Since last week's blog progress has been slow but steady. The roof is quite involved and various references have been made back to the timber frame manufacturer and the strucural engineer during the course of the week. To an extent it appears to be over-engineered (but I'm only a surveyor!) We employed a structural engineer to undertake much of the design as this was meant to save time with the timber frame manufacturer; I'm not sure this has been achieved and certainly the cost seems to be a good chunk higher. If we did this again we would handle this aspect differently but 'it is what it is'. The gloom of some dreich November days don't help and I'm beginning to hate the small cold caravan bathroom!!
On the plus side - the house is looking fabulous, we love the creation of the structure and its a pleasure to show people around. Our ever professional builder has put 3 additional joiners on site today to help get the roof structure finished. The first delivery of windows arrived last Friday and we bought the majority of the contents of the 3 bathrooms last week. The pavatherm external insulation is late but hopefully on its way, we've been chasing that delivery today.
There's always something to do, as well as the day job which pays the bills. Last week we received the first interim certificate and invoice.
There's always something to do, as well as the day job which pays the bills. Last week we received the first interim certificate and invoice.The photos were taken on Friday 23rd, illustrating the late Autumn sunshine at 8.30am; good light levels falling on the east elevation of the house (top photo). It was still below freezing as we'd had -4degC that night; but the views are glorious. The piccie above right is of the dining area, with its 3.5m ceiling height and lovely big window and door openings. The photo below is the view from this room to the north/northwest.
2 comments:
In our old house we took out part of a wall in a kitchen and a structural engineer did the drawings. His previous job had been on the SECC armidillo and this was a moonlighting job.
To say it was over engineered would be generous - we ended up spending a whole load of unneccessary money.
A roof, windows, bathrooms (well fittings) - how exciting. Isn't this weather gloomy though?
Hoping you can pick your way through the mud,
J
x
Jane - our involvement of a structural engineer has brought some key benefits, in particular the steel portal frame system which has allowed huge open and un-interupted internal spaces and maximised use of the building's total internal volume. On the minus side however, the structural engineer has introduced some quirks of design with which our otherwise experienced builders are unfamiliar and which, as a Chartered Engineer myself, I have felt a need to question. The biggest issue for us personally though has been the cost of the engineer's involvement, despite the usual advice to self-builders to employ as much professional help as you can afford.
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