Happy New Year

Hello and welcome to my blog, I know its been a little while since my last blog but its been a busy year and I just wanted to bring you up to date with what’s been happening.

We have been working on a unique project in Sawrey on the West side of Lake Windermere. The project has been to demolish an existing garage and build a new garage that incorporates some accommodation and a boat store.

Initially the site had to be excavated, this involved some heavy work as there was a huge amount of rock to remove. We set the bulk of the stone to one side and recycled the majority by using it in the garden stone work wall features. This is a technique we use on as many sites as possible as it lowers the environmental impact associated with transporting heavy materials and purchasing new quarried stone to replace it.

The building design is oval in shape with a convex to concave nautical feel roofline.

The walls had to be built to a radius which required careful work and extra care over keeping cavities clear and a true radius and of course maintaining the insulation properties.

The unusual roof line had to be formed using a shaped laminated barge board, the ship bow style rakes intergrate well with an arched window in the gable.

The roof has been constructed in reclaimed green slate which is the most durable and long lasting of the Lakeland slates. This matches in with the existing building and a tradition diminishing course style of slating.  No3 Neo roof windows were fitted flush to the slate line which creates a great unbroken finishes roof line. The rainwater run off system was created using secret lead gutters curved to follow the line of the unusual shape eaves. The roof was topped off with sandstone ridge tiles carefully selected to match from several local reclamation yards.

The walls have been finished in lime render and will be finished to match the existing property.

Internally a shower room and wc has been created, an oak starcase leads to the upstairs living space and a vaulted ceiling continues the curved theme.

In the garden and entrance areas, blue slate paving has been used within multi levels of slate steps and walling to create tidy features and natural looking retainment of the embankment

A round plastered pillar detailed with a slate band makes an entrance feature in keeping with the theme of the whole project. 

                             

A classic Lakeland chimney stack( Oval in shape )on the existing building was rebuilt ,replacing the existing square chimney that was in poor condition.

We have had the pleasure to work on a large residence on the shores of Windermere. Apart from the obvious advantage of working in a spectacular view, the project has been interesting and challenging. We managed all elements of the build and our skilled team undertook all of the building work.

The property was originally 1 large residence latterly converted into two separate houses. Over time the East side has remained habitable and relatively well maintained but the West wing has sadly fallen into a poor state. We now have the job of reconnecting the two wings to return the house to its former glory.

The property is a traditional 19^th Century Lakeland slate building with sandstone quoins and lintels. The phases of the project have consisted of

·         Stripping out of the West side and demolition of the coach house.

·         Breaking the window and door openings out and reclaiming any materials that can be re-used. Many of the door and window openings had been altered in size using concrete lintels and quoins that were uncomplimentary to the existing building.

              

 

·         An entire re-roof to the west wing, we recovered and reused as much slate as possible and reclaimed green Lakeland slate was used to replace deteriorated slate. The roof was slated in traditional diminishing courses using two shoulder holes as the property is very exposed to prevailing winds, the slates were fixed using copper nails so the roof will last the duration.

·         The chimney stacks were refurbished and re lined to rectify and prevent future water ingress.

·         Many of the window sills and lintels were replaced with carefully sourced sandstone and cut to match the existing openings.

            

            

·          All the external stonework and chimney stacks were sand blasted to improve the look of the stone work and give the building a ‘face lift’.

·         All windows to the west wing were replaced using hardwood and were pre-painted prior to installation for added protection, these will be brush finished in the same colour in-situ to create a natural grained finish, in the east wing key features like stain glass windows to stairways have been carefully removed and are undergoing refurbishment by a skilled stain glass specialist.

·         A new conservatory is under development and will be completed in the next couple of months.

·         Internally the house will be refurbished to a high standard, the work will include a new oak staircase with stain glass window features. The original elaborate coving has been conserved where possible and will be matched with new to the same design. The wood panel window jambs will be similarly used where possible.

A New Year with 2 dry days in a row.

Well i cant believe its mid February already, Christmas and New Year came and went and before
we knew it another working year was upon us.
It started well at Bowness,the old building was carefully stripped of its fabric and taken down.
key features have been removed and set to one side for inclusion in the rebuild.
We now have a level and workable site in which to work from, Heavy machinery is being used to remove rock from the rear of the building in readiness for retaining walls and soft landscaping.
The views from the build are a joy and we are looking forward to working there during the summer period especially.

we are also very pleased to be associated with the refurbishment of a holiday cottage in little langdale for a very nice customer who we have work for in the past.( see Damson tree cottage from our previous blog) we have a small window in which to complete the works,comprising of a re roof and kitchen /utility refurbishment. Its going well,we have had a few set backs due to the weather but we are still on time to complete mid march.{pictures will follow soon )

Grizebeck has taken a huge step forward, the underfloor heating screed was laid first thing in the New year following the installation of the Bifold doors and all windows.
Plumbing  is underway and first fix should be complete for the end of the week
and Electrical work is all but complete re first fix.
Plastering is due to start early march.

The Coniston site is all but complete of our works. drainage and a few snagging jobs are all that's left.
we now have electric and gas on site so completion of second fix can be achieved very soon.

