Liz & Matt’s Home Extension Blog

Sorry we’ve been so quiet for the last few days.  I have uploaded some more photos to the gallery but we’re still taking them faster than I can keep up with.  Last week I was at a manufacturing exhibition at the NEC all week (for work) and stumbled across another exhibition focussing on environmental building technology and energy efficiency.  I have also been doing some more web-based research, mostly on solar energy systems.  All will be revealed in time.

Here’s a brief update on the latest progress.

On Friday the hardcore was laid for the kitchen floor, various holes were filled and the final modifications to the sewage system were made, including adding a new junction point and inspection shaft (making a total of 3 man-hole covers in the patio area).  Inevitably, it started to rain as soon as they cut through the sewage pipe, but our noble crew valiantly stayed at their post until the job was done.

On Monday it rained.



On Tuesday the sun shone and lots of progress was made.  They levelled and compacted the kitchen floor hardcore, filled in the remaining gaps around the foundations, levelled the patio area and laid the rainwater drains, which were promptly inspected, passed and covered over.  One piece of good news I discovered when I got home from a day’s training in Fareham was that they have managed to route the rainwater drains from the rear of the building around to the front where the rainwater storage tank will be, so that we can collect from the whole 100 sq.m of roof area, rather than just the front and side pitches (about 70 sq.m).  Ultimately this means that we have a better chance of keeping the tank full and should therefore use less mains water.



Today, despite variable weather, the waterproof membrane and metalwork were laid in the kitchen floor, ready for the concrete which is arriving first thing tomorrow morning.  There is a plank just outside the back door that we have been told not to touch on pain of very bad things.  Apparently it’s marking the level of the concrete floor.  Liz visited various suppliers to pick up information on paving slabs, doors, windows, floors, bathroom furniture and anything else that caught her eye. I am visiting a client in Peterborough tomorrow morning and then taking the afternoon off work to visit the builders’ merchants and make some phone calls.

Matt