August 2014 – Project Beagle

Before ripping out the water heaters that are used for our hot water currently, our first new addition to the house is a Multi-fuel stove.

For this to happen we had the chimneys lined in the lounge (8″ 904 liner) and a 5″ 904 liner in the dinning room. These were matched with new chimney pots. The two remaining chimney pots were replaced as well for aesthetics. The unused pots have pepper pot lids so that nothing comes down those chimneys while keeping them ventilated.

The lounge will have a basket added at a later date but with the holes required in the existing chimney to install the liner it was well worth doing now. The stove has a few pieces left to finish off too but yesterday we spent the afternoon in front of our new stove on a rainy bank holiday Monday which was nice.

Well that was a waste of everyone’s time and luckily in the end not money.

As we were having the whole roof replaced, I though it would be a good opportunity to add a “feature”. Essentially adding a large square window into the roof and then boxing it in through from the loft onto the landing. This would let loads of natural daylight onto the landing and then on down the staircase. Well that was the big idea behind this feature, as it happens this is not quite what happened…

The builder looked at the potential placement and size and said it was no problem.

Slaterday

There had been no work on the roof for weeks, you might think because of the weather or holidays and although there had been some big downpours there was no mention of the roofers going on holiday just yet. One of the weeks was the best run of good weather we have had this year and yet we were still living under a tent (roofing membrane).

Then all of a sudden about 8 roofers turned up early on a Saturday morning with a truck load of the finest Spanish slate (having sold some of the original welsh slate that was on the roof).

I had to shoot off to a contact lens appointment but on my return it was a surprised to see how far they had got. Maybe a bit too keen. I mentioned to the first roofer I met that “the roof looks good, but there is supposed to be a window up there!?!”. He call out to the boss and eventually he comes to the front. “Oh yeah, we, er, know about that. Going at the front isn’t?”.

You can probably tell I was full of confidence in them by this time….

Holy Moly
Another week passes and the window has not jet been fitted. Hence the wait to post this blog. After a quick chat with the “Project Manager” on night in the week on snagging items on the roof, the window was brought up.

So, when is it going in?

This week.

And where are you going to put it again?

3rd course down from the top.

Is that not a bit high? It’s got to come down in the landing just by the front bedrooms.

Yeah it should be fine, it’s going to come in at an angle.

Right ok, sounds like you know how it’s going to fit. We’ve shown you where it’s going to break through before, it just seems a bit high.

Well coming home from work one night I notice it has been fitted. It seems as if it it right at the top of the roof line. Christ, how’s that going to work! I head inside to check the placement. This is my little embellishment and I want it to be perfect. It does not take me long to see that the window is not it the right position at all!

1. Far too high, it could do with coming down (500mm). I would of said half a meter last year but all this guiding stuff they talk about mm even if it’s like 10m!

2. Er if you come straight down that is going to start inside an original victorian cupboard which we are not moving or destroying.

3. Seriously, (using my laser) that window is far too much to the left and just does not sit above where it needs to come through.

4. Lastly and by no means a minor point, in fact this could have been the only reason the window is in the wrong place, there is a new roof support going right across the middle of the window. Genius! See below for positioning.

I mean come on, at which point did it occur to you that when opening up the hole to fit the window that the new beam below could be a problem. Even when building control mentioned the roof could do with a bit more support, the fact that a window was still to be added could of meant the placement of the middle beam could of moved a foot. Imaging securing the beam to the right and not left in the pic below could of given the window a bit more of a chance to be suitable.

Dirty Work
Now during an official heat wave I have to squeeze up into the loft, past the one remaining water tank and into the main loft of get rid of the rest of the detritus. This has to happen before the end of the week so that the insulation can be fitted and the roof signed off. Sarah’s not in so I have the throw everything through the loft hatch and deal with it later. Even more wood, although Woodbergnado dealt with the copious amounts of stored wood in the loft there was still more.

The Velux did let a lot of natural daylight in so navigating to all this other wood was easier than it would be just relying on torches. Also more bits of random stuff were still to be found whist roaming around the loft. Best do it now though as there will not be another chance.

Friday Fun
After postponing many times we are now ready for the insulation to be fitted. If you can remember we were lucky to be at home when I was door stepped by a young keen polish guy. From his initial assessment to now is nearly 4 months. However for free fitted insulation that is great.

I plan to go in later on the Friday but have organised the old man to come over and Beagle sit as the appointment windows was from 08:00 to 12:30. On the dot of 8 a massive truck turned up with 1 chap. Although the drive was clear there was still scaffolding up. He said he just does not get why they give him a truck so large as he can never get it on anyone’s drive.

I show him inside and he says is that it? Er? We have two loft hatches, it’s kind of a big loft. I think he was being poker faced sarcastic.

“Nar, this is a two man job mate.”

So off he goes calling the office and they basically told him to just do it! I told him I’ll be out front and then when the old man turns up he can be out the front also to watch over his truck. As I say that the old man appears.

We help him move all of these roles of insulation up to the top floor. The good thing is since I got rid of the last of the rubbish our builder has removed the last water tank. Access to the main loft is easier but he will still have to push each roll through the rafters. I head off to work with the old man covering for me.

That night I get home and find he has done a proper job. 270mm over the main house and 300mm over the rear addition. Great, winter should be better than last year!