045421070872012-10-13T15:02:00.001-07:002013-10-24T10:43:21.740-07:00Windows arrive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: start;">It's now just over four months since the timber framers arrived; bricking and tiling are (almost) complet</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: start;">e though there is still some oak cladding to do. The porch is nearly finished and the sun room is ready to be sheeted and tiled.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YXWdS1wjR7S4uYliNOpmmfX1AUs5bbf-lvJxoDR4wNzWCYVnsZdY-2bLWqo26jSiaPBVPN-_-x9xLHpteh3dt93Vl0aWFyGuBQKX7EZ82LvbiMEQghdKVTdUlhMLNi6eEy_7IFx0zCy4/s1600/CHF_Sunroom_22s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YXWdS1wjR7S4uYliNOpmmfX1AUs5bbf-lvJxoDR4wNzWCYVnsZdY-2bLWqo26jSiaPBVPN-_-x9xLHpteh3dt93Vl0aWFyGuBQKX7EZ82LvbiMEQghdKVTdUlhMLNi6eEy_7IFx0zCy4/s320/CHF_Sunroom_22s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Much of the week has been occupied fitting windows. The build has been designed to optimise solar gain from the south and east contributing to natural space heating. All windows are triple glazed except for the sun room which is double glazed.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxv4BLv_q_zsiQB8ThlMMyxVFc9Cm1g4hyphenhyphenXzk9VaQ2iblQ-zm6asDkoxanoTI1Da2koS6MHPbbSQLDltW-KqR-S_s__cg1OaNW8l_eblSAmjJSPxq0hBRqzgNKPU1TiFpWYoNGlhKYM232/s1600/CHF_BlackPig_06s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxv4BLv_q_zsiQB8ThlMMyxVFc9Cm1g4hyphenhyphenXzk9VaQ2iblQ-zm6asDkoxanoTI1Da2koS6MHPbbSQLDltW-KqR-S_s__cg1OaNW8l_eblSAmjJSPxq0hBRqzgNKPU1TiFpWYoNGlhKYM232/s320/CHF_BlackPig_06s.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The large fixed windows have been sourced from, and are being fitted by, Black Pig Framing - specialists in glazing to green oak. Fifty two large glazed panes from Solaglas are being fitted individually with rubber seals which make the window airtight but allow the glass to cope with any movement as the green oak dries out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The glass is held in place by oak cover pieces fixed by stainless steel screws which are hidden using oak dowels.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6NukAEn5XhmoWTXJSwtrYDMvQh06doOc9dR-9sGCmijHACM8wDB6C6UXWg8_-OQD67BpqxoIETP3ZXpDoFfO8CgK7g46Za6aEweS-Un7XGJkSKT1JhvyxiMpT8gsqBGgrzObIa00PYnQ/s1600/Windows4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6NukAEn5XhmoWTXJSwtrYDMvQh06doOc9dR-9sGCmijHACM8wDB6C6UXWg8_-OQD67BpqxoIETP3ZXpDoFfO8CgK7g46Za6aEweS-Un7XGJkSKT1JhvyxiMpT8gsqBGgrzObIa00PYnQ/s320/Windows4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The triple glazed oak casement windows came from Calarel Developments joinery shop in Moreton. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They have been spray finished and glazed by Devine Carpentry another excellent local craftsman just a kilometre or so down the road. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So far each has fitted perfectly into its allotted space thanks to the patience and skill of Steve and Debbie Savery - our "resident" carpenters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week also saw the arrival of Mark and Neil from SolarSense Bristol to carry out the first fix for the 80 solar thermal tubes being installed on the garage roof.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The 4 banks of 20 HP400 Thermomax evacuated tubes will supply hot water and underfloor heating via an 800 litre Sigma thermal store. Plumbing is being meticulously designed and fitted by Charlie, Freddie and Ash of Cotswold Green Energy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Meanwhile Nigel has been digging the 150 m or so trench which will bring the mains water onto site from the main road. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One of the most satisfying aspects of the build has been the way in which local craftsmen (and women) from brickies to tilers, plumbers to electricians, and carpenters to plasterers have worked so well together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-45070966197245804362012-09-28T14:16:00.000-07:002012-09-28T15:14:58.672-07:00Final pieces of the jigsaw<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At last all the oak pieces have been incorporated into the house as the huge frames of the conservatory were all installed today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">First the three oak purlins were lifted onto the scaffold and inserted into the rear frame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Getting them into place required closely coordinated teamwork; Gary controlling the position of each piece within millimetres, Steve aligning the large mortice and tenon joints - securing them by large oak dowels - and Paul adjusting his special scaffolding setup as required.