Bricklaying Week 1

The Bricklayers arrived on 17th February, they estimated that they should take one week to get to the first floor. The weather forecast for this first week however was for gales and rain, not very encouraging. The week before we had a digger to finish the groundworks, digging soakways and putting ducts for electric cables. Consequently the whole garden was really churned up and muddy.

Day 1

Progress was brisk on the first day, they started building up the inner walls with blocks which yields results fast. It's easier to lead with the inner leaf because the insulation has to be secured to it before the outer wall is built.
When the bricklayers checked the foundations with their level, it was found that the back of the existing house is one brick lower than the front, there was some collective head scratching trying to work out where to step up the extra course. By the end of the day we had to use the doorways to walk around the extension instead of just stepping over walls. The day finished off with driving rain. This was a time for ordering up more materials and driving round the builders merchants shopping for Fireplace bits and flue liners. The timber for the first floor has been ordered.

Day2

We used the best of the reclaimed bricks from at the front, by the end of the second day the window sill was in place for the large hall window.

Day 3

The french windows are now being propped in position, Three different delivery trucks arrived with bricks, blocks, cement and insulation. again the weather degenerated into blustery rain.

Day 6

The rain delays meant that there was no work at all on friday, but two of the bricklayers turned up on the Saturday

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