Day 29 - The wall continued to fall

It was heavy going removing some parts of the wall, other parts came away easily. Fortunately, the earth behind stayed put - layers of compressed muck n straw on top of sandstone, on top of clay.  Meanwhile, in the upper deck, Boss Jon, Digger Ryan and Shepherd Howard were digging the foundations.  A slow, back breaking, sweaty job it was too, unless of course you're Digger Ryan and get to play in the Digger!
More of life in these trenches to come.


Now you see me......

am

 Now you don't

pm

Do you think the Tate might like these?

Love
BarnGirl
xx

Day 24 & 25 - Barn Survives Biggest Storm Since 1987!

Gotta' love a Daily Mail-ish headline!

Yes, we survived the storm, only losing a few sickly trees and yet another limb off the battle weary conker tree.
 
I was woken at 3am with the almighty gusts rattling windows and testing the trees, still heavy with fruit and yellowing leaves. 

At 7am, I received a text from Boss Jon, 'The barn survived!' The Barn Boys had done a sterling pre storm strap-up job - strapping the straps of the straps on to the straps of the strapped barn. Not to mention the extra scaffolding and steel beams; there's now far more metal than wood. I wasn't sure if Inspector Walt and I were visiting a ride at Thorpe Park, or a gig on the Pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Festival!

Happily, the barn was standing to attention when the Barn Boys arrived for work.

Kitchen

Imaginary door to lower level

Imaginary door. View from Upper level

Steel beams in utility and bedroom 2

Steel beams and scaff in my dressing room

Metal meets wood - East meets West

Straps and steel beams

More straps and steel beams

Not for Birmingham hips

Inspector Walt - 'It's all belt and braces'

Strap hook

Straps

and more

even more....

Inspector Walt - 'Come on, Barn Girl, I need a proper walk and to inspect the view'

Is that Mr Darcy I see over yonder?

The Tree....that never had to fight, for sun and air and light

Westside Story

Bye for now.
Love 
BarnGirl
xx

Day 23 - Houston. We have a problem!

Well, we DID have a problem. But, when you have an architect and a builder who don't like to present a problem without first offering a few solutions, I'd say that the little matter of a large retaining wall has been resolved. 

I need to back track a touch with the retaining wall deets, before I bring you up to date in my next post, pre and post the big storm, which we, and the barn, happily survived.

A week or so ago, I was in the dentist chair, with a face full of tools, when I heard my handbag ringing an ios7 iAppley tune. Eventually, when I was in a position to listen to the message and return the call, albeit pillow-lipped, Phil, my architect's right-hand man, explained that there was an unforeseen problem with the retaining wall, between the upper and lower level. 

It was assumed that the existing wall was approximately 9 inches thick. (They sometimes talk in inches, honest). The original plan was to shave, sorry, 'scabble' back to level the wall, in order to make room for the various layers - crushed concrete, Bituthene 8000, reinforced concrete, insulation board, plasterboard etc - without encroaching too far into the room. Fortunately, before they started 'scabbling', Boss Jon had the presence of mind to drill a few small holes along the wall. In one area, they cut away a sizeable chunk to get a good look. 

Please read 'If you're interested. Two' if you want the precise details of what was to take place and a version of what will take place, bearing in mind the changes highlighted in Option 3. You may need a foreign language dictionary, but it's really worth a glance. The level of detail in this one small paragraph is replicated for every single detail of the build. Amazing!

This is when the extent of the problem was unearthed, literally. The majority of the wall was only half a brick thick and no where near 9 inches, typical of old farm buildings.  If these areas were broken off, I was advised that we would have lost the lower brickwork completely and therefore the existing wall would have become unstable and would probably have collapsed into the lower barn. Hmmm.  'Right hand' Phil's suggestion was to leave the wall as it was and to build-up the layers, as previously planned, in front of it. As detailed below in 'If you're interested. Two'.

 
 

Hole in the wall reveals all

Ooops. Can't see 9 inches here.

I sputtered acknowledgement and said I would drive straight over to the barn, to see for myself and discuss with Boss Jon.  I missed most of the miles from dentist to barn, deep in thought, a tad concerned about how much more room I'd lose.  In the grand scheme, not a major drama, but once corrected, it couldn't be easily changed.