Mill Gate received some much needed attention over the Christmas period , drains and service ducts went in and just last week we laid the reinforcement sub floor. Reinforcement to the floors are not as specification but due to the high level of weight going on the floor from the biomass boiler and accumulator tanks i thought it was as well to add a layer of A393 mesh. The sub floors have been left 200mm low in readiness of 100mm of insulation,underfloor heating pipes and a 100mm fibre cement screed should make for a good job.

Demolition at Bowness



The chimney stack before removal

Mill Gates new concrete floors

The pan mixer combined with the telehandler proves its worth

A great day out on the Fairfield horse shoe

I was late setting off on the horse shoe but it does have its bonuses.

Thanks again for viewing my blog. stay safe until next time.

Stephen

Merry Christmas

I really cant believe how quickly November came and went,with a good mixture of weather thrown in,
Plenty of rain but between all that a nice but brief spell of cold frosty days, The lakes are an awesome place to live and work when the weather is nice.although you don't get lakes and green grass for no reason (rain) and lots of it.

Grizebeck has taken on a new dimension with the removal of scaffolding following the completion of the roof .This revealed Rob and Adam or stone masons fine work. Local natural stone quoins carefully dressed of there sawn edges our unique way to give a natural look,it takes a little longer but we intend our work to to be there a long time ,so attention to detail i thinks is very important.
The same goes with the slate hanging detail to the outside roof spar,slates are dressed and hung on the outside roof spar and,fixed with 2 copper nails with lead washers,when pointed, this provides a good weather covering and minimal maintenance in the future, is also a good alternative to the usual finish where stonework meets slate roof,usually done with a single cement band and in my opinion looks a little messy.
With the completion of stone work  and roof, the site received a good tidy up in anticipation for the next stage. Installation of windows and doors,formation of the sun room canopy and   first fix plumbing/ electrics can now be undertaken first thing in the New Year

Coniston is now near completion re plastering and looking really nice,lots of character to the stairway  and first floor bedroom ceilings,with vaulted ceilings again it takes a little more time but makes for a really nice job long term.
First thing in the New Year we can call back our plumbers and electrician for second fix.
The job as a whole has gone very well despite the weather  we are on time and on budget and due for completion mid to late February.

We are also very pleased to be involved in the first phase of works on a property in Bowness
It involves the demolition and excavation work to the old coach house and associated house strip out.
We enjoy some fantastic views of the lake whilst we work, making cold damp days a little more bearable.
Safety being paramount ,a substantial scaffold has been erected around the property giving us safe access for the removal of the chimney stack and slate to the roof.
Following removal of the slate all timbers can be stripped to first floor level as above first floor is timber framed with a brick infill,although demolition work sounds simple careful consideration to the structure stability is paramount .

We also under take smaller jobs too. this chimney stack was showing damp to the top floor internal walls, the masonry chimney stack was carefully removed and a code 5 lead tray installed at roof level providing a damp proof coarse and a water stop to vertical water ingress. A birds nest ( most probably a jackdaw )  was removed from the chimney flue ,this would most probably case substantial damp
to the internal walls and.removal was  essential. The only way to remove it is to break into the flues externally at a lower level and extracting the debris by hand.
We don't shy away from smaller jobs as they can often be interesting and challenging,often working in beautiful places and can often lead to larger contracts.

The mountain bike training for the 4C4C (four coasts for charity) next year is also going well and i took a well earned break from work last weekend to one of my favourite parts of the country,The west coast of Scotland. Mountain biking in stunning scenery with the sea and islands like Mull,Easdale,Colansay and Jura are just a superb back drop along with the wild life like seals,otters and gannets top the bill. I love it.

Well with Christmas just around the corner i would like to take this opportunity to thank all my customers past and present for all there support throughout the year and also to past and new viewers to my blog. wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you all next year.
Ste.




Robs chimney stack ,slate hang detail to the outside spar



 

The sun room roof goes on

Robs feature fireplace with original oak beam

Manitou has many uses,invaluable for this type of work

Chimney in Kendal prior to rebuild

Scarecrow works all hours.



Seil Harbour with the isle of mull in the distance

Seil Island

Build an Ark

Its quiet possible our next project maybe to build an Ark,its been so so wet this summer.

We finally got the roof complete at Grizebeck,three sun pipes have been installed to the rear roof section and give lighting to a very dark landing area, they are a velux product and i think work very well,one of them having an integrated low energy light alleviating the need for a light in an already busy area. A lot of time and care was also taken to source second hand sandstone ridge tiles to match what was already there and in the end finish the job off really nicely.
With guttering now in place and lead work around the chimney stacks now taken care of we should see the removal of the scaffold this coming week.
Windows also arrived on site yesterday bar the front lean-too frames and bi fold doors,these are still to be measured for on completion of the main structure of the lean-too.
first fix plumbing and electrics are due to start in the next few weeks,so its all coming together.

