Home
  Introduction
  History
  Finding an Architect
  Design Considerations
  Structural Engineering
  Thermal/lighting report
  Planning
  BMiS
  News from site
    The latest bulletins:
January 2004 onwards
    The story continues:
Jan - Dec 2003
    The beginning:
Nov 2001 to Jan 2003
    Pictures from site:
October 2003 onwards
    Pictures from site:
Sept 2002 - Sept 2003
    Pictures from site:
Nov 01 - Aug 02
  Media
  Glossary of Fun Terms
  Tips
  Contemporary Chilterns
  Contact
  Requirements
  Links



Pictures from site September 02 - September 03
 
 

Just to confuse you - these happy snaps were in fact taken on Nov 19 last year:
Kevin McCloud with Tom (left)


and with the rest of the Grand Designs team at the start of the project (right)


  		 
 
 Rafters for the Northern roof
go into position 
 West end of the Northern wing and
please note the cranked beam
over the top stair flight


The circulation link roof - all the water
comes to this point and drops down
a rain chain into the pond

 
 
Circulation link again but from
the inside - Ha!


So many rafters, so little time;
gutter also starts to appear



The roof overhanging the Northern wall -
note the Glulam beams and the
strapped roof plates

  
 
It's some roof - made to look
even larger by the overhangs


And just look at the volumetric space it
creates - we have no loft



The material gutter being fitted -
a real C21 material

 
 
This is the underside of the finishing
layer that is 'welded' into position
using the circular fixings you see
in the previous picture
And our vision of having a house in the
trees is coming together; a view
from an adjacent property
The glued roof material samples
which indicate that the failure
is in the fabrication 		 
 
Taking shape but the uppermost layer
you see having to be re-glued
and cramped
The end section before removal
for inspection
In the centre of the picture is the
upturned end panel showing how little
glue has been compressed onto it 		 
 
Earlier in the build the guys from Kimbers
and me stopped for lunch
Critics with an expert eye turn up with
Judy to give their opinion
The roof arrives - not wonderfully wrapped
  
 
The load (topside) showing a braced panel

Going up - the first section moves
towards the parallel flange channel
Left a bit...the 75mm bearing on which
the 1.5 tonne section rests
 
 
The third section arrives

A first impression of the southern
building with roof
The Pilkington truck delivers the
first load of glass 		 
 
This gives some idea of the scale
The roof settles on the 75mm bearing
The insulated render system. The plastic washer is the secondary fixing, holding
the expanded polystyrene board in
position. Cement based adhesive
is the main fixing. 		 
 


Insulation before render (white), and after rendering but before final coat.
Note the blue board


The blue board is extruded polystyrene
which is waterproof. This is fitted adjacent
to the DPC offering the house additional protection from damp

 


The blue board is not secured with pins
at this point but only with a polymer
(waterproof) based cement,

 
 
There is only one more coat to go - the final silicone based white render
Window frames appearing - the door is a ventilation door with a thermal panel
All our window frames are made of steel
with a thermal break 		 
 
It's at last starting to take shape. The Dow Roofmate insulation slips into position
The cantilevered piece of ply is part
of the 'Alligator' which carries the water
from the roofs


The window and door onto the balcony
of Bed 2 and the vent door

  
 
The other windows in Bed 2 and an
idea of the views
A picture I stuck together to give you an
idea of the southern buliding
The chaps from JTC roofing form the
first trays for the North roof
  
 
The result of the trays being
crimped together
A day of clearing waste in the
back garden takes its toll
The first big glass moves into position 		 
 
Glass weighing a third of a tonne is lowered
and is secured into position
The roofsheeted for the Christmas break 		 
 
The serious water damage after
the Christmas holiday
The mildew damage which appears also
on the face of the boards
Replacement boards are outside
the spec for B/BB birch ply 		 
 
The first wings going into position
First impressions of thefitted wings
before they have to be removed
removed because the shadow gaps
do not line up 		 
 
Another example of the difference
The chaps from JTC attending
to the top of the gutter
The two-tone steel in the sunshine 		 
 
It affects the whole roof
I only like dimples on faces
Just the odd crack - courtesy of
the roof fabricator		  
 
Mind the gap...
... more cracks ...
... even more cracks ... 		 
 
yet more cracks!
The lined 'Alligator' which transports
all the water from the roofs
to the rear pond
The Gull wing awaits the wings		  
 
Last day's filming - the final shots
Kevin reflecting on his last piece to camera
All done and a final happy snap. John Silver, producer (left); Simon, Director (in grey); Kevin and the rest of the team		  
 
The blockies work around the straps tying the steel columns into position
One of the two winches required to fulfil the job
I deliver another load of ply to Adrian and Steve 		 
 
Adrian and Steve close to completion on the final day
The Tyvek Proclad covering the Gull wing - a marvellous material
A close-up of Proclad		  
 
The wings fixed - but the damage to the
dressed underside is evident

The wings now fitted and the steel applied
Wonderful detail of the gutter overflow
 
 
The northern end of the gutter which channels rain into the alligator


Slabs of slate await sawing and routing


Sawing in process on Ambleside 		 
 
Sills ready for delivery from Kirkstone
A coping stone doweled and glued

Pad stones ready for loading 		 
 
Brian loads another section for cutting
A sill completed after hand finishing
Rio Neblina flooring of the type we are having 		 
 
An inspection visit to see quality veneers possibly for the roof
All fingers and thumbs working out the quantity required
The selection of "peeled" trees at this company was astonishing 		 
 
The almost completed roofs from the north
The south roof gutter
The south roof looking north 		 
 
The devil is in the detail
The internal pond being raised to reduce the water requrement
Battening to the garage roof 		 
 
Draka cabling and Hepworth plumbing weave their way around the house
We are presently 2km into a 10km fitting!
Slate flooring from Brazil arrives in Ambleside 		 
 
The bridge link to the garden takes shape
Detail - hand finished steel cladding
Rear elevation - the building sits in the site 		 
 
This is the third distribution panel. We think Roger is a frustrated hairdresser!

The cantilevered glass box on the southern wall of the living area

Pete Fitzgerald straight-edging the polystyrene insulation 		 
 
The concrete plinth in the master bath to support the structural glass shower
One of the stainless steel balconies in the accommodation wing
A colossal slate sill and five padstones 		 
 
Spot the 'X' on the upper left side
Blind frame supports. The scalloped top is for a stainless steel tube
The detail outside the living room doors. First floor plates, screed, vapour barrier, plus Dow insulation..... 		 
 
.....followed by polymeric roof material, Schluter Troba drainage matting, pitch polymer DPM solvent welded, and stainless steel boots at the column bases		      
    Back to top