It was clear that any option was going to incur more cost. Ugh. So, to cut to the chase, I really didn't want to lose another 'foot' into the room, (300mm for those of us living in a partially metric world. I still prefer to bake in ounces!). I was presented with 3 options and went for numero 3*:
 
With the decision made, work commenced and the wall came a-tumbling down!

Matt's back from the sunshine and since he missed out on the removal of the foundations at the front, he's now chief wall-taker-downer.


I'd better get off the wall and crack on with the rest of the updates.
Love
BarnGirl
xx



*If you're interested....
the deets behind my options

Option 1
Move the already detailed concrete retaining wall into the kitchen and living area so that the projecting sections of the wall would not need to be cut off. The disadvantage of this option is that there is a significant loss in floor space in the lower section of the barn. Also there will be a need for a considerable increase in the amount of concrete to construct the wall as the void behind the back of the wall and existing wall would need to be filled with concrete.
 
Option 2
Now that the existing timber frame is supported on the scaffold, would be to remove the existing retaining wall which will involve excavating to the back of the retaining wall to provide working space so that a new retaining wall can be constructed. In option 2 a new retaining wall will be constructed of concrete as originally specified. The positive result of doing this would be an increase in floor space in the lower section of the barn but the downside is the additional cost of removing the existing retaining wall and then making good the excavation and the additional form work that will be required for the concrete wall as this now will need to be placed on both sides of the wall rather than one side if it was being cast against the existing retaining wall.
 
Option 3
Very similar to option 2 but in order to try and reduce cost, the retaining wall will be constructed out of two skins of block work with a reinforced concrete central cavity. We hope that savings would be achieved in the ease of construction and cost of materials when compared with option 2. .....


If you're interested Two.....
Original building spec for retaining wall between upper and lower floor levels
Existing stone wall between upper and lower floor levels to be scabbled back to level wall. Installed 18mm think multi-coat render over face of wall. Installed Grace Products 'Bituthene 8000' tanking membrane over primed face of render. 

....Are you still with me?

Tanking membrane to be sealed to Preprufe membrane below ground floor slab and sealed with Grace Products 'LM' membrane. Installed reinforced concrete retaining wall over face of tanking membrane, all in accordance with Structural Engineers details. Install 12.5mm thick British Gypsum 'Wallboard Duplex' plasterboard over 25mm x 47mm treated s/w vertical battens installed at 600mm c/c, with 25mm x 47mm treated s/w head and sole battens and intermediate battens. All plasterboard joints to be taped and filled and plasterboard to receive skimmed finish, over 65mm thick Celotex FR5065 insulation board. 

...still there?!

At step in retaining wall where new concrete retaining wall stops and changes to stone wall, install 12.5mm thick British Gypsum 'Wallboard Duplex' plasterboard over 25mm x 47mm treated s/w vertical battens installed at 600mm c/c, with 25mm x 47mm treated s/w head and sole battens and intermediate battens. All plasterboard joints to be taped and filled and plasterboard to receive skimmed finish, over 65mm thick Celotex FR5056 insulation board, all installed over tanked render, allow for sealing fixings where penetrating tank membrane, all in accordance with manufacturer's details.

In the words of those irksome meerkats, 'Simples'! 

Bituthene 8000

Celotex insulation board

British Gypsum 'Wallboard Duplex' plasterboard

I

A 'Floating' Barn and a Hurricane on its way!

'Hurricane': UK Will Take Full Force Of Storm

Weatherman Michael Fish, who famously failed to predict the severity of the Great Storm of 1987, says 'batten down the hatches'

Oh, great! If you see a legless, wall-less barn, a whirling dervish over head, please send it back! 

The Barn Boys have done everything they can, to make sure the barn is as secure as possible, in preparation for the approaching storm, bearing in mind it no longer has any walls or foundations, just a hat, a spine and some internal body parts!

