The first cheque arrived to my solicitor yesterday, so had to get that collected and lodged to our account, €44K need to pay out in the region of €20k so the rest will get us to our next stage payment.
I must compliment EBS on their service and willingness to help a newcomer like me. They were very helpful with the whole process.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Progress to Subfloor Level
Well things are moving along well and hopefully this weather will keep up, the block work is almost complete the garage foundations were poured yesterday tracks machine is continuning to move earth off site and filling the base and the stone continues to arive, the lads were hiring a wacker plate today to compact the 804 stone under the subfloors. Insulation, drainage pipe waste pipe radon barrier and sumps were all delivered yesterday stored away in our steel container for prices on these items keep an eye out on the budget tracker. Hoping to pour the subfloors for monday.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Toolbar Column Blog links
Guys,
Have added links to other self build blogs in Ireland, hope ye guys who own them dont mind, that is if ye read this blog!!
Other people were asking me were there anymore blogs of this kind im sure between us all we have a lot of the aspects covered and a lot of the details.
If anybody else has a blog of a similiar nature let me know and i can add it.
Have added links to other self build blogs in Ireland, hope ye guys who own them dont mind, that is if ye read this blog!!
Other people were asking me were there anymore blogs of this kind im sure between us all we have a lot of the aspects covered and a lot of the details.
If anybody else has a blog of a similiar nature let me know and i can add it.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Weekends Progress-On going work
On Saturday morning i went out for my first days blockwork on the house in order to help the father along i finished off all the internal walls about 300 blocks i was wrecked after it. This morning the two blocklayers are on site i have a tracks machine spreading stone filling bases and digging foundations for the garage and in his spare time he is filling a tractor and dump trailer which is drawing the stone and going away with some of the subsoil that is on site, and coming back again with more stone. This groundworks is really taking up a lot of money at this stage, ordered the insulation and radon barrier for the floor slab today. The budget is creeping up.!!!!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Progress Subfloor and site
Looks like the weather is picking up just as we near completeion on the blocks to subfloor level, i took the day off work yesterday to lend a hand as they had no labourer on site, im crippled today! It has been a while this office job is making me soft!
Another 2 days should see the blocks completed to this stage we will then leave the blocks dry and settle until Monday week when i have the tracks machine booked to fill the base and stone around the outside of the house again to give us some comfort with access!
I am going to wait until we have the concrete poured for the subfloors before i update the budget but i have a suspicion that we may have gone over it!
It has taken 4000 blocks to date and they are still laying!
The whole place is like a swimming pool and i have had the water puemp on hire for a week and a half now hopefully can off hire that this saturday.
Currently waiting on prices back from plumbers and roofers hopefully they wont be too shocking. Have had one quote back on the roofing labour only €24,500 i have three more fellas pricing it so we will see how it goes.
Another 2 days should see the blocks completed to this stage we will then leave the blocks dry and settle until Monday week when i have the tracks machine booked to fill the base and stone around the outside of the house again to give us some comfort with access!
I am going to wait until we have the concrete poured for the subfloors before i update the budget but i have a suspicion that we may have gone over it!
It has taken 4000 blocks to date and they are still laying!
The whole place is like a swimming pool and i have had the water puemp on hire for a week and a half now hopefully can off hire that this saturday.
Currently waiting on prices back from plumbers and roofers hopefully they wont be too shocking. Have had one quote back on the roofing labour only €24,500 i have three more fellas pricing it so we will see how it goes.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Eircom pole removal
Following my two previous posts on this issue, Eircom arrived out yesterday and relocated the pole, have heard nothing from them so i presume the solicitors letter did the trick! Ill be posting again if a bill arrives in the door!
Mortgage Drawdown 1st stage payment
Well we are nearing that stage where we will need an influx of money, and i have a few people that i need to pay. Contacted the engineer to raise a cert for the first stage he asked me what value i wanted €60k hopefully this will get us as far as and complete some part of the roof. The way EBS work for the cert is that they will give me the €60k plus the site value €120k = €180k less what we have already claimed and give me 90% of this figure.
