Monday 27th June 2016 – Sunday 12th March 2017
Our long awaited extension is starting today.
Beginning with a new kitchen!
Before work starts
Back of Springdale
The back of Springdale
The area in front of the fence will be dug
out until it is in line with the room with
the patio doors.
The small patio and wall will be removed
The kitchen will stretch from the
table and chairs as far as the end of the wall
that can be seen on the right.
Digger for ground works
Monday 27th June 2016
Machinery arrived. Weather lovely. Forecast is not for the rest of the week.
Photos showing the story of today
Digger Commencing Work
Dumper Truck to take soil to the field
Excavation Begins
Digging up the Lawn
Extremely large dumper takes soil to the field
Huge Machinery
New Patio Area
New trench dug
New Trench looking towards Original Patio
Demolition of Wall
New Road! Tyre tracks
Tracks to field where sub soil will be recycled
View from trench
View from trench, potential for steps here
View along back of garage
Couldn’t resist having a go!
Excavation Continues -Day 2
Heavy rain forecast.
By 1pm rain stopped play.
The photos below show the work completed today.
Day 3 – Digging out resumes
Weather forecast was correct. Lots of very heavy rain over the past 2 days.
State of play after today’s work is shown in the photos below.
Large pieces of concrete found in ground needed a jackhammer drill to break them up into moveable chunks
Ramp to garden and fields
View of trenches so far from patio
Monday July 4th
The forecast was dry.
Here are photos for Monday’s work:
Digger at work
Day 5 and 6 – Tuesday 5th July and Wednesday 6th July
Lots of changes to be seen now.
Foundations are really taking shape.
Photos below
Building Control Officer will come to inspect the foundations tomorrow
Thursday 7th July 2016
All areas are now prepared for concrete.
The Building Control Officer has been to inspect the excavation and everything is in order.
Photos below
ready for concrete
ready for concrete 2
ready for concrete 3
Day 8 – Friday 8th July
Friday 8th July – Day 8
Concrete filling
‘Before’ pictures
‘During’ pictures
Gate had to be removed
Pipes laid for pumping concrete
Concrete pump started up
Trenches being filled
More concrete arriving
Levelling concrete to peg height
More concrete filling
Tapping out air bubbles and smoothing
Finishing off and creating a working area
‘After’ Pictures
Finished Foundations
A great morning’s work!
Day 9 – Tuesday 12th July
Delivery of building materials
Foundations are all hardened and ready for building
Day 10 – Wednesday 13th July
Craning in the building materials
Day 11 – Thursday 14th July
Brickwork is now in place as far as possible.
The next step is to order the block and beams for the flooring.
Foundations behind new lounge, currently a bedroom
Day 12 – Friday 22nd July
Block and Beams for the new flooring delivered today.
Brickwork Stage at end of day 12
Now ready for block and beam stage
Day 13 – Monday 25th July 2016
The block and beam flooring was installed today. It is absolutely solid.
Hard, heavy work for the builders.
Day 14 – Wednesday July 27th 2016
Building Work Continues
Day 15 – Thursday 28th July 2016
New walls for kitchen going up today
Waste pipe for kitchen sink
Day 16 – Friday 29th July 2016
Walls and Drains
View from Utility Room – New Patio doors taking shape
Getting the Drainage Correct
Gap for Patio Doors
Kitchen window gap appearing over drain pipe
View from Stable – Back of Springdale – compare with first picture at the top of this page
Day 17 – Monday 1st August 2016
Very wet day
Insulation beginning and more work on drains
More blocks being delivered Truck size is limited by width of drive Therefore that limits weight that can be delivered
Bricks stacked to hand for builder
Insulation – celotex repels water
Rain stops play again
A whole lot of rain
Insulation between double block work
Day 18 – Tuesday 2nd August 2016
Brick work is rapidly growing.
