November, 2016 – Megan Miln

Tread Carefully

The floor inside has been returned to a level surface. All the tubes carrying cables through the house have been covered with a layer of concrete, ready for the insulation and underfloor heating to go on top.

We had to tread a little carefully around the house this visit. We arrived before the project manager, went up the stairs, and stopped in the doorway. We weren’t sure if we could walk on the floor with its newly laid concrete. So, we explored downstairs and outside while we waited instead.

Build week 39: A new layer of concrete on the floor
Build week 39: A new layer of concrete on the floor

Build week 39: You can just see the cable tubes under the concrete
Build week 39: You can just see the cable tubes under the concrete

Build week 39: A layer of coarse concrete covere the electrical tubes
Build week 39: A layer of coarse concrete covere the electrical tubes

The new concrete was dry and safe to walk on, but carefully. The coarse, grainy mixture remains a bit delicate, even when dry, and it crackled under foot with every step. Even so, it was nice to have the floor restored to a flat surface again. It won’t stay like that for long though. The insulation and the tubes for the underfloor heating should be partly installed by our next visit. We are keen to see the underfloor heating, because once it is finished it will be forever hidden under more concrete.

There were other small changes around the house. There always seems to be a collection of changes we expected, and things that are completely surprising. The plumbing continues to go in, as expected. But, they have also installed the heated towel racks in the bathrooms and the special humidity-sensitive vents in the windows, which I didn’t expect to see so soon. It’s nice to see progress, whatever form it takes.

Build week 39: Still waiting for render outside
Build week 39: Still waiting for render outside

Watch the video for this visit.