In order to get the money across i will need to get the solicitor to send in a letter on our behalf also requesting the money and cheque issue after this letter is 24 hours posted to my solicitor.
In order to get the money across i will need to get the solicitor to send in a letter on our behalf also requesting the money and cheque issue after this letter is 24 hours posted to my solicitor.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Blocks to floor Level
The lads were on site thursday and Friday last week, laying blocks so far they are going through a load a day. 880 blocks on a healy brothers load, also got one bail of 4" soaps a bail of 6" soaps a bail of 2" pads and a bail of 45o degree squint blocks. Had a tonne of cement delivered to them also on Friday. Another load of blocks being delivered this morning, i called to the site this morning before leaving for work and put out the water pump, all blocks that they had laid last week were under water. Hopefully this would allow them to get straight into laying and they would not have to go swimming!!!! Went to take some pictures the weekend but the batteries died will update them soon!
Anyway the far back wall in the kitchen when 4 blocks high in order to be level with the front corner of the sitting room will need to be 10 blocks high. For the structure of the sitting room and with the big glass gable there we are putting the inner leaf as a block on flat for structure. All blocks to floor level though are going in on the flat to offer support for two reasons there will be a lot fill to go in and for the steel structure with the mezz floating floor.
Anyway the far back wall in the kitchen when 4 blocks high in order to be level with the front corner of the sitting room will need to be 10 blocks high. For the structure of the sitting room and with the big glass gable there we are putting the inner leaf as a block on flat for structure. All blocks to floor level though are going in on the flat to offer support for two reasons there will be a lot fill to go in and for the steel structure with the mezz floating floor.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Progress Subfloor and site
The fencing company arrived on site yesterday evening at around half three, when they ran there lines for the fence it highlighted that they would need 7ft posts because of the way the site slopes. This meant an extra €.50 cent a metre so we are getting imported timber pressure impregnated 7ft 6x3 posts and 5x1 3/4 rails at 2.4metre spacings for €15.50 a metre.
On the way home from work last night i hired a petrol 2" water pump the father was due on site this morning to start laying blocks, so i was there till half 8 last night pumping water out of the foundations i eventually ran out of petrol and there was still plenty water in the foundations! €20/day for the hire of the pump!
On the way home from work last night i hired a petrol 2" water pump the father was due on site this morning to start laying blocks, so i was there till half 8 last night pumping water out of the foundations i eventually ran out of petrol and there was still plenty water in the foundations! €20/day for the hire of the pump!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Budget Tracker Update 2
Guys,
Have updated the budget tracker (item 11), to date may be of interest to see how we are going. Ill be keeping it updated at regular intervals.
http://jollyman2.googlepages.com/
Have updated the budget tracker (item 11), to date may be of interest to see how we are going. Ill be keeping it updated at regular intervals.
http://jollyman2.googlepages.com/
Monday, January 14, 2008
Update on Account Set up and Procuring materials
So far everyone i have rang has been prepared to deal for cash and without having to pay deposits and payment terms generally 30 days after recepit of invoice.
This morning i met with the concrete block supplier he required €1000 deposit to set up the account. I am still looking for a sand supplier in the locality as the ones i have spoken to are quite expensive. Hoping to have sand and blocks on site for tomorrow.
I have also gotten a shipping container to leave on site for 14 months or whatever the duration maybe for security and allow us to store materials. I have bought the container for €1,300 and €400 delivery cash hopefully will sell it on for €1,000 when it has its work done. Will be invaluable for that bit of security.
Must put up some of the securi panels as a front gate for the time being, more stone arriving on site today for driveway and access to garage and as a base to put the sand on. Id say we will have to hire a water pump also as we have a lot of water in the foundations.
This morning i met with the concrete block supplier he required €1000 deposit to set up the account. I am still looking for a sand supplier in the locality as the ones i have spoken to are quite expensive. Hoping to have sand and blocks on site for tomorrow.
I have also gotten a shipping container to leave on site for 14 months or whatever the duration maybe for security and allow us to store materials. I have bought the container for €1,300 and €400 delivery cash hopefully will sell it on for €1,000 when it has its work done. Will be invaluable for that bit of security.