Scaffolding waiting
View from back door
Day 19 – Wednesday 3rd August 2016
Kitchen area is taking shape
Scaffolding ready
Area for Lintel
Day 20 – Thursday 4th August 2016
Between New Kitchen and Garage
New entrance to kitchen from utility room
Corner of New Kitchen
Day 20 – Progress so far
Scaffolding around back
View along back of house day 20
Day 21 – Friday 5th August 2016
Checking new lintel
Concrete slab for utility
View of garage through new kitchen
Looking through new window position
Top of new kitchen
View from kitchen through patio door to steps eventually
View of back garden
View of patio through scaffolding
View of polytunnel from top of scaffolding
View over garden to field 2
View to new kitchen window position
Day 22 – Saturday 6th August 2016
Roof Construction begins
Beginning of new kitchen roof
Beginning of new kitchen roof picture 2
Beginning of new kitchen roof picture 3
Day 23 – Sunday 7th August 2016
Kitchen Roof Construction
Kitchen roof so far
Kitchen roof so far picture 2
Kitchen roof so far picture 3
Progress day 23
Progress day 23 picture 2
Day 24 – Monday 8th August 2016 – BATS
Our property is in an area that has potential for bats, therefore it was deemed necessary that we should have a bat survey carried out before any work could go ahead on the roof of the property.
We had dawn and dusk observations completed last year. During the first bat activity survey, Springdale was identified as a transitional/ day roost for a low number of common bats.
Therefore a Method Statement was drawn up which instructed us on how we must go about our new extension.
In hindsight we now understand what we did wrong.
This is what happened.
Some work to the roof has already been carried out without supervision of a bat licensed ecologist contrary to the licence conditions.
Everything is on hold. No further work can be carried out to the existing roof without supervision.
We have breached planning conditions and have been reported to Natural Resources Wales.
We must await their decision.
If anyone out there is in the same position, a word of warning – do not go ahead and touch the roof without a bat licensed ecologist being employed on site prior to works commencing and during any removal of roof tiles.
Read the Method Statement carefully. Our report was 29 pages long. The Method Statement was on page 17. So it is advisable to read it all.
The local authority have now also been informed of our breach of planning conditions.
We now also have a Shwegler 1 FE Bat Box on the garage as recommended and we will need to install another three on the front of the house on completion of the building.
Day 25 – Monday 15th August 2016
Work continues on the permitted part of the new roof. No parts of the old roof may be touched without supervision from a bat licenced ecologist.
Work on retaining wall begins
Retaining Wall
New retaining wall
Day 26 – Tuesday 16th August 2016
Progress on New Kitchen Roof
Progress of roof
Progress of roof 2
Progress of roof 3
Retaining Wall and drainage
Day 27 – Wednesday 17th August 2016
Breach of Bat Licence
This is an extract of the email we were sent: I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that any breach of licence is considered to be a breach of the legislation, and we have a duty to act upon such cases, as this was reported timely and works have now halted to allow for the ecologist to be present, in this case please consider this a warning.
Should any further breaches occur we will have no option but to refer this matter to the police for investigation.
Therefore no work has been carried out, but can now continue once we have been supervised during tile removal.
Work today on the retaining wall
Day 28 – Thursday 18th August 2016
Removal of roof tiles with bat ecologist on site
Ecologist on site
Tile Removal with supervision 2
Tile Removal with supervision
Progress of retaining wall
Ground drains
Inside Kitchen Area
Top of patio doors
Top of patio doors 2
Day 29 – Friday 19th August 2016
Rain! Heavy! No proper rain for a few weeks, till last night and this morning, just as all roof tiles have been removed – typical!
By lunch time rain was so heavy, the builder and his mate went home. Rain stops play again.
Filling back of retaining wall
Retaining wall
Days 30 and 31 – Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd August 2016
Work concentrated on the retaining wall behind the new kitchen and the new step area that will give us quick access to the garden. The soil is clay and heavy, and although it has been well compacted over the years before its disturbance for this build, it needs to be held back with a strong wall.