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Completing the conservatory will have to wait until the large window immediately above has been installed - hopefully towards the end of next week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile Cotswold Green Energy is making excellent progress with first fix plumbing. The central manifold, which enables all wet rooms to be easily isolated for maintenance is a work of art, though the situation (in the wardrobe of the main bedroom) might be a little unusual. I cannot recommend their work highly enough. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Wood stoves and log burners are being researched - always a little more difficult in an airtight house and the large (800 litre) thermal store arrived a couple of days ago.</span></div>
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Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-55205766494711906772012-09-27T15:56:00.001-07:002012-09-27T15:56:57.663-07:00Erecting big oak frames<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today Gary returned with his crane to move the remaining oak frames into position. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">First the huge 7 panel frame for the living room weighing well over a tonne </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">was moved out of the barn . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> . . . and skilfully swung into position</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moving it was easy - fitting it into an aperture about 5mm larger vertically and 10mm larger horizontally proved much more difficult. Eventually some judicious planing in the centre top section where it had swollen slightly from the rainstorm on Monday and a very large sledge hammer got it into place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">View from inside looking out . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Next came the shorter but just as heavy nearside section of the conservatory which needed the top sections fixing into place before lifting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Scaffolding had been erected over the conservatory floor to support the three huge purlins whose tenons need to fit into the pre-cut mortices on the main frame.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With this section in place, final construction of the conservatory will take place tomorrow. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fitting such huge frames in such precise positions is a major tribute to all involved from the initial preparation of the ground work, through casting of the passive slab to the completed brickwork. Getting the frames finally into place relied heavily on Paul's scaffolding and Steve's direction - ably assisted by Debbie and Murray, not to mention the incredible accuracy of Gary in the crane. All in all a great team effort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If anyone in the Evesham, Stratford area needs a crane on their build I cannot reccomend Vic Haines Crane Hire with Gary in the driving seat - too highly.</span></div>
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-75094909931835032152012-09-20T14:29:00.002-07:002012-09-20T14:29:54.554-07:00Moving the conservatory frames<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today we removed the scaffolding on part of the East side in preparation for erecting the massive oak frames of the conservatory. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7Bh0fvlEr7MJW6IbvkO6HvOk7ZEa3z31gTRuQgJ_dqgYXRg0XVyjCDXN5UpVoWoRJO8xk2mrJdRe9ZmPO0RaTXZBMFooc21XZ6NzMcMmkm-I07Ji6SoQhU1tfYjtgPhYb0ASPwHbPSxr/s1600/CHF_East_scaffold+downS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7Bh0fvlEr7MJW6IbvkO6HvOk7ZEa3z31gTRuQgJ_dqgYXRg0XVyjCDXN5UpVoWoRJO8xk2mrJdRe9ZmPO0RaTXZBMFooc21XZ6NzMcMmkm-I07Ji6SoQhU1tfYjtgPhYb0ASPwHbPSxr/s400/CHF_East_scaffold+downS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With heavy rain forecast for Sunday and the telehandler leaving on Saturday, we decided to remove the frames from the barn and get them as close to the house as possible pending return of the crane on Monday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The two smaller frames needed to be moved first and will be linked together in situ once the larger frame is up.<br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXnNN2tLk1_oLwoa3v7elXgH0ZEX9k_6WnfDkpwhUmWgI1prbvTaqK0y7FmQLm2_EPNDyopm8tnkLIiF8P9rzeVy0ZRn6qWwwgT9mylp5i_gx0B3NA1lxFOO1rGbjNHvx7A-g-L8pYpnk/s1600/CHF_sunroom_moved_2S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXnNN2tLk1_oLwoa3v7elXgH0ZEX9k_6WnfDkpwhUmWgI1prbvTaqK0y7FmQLm2_EPNDyopm8tnkLIiF8P9rzeVy0ZRn6qWwwgT9mylp5i_gx0B3NA1lxFOO1rGbjNHvx7A-g-L8pYpnk/s320/CHF_sunroom_moved_2S.