Bungalow Groundwork

Introduction:    

First look at plot - this is the view of the entrance from the road.  Through the gate and you can see the plot at the end of the 30m drive. 

Apple tree and rowan had to be chopped down to make room for bungalow.  These were chopped down in November along with several others along the way - unfortunately a beautiful oak tree that was half in our garden and half in Brian's next door also had to be felled.  Brian was very accommodating and his only request was that he keep the logs.  Fair enough.

While we were waiting for planning permission we set about building a large log store - partly because we had a pile stolen over the Christmas holidays.

We made vegetable boxes for potatoes etc. and raised flower bed.  We bought some trees to replace those we had cut down.

You can just see log store on left.  Digger moves in - 2nd July and sets to removing old stumps in the ground and skimming all the grass.  They removed several tons of good quality top soil and we had enormous piles.  We contacted the local nursery (as in trees) and Wayne kindly collected about 80 tons for free!
One casualty was our new bramley apple tree that was inadvertently dug up!.

 By the end of the second day trenches had been dug and trench blocks arrived on site ready for building up to ground level.  These were delivered early otherwise the crane wouldn't have been able to drop them in a convenient place.

 Whilst digging the men found a "well" only it wasn't actually.  It was the old soak away from the cesspit.  This had to be dug out down to solid ground and then filled with solid concrete.

Friday 4th July first load of concrete arrives to fill trenches.

Solid concrete in trench showing right hand side of build.  Rooms look really small but of course internal walls will be much thinner than trenches.

 Now we can see shape of bungalow and get a better idea of how it will look.

 Thursday 17th Sand blinding the hard core ready for liquid concrete tomorrow.  I am standing in the hallway surveying my domain through the front door.  You have to use your imagination a bit.

Final lay of concrete for floors.  Looks a bit of mess at moment because of the plastic membrane overhanging the edges.  This will be taped to the inside of the walls to prevent damp and draughts.