Digger to remove remaining soil for steps
As the height of the garden from the new patio is well above the ground level, about six steps will be required. This means more digging out to create space for the steps, also taking into consideration the width of each step and the drop of each step.
Digger removing remaining soil
View from bedroom
2nd View from bedroom
Day 32 – Wednesday 24th August 2016
Roofer and builder here today. Photos below of progress
Roof progress
Roof progress 2
Wall and Step Progress
Wall progress
Day 33 and Day 34 – Thursday 25th and Friday 26th August 2016
Thursday was fine first thing, then heavy rain stopped the work
Retaining Wall and Steps
Step progress 2
Step progress
Wall progress
Wall progress 2
Day 35 – Saturday 27th August 2016
Although the weekend the roofer continued work today.
Roof Progress
Roof Progress 2
Roof Progress 3
View up to new ceiling height in kitchen
View up to new ceiling height
View down to new step area and new kitchen extension
Day 36 – Tuesday 30th August 2016
Batons and roofing felt was delivered today.
More work on the retaining wall and steps.
Step area
View from above of the new steps area
Another view of retaining wall
Wall from new patio area
Wall view from side of garage
Day 37 – Wednesday 31st August 2016
Building Control Officer visited today to check on progress.
Also Bat licenced Ecologist came in the afternoon to supervise the removal of tiles from existing utility room roof and small bedroom roof as required by the bat licence.
Tiles removed over the utility room, picture taken from scaffolding
Tiles removed from roof over small bedroom, this will be a new bathroom, picture taken from scaffolding
Another view over utility room roof where tiles have been removed under supervision of bat ecologist
Up on Scaffolding – Tiles all removed from old existing roof over utility room and small bedroom
View to main roof over existing master bedroom, this will be the new lounge
View to garden from scaffolding above new kitchen
View to back garden from scaffolding over new kitchen
View from scaffolding
New Fascia board partly in place over position for patio doors
Progress on the new step area from patio
Day 38 – Thursday 1st September 2016
Progress on steps today
Step progress
Step progress 2
Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th September 2016
Heavy, heavy rain
This resulted in a lot of leaking rain water finding its way into the utility room and the small bedroom.
Saturday-3rd-September-small-bedroom-roof-leaked-badly-tiles-have-been-removed
Saturday-3rd-September-utility-roof-leaked
Sunday – tarpaulins now in place over old roof
Day 39 – Monday 5th September 2016
Today the roofer returned and completed the valleys on the hips of the roof. Also the fascia board was completed. The builder added vents to allow air into the roof space and any water vapour to escape. We are not allowed to have breathable membrane on the roof as it may harm any potential bat visitors.
Fascia Board
Fascia Board 2
Fascia Board 3
back-of-house-progress-so-far-day-39
back-of-house-progress-so-far-day-39-another-angle
back-of-house-progress-so-far-day-39-another-angle-2
Day 40 – Tuesday 6th September 2016
Main steps are really taking shape now. Also felt and battening on the roof began.
Main-steps-now-back-filled-and-with-concrete
Main-steps-filled-with-concrete-and-view-up-to-roof-where-felt-and-battening-has-begun
Main-steps-and-roof-view-progress-so-far
Also the builder collected fibre glass coated board for part of the flat roof that will eventually be over new utility room and new bathroom.
Day 41 – Wednesday 7th September 2016
Felt and battening going up onto new kitchen roof.
felt-and-battening-progress
felt-and-battening-progress-2
Day 42 – Thursday 8th September 2016
Progress of retaining wall and back view of house
roof-and-walls-of-steps
view-of-new-extension-from-back-garden
Days 43 and 44 – Friday 9th September and Monday 12th September 2016
Views of progress on steps and extension
back-view-of-kitchen-extension
side-view-of-new-extension
new-main-steps-progress-so-far
Day 45 – Tuesday 13th September 2016
Thuderstorms wet-room-roof-leaking-again
view-to-new-lintel-above-position-of-backdoor
view-through-extension-from-old-small-bedroom
inside-new-kitchen-extension-view-of-roof-area
new-slabs-for-patio-and-steps
Day 46 – Wednesday 14th September 2016
sloping-wall-corner-to-side-and-rear
rosemary-tiles-for-new-roof-matching-old-tiles
new-entrance-to-house-via-back-door-into-utility
Block work now built up higher on left side of utility
lintel-above-new-back-door-area
Day 47 – Thursday 15th September 2016
The start of the disruption in our living space.