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvfiAqGYtKUdX-LRMgPVaH-xYUeo963GiA9MXPSSzDpK3VKaq3PhWewEoiWWu_Oep5QR5MEj0qJ-_W01NSDMDbGfyUp8LFOzK8-OK19n6rkmza-tE85Buzu4Yndlg3jx7-Y_175buKBYV/s1600/CHF_sunroom_moved_5S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvfiAqGYtKUdX-LRMgPVaH-xYUeo963GiA9MXPSSzDpK3VKaq3PhWewEoiWWu_Oep5QR5MEj0qJ-_W01NSDMDbGfyUp8LFOzK8-OK19n6rkmza-tE85Buzu4Yndlg3jx7-Y_175buKBYV/s320/CHF_sunroom_moved_5S.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The largest frame which abuts the house proved more difficult but thanks to Paul's skill in the Merlo and Steve's careful locating of the strapping, it was eventually manoeuvred past the house ready for the top section to be added before being lifted into place on Monday.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qhuF0RZsn_6pa3e98zo_3-hA2lI2Ayv_6tbLhBax1x8SJlcIpiQ3dYPVDJf9S1Ty964o4LPKYigjSRFBn_sEyE1-hsFhnSZHV2Jid9QLZOAC93v9-be71B-zTLoZIXurQm-IIuJtco1c/s1600/CHF_sunroom_moved_8S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qhuF0RZsn_6pa3e98zo_3-hA2lI2Ayv_6tbLhBax1x8SJlcIpiQ3dYPVDJf9S1Ty964o4LPKYigjSRFBn_sEyE1-hsFhnSZHV2Jid9QLZOAC93v9-be71B-zTLoZIXurQm-IIuJtco1c/s400/CHF_sunroom_moved_8S.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-35090101638276941882012-09-16T14:13:00.002-07:002012-09-16T14:13:28.895-07:00Detailing takes time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At this stage of the build there are many areas of the build which require special attention . . .</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe064WNr36qP2jC8NigAlP5oC-Ufqx5-7WpTJhMI4U10zvzRtz5joq9-K4-Ntq7my3XP9HGDzA_b1pJuS-5k7BFa0w2QkUTPnuvCaQPZKzc4txjRD49074wf5DOqJ_RJqhYNwUouy7a4y/s1600/Soldiers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe064WNr36qP2jC8NigAlP5oC-Ufqx5-7WpTJhMI4U10zvzRtz5joq9-K4-Ntq7my3XP9HGDzA_b1pJuS-5k7BFa0w2QkUTPnuvCaQPZKzc4txjRD49074wf5DOqJ_RJqhYNwUouy7a4y/s320/Soldiers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The large steel beam to the rear of the property is still exposed and needs to be hidden. After looking at several options we decided to cut our own brick slips (two from each brick) and glue them to strips of James Hardie backer board about 1m long. These were then screwed to the metal beam using large self tapping screws. Finally the gaps between each board were filled with single bricks. The result is the appearance of a row of soldier bricks above the long window.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3ZVma3Type5y47xRfEfoB_Kja1GUOA1_PWJ4OzoV5OhxCLKYHWjDgsoZoHgjcML7ni3GNmhpp3UJqHvrEpdB0s7Q-kb4_V1DPQ0H0jxcZdRxv4dEAtFwHb6PX3Tq5STuVuJLhwIhleFT/s1600/fireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3ZVma3Type5y47xRfEfoB_Kja1GUOA1_PWJ4OzoV5OhxCLKYHWjDgsoZoHgjcML7ni3GNmhpp3UJqHvrEpdB0s7Q-kb4_V1DPQ0H0jxcZdRxv4dEAtFwHb6PX3Tq5STuVuJLhwIhleFT/s320/fireplace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After completing the chimney, the inside of the fireplace is brick-lined; two pillars (which will support a large oak beam) and a hearth area are constructed from the same bricks used for the walls. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiIl7qqYYJlIjNo4vv8wOpKniCgM1jTeZ81DExk6Pl0YBrP2GFDJpfJNVjsGY2rEGsN9QW9V-piXuJoFeGDDLkwSpw8HP-GLjdBtnuqBauteZI0y_U22RQeHtZYg63zHnjIVzF3Z6AImB/s1600/Cladding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiIl7qqYYJlIjNo4vv8wOpKniCgM1jTeZ81DExk6Pl0YBrP2GFDJpfJNVjsGY2rEGsN9QW9V-piXuJoFeGDDLkwSpw8HP-GLjdBtnuqBauteZI0y_U22RQeHtZYg63zHnjIVzF3Z6AImB/s320/Cladding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oak cladding of the garage and parts of the house is also time consuming as all boards require individual cutting to length. Fixing is with annulated stainless steel nails. The boards suffered badly from the appalling June weather but hopefully the boards will weather evenly in time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTM0jdT_aTNdmCLHD1kzkMvgM2ljd9E3PBgchESXbbFUbqvZQJX-hbYl1z4nFOvx8PHDD4TV-fDYbCTTyxyYiwGk0zranjJqUUFLO9TlI3jMkRtirmooZDUMIZQL6GEN7XsB3BhgYHWw0/s1600/Porch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTM0jdT_aTNdmCLHD1kzkMvgM2ljd9E3PBgchESXbbFUbqvZQJX-hbYl1z4nFOvx8PHDD4TV-fDYbCTTyxyYiwGk0zranjJqUUFLO9TlI3jMkRtirmooZDUMIZQL6GEN7XsB3BhgYHWw0/s320/Porch2.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjQ6s_R11vTJ0rG7208B2sK3rmH90wcxSpXGevRJSTQR8rtEZwuoGSOLwVQrSIC-lYyRlsdBRC8bePM_DiaKp2qlyAhn4GcYXsi5vtCZ8GFkh7GX8812S-tkoBCASQNDE-skO8LtG33lL/s1600/Mushroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjQ6s_R11vTJ0rG7208B2sK3rmH90wcxSpXGevRJSTQR8rtEZwuoGSOLwVQrSIC-lYyRlsdBRC8bePM_DiaKp2qlyAhn4GcYXsi5vtCZ8GFkh7GX8812S-tkoBCASQNDE-skO8LtG33lL/s320/Mushroom.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We have decided to erect the large oak porch (which stands on two Cotswold stone mushrooms) ourselves. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A slight bevel has been cut on the bottom of the front posts and the mushrooms covered with lead. Tannin can be seen leaking from the oak but these stains will weather away in time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBicd4SW0UdF73QpAzNZy4_ZZwbc-MmPMO-ctJYk7io7-wuOCFNp_-XhPBdxPEPwFRW96Y4eMFH8RuvUA6KggVe5caJqzHZ5jNFKud81XjgVxI9aE7_5fFLGsef53ckYS7TuiVEPw7fIDs/s1600/Render.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBicd4SW0UdF73QpAzNZy4_ZZwbc-MmPMO-ctJYk7io7-wuOCFNp_-XhPBdxPEPwFRW96Y4eMFH8RuvUA6KggVe5caJqzHZ5jNFKud81XjgVxI9aE7_5fFLGsef53ckYS7TuiVEPw7fIDs/s320/Render.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The oak gables have now all been lime rendered.</span></div>
