Garage Rebuild

[00slk]

More delays mainly with the weather and bricks still being wet as the heater wasn't up to the job, so purchase a small blower heater and totally transformed the kennel into a wee kiln
We are or were at this stage last week, though things have stopped again due to this craze called Xmas or something like that

 

[Frontstep]

I have got some weather delays and yes the Christmas no one is having is putting the blockers on production.

There are times I wished I could do everything myself.

I have got on with some things but I need another 10 of me at least.
In a fit of pique, I have just knocked through a weight-bearing wall, steel in, building control been, plastered, sockets moved, radiator moved, floors tiles, decorated,4 days.

I did get some assistance with the steel though

 

[00slk]

I have got some weather delays and yes the Christmas no one is having is putting the blockers on production.

There are times I wished I could do everything myself.

I have got on with some things but I need another 10 of me at least.
In a fit of pique, I have just knocked through a weight-bearing wall, steel in, building control been, plastered, sockets moved, radiator moved, floors tiles, decorated,4 days.

I did get some assistance with the steel though

I too wish I could do the work myself Frontstep, come to think of it I probably could but would need constant assistance on what to do
I just hope the Bricky can still return on the 4th as he work's outside and have no contact with anyone else. We are in Teir 4 here now too
I still have to go to work today!!

 

[davemercedes]

From what I see 00slk, a job like this is almost as stressful as buying/selling your house.
- Just take a deep breath and then relax - come New Year it will all be done and you'll enjoy the garage itself of course, plus a lot of satisfaction with what you did yourselves along the way.

 

[00slk]

Nothing in building standard houses is complicated, there are varying skill/practice levels that's all.

De-skilling has been going on for decades.

The bigger builders would love to get to a stage where trained monkeys can put a house up.

On some jobs, you would pick the monkey.

Footings/Concreting is filling a paddling pool with dirty water.

Drainage is push-fit fat stiff hose pipes.

Brickwork/lego now has a lot of tools to give you straight vertical lines all with ready-mixed mortar.

Roofing is lego with tablecloths and centrepieces screwed on.

Plumbing is now lego.

Electrical work is lego technic laid out on the walls and floors from a booklet.

Fitting pre-framed doors are more lego.

Plastering is cutting and sticking.


Joinery involves the use of a tape measure and simple tools.

Even the grass comes rolled up like a carpet rug.


Lego, now the only thing I know about Lego was the movie, that was cool
My Dad was highly skilled in engineering, building houses and car mechanical and body repairs, the only thing that rubbed of on me was the car part of his skills



Double your brickie's productivity in winter get him and his stuff some shelter, put the tea urn in as well.

From what I see 00slk, a job like this is almost as stressful as buying/selling your house.
- Just take a deep breath and then relax - come New Year it will all be done and you'll enjoy the garage itself of course, plus a lot of satisfaction with what you did yourselves along the way.

I am not the type to get stressed out but I will admit this is getting a little trying with all the delays which have been unforeseen with one thing or another.
The worse thing so far was the loss of power at 12:30pm on Christmas Eve to the kitchen lights and outdoor plug sockets which had been left dangling after the builders removed it and water has managed to run down the cable and into the socket tripping the fuse. I sorted that After I reset the tripped switch got down off the scaffolding I noticed the fish tank inside the house wasn't working and a quick look around noticed it was eerily quite in side......Yep no power anywhere, so up on the scaffolding again remove the DPC and open the box to see water dripping out of the consumer unit
The consumer unit is exposed to the elements now since the roof has been cut away, though well covered with a water proof made box and full length DPC over the roof, water still got into the consumer unit and tripped the RCD switch, after I reset the switch it flicked off again within 10 seconds. Phoned a few numbers for electricians I knew but no answers, though not surprised there. Got on to the yellow pages for the emergency 24/7 people who will be there between 2 and 6pm. Come 4pm have a phone call to say we can't make it today how about 29th or 4th January! Seriously I then got hold of another electrician who said we are closed, can't help. By this time it was getting on to 4:15pm and I have work too tonight! Tried the yellow pages agin and this time got hold of another company who said they will be there before 6pm. Sure enough come 6 he drives in the drive Temporarily was able to sort out the issues and left at 7:15 £385 lighter in the pocket, though I a lot less that losing £1500 of food in the freezer, plus we had Christmas day in 5 hours. About an hour after he left, the lights went out in the kitchen side of the house and all up stairs .........He'll be coming back on the 29th, but at least we still had power to the crucial sockets which was the important thing, Christmas dinner was by bedside lamps and hall lighting
Stressful.......Yes you can say it was getting a little close to being very stressful Dave.

"The bigger builders would love to get to a stage where trained monkeys can put a house up."

I thought they already had.............

Can't really complain about the cost of the workers though, only the time it's taking

 

[Jimbo1959]

also teaches you to put them back where they belong after use so they're easy to find next time they're needed!!

I'm still trying to teach Swmbo (40 years together) and my two children this (26 and 23 year olds) this.

I ALWAYS put my tools back where they belong for this very reason, just as I give them a wipe with a rag before I do so. It just makes sense to me.

My two boys are an absolute nightmare for leaving stuff at their asses, drives me mad when I need to search my cupboard (in the house), my shed (in the garden), and my garage outside for something they haven't put back in it's proper place.