Must put up some of the securi panels as a front gate for the time being, more stone arriving on site today for driveway and access to garage and as a base to put the sand on. Id say we will have to hire a water pump also as we have a lot of water in the foundations.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Irelands Weather
I dont think that we have had such a sustained period of rain as this in a long time trust it to happen when we are pouring foundations! Called into the site last night on the way home with my flash lamp, can actually drive into the site again for the first time have a couple of loads of 6" stone down and this is covered with a 2" down it is grand for driving on.
One half of the house foundations is currently under water at the sitting room end. The tracks machine driver was there yesterday tidying up the site and spreading stone, think we need another load or two to get as far as the garage to allow us to pour it and get blocks started there too. He cleared an area for the sand and tided up the rooms inside and shook a bit of stone around them so we can lay the blocks in there for getting it up to subfloor level.
1 week look ahead
Order and get sand delivered (price around)
Order and get 4" blocks delivered
Order and get delivered radon barrier, cement, plasticiser, kingspan 100mm insulation, radon sumps and 4" pipe
Get plumber on board for services
Get blocklayer (the father) organised and on site for wednesday
Waterford farm relief organised for tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning to fence the site boundary.
One half of the house foundations is currently under water at the sitting room end. The tracks machine driver was there yesterday tidying up the site and spreading stone, think we need another load or two to get as far as the garage to allow us to pour it and get blocks started there too. He cleared an area for the sand and tided up the rooms inside and shook a bit of stone around them so we can lay the blocks in there for getting it up to subfloor level.
1 week look ahead
Order and get sand delivered (price around)
Order and get 4" blocks delivered
Order and get delivered radon barrier, cement, plasticiser, kingspan 100mm insulation, radon sumps and 4" pipe
Get plumber on board for services
Get blocklayer (the father) organised and on site for wednesday
Waterford farm relief organised for tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning to fence the site boundary.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Foundations Day 3
Well after 10 loads 77M3 of concrete lots of wind and rain and id imagine plenty of heated discussion the foudations for the house are finally in.
The worst about this time of year is that when i go to work its dark and when i come home its the same way ill have to wait until saturday to see it, i did go in with a torch last night but its no good to try and see it like that.
Thanks to all the lads for there hard work and to the family for lending a hand and feeding the troops!!!!!
The garage never got dug or poured so thats a job for the next day when we will be filling the base after the blocks have been laid, hoping to have the blocklayers on site monday morning.
The worst about this time of year is that when i go to work its dark and when i come home its the same way ill have to wait until saturday to see it, i did go in with a torch last night but its no good to try and see it like that.
Thanks to all the lads for there hard work and to the family for lending a hand and feeding the troops!!!!!
The garage never got dug or poured so thats a job for the next day when we will be filling the base after the blocks have been laid, hoping to have the blocklayers on site monday morning.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Foundations Day 2
Well after meeting the rock the lads decided that we would just have to get in a tracks machine and yesterday lunch time it arrived! We had the JCB spreading 6" stone 9 21ton loads of that in now, and the tracks machine was digging the foundations and breaking rock where needed.
They cut the A393 mesh into strips of three and will have to walk it in once the concrete is down now because the foundations are so deep in places up to 4ft of concrete.
I had 8 loads on order for ten o clock this morning and i think the quarry had designated two lorrys to draw over and back for the afternoon, the quarry is only 10mins away so there is not much of a delay.
We were thinking that we would have had to get a concrete lorry with a conveyor belt on it to reach the back walls as you cant currently drive all the way around the building but now we will just pour it into the bucket of the tracks machine and put it across like that.
Ill post again tommorow and hopefully we will have foundations down.
For costs to date keep an eye on the budget tracker i will update it when we have the floors down!!!
They cut the A393 mesh into strips of three and will have to walk it in once the concrete is down now because the foundations are so deep in places up to 4ft of concrete.
I had 8 loads on order for ten o clock this morning and i think the quarry had designated two lorrys to draw over and back for the afternoon, the quarry is only 10mins away so there is not much of a delay.