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<br />Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-90568728425608147212012-09-14T14:18:00.002-07:002012-09-14T14:18:46.199-07:00Working at high level<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>View from East side - September 15 2012</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All oak frames are now place in except for the very large window
for the living room. This and the sun
room are waiting for the tiling to be completed so that scaffolding can be
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Matt has started capping the roof tiles and Steve and Debbie have been detailing the dormers, adding fascia and barge boards, cladding
the garage and installing guttering; this all take time and insulation goes on day
after day – seemingly endless – but absolutely essential for a low/zero energy
building .</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Progress often seems a little
slow but all these are essential parts of the build.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ducting for the Mechanical Heat Recovery System (MVHR) is complete
and the two Vent Axia units will be fitted in the next few days. First fix electrics are now well underway, plumbing begins next week and a local joinery company has started constructing the windows.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Martin and Stuart seen here working on the chimney have almost finished the brickwork and are currently working on a brick fireplace.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have started to erect the stunning oak porch which is so
much larger than we expected.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTJ9S7jQ1oEBHSn6xen0wQdunVk4_RVE7LPGilklbZV8p5EHvX-JjsWI2usHgTubC3bGviQaKw-oTaetxJTwjQZYcgy4V3HXrxzNjgI7AZ5nORFRCC5l8awbzseNXk11K_fBtwMOs1fZL/s1600/CHF_porch_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTJ9S7jQ1oEBHSn6xen0wQdunVk4_RVE7LPGilklbZV8p5EHvX-JjsWI2usHgTubC3bGviQaKw-oTaetxJTwjQZYcgy4V3HXrxzNjgI7AZ5nORFRCC5l8awbzseNXk11K_fBtwMOs1fZL/s320/CHF_porch_13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-1627450074630755872012-08-24T15:15:00.001-07:002012-08-24T15:15:04.249-07:00The crane arrives<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Some of the oak frames proved too large or too difficult to
put in place for the Merlo telehandler so on Monday Gary Hill from Vic Haines
Transport arrived with his crane to help out. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">First the large front dormer was lifted quickly into place
within minutes – completing installation of the three dormer windows.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The prime task this morning was to position the large south facing oak window in place in the main bedroom. </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Will carefully
collected the frame from the barn and Gary prepared the two slings which would
carry the frame right over the roof of the house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The combination of experience and expertise coupled with a
great sense of humour soon swung the huge window into position just cms from its
final resting place where it was manually located and strapped in place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd44OlYk3f7qLZn1XJzNM-QYdn88_U5CgFLN3QqetFoU9v1J_HgRPjy2IRTrGFJSqYPatN9mLz-e3d65hNjRnqSWaINIYnyC1g0ouixucioatDtRPbS_5zccs8LrvKKZlgXeybCkiN_KE/s1600/_MG_0061s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd44OlYk3f7qLZn1XJzNM-QYdn88_U5CgFLN3QqetFoU9v1J_HgRPjy2IRTrGFJSqYPatN9mLz-e3d65hNjRnqSWaINIYnyC1g0ouixucioatDtRPbS_5zccs8LrvKKZlgXeybCkiN_KE/s320/_MG_0061s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">An even larger oak frame weighing well over a tonne has yet
to be installed as well as the equally heavy frames for the conservatory, but these
will have to wait until we have finished with the scaffolding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-84275843303061368232012-08-13T13:12:00.000-07:002012-08-13T13:12:50.366-07:00A good day!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">With a good chance of rain this week we decided this was the
