End of Week 3

Good progress this week. Finally had some decent weather as well. The job started 5 weeks ago but this is the third week of work, hence the post title.

Monday was preparing for concrete slab, putting membrane & insulation down. Most importantly (to me) setting up my formwork & floor drain. I set the MacAlpine trap 12mm below the Finished Floor Level. The 4" drain obviously comes up from a 90degree bend. Then I used a slip collar, with a piece of pipe cut to the exact size which left the macalpine @ 12mm below a line I set up. The trap was obviously screwed from above into a 900mm square formwork. This way I can have a fall within my shower area and gives me a lot more flexibility with regards to shower enclosure, door, glazed screen etc. I'd already checked to forecast and Monday night was mild so we had the concrete delivered about 3pm. Ended up using Lafrage's Agilia. Must say it is good stuff, very easy, just cost's the earth. 100mm thick slab with a 57.75 m2 floor area. The base varied a touch so to be safe we had 7cu M. Was bang on what I wanted. I always could of poured some around the footings so it helped to overestimate slightly.

The rest of the week "top trowel's" been on the facing brickwork. Looks well. Hanson Worcestershire Red Multi's.

Have set a retainer up along the back today. Also dropped post's and bev rails in for fence. I'll temporarily screw the old one back up till the lid's on.

Next week is more brickwork, insulate cavity, then blockwork. All up to lintel height, scaffold up, brickwork up to plate. Perhaps a bit optimistic for one bloke in one week!

forward planning

Week 4

End of week 4. No progress this week either. Next update will technically be, end of week 3 again.  Starting back tomorrow and should have floor slab laid in the afternoon. Will see some action this week as the brickwork starts to go up.

End of Week 3

Snowed off this week...zero progress!

End of Week 2

End of week two.

Have used endless amounts of stone this week. Make-up below the slab is about up to level now and has all been wacked down. Bit more sand blinding before it's ready for DMP*, then Insulation, DPM*, then concrete.

So progress from last week includes all brickwork up to Damp Proof Course finished. All Foul drain runs finished and live (apart from vent pipe). 40 tonne of Stone spread, levelled and wacked underneath the slab.

Very good chance progress will be hindered by the weather next week. 2" of snow on the ground now and with the concrete I'm using for the slab I don't want any sub zero temperatures overnight. Was originally planning to have a ready mix concrete with a power float finish. Now it's been decided to use Lafarge's Agilia 'horizontal'. Good stuff, just very expensive.

Will be renewing the back fence at some point in the near future. It wants a retaining wall 12" high all along with a new fence on top . In hindsight I could of had an extra 3 course of blue bricks along the back and left the ground at it's natural level. Seeing as the fence wanted replacing anyway it's not a major.

Warm weather would be nice....

DPM = damp proof membrane. Black plastic sheet.

Stone - Before sand blinding

Manhole - minus lid