We were thinking that we would have had to get a concrete lorry with a conveyor belt on it to reach the back walls as you cant currently drive all the way around the building but now we will just pour it into the bucket of the tracks machine and put it across like that.
Ill post again tommorow and hopefully we will have foundations down.
For costs to date keep an eye on the budget tracker i will update it when we have the floors down!!!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Start of foundations
Its a wet miserable morning here in cork just after arriving in the office, said i would write a post first. The crew started yesterday 3 men up from home one being my father they made great progress marked out and started digging all the foundations, and then they met rock!!!!
Rang the engineer who will be signing off the building and he has stated that all the foundations will have to come to the level of the underlying bedrock in order to achieve even settlement. This means taking certian walls down by another 16" or so and making back up levels with a lean mix of concrete (a weaker dry mix).
They are due again this morning and will start straight at this, i have the lean mix on order for 12 today and hopefully the weather will be ok for them. I got 10 sheets of A393 mesh delivered yesterday 60 stock brick and a couple of lengths of timber, hopefully by the end of the day they will have the foundations ready to pour for Wednesday morning, steel in on top of bricks and all pegs into level.
I had a tractor and dump trailer on site yesterday morning to take away a couple of loads of clay, but the ground conditions were so wet that it could not manouver. Had to hire in a 9 tonne dumper for a couple of days instead.
Will post again tomorrow on todays progress.
Rang the engineer who will be signing off the building and he has stated that all the foundations will have to come to the level of the underlying bedrock in order to achieve even settlement. This means taking certian walls down by another 16" or so and making back up levels with a lean mix of concrete (a weaker dry mix).
They are due again this morning and will start straight at this, i have the lean mix on order for 12 today and hopefully the weather will be ok for them. I got 10 sheets of A393 mesh delivered yesterday 60 stock brick and a couple of lengths of timber, hopefully by the end of the day they will have the foundations ready to pour for Wednesday morning, steel in on top of bricks and all pegs into level.
I had a tractor and dump trailer on site yesterday morning to take away a couple of loads of clay, but the ground conditions were so wet that it could not manouver. Had to hire in a 9 tonne dumper for a couple of days instead.
Will post again tomorrow on todays progress.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Follow up to ESB pole/Eircom removal
Eircom, sent out a bill yesterdy for €324 to come out and look at the pole before removing it, which will be an additional cost to this survey. I was with my solicitor today and said i would mention it to him for advice, he said they had no hope of getting money as they erected it on private property and wrote a strongly worded letter to them stating that if it is not removed in 21 days at no cost to me, he will seek an injuction to remove them ourselves and charge Eircom for them. Hopefully that will straighten them out.
Back to work, and back to site work
Oh well, was a great break but back to work tomorrow, spent all day today going around setting up accounts with local builders merchants and quarrys. All they require is you to fill out a form and tell them how much credit you need per month, they approve it from there. There payment terms vary from 30-60 days after invoice.I have one local quarry supplying the stone quite cheaply, another quarry supplying blocks and concrete and i have accounts set up with three builders merchants and ill probably play these off each other.
I have a crew of four men due monday morning and a machine driver to hopefully mark out the foundations, peg them put in the steel and have them pourd for Tuesday Evening. Also getting stone delivered for the temporary driveway to try and keep things dry and clean.
I have a crew of four men due monday morning and a machine driver to hopefully mark out the foundations, peg them put in the steel and have them pourd for Tuesday Evening. Also getting stone delivered for the temporary driveway to try and keep things dry and clean.
Best wishes for 2008, New Pictures
Hope ye all had a happy and peaceful christmas.
During the christmas i had a bit of time on my hands so i decided id go for a drive have wanted to go to see the island that you can see in the distance from the site. I drove to ballymacoda outside youghal and the pictures are now in the slideshow, there is more pictures of another island off Garryvoe beach its balycotton lighthouse.
During the christmas i had a bit of time on my hands so i decided id go for a drive have wanted to go to see the island that you can see in the distance from the site. I drove to ballymacoda outside youghal and the pictures are now in the slideshow, there is more pictures of another island off Garryvoe beach its balycotton lighthouse.
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