we now have sub-base

There has been more progress this week and the sub-base laid and compressed. The next job is to lay a skin of sand, followed by a damp-proof membrane (can't remember the brand but you might know it), then some insulation and a further damp-proof layer. And finally concrete to cap it all.  Now that the ground is flat and level inside the walls you can get a good idea of how much space there will be in both rooms and let me tell you we are going to be able to spread out so much more!



The outline footprint

You can now actually see how big our new rooms will be. The blocks have been put in up to the damp proof course level, a few inches above the ground. Mally and his merry men, Gaz and Daz, have put in four days of hard graft this week. It is all happening at such a pace it makes me feel quite dizzy. Well, after the years of delberation over the plans, this flurry of activity has been a shot in the arm. Dry weather all week has been a great help too.

This will be our bedroom!

Gas already connected in the kitchen...

We are now down to one skip sitting on Cath's grass at the front of the house - this one is full of recycled rubble to fill the base of the extension. Cath has been extremely accommodating and generous about the amount of upheaval just days after she moved in next door. We may well be spending tomorrow barrowing the rubble out of the skip and up the drive to save the builders some time next week. Good eh?

Ready for the next phase

laying the concrete footings

Our foundation trenches have become old friends over the last few weeks. So much rainwater had collected in the clay-bottomed channels, taking on the rusty shade of clay, that it wasn't possible to see quite how deep they were. Sam knew where there was a raised section and bragged to his two friends that he could walk on water, keeping his balance along the narrow but concealed bridge. Of course Oscar and Ethan could not resist having a go - but when they stepped on the water it came up to their middles.

Yesterday we hired a pump to get all the water out of the foundation trenches. This job was supposed to be done by about 10.30 but the pump didn't arrive until then. Once installed it made quick work of draining the trenches and the water disappeared quickly via the soakaway which was a big relief. The concrete poured into the bottom of the gullies has now gone off and the next job is to try and stack the vast amount of blocks which arrived yesterday. And glorious mud is everywhere!