Week starting 16th March - Bob on a hot tile roof!

It has been hotter and sunnier that normal and for Bob who has spent virtually his entire week on a roof with no shade it has been challenging. The suncream has been essential and varying levels of clothing have been spotted.

The challenge of bringing together the roof on the higher end of the house has continued. The requirement for endless mortar for the ridges has meant plenty of coming up and down the scaffold. The need to cut the tiles has continued, so the haze of heat coming off the roof was added too with clouds of terracotta dust!

The large velux was successfully built in. This velux had come from the UK (www.sterlingbuild.co.uk) who sent it by courier to Las Razes, we were unable to get the right window in France and thankfully we were able to rely on the great service of Sterling Build Ltd. They have also supplied the Velux sun-tunnels which appear in the length of the lower roof. The second sun-tunnel has been built in this week.

The chimney-stack was beaded and rendered during the week and now blends nicely with the stone walls.

Saturday morning saw the completion of the main part of the roof, with Bob working his way off the roof as he worked. The very neat zinc valleys leaving a good crisp line to the roof. Somehow the roof conceals the number of man hours and attention to detail that has been employed on it.

The porch is due to have the ground filled in around it this week. A further lorry load of gravel was delivered on Thursday ready for this back filling and the arranging of the drains around this part of the building. To prepare for this back filling the block walls have been covered with trowel applied bitumen to help water-proof the structure. Once this is dried then a plastic 'egg-shell' dpc will be wrapped around the building before the filling commences.

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!