Peculation Area Finished, Garage Getting Started.

We have done quite a bit since my last post.

All the insulation for the walls and the air tight membrane have been done. Only the 1st floor ceiling and attic to do. Then we will carry out a preliminary air tightness test.

Upstairs South side wall with air tight membrane on ready for taping

Downstairs West side wall. Will be the utility room.

In the summer we had the grass area around the back of the house and the field next door mowed and the baled. We had a total of 17 bales made.

The grass was first mowed.

Ready for baling

The baler in action

Bales are wrapped in plastic by the wrapper, keeps the birds off.

The area above the house after baling

The field next door with wrapped bales.

In October we started work on site again.

First the septic tank was installed and the peculation area, for the waste liquids to go into, was done.

From the septic tank we had to dig out ten 10m long trenches these where filled 300mm of clean stone then the perculation pipe was installed then another 150mm of stone then a geotextile membrane was laid on top, to stop the soil contaminating the stone, then the trenches were back filled.

Also upgraded the phone so photo's are better and bigger I hope.

The pipes are drilled with 8mm holes at 4,6 8 O'Clock

The pipe ready for installation

Getting the hole ready to receive the septic tank.

Lifting the tank into place

The tank in place this was back filled with dry concrete and soil.

The peculation pipes with stone below.

Putting on the geotextile membrane.

We then started the foundations for the garage which is 14m x 5.5m nearly as big as the house. It will consist of a car port and garage.

First scoop out of the ground.

The base of the foundation covered in a layer of stone and compacted.

We put the same type of reinforcement into the garage foundation as the house. We put in three 16mm bars at the bottom and two 16mm bars at the top, all linked with 10mm bars.

The links were pre-made for us but all the 16mm bar was bent on site. The kit to make the links was pretty impressive.

Corner detail

We used 17.5m3 of concrete in the foundation.

1st load being placed.

Getting there waiting for the 2nd load.

 

Blocks were added into the middle ready for the walls

Foundation blocks finished now to start the floor.

The floor is made up stone compacted in 150mm layers.

Then a layer of sand again compacted. Then the radon barrier.

The radon barrier will act as the water proof membrane so all the joints were taped.

Then insulation was put in and reinforced steel mesh. The mesh had spacers underneath to keep it above the floor. Then this was filled with 12m3 of concrete.

Once the concrete was roughly leveled a vibrating screeded was used to compact and level the floor.

The vibrating screeder.

The slab after 48 hours.

The block work for the garage will start 9th December.

The roof trusses for the garage will be pre-made off site and we will put them all up in one day. They will form the barrel shape of the roof.