New supporting beams being inserted joining old house to new extension.
small-bedroom-roof-removed
small-bedroom-roof-removed-2
inside-small-bedroom
inside-small-bedroom-2
hallway-untouched-as-yet-new-supporting-beam-not-required-here-luckily
Day 48 – Friday 16th September 2016
New beams joining old building to new extension, supports for roof
area-which-will-be-walk-way-into-new-kitchen-from-back-door-beside-old-bedroom-note-large-difference-in-floor-height-steps-will-be-needed
view-from-ladders-over-window-into-old-small-bedroom-with-ceiling-removed
view-of-new-beams-now-in-place-for-new-roof-over-old-small-bedroom-soon-to-be-family-bathroom
tiles-on-scaffolding
Day 49 – Saturday 17th September 2016
Removal of 2 ceilings discovered over the Utility Room
two-ceilings-had-to-be-removed-from-here-before-insertion-of-new-beams-over-utility-room-the-room-had-to-be-emptied-because-of-mess-caused-in-a-job-like-this
view-of-new-roof-beams-spanning-utility-room-fibre-glass-boards-will-be-used-over-this-part-of-the-roof
rubble-and-old-ceiling-to-be-removed-from-new-kitchen-walkway
view-through-utility-door-old-ceiling-outside
electricity-box-all-exposed-in-utility
old-electricity-box-surround-which-fell-down-during-removal-of-ceiling-in-the-utility-room
rubble-to-be-removed-from-old-bedroom
old-wood-to-be-removed-from-old-bedroom
Day 50 – Sunday 18th September 2016
More Work on Utility Room
utility-outside-wall-now-removed
view-from-kitchen-through-utility-to-new-wall-of-utility
utility-room-with-old-wall-removed-right-hand-side
utility-room-with-old-wall-removed
Day 51 – Monday 19th September 2016
Work in and around Utility Room continues
rain-overnight-leaking-into-utility-room
rubble-and-plaster-board-from-utility-wall-also-see-vertical-cuts-in-wall-which-will-be-the-door-opening-into-the-new-bathroom
close-up-of-grooves-cut-for-door-to-new-bathroom
everything-covered-to-protect-from-very-fine-red-brick-dust-after-cutting-grooves-for-new-doorway-in-utility-room-2
dust-masks-essential
new-brickwork-around-timbers-in-utility-room
close-up-of-new-sloping-beams-to-accomodate-head-height-for-steps-which-have-yet-to-be-built-to-reach-new-level-of-kitchen
Day 52 – Tuesday 20th September 2016
Work to utility room, new bathroom, and brickwork
drilling-and-loosening-brick-work-in-new-doorway-before-inserting-2-new-lintels
new-lintels-in-over-new-doorway-and-window-out-of-old-bedroom
two-new-lintels-over-new-doorway Between old bedroom and utility room
old-bedroom-cleared-of-rubble-and-window-removed
old-bedroom-window-removed
new-bathroom-old-bedroom-with-gap-for-flat-roof-light-bubble
position-of-new-polycarbonate-dome-for-light-for-new-bathroom
lead-inserted-into-roof-this-will-go-over-fibre-glass-board-double-wall-here-completed-between-rafters
lead-inserted-into-roof-and-wall-finished
sloping-roof-created-to-accomodate-enough-head-height-when-going-down-steps-from-new-kitchen-to-utility
sloping-roof-from-above-outside-view
view-from-new-kitchen-area-through-to-back-door-position-and-garage
Day 53 – Wednesday 21st September 2016
Unfortunately the builder fell through the beams of the utility room today, landing on a stone floor. This meant a hospital check up. He is very sore, but luckily no broken bones.
