Robert's blog

Posted Monday, 7 October 2013 - 7:38pm in Robert's blog

The residents spent most of this weekend painting the rooms on the top floor...

Posted Wednesday, 25 September 2013 - 7:44pm in Robert's blog

Here's where the ground floor front room is up to, after the first actual day of Spacetherming:

Posted Friday, 20 September 2013 - 7:32pm in Robert's blog

A while since the last entry... we've now taken delivery of £4,500-worth of Spacetherm, for internally insulating the front wall (see article for a more detailed description).

Posted Thursday, 12 September 2013 - 11:22pm in Robert's blog

This week has seen the (belated) start of 1st fix plumbing...

Posted Tuesday, 10 September 2013 - 6:09pm in Robert's blog

The plasterers have had a productive two days on the top floor, with about 75% of the surfaces finished now. Meanwhile, the builders have been stripping and preparing the first floor rooms...

Posted Thursday, 5 September 2013 - 10:47pm in Robert's blog

With the plasterers confirmed for next week, we've been starting to plan out the painting and decorating. This lead me to calculate the sizes of areas we'll be covering:

Posted Wednesday, 4 September 2013 - 11:24pm in Robert's blog

We seem to have a mystery artist in the team at the eco-house. He hasn't yet been spotted in the act, but from time to time his works appear on the walls, Here are the best examples:

Posted Monday, 2 September 2013 - 11:30pm in Robert's blog

Today I was taking measurements for the VIPs (vacuum insulated panels) that we will be using to insulate the front elevation, at ground and first floor levels. When I took off the plaster above the front door frame, I discovered that the lintel above the door opening had suffered from dry rot...

Posted Wednesday, 28 August 2013 - 9:52pm in Robert's blog

We're two days in to the window fitting now (Monday, of course, being a bank holiday).

Posted Wednesday, 21 August 2013 - 6:53pm in Robert's blog

United Utilities have confirmed that they're (another) two weeks behind schedule. The window company still want to go ahead with next week though: they'll be bringing the windows two or three per day, in a small van, and we'll be carrying them down the pavement into the house.

Also, the building society surveyor came today to do a re-valuation...

Posted Monday, 19 August 2013 - 11:12pm in Robert's blog

It's rather ironic given today's events in Balcombe that, as far as the Withington Co-operative Eco-house is concerned, roadblocks are bad news, and burning gas is good (well, less bad, at least).

Posted Wednesday, 14 August 2013 - 10:12pm in Robert's blog

I try to visit the house towards the end of each working day, to inspect the day's work (and photograph as necessary). Sometimes I stay and do some work there too - the builders jokingly refer to it as the night-shift. One thing I've been doing is fitting the bathroom MVHR units...

Posted Tuesday, 13 August 2013 - 10:06pm in Robert's blog

Today was the first visit of the building inspector from Manchester City Council Building Control dept. He OKed everything we'd done so far; no issues.

Posted Saturday, 10 August 2013 - 11:21pm in Robert's blog

Today I went to the house because I'd agreed to meet the electrician on-site, to go through a few issues regarding cable routes etc.

Whilst I was there, I noticed that the builders had completed the insulation in the front attic room, ready for beginning the taping on Monday morning (the back rooms still need another layer)...

Posted Friday, 9 August 2013 - 12:02am in Robert's blog

Today has been all about insulation. The builders have been making good progress with the PIR in the attic - more on that below. I've just ordered another £180 worth of air-tightness tapes and sealants from Green Building Store, which should arrive tomorrow, ready to start taping on Monday. And I've also been costing out the VIPs (that's vacuum insulated panels) for the internal walls in the ground and first floor rooms, at the front. VIP is the only thing that can get us the required U-value in minimum thickness...

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