time to get some of the oak windows and the large steel lintel into place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9crLBhwZ8sJdDjp3IugNhx_aVov07d4SkTUdX-5FnT3m4va5T_GhragsBEaw5Be6r29ZVE1AkcYFA2j1Py7pkX1mYS4jPbwBLV0lN6evh5D1MVkjykHsd5HaN1M40kizrK5sETzsQgl-/s1600/CHF_liftoakdoprmers__09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9crLBhwZ8sJdDjp3IugNhx_aVov07d4SkTUdX-5FnT3m4va5T_GhragsBEaw5Be6r29ZVE1AkcYFA2j1Py7pkX1mYS4jPbwBLV0lN6evh5D1MVkjykHsd5HaN1M40kizrK5sETzsQgl-/s320/CHF_liftoakdoprmers__09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">The oak frames went up without a hitch but the huge steel
which supports the brickwork over the living room window required considerable
ingenuity – most of which came from Paul who joined the team this morning.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpIBOXYliKPdw_5PGBpdLFiju8cLHfyvBr6i1018vshbftlsSLFZj2YXOpekFqogigd8NewgGvMEIaswG7wLy8p3XJGQqSAeuKq78kTO_uwnsSw5J-qu45gHLPHG56OvgqFp3ASm4FSqI/s1600/CHF_bluelintel_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpIBOXYliKPdw_5PGBpdLFiju8cLHfyvBr6i1018vshbftlsSLFZj2YXOpekFqogigd8NewgGvMEIaswG7wLy8p3XJGQqSAeuKq78kTO_uwnsSw5J-qu45gHLPHG56OvgqFp3ASm4FSqI/s320/CHF_bluelintel_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Once at first floor level the steel was slowly levered and
rolled into position with a final lift from the Merlo taking the weight whilst
the whole team manhandled (perhaps I should say person-handled) it into
place.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EN0LDXW1DggzSLnQXfpnxlYawUiChm9tQpnqgmBfedWvoat4jZLtF2DzHHfBl22FF48dy6-WCe3HZtfseE39cuJUPYCHwXqiI2dSysUQ25Atnl2CeqwM2XrVbhPl83T1glq6ucr59YBE/s1600/CHF_bluelintel_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EN0LDXW1DggzSLnQXfpnxlYawUiChm9tQpnqgmBfedWvoat4jZLtF2DzHHfBl22FF48dy6-WCe3HZtfseE39cuJUPYCHwXqiI2dSysUQ25Atnl2CeqwM2XrVbhPl83T1glq6ucr59YBE/s320/CHF_bluelintel_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">A second large lintel arrives
later this week so the East brick wall can be completed.</span></div>
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Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-6406756263991137072012-08-09T15:08:00.000-07:002012-08-09T15:08:21.687-07:00First oak frame up<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tiling and brickwork has continued steadily since the last post; tiling is almost complete and brickwork complete to first floor level. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All very encouraging but problems still abound. One set of Fakro roof lights was the wrong colour and we await replacements from Poland; another four for the garage roof require different flashings. One window in the kitchen ended up being filled with hemcrete which had to be removed. Lots of discussion taking place on the best way to build the chimney to optimise the wood stove. Oak cladding has started on the barn and whilst the boarding has been badly affected by the rain it is starting to dry out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: left;">The Merlo is back courtesy Winchcombe Reclamation and this morning the whole team on site focussed on getting the largest oak truss in place on the front elevation. Will excelled manoeuvring the huge frame into place and plenty of person power gently eased it into place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Several more large frames still to move but most will have to wait until the scaffolding is down.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-66908231590962053722012-07-25T15:29:00.000-07:002012-07-25T15:29:12.886-07:00Bricks and tiles<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0r-eFLAdIoJErezZfMJiUTBdH1vCG32MUgRS5QK2cLuCWLFvXvbPqIQ28qoYi3VZdwHICfPC1jJwu4Mfa6QYYSLYoit2XOjFcyZj6xT196oUigJ-gtjCAlpvJjKxM6QYZ1ESrhg1wsjA/s1600/_MG_9990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0r-eFLAdIoJErezZfMJiUTBdH1vCG32MUgRS5QK2cLuCWLFvXvbPqIQ28qoYi3VZdwHICfPC1jJwu4Mfa6QYYSLYoit2XOjFcyZj6xT196oUigJ-gtjCAlpvJjKxM6QYZ1ESrhg1wsjA/s320/_MG_9990.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>The green and blue of the roof membranes seen from our daughter's kitchen window. <br />The steel barn to the left carries just under 10kW of solar PV tiles</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 13.5pt;">Bricklaying
began a few days ago and tiling commenced yesterday morning. We have been told we should get
tiles up before brickies Martin and Stuart get too far to ensure that the weight of the tiles on the roof allows the timber frame to settle.</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt; text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>The first six courses: t<span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">he occasional brick has been left out<br />to allow the hemcrete to continue drying and will be put in later.</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Although the
