Progress During July 2010

  • Steels arriving!
  • These steels will support the gable end wall and the patio at the wide end of the building.
  • They weigh 208kg each so there are 'volunteers' to help get them from the road onto the genie lifts.
  • Through the window onto one of the genie lifts.
  • Mike has the strength of 10 bears so has no problem sliding the first steel into place.
  • With both steels in place and with their weight on acrow props and the genies a concrete padstone is poured into the shuttering. We pre-drilled holes for M16 bolts to hang into the padstone so the steels don't wabble and stay firmly on the padstones.
  • The beams for the block and beam patio arrived.
  • The genie lifts are used to get the concrete T-beams into place.
  • The T shaped beams are carefully placed to hold celcon blocks in the gaps.
  • Patio in place calls for a celebration!
  • Back end cut in line. Like everything in the toblerhome, there are no rectangles.
  • Anthony cutting slip blocks to seal around the edges.
  • Mike starting the outside work to fit a velux window into the roof. It will be in the middle of the kitchen.
  • The Sydenham Lane windows. We just needed to bring the wall down by a few courses before I can build the window sills and jambs.
  • Mike pioneered a new building technique for pointing the roof's ridge tiles whilst on the ladder on the other side of the roof. He used a mirror.
  • Window sills going in.
  • The last external structural task begins! A bin and bikes cupboard door needs to be cut through the front wall. Its a thick well built wall, not an easy task.
  • Strong boy in position just in case.