gaps in beams, some unsecured
Day 54 – Thursday 22nd September 2016
Builder is very fortunately ok and back here, although very sore. A lot of work today on the roof over utility and new entrance to kitchen.
view-into-utility-room-from-new-kitchen-fibre-boards-in-place-on-roof
utility-roof-showing-slope
fibre-boarding-over-utility-room
skylight-shown-in-blue-tarpaulin-over-top
this-will-be-door-out-of-new-bathroom-to-utility-lintels-in-part-cut
Day 55 – Friday 23rd September 2016
More roof work – pictures taken Saturday 24th September from scaffolding
view-from-scaffolding-of-tarpaulins-new-bathroom-and-utility-room-sloping-roof-can-be-seen-under-tarpaulin
view-from-scaffolding-of-tarpaulins-over-part-of-new-bathroom-and-utility-room-lefthand-side-of-roof
view-from-scaffolding-of-tarpaulins-over-part-of-new-bathroom-and-utility-room
view-of-roof-over-utility-and-entrance-to-new-kitchen-between-the-three-sloping-roofs
view-from-scaffolding
scaffolding-between-new-kitchen-and-garage
view-across-scaffolding-along-back-of-house
view-towards-back-garden-from-scaffolding-showing-felt-and-battening
view-to-back-garden-across-scaffolding
view-of-new-steps-from-scaffolding
view-into-new-kitchen-through-new-side-window-opening
rain-leaking-into-utility-roof-is-unfinished-as-yet
heavy-rain-has-totally-filled-tarpaulin-over-new-skylight-rain-is-leaking-in-again
sunday-another-night-of-heavy-rain-8-buckets-of-water-removed-from-tarpaulin-covering-skylight
Day 56 – Monday 26th September 2016
Wet day – Work limited to undercover. Skylight gap previously covered in tarpaulin was recovered with board. This will be fitted and sealed within the next few days, so should soon be water tight. Hole was cut for doorway to new bathroom. Bricks laid to fill gap over new lintel above the new back door. Old bedroom window now blocked in. Photos below.
old-bedroom-window-blocked-up
old-little-bedroom-with-window-blocked-up-and-brickwork-cut-to-the-left-to-form-a-new-doorway-into-the-utility-room
new-doorway-cut-into-old-bedroom-which-will-be-new-bathroom-picture-taken-from-utility-side
Day 57 – Tuesday 27th September 2016
Fibre glass roofing over flat/sloping roof was completed today. Fibre glass roofing was chosen as it is strong and durable and can last for 20 years. It was the ideal solution to cover this kind of roof where all the tiled roofs meet. An expert came out to do the job and it had to be a dry day. There are several layers, the first of which is a fibre glass coated board, then a resin goes on, followed by the fibre glass matting, then more resin and finally a top coat. Photos are shown below.
Also today a mistake was noticed by the double glazing man in the hip above the patio doors when he was measuring, so this needs to be corrected.
