House

16.0 – Coloured Render

Two significant changes to the house this visit. The coloured external render has begun and looks great. Inside the final layer of concrete has been poured and is drying.

15.0.1 – The Most Expensive Optional Extra

We finally got to see our underfloor heating this visit. I had spoken to the project manager a week before, so I knew they had started it, but we weren’t sure how far along it would be.

Having endured freezing winters in old French apartments, we delight in seeing the underfloor heating pipes laid in the house. Pipes cover the entire floor of the house and will ensure this will be our last cold winter.

14.0.1 – Little to See

As we prepared for this site meeting, there was one thing I wanted to know. Would we get to see the underfloor heating?

14.0 – An Unwelcome Lack of Progress

For the first time since building began, there has been almost no progress on-site. The electricity connection has progressed but is not complete. No sign of the expected underfloor heating or next layer of insulation.

13.1.1 – 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.

13.0 – Concrete Covered Electrics and Plumbing

Concrete has been poured over all the tubing. Inside those tubes, encased forever, is our electrical wiring and plumbing. After the meeting, we use our external stairs for the first time and try to coordinate the mains electricity connection.

12.1.1 – Small Changes

Progress on the house has felt slow the last couple of visits. It’s not that things have slowed down, there have actually been a lot of changes, but they are small changes and they don’t have the same feeling of progress as the big changes earlier on.