Coniston is now complete externally with the canopy roof now in place and rough casting complete.
The scaffold came down yesterday, the plasterers have now started on the internals and Sam our joiner along with Dan have installed the new stairs, giving access to all four levels.( yes i did say four). Its an interesting build
with four floor levels but still a two storey house,plastering should be complete within 2 weeks ,second fix joinery can now go ahead and the customer can make the most of Christmas holidays with a paint brush.
(order your paint Martin )

 New roof at Grizbeck

 A new lead shoe for and old lady,hand crafted from code 4 lead this is the final piece in the jigs prior to the sandstone ridge going on it abuts the chimney stack and makes a water tight seal between the ridge and chimney stack, small details like a roll on the leading edge make a difference and stop water tracking back into the roof.

 The Conservation roof lights and velux sun pipes blend in well.

 Coniston near completion externally

 A well earned rest ,training for 2013 charity coast to coast

 Our take off site for hangliding ( coniston old man)

 My old flying bud,fit as a fiddle

 A lovely shelter on the side of walna scar track,coniston.

 A humane way to tackle the crow problem at Mill Gate.( so far it works well) crows you have been warned grrrrrrrr !

Our view from Mill Gate



Finally i thought you may like to share this with me as the rain has now stopped.
i think we could all possibly relate to this in some shape or form.


In the year 2012 the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in England
and said, "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I
see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save two of every
living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the CAD drawings, saying, "You have 6 months to build the
Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard-
but no Ark.

"Noah!" God roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?"
"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed. I needed
Building Regulations Approval and I've been arguing with the Fire Brigade about
the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbours claim that I should have
obtained planning permission for building the Ark in my garden because it is an over development of the site, even though in my view it is a temporary structure.

We had to then go to appeal to the Secretary of State for a decision.

Then the Department of Transport demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions to clear the passage for the Ark 's move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. All the decent trees have Tree Preservation Orders on them and we live in a Site of Special Scientific Interest set up in order to protect the bats. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the bats - but no go!

When I started gathering the animals, a Society for the prevention of Animal Cruelty to animals  tried to sue me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the County Council, the Environment Agency and the Rivers Authority ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood. And assessed the impact on greater crested newts

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission on how many disabled carpenter's I'm supposed to hire for my building team. The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only accredited workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, Customs and Excise seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species. So forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark."

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.
Noah looked up in wonder and asked " you mean you're not going to destroy the world?"
"No" said the lord "The powers that be beat me to it"

Thank you for viewing my blog i hope none of the above content offends,its all very light hearted.
see you before Christmas.
ste.

Lots of rain and a charity mountain bike ride. 4C4C ( 4 coasts for charity)

We had a dry week for putting the roof on at Grizebeck and that's been about it,apart from the odd
half dry day,tough times and i cant remember a summer like it .

At Grizebeck the old flat roof was stripped to make way for the new pitched slate roof, it was essential we had a dry week as without the use of a canopy it would have been Nye on impossible.
but we did it,with the the new peak built and roof timbers on and felted in for last Friday we felt a great sense of achievement,well done lads.
The roof can now be slated in and would expect this to be complete by mid November.sand stone ridges will be sourced to match in with the existing and should finish the roof off nicely.
Rob our stone mason has i think done a fine job on the chimney and internal fire place.
Windows and doors will also be arriving soon so things are coming together .
First fix plumbing and electrics will also soon be underway so we will keep you posted.

Coniston is now ready for first fix plumbing, the underfloor heating is in and complete with a screeded topping now in place ,our plasterers have all but completed the external roughcast with smooth rendered plinths and with most of the scaffolding removed we now can start to see the fruits of our labour.
Top water drainage and soil pipes can now be installed externally and our joiner Sam Clarke is busy installing the slated canopy to the front elevation and this should enhance the building tremendously from an aesthetics point of view.
Plastering of the inside should get underway within 2 weeks so exciting times for the properties owner.

Finally work aside i am training for the Coast to Coast mountain bike route which we intend to complete within four days next June ,West to East then come back to the West coast via the C2C
road route .
The trip has another dimension to it though. we have called it the 4C4C four coasts for charity. we intend to motor cycle from Lands End to St Bees do the C2C both ways then return to our Motor Cycles and complete our journey to John o Groats via the west coast for summer \solstice.
Quite a trip and if anyone is interested in taking part or donating to my chosen Charity's then please call me.
I will also be working 1 weekend in every month from now until we leave.( all proceeds to charity ) so if you can help please call 07831299053.
This blog site will also show content of the training program and pictures when we are out and about so watch this space.

 Robs Chimney stack complete with the lead tray.

 We invested in a pan site mixer earlier in the year and can be used ether with our telehandler or tractor and is a fantastic piece of kit and can be used for the mixing of site concrete or mixing of floor screeds,the beauty of it is that if it is used with the telehandler we can mix at our own speed ,no waste in materials as we mix what we want when we want it and also the mixed product can be laid with minimal manual handling saving time and money.

 As  you can see from the above picture with very precise machine handling this underfloor heating screed was mixed on site then sent through the patio doorway into the building and laid with minimal effort.

My daughter and i enjoying a well earned hot chocolate break next to Coniston lake.

Thanks again for viewing my blog.
see you soon.

Stephen