Week 32 - Starting on the fireplace!

Hi everyone,

This week has seen more of the same on the wiring front with Booths and the electricians pretty much completing first fix.  Insulation has also now been installed in most of the extension areas in readiness for plasterboard going up.  We're still waiting on the large roof windows to be delivered, so until they turn up we can't get fully water tight, nor can we move to the next stage internally.  They have managed to start the construction on the large brick fireplace however .... glad we went for the smaller sized one now!  I know it looks like a BBQ pit at the moment!, but we think it will look great once finished all the way up to roof height.  A nice mix of old and new as it will house our extremely funky Hwam glass fronted wood burning stove (http://www.hwam.com/products/insert+selection/hwam+i+3055)!

Away from the build site, we did manage to make some more decisions this week as we've now picked all our tiles for bathrooms, kitchen and dining spaces.  Now just need to pick wooden floors and carpets!  It never ends!!!

View from living room to fireplace .. and kitchen/dining space beyond 

Fireplace and Mill opening both using same reclaimed red brick

View from dining space back to fireplace and living room ... wires everywhere!
(Points for those that can spot Abbey dancing in the background!)

Cable runs in the utility room .. looking through to entrance link

Some Oak samples for floor ...
Grey stone material is Caithness slate - we will use this for the glazed hall, inside and outside

Week 31 - Scots Slates, Big Doors, and Decking Posts!

Hi folks,

A busy time onsite this week.  The old scots slate roof was reinstated on the North side of the Mill - reusing all the old slate.  What a difference getting rid of the bright green roof!  This sort of slate work is amazing as it is quite a talent working with all these different sizes.  We still have the South side to do but will need to finish the roof glazing on the extension before we can do this.

We also managed to see the big corner sliding doors being installed on Friday.  Big heavy things so glad I wasn't helping :-) !  They look really great in place and will be great for open deck access from kitchen / dining room in the summer (if we ever get one again!).

The decking foundations were also progressed with the steel structural posts getting anchored down.  Wiring also continued with the electrician joining the wiggly worm (Abbey's words!) party for his first fix!  Amazing how many lighting decisions you have to make when building a house, even at this stage!

North facing roof with original slates replaced - looks great

Closer view - we didn't clean the slate so that it all looks "as was"

Big corner sliding doors arrive onsite 

Doors installed! .. not an easy job in such high winds

Structural posts for decking are fitted in place 

Wiring ongoing! - note the outline of big red brick fireplace on the floor

Week 30 - Heat recovery ventilation goes in ..

Hello,

This week the mechanical heat recovery ventilation system eventually appeared and first-fix installation started in the Mill and main extension areas.  The unit itself is a bit of a monster actually, much bigger than we were expecting!  It sits up in the small loft space that we have above the first floor landing.  The ducting then branches out from there to the various rooms.  By design it will extract from "wet rooms", recover that heat, then use the same heat to warm fresh air before pumping it back into the other rooms - basically giving a constant change-over of the air in all rooms without losing heat.  It should be pretty much silent but we will be surrounding the loft and bedrooms with acoustic insulation just in case!

First fix plumbing also started this week.  Spaghetti junction wiring continued also!

A monster in the roof!

Plumbing getting under way ...

Week 29 - Staircase - oh, suits you sir!

Hi folks,

WOW ... we have a staircase .... well part of one at least!  A small thing in the grand scheme of things but an amazing transformation inside the Mill as no longer have to clamber up stepladders to the first floor and it almost looks like a house now.  Abbey thinks they are the coolest thing ever and has yet to stop talking about them or wanting to show people!!  This week has also seen Booth's make a start to the wiring for audio, data and TV throughout the house.  Plan is to wire most of the rooms for ceiling speakers and data/TV, but not all will be connected initially, just the rooms used most will get connected now.  Here's hoping we can start the electrics next week and pick up pace on the schedule now!

Later ....

Staircase! ... solid plaster balustrade to be added later

Bedroom 3 - one of the kids bedrooms

Bedroom 2 - another one of the kids bedrooms!
Upstairs family bathroom will be to the right hand side of this picture

Looking down from 1st floor landing - this will be left full height with granite exposed 

Carnage of lots and lots of data cables! .. CAT5e and CAT6 being used

Cable boxes being used

A view from riverside looking back at the soon to be glazed link / hall
(note: block work has now been smooth rendered)

Week 28 - Insulation starting to go in ...

Hello bloggers,

This week saw the insulation starting to be installed in the roof of the main extensions - cosy!  We're still waiting on the mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MHRV) system to be installed so can't make a start to first fix electrics until week 30 at the earliest as we need to run the ducting first ... what you can see in one of the pictures is a part section of the ducting for the MHRV where it will transfer from Mill to extension.  Still a bit stop / start at the moment.

Until next week :-)

Main extension - acoustic insulation is in the roof above the "tinfoil"
(ducting for MHRV is in the top left of this picture)

Loose ends to be finished - nice view!

Another view looking towards big window

The roof inside the office/utility extension