 

[ajlsl600]

They do it 2x dont let em in again.or hide the mobile and ipad for a week

 

[davemercedes]

I am not the type to get stressed out but I will admit this is getting a little trying with all the delays which have been unforeseen with one thing or another.
The worse thing so far was the loss of power at 12:30pm on Christmas Eve to the kitchen lights and outdoor plug sockets which had been left dangling after the builders removed it and water has managed to run down the cable and into the socket tripping the fuse. I sorted that After I reset the tripped switch got down off the scaffolding I noticed the fish tank inside the house wasn't working and a quick look around noticed it was eerily quite in side......Yep no power anywhere, so up on the scaffolding again remove the DPC and open the box to see water dripping out of the consumer unit
The consumer unit is exposed to the elements now since the roof has been cut away, though well covered with a water proof made box and full length DPC over the roof, water still got into the consumer unit and tripped the RCD switch, after I reset the switch it flicked off again within 10 seconds. Phoned a few numbers for electricians I knew but no answers, though not surprised there. Got on to the yellow pages for the emergency 24/7 people who will be there between 2 and 6pm. Come 4pm have a phone call to say we can't make it today how about 29th or 4th January! Seriously I then got hold of another electrician who said we are closed, can't help. By this time it was getting on to 4:15pm and I have work too tonight! Tried the yellow pages agin and this time got hold of another company who said they will be there before 6pm. Sure enough come 6 he drives in the drive Temporarily was able to sort out the issues and left at 7:15 £385 lighter in the pocket, though I a lot less that losing £1500 of food in the freezer, plus we had Christmas day in 5 hours. About an hour after he left, the lights went out in the kitchen side of the house and all up stairs .........He'll be coming back on the 29th, but at least we still had power to the crucial sockets which was the important thing, Christmas dinner was by bedside lamps and hall lighting
Stressful.......Yes you can say it was getting a little close to being very stressful Dave.


Oh boy... I really feel for you. It's frustrating to read because none of us from miles away can offer or do anything to help. I can only repeat what I said earlier - when it's all done and dusted you'll be able to give yourselves big pats on the back and enjoy the garage you wanted. I'm glad you didn't lose your freezer stock - a few yeas ago we lost all ours when we were away on a long weekend and the worst thing apart from my aching wallet was the smell. One of our neighbours is a police officer and he said that after about 48 hours it's just like the smell they get when someone's been knocked off. I could believe that...

Best of luck - fingers and toes crossed for you!


Can't really complain about the cost of the workers though, only the time it's taking

 

[Jimbo1959]

They do it 2x dont let em in again.or hide the mobile and ipad for a week

Unfortunately the oldest lad has recently bought a house with his S.O. and has now moved out, sadly, (for me) taking some of my tools with him, God alone knows if/when I'll see them again.

Oops, I mean this from the perspective that my tools will go walkies. I'm delighted that he's met and settled down with a nice girl.

The wee fella (who's actually about 4" taller than me, lol) is slowly coming round to my way of working, because he's found out that it DOES work. It's how Dad always manages to put his hands on what he needs when he needs it.

As for the hiding their mobiles and iPad/computers, I always found that just hiding the disc they needed to play, whatever game, was the best way to discipline them. Smacking, yelling etc.... never worked, but, deny them play time with their friends on-line, God, you'd think the world was coming to an end, they learned after that, that Dad was not to be trifled with when it came to his tools and stuff.

 

[Chrishazle]

I'm still trying to teach Swmbo (40 years together) this.

You and me both (45 years in my case!) - the time I've spent hunting for something that should be "here" and is not!! Wife, like her mother, "I put it away safely and now can't remember where" which normally means it's somewhere totally random and where you would never normally think of looking for it. Even everyday things like her mobile - the number of times I've had to dial her number so we can search the house listening for the ringing phone - assuming that for once we have enough signal for it to ring!

 

[Jimbo1959]

You and me both (45 years in my case!) - the time I've spent hunting for something that should be "here" and is not!!

the number of times I've had to dial her number so we can search the house listening for the ringing phone - assuming that for once we have enough signal for it to ring!

Ah, I'm not the only one then.

 

[ajlsl600]

I always find my stuff in the nearest drawer or cupboard to where I was using it.!!!!

 

[00slk]

Hi Chaps, this is just a garage build to house some of my cars and to work on them out of the weather.
Please don't have any failings out over it please.
Peter

 

[00slk]

The builders are back up and running again after a nice break for them and now the weather is going to hamper things again





The old concrete block kennel is going to be knocked down and a better one will be put up.



The roofer will be pencilled in towards the end of January. Scaffolder back hopefully at the end of next week to rise the scaffolding. Bricky's back after that to finish off before the roofer starts. All sounds good in writing!!!

 

[Frontstep]

The weather is over the longer term due to get warmer it is after all January.

I have noticed quite a few more keder sheet or temporary roof scaffolds going up nearby but you haven't got that far to go before the roof is on.

It all changes when the roofs on.

You can start picking out some carpets and curtains.

 

[JBell]

You can start picking out some carpets and curtains.

Axminster and pelmets all the way in there

 

[Frontstep]

You could bring back artex, dado rails and a nice flock wallpaper oh and forget the axminster you need american shadow or a decent shag pile.

You need to be comfortable.

 

[Tony Dyson]

Will you be organising a "Topping Out" ceremony for when the roof goes on? and will it be a Champagne and hors d'oeurves or a Brown Ale and packet of crisps affair?

 

[JBell]

You could bring back artex, dado rails and a nice flock wallpaper oh and forget the axminster you need american shadow or a decent shag pile.

You need to be comfortable.

I was going for this look, very snazzy

 

[Frontstep]

I was going for this look, very snazzy

View attachment 64595

Excellent and can I suggest an Austin Allegro Vanden Plas

a Mercedes would be far too ostentatious and dare I say brash.