Terca Bamburgh red bricks are machine made they have a handmade appearance and
bedded in lime mortar will look very similar to those on the (now demolished)
old farmhouse. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">The
darker Collinwood Blend tiles from Dreadnought contrast well with the reddish
bricks and even boast four specially made raised tile sections to provide a
home for tiny pipistrelle bats – that is if they have survived the endless rain
of the last two months.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">So far none have
been in evidence this summer though swallows seem to be taking a particular
interest in the new build.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0enOkptblMp1YkE7P3_qKt6GDlfdIogcazyLrZ6nxPrCoD0EsZg2UDt1y83P6c_DZ_CvV1AztcmDkBsTkpq9ZkCsWzbC7g13EMbqmekTrMuXM4O8_7VwTOnPii_cHfgS1JsdChA6oRhQ-/s1600/_MG_9998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0enOkptblMp1YkE7P3_qKt6GDlfdIogcazyLrZ6nxPrCoD0EsZg2UDt1y83P6c_DZ_CvV1AztcmDkBsTkpq9ZkCsWzbC7g13EMbqmekTrMuXM4O8_7VwTOnPii_cHfgS1JsdChA6oRhQ-/s320/_MG_9998.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Try throwing (or catching) six tiles at a time:<br />for tilers Damo and Matt it's a piece of cake (followed by a cold beer!)</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Most of
the brickwork and tiling should be completed by mid August by which time we
will have commissioned the oak windows and, hopefully, installed the rest of
the oak trusses and frames. Meanwhile there is much to sort out in terms of roof edge detailing, fitting of oak feet and barge boards as well as the final measurements to enable commissioning of the windows.</span></div>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-57171009500369398512012-07-25T14:48:00.002-07:002012-07-25T15:31:15.175-07:00The big pour – but we dry out<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Installing
the hemcrete took place amidst almost continuous rain, broken only by the
occasional torrential downpours. It would
be difficult to plan more difficult weather in which to carry out a hemcrete
build. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Despite the adverse weather the
shuttering was completed in around 4 days and the hemcrete installed in just
over three. Shuttering was left in place
over the week-end - a little longer than recommended – but the alternative was
to risk the wet mixture being eroded away by frequent torrential rain. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As it was a storm broke the day after the
shuttering was struck and it is a tribute to the expertise and determination of
Jason and his team that the still wet hemcrete all stayed firmly in place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since
then the weather has at last changed for the better and after three days of
warm sun the walls are starting to dry out – though at 300mm thick there is
still much water left to find its way to the surface and drying will not be
complete for several months.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-8849302549940435152012-07-08T16:12:00.005-07:002012-10-09T13:38:55.412-07:00Hemcrete - better than zero carbon?<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Still for sale!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>34 bags Tradical lime and 28 Tradical hemp shiv - surplus to requirements.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Cost £750 before April price rise; £495 - buyer collects from Mickleton</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We could well have titled this post "the big pour" as it has rarely stopped raining these past two weeks. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thanks to stirring work by our tiler, most of the house has been temporarily felt and battened but the intensity of the rain has been such that within hours of it almost drying out, it becomes inundated again. </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 17.600000381469727px;"> It can get pretty depressing carrying out a timber build whilst constantly struggling with the weather in the wettest, coldest and most miserable June on record.</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 17.600000381469727px;"> Indeed July so far seems on track for a similar record too. </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;">Despite this Jason we have been preparing the shuttering to pour our hemcrete walls as soon as there is a break in the weather.