Week starting 23rd Feb - too hot for February

An outstanding week for sunshine and blue skies - rather too early for such warmth.

This has been a mixed week - starting with the sorting out the ridge tiles on the lower section of the house and starting to build in the Velux sun-tunnels - which will draw light into the centre of the lower section of the house.

Then the oak hips had to be completed on the higher section of the house and once all the wood had been brought from the suppliers (a few trailer loads) for the next section of roof. A start could be made on forming this roof structure and the joining together of the two roofs.

Due to the number of double-compound mortice cuts that needed to be made we had to invest in a new saw half way through the week!

A roof light has been ordered for the salon, but we were unable to get the one we wanted in France, so this is currently en-route from the UK. This explains the prepared opening in the roof structure. We hope that this will be arriving this week.

Once the timbers were in place over the chimney breast Robert was able to finish building up the stonework to the line of the ceiling.

Week starting 16th February - making the A frames

A good week - weather almost perfect and a great step forward.

This week Bob has been building the A frames to support the roof at the higher end of the house. With the green oak safely stored under the cover at the other end of the building; Robert was able to work to design and build the two very large and extremely heavy oak A frames, to his own drawings and plans.

On Thursday, Neil came to help and brought his block and tackle; as the problem was going to be lifting the frames into place. All credit to Neil as he does not like heights and he worked bravely all day. Amongst the photos it is possible to see the 'block and tackle' secured to a frame above the roof line.

Two towers of scaffold were constructed and this allowed each frame to be gradually lifted into place.

Once the two A frames were in place the central top beam had to be put in place and then attention has to be turned to the sloping corner beams. All this oak structure will be open and seen from inside the house when it is finished, so it is important that the structure does its job and looks good at the same time.

No apology for including a picture of the very late afternoon sunshine - taken through what will be the salon window!

Week starting 9th February - black and blue skies!

A week that has swung from very stormy skies and heavy showers to bright blue skies and sunshine.

Since the insulation went on the roof has been battened again and then a layer of breathable felt fastened on (on top of the insulation and first layer of battens). This felt was then battened down and then the process of the tiling began. The tiling is made up of a layer of 'unders' and a layer of 'over' tiles.

Whilst this has been going on and depending on the strength of the wind/rain or sunshine at the time the porch has been brought up to roof level in block, insulation and stone.

Now that half of the building is water-tight the green oak has been brought inside. Bob is now going to use this covered space to create the A frames to form the roof for the higher end of the house. So he will probably have two pencils behind his ears this week!

With the scaffold moved from the front of the house it is possible to see how the house is going to fit into the reformed banking and to get a glimpse of what the finished result might look like!