Boss Jon ordered up more scaffolding and steel beams, then, sensibly checked the insurance cover. Meanwhile, Tim, still smiley, tightened up straps and scaffolding joints, and moved the digger, (or was it the Telehandler?), away from any tall trees still in full leaf. 

At 1300hrs, on a Saturday before the doom of Monday's forecast, the air is warm, the sky a billowy grey, benign rain and the tops of trees are swaying in a gentle wind, hinting at things to come.  

I'm clicking my ruby heels and off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz, to ask him to quieten the storm some where over the Atlantic and send us a rainbow instead.

Love

BarnGirl

xx

If you're interested.....

Sky News Report 11:52am UK, Saturday 26 October 2013

A storm which could reach hurricane strengths of 80mph or more will definitely hit Britain on Monday, weather experts have warned.

There were hopes the huge storm brewing over the Atlantic Ocean would miss the UK, and sweep instead through the English Channel.
But meteorologists are now certain it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.
Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.
Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.
There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.
Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage. "Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees.
"There's also the possibility of flooding with torrential downpours and leaves blocking drains. South Wales and southern England are most at risk.
"There is likely to be flash flooding on roads and the AA will be out in force."
She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.
But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

The storm will intensify on Sunday and hit the UK on Monday morning

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength. Winds could top 80mph as they hit seaside towns and villages before slowly losing power as they gust across the UK and out to the North Sea. Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

It will strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16. Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

 

 Winds could top 80mph as the storm hits seaside towns and villages. This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads.
"If it's bad where you are, keep tuned to the weather and traffic reports - in case of road or bridge closures - and heed any local police advice about whether it's safe to travel.

"At a minimum, take a fully-charged mobile phone and warm, weatherproof clothing."
He said the AA's specialist flood rescue team, driving modified Land Rovers, have been working all week and are on stand-by.

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

A spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police Service is reminding Londoners to dial 101 when contacting police when it's not an emergency with expected increases in demand brought about by high winds in the next few days."

 

Day 19 and 22 - Look, no hands! Barn's brick walls go!

Don't be alarmed. 'twas all in the plans....to fit the front of the barn with steel beams through its middle, lift it up and balance it on them, so the Barn Boys could remove the tired brickwork, which had done its job for the last 100 years.  All to be replaced with deep, strong foundations and new brickwork.

It was, nevertheless, a strange sight to see this skeleton structure floating.....

Men at Work - Boss Jon and Smiley Tim removing the original brickwork, minus Matt, who decided to swap his rain proof day-glow for the Speedos, for ten days, somewhere in the Balearics.

'Hope Matt's having a good time'

'2 bricks, 2 cookies?'

Steel beam holding up the barn

Steel beam

Strap attached to steel beam and frame....holding it altogether

Time to choose m'bricks for the front and side walls of the north elevation.  Unfortunately, cleaning and making good the original bricks was a costly exercise and had to go on the 'omit' list. Shame. They will, however, be saved and put to good use elsewhere in the barn. 

The original bricks are apparently 70 'millers' (mm) and now cost anything from £1 - £2.50 a brick and are difficult to find. The newer bricks are slimmer, but since they'll hardly be seen, it's not a problem. As long as we can tolerate the 16 week lead time for supply! Yikes!

Boss Jon produced several brick swatches - just as you can imagine a paint or fabric swatch card to be, only bigger and much heavier - from which I could try and get the closest match to the reconstructed walls of the South Elevation.....which are staying. Phew!

From four different swatches of 'brick cards', Boss Jon and I thought this was a good match. The bricks supplied would be a combination of the colours and finish of ALL the brick samples on this card.

A pretty good match, don't you think?

The back wall planks from Bedroom 2 removed. Now all the timbers are exposed, it's inspection time! Architect and Boss Jon will be taking a very close look at every beam to see what stays and what goes.  Before the inspection, I see a new figure on site, it's Howard, Boss Jon's shepherd, who's de-nailing and dusting every beam. Apparently, it makes the inspection process much easier.

Back wall of Bedroom 2

Ouch. Looks like this one will be going

Away from mud, wood and bricks, a little bit of luscious green....due South

Bye for now while we prepare for the timber inspection.
Love
BarnGirl
xx