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN1mqQfnhrwHHHoSqonYHZvP2cg6RM_b07Rm9r6yPQSHB0nYzVnmV7zpRA4efJutFt-4hEvKR-XX9oq2UUaUOrfniWHg2JZIzCHmMq6E6dVN1R8Mby5wrNvbLMAS77XxjJ9BouRgfmmui/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_shutter_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN1mqQfnhrwHHHoSqonYHZvP2cg6RM_b07Rm9r6yPQSHB0nYzVnmV7zpRA4efJutFt-4hEvKR-XX9oq2UUaUOrfniWHg2JZIzCHmMq6E6dVN1R8Mby5wrNvbLMAS77XxjJ9BouRgfmmui/s320/CHF_hemcrete_shutter_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;">Tradical Hemcrete is a unique building material which many would claim is carbon negative as a</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;">n acre of hemp absorbs 5 times more carbon dioxide than an acre of forest thus helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWKrPfjx6VJUtYpCq-dF4WQadrt-Vuaswd9NlZavz4vbko_vCjl0wfevcWiPKOz78AnCjtjbxCpfpxGvEVf_1R6HKJt-TAAKjxSCQVFUSyc43nRplyXKDZCaad1O6UCZQiL6TV1-Z66LL/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_unload_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWKrPfjx6VJUtYpCq-dF4WQadrt-Vuaswd9NlZavz4vbko_vCjl0wfevcWiPKOz78AnCjtjbxCpfpxGvEVf_1R6HKJt-TAAKjxSCQVFUSyc43nRplyXKDZCaad1O6UCZQiL6TV1-Z66LL/s320/CHF_hemcrete_unload_07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;"><br />The hemp
plant itself is extremely sustainable as it is ready to crop about ten weeks
after planting and flourishes without the need for chemical treatment, such as pesticides, herbicides
and fungicides.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0W1Wv56x098XKHxJbK3pO2N2Ww4awQ736vgQvsXXyV8JFpKc-HpOqQywNR17F8j_XdHg8hnpB-mVJV8WsleeXe0A4FcLOeMEmhFlKAsRdYmeeur0tX5nzBWll5GUw2l5lq3H75pEPfI5/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0W1Wv56x098XKHxJbK3pO2N2Ww4awQ736vgQvsXXyV8JFpKc-HpOqQywNR17F8j_XdHg8hnpB-mVJV8WsleeXe0A4FcLOeMEmhFlKAsRdYmeeur0tX5nzBWll5GUw2l5lq3H75pEPfI5/s320/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;">Hemcrete uses the inner woody core of the stem (shiv) which
was until recently regarded as a waste product. Supplied as a dry material in
bags, it is mixed with lime binder in a large paddle mixer powered by hydraulics
from the JCB telehandler which is also used on site to move the materials
around. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFdzOaoAYGN5r7mQe_agoUrT-soV-QPDbJFH7Z6raLmxlLiw6k7-shI9oVqzpye32B_YAN-WvsW4PV5kdYO1ncDf2BD_RQoAn9zhzDX_DULaYOO9T_5pgn7baG-FkIwimPwysD3R4sf7U/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFdzOaoAYGN5r7mQe_agoUrT-soV-QPDbJFH7Z6raLmxlLiw6k7-shI9oVqzpye32B_YAN-WvsW4PV5kdYO1ncDf2BD_RQoAn9zhzDX_DULaYOO9T_5pgn7baG-FkIwimPwysD3R4sf7U/s320/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;"><br />On Thursday last blue sky appeared for the first time and we decided to go ahead and make a start. Our installation is benefitting from the experience and creativity of Jason Watts Carpentry based in the Forest of Dean and working almost non-stop until 8.30 pm we managed to complete more than a quarter of the walls.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbHAIPWxARPL4zqCRlO0GluISkrP-4s3XMgDPDuj9dJjSIsWlW34qw6A6K0fT-iMqRTG9xj8_hVJhh1Q18n18MoHBhz_Rqql3g9VXTHni3lw0oxNaV-y_1phAlh3qAkslscjluyKKNmf2/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbHAIPWxARPL4zqCRlO0GluISkrP-4s3XMgDPDuj9dJjSIsWlW34qw6A6K0fT-iMqRTG9xj8_hVJhh1Q18n18MoHBhz_Rqql3g9VXTHni3lw0oxNaV-y_1phAlh3qAkslscjluyKKNmf2/s320/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 13.5pt;">The mixture which is tamped by hand into pre-prepared
shuttering has very unusual properties making it ideal for an eco-build. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It has excellent thermal and acoustic
properties performing significantly better than its rated U value of around .20
for a 300mm thick wall. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXnoM99V8dl_iy2rPUlYW7mzhRyGkEmlt0-y0WI2WZGAJpSX4pq4rYs05q6_nKIV5t_kuvEYlrrTyuciVIxuyqFKVnceKKgwdSC4BF_7f8Wi9SL07IBzpti2qNiLhQ1z4ETiZX3qku5Lg/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXnoM99V8dl_iy2rPUlYW7mzhRyGkEmlt0-y0WI2WZGAJpSX4pq4rYs05q6_nKIV5t_kuvEYlrrTyuciVIxuyqFKVnceKKgwdSC4BF_7f8Wi9SL07IBzpti2qNiLhQ1z4ETiZX3qku5Lg/s320/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_16.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It has a high thermal inertia meaning it is slow to
change temperature and slow to produce a steady state. No other single material
can meet the combined thermal performance and airtightness of hemcrete as a
highly thermally efficient walling material.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQzvMivRkO477vpwLOa0H9JmQqbabIgOLJu_Ajnza0k_jzK4C9han30eZrnU3j4g6TwY396cj79fiK3YI6NQbELKheJlTas2rP69c95kxVOMhmT8nsbnrjdtSVcYcwd11WquSjakMxLrC/s1600/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQzvMivRkO477vpwLOa0H9JmQqbabIgOLJu_Ajnza0k_jzK4C9han30eZrnU3j4g6TwY396cj79fiK3YI6NQbELKheJlTas2rP69c95kxVOMhmT8nsbnrjdtSVcYcwd11WquSjakMxLrC/s320/CHF_hemcrete_pour1_18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 13.5pt;"><br />All we need now is three more days or so to complete the rest of the walls.</span></div>