hip-roof-has-been-constructed-incorrectly-one-angle-is-wrong-3-inches-out
hip-roof-has-been-constructed-incorrectly-picture-2
hip-roof-has-been-constructed-incorrectly-picture-3
hip-roof-has-been-constructed-incorrectly-picture-4
hip-roof-being-reconstructed
hip-roof-being-reconstructed-2
fibre-glass-roof-between-sloping-roofs-completed-today-all-sealed-and-watertight-skylight-and-vents-are-also-sealed-in
fibre-glass-roof-shows-sloping-sections-and-new-skylight-and-vents-all-put-in-place-today
fibre-glass-roof-took-a-day-to-do-and-sealed-with-a-special resin and top coat
sealed-vent-for-utility-room-in-new-fibre-glass-roof
vent-put-in-new-bathroom
new-vent-can-be-seen-in-utility-room
skylight-over-new-bathroom-to-be-in-place natural-light-coming-through-is-considerable
bricks-in-place-over-back-door-outside-doors-and-windows-have-been-measured
blocked-up-old-bedroom-window
2-doorways-now-opened-up-left-to-kitchen-right-to-new-bathroom-rubble-all-cleared-away
a-fleet-of-white-vans-today
Day 58 Wednesday 28th September 2016
block wall between bedroom and new kitchen window will be removed next week
block wall going up between bedroom and new kitchen from scaffolding window to be filled in next week
block-wall-going-up-between-bedroom-and-new-kitchen
hip-roof-now-corrected-and-finished-now-in-at-correct-angle
hip-roof-now-corrected-picture-2
Day 59 – Thursday 29th September 2016
installation-of-plastic-and-foam-lining-to-seal-cavity-around-door
cavity-wall-closers-around-patio-doors
cavity-closers-around-windows
cavity-closers-around-windows-pic-3
cavity-closers-around-windows-pic-2
tiles-now-being-replaced-around-new-fibre-glass-roof-picture-from-scaffolding
tiles-now-being-replaced-around-new-fibre-glass-roof-picture-2
fibre-glass-roof
fibre-glass-roof-2-showing-valley
Day 60 – Friday 30th September 2016
Leaking Skylight. Heavy rain overnight and water has been dripping through the skylight in one corner. The bubble has now been fixed on over the top so this should stop the problem
felt-nearly-completed-shown-from-inside-of-new-kitchen
felt-from-inside-of-new-kitchen
view-of-main-bedroom-through-window-to-be-blocked-up-scaffolding-still-in-place-inside
view-of-back-of-house-showing-completed-felt-and-battening
view-of-back-of-house-showing-valley-in-the-middle-between-the-two-roofs
top-of-drive-in-front-of-double-garage-with-materials-and-new-roof-structure-with-felt-and-battening-between-house-and-garage
materials still to be used at the top of the drive and top of the new kitchen roof can be seen with felt and battening
top-of-drive-in-front-of-double-garage-with-materials
Day 61 – Monday 3rd October 2016
Tiles starting to go on roof now
work-today-on-roof-tiles-on-righthand-side-roof-felt-on-peak-over-patio-doors-and-lead-in-valleys
felt-on-new-hip-roof-and-lead-valley-on-right
lead-valley-on-lefthand-side-of-hip-roof
view-along-back-of-house-above-new-kitchen-and-main-bedroom
view-of-newly-tiled-right hand side-of-new-kitchen-roof
view-along-side-of-newly-tiled-kitchen-roof-towards-back-garden
Day 62 – Tuesday 4th October 2016
Tiling of the new roof continued. Much progress was made today.
progress-of-tiling-over-kitchen-roof
progress-of-tiling-over-kitchen-roof-picture-2
close-up-of-tiling-in-progress-through-scaffolding
back of house view
view-of-back-of-house-different angle
Day 63 – Wednesday 5th October 2016
Two windows and a door!
first-new-window-for-kitchen-partly-obscured-by-scaffolding
second-new-window-also-partly-obscured-by-scaffolding
new-back-door-into-utility
view-through-window-from-main-bedroom-to-new-kitchen
view-through-window-from-main-bedroom-to-new-kitchen-marked-for-sik-dishwasher-cooker
kitchen-planning
new-back-door-picture-taken-from-inside
Day 64 – Thursday 6th October 2016
Electrician today
electrician-came-today-and-started-wiring-kitchen
wiring-for-cooker-and-sockets-above-work-top-eventually in this position
wiring-for-fridge
wiring-in-corner-of-kitchen-new-hall-door-will-be-located-to-the-left-of-this
Outside work continues with the tiling of the new roof
hip-roof-tiled-and-lead-in-valley
Day 65 – Friday 7th October 2016
Progress of tiling on new roof
roof-tiling-progress-adjacent-to-flat-roof
roof-tiling-progress-adjacent-to-flat-roof-picture-2
roof-tiling-showing-progress-of-tiling-at-back-of-kitchen-roof