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Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285380427985404681.post-88624101915729522702012-06-27T16:20:00.001-07:002012-06-27T16:20:48.063-07:00Organised chaos<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">During the last ten
days the timber frame has been virtually completed – apart from the sun room and
porch which are still under construction at English Brothers.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">This involved getting the main roof rafters
in place in between continuing periodic heavy rain.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Holes had to be drilled in the upstairs
flooring to allow the water to drain away – resulting in two or three inches
filling the ground floor.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwDKFmsXxYvf0h2e2ScDN8TKx_SSk9ERqPuBSWm4w9FjP-i2MUfojI4BoYdytN-vts4eixwARcT3LEEvOMPxJGX0Qavi3yHPZa4eKygzAn-uX7dxEaa8FIFGE1Vye-RSQ0Kn3zShLsclR/s1600/CHF_house_trusses_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwDKFmsXxYvf0h2e2ScDN8TKx_SSk9ERqPuBSWm4w9FjP-i2MUfojI4BoYdytN-vts4eixwARcT3LEEvOMPxJGX0Qavi3yHPZa4eKygzAn-uX7dxEaa8FIFGE1Vye-RSQ0Kn3zShLsclR/s320/CHF_house_trusses_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Finally the roof
trusses for the studio room over the garage<br />were hoisted up with the Merlo and
manually moved into position . . . </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lsvDe9mJN9hChkriIjeW2YY6bnNEsKufyGwbsAkcptBWT7TTPo4JWvQibMz6A9e6HfEbQYOoQF7EmekJ4K_JE1p-FwrLnLr074vC4MKda7eWTvegxvytBRcKxlZsz9nORMMwNW7c8JPz/s1600/CHF_garage_trusses_7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lsvDe9mJN9hChkriIjeW2YY6bnNEsKufyGwbsAkcptBWT7TTPo4JWvQibMz6A9e6HfEbQYOoQF7EmekJ4K_JE1p-FwrLnLr074vC4MKda7eWTvegxvytBRcKxlZsz9nORMMwNW7c8JPz/s320/CHF_garage_trusses_7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. . . culminating with fitting the large south facing
oak window.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KpD-zKn61Rjn9Wo2lV3tF113I0WUATysO9muMK-wGRsMxJIA2FOa-GrNEN2Dpy0CZYBp7LN9-7ggjcxxoxcuWuY4iMI-iwjEoSiOedoHuDyOfNjJh2n76ZFZ3YN7XDIwkSn_1taPUUkB/s1600/CHF_garage_trusses_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KpD-zKn61Rjn9Wo2lV3tF113I0WUATysO9muMK-wGRsMxJIA2FOa-GrNEN2Dpy0CZYBp7LN9-7ggjcxxoxcuWuY4iMI-iwjEoSiOedoHuDyOfNjJh2n76ZFZ3YN7XDIwkSn_1taPUUkB/s320/CHF_garage_trusses_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">A couple of days
were spent tidying up the site and this morning we were awoken by the English
Brothers lorry at 0700, the tilers at 0730, the hemcreters at 0800 and the electricians
a few minutes after – closely followed by two reps – the start of three hours
of organised chaos!</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4Add-UpBduIFMhMbltAFfMzqEsjEjPVq3YGhAsSPRQkOaj_vcwQTEK7ppqtgujCP3MDdeBJtWtgd3yyENGhschlvN7ZI-VK4qQ75q9b85S67ypo9dMJO5u1ylUE2Lbk_tfvO9rVG5gw0/s1600/CHF_feltandbatten_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4Add-UpBduIFMhMbltAFfMzqEsjEjPVq3YGhAsSPRQkOaj_vcwQTEK7ppqtgujCP3MDdeBJtWtgd3yyENGhschlvN7ZI-VK4qQ75q9b85S67ypo9dMJO5u1ylUE2Lbk_tfvO9rVG5gw0/s320/CHF_feltandbatten_3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">The tilers found we
had the wrong length nails, the oak feet for the rafter ends appeared to be too
short and the electricians asked embarrassing questions like “did we have a
copy of the designers brief on the kitchen?”</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">As of now the kitchen doesn’t even have a roof, let alone a design, as
the main gluelam beam supporting the roof seems to have got lost - all 4 metres of it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xgSwjAX7sj8oD9GodwD7SC-fxBUTJiBLd2JeUqV_th7GiMV9b3fcd1sjjw3ukMGRaBc_K504a0FIkLMI4QwhuN-uBYvPDAMH-UQ01EI568XVDpmcEGAGYbKrLeiW9GB2MSChvFEqEPFR/s1600/CHF_electricducting_7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xgSwjAX7sj8oD9GodwD7SC-fxBUTJiBLd2JeUqV_th7GiMV9b3fcd1sjjw3ukMGRaBc_K504a0FIkLMI4QwhuN-uBYvPDAMH-UQ01EI568XVDpmcEGAGYbKrLeiW9GB2MSChvFEqEPFR/s320/CHF_electricducting_7.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Despite all this by
just after lunch (who has time for lunch?) most of the house was waterproofed, the
problems with the oak feet had been sorted, all the electrical ducting had been
installed in the outside walls ready for hemcreting and two new trade accounts
had been established with local electrical suppliers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So despite a
somewhat stressful start, a considerable amount was achieved – a tribute to 8
tradesmen working very well together.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Responding to the climate and ecology emergencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144062536212988482noreply@blogger.com0