Build Progress Thread - Rear Extension

[bummer007]

So, after getting some advice on here a few months back, we've taken the plunge and we begin the project to take down the existing conservatory and replace it with what will hopefully be a lot nicer/usable space!

Current Situation.

20 Year old conservatory, south facing, therefore roasting in summer and freezing in winter. Also, the angled design gives very little actual usable space.

This is the view from the conservatory, which we want to be able to enjoy!

Plan is to replace with something slightly wider (3.9m) and slightly longer (4m) with glass gable end and bifold doors across the back, akin to this photo. (Of course, on trend in anthracite grey aluminium)

Also plan is to replace the whole of the paved area with Indian Sandstone as the current one has seen better days and create a lot better seating area between the house and the man cave. (Bar)

Idea is to have paving marked out by the lines, so whole area in front of summer house will be paved.

 

[bummer007]

A bit of prep work today.

Removed sky dish and 8 x feed cables as we don't have sky, the previous owner was obsessed! (Will struggle to get ladder in once wider footprint extension is in)

Chase out cabling and relocate socket to better height, plus replace single socket with double. (Plenty of mess made with the angle grinder into brick)

 

[bummer007]

Also had to remove raised bed but wanted to keep soil and sleepers. It’s amazing how much it holds. From this.

To this...

 

[bummer007]

Amazing how quickly something can come down when you want it to! 1 day to get to this. Breaking out the concrete base tomorrow.

 

[dann2707]

Following this with great interest! Nice work so far mate. Are you doing it all yourself?

 

[bummer007]

Concrete base now out. Radiator removed and piping capped off. (Didn’t realise it hadn’t been capped so gave them a shower when I tried repressurizing the system)

Digger coming next week to dig new foundations.

 

[bummer007]

Following this with great interest! Nice work so far mate. Are you doing it all yourself?

Thanks mate. Much to the disgust of many in here I’m sure, I’m paying a company to do it all/manage the whole process.

I realise I potentially could have done it cheaper if I tried to project manage it all myself and order materials/organise trades myself but myself and my wife both work long hours in stressful jobs so we just didn’t want more stress trying to manage something at home which we don’t know much at all about.

Right now it does seem more risky too if you’re trying to get it done in a short times as there are a lot of factors affecting building work. E.g I’ve seen stories of tradesmen being on site and being told at 8am that they can’t deliver the materials. If I was managing it myself, that cost falls to me.

 

[bummer007]

Surprised me and turned up on a Sunday to clear the site. Definitely ready to dig footings now.

Shows the difference an excavator makes. Eugegall can take down a whole house in the same time as they took done my conservatory

 

[bummer007]

We now have a big hole! They didn’t believe how much concrete the previous owner had put in for the old conservatory. Building control are coming tomorrow to hopefully approve the approach to the footings, then get dug and concrete poured.

 

[bummer007]

Building inspector happy, now we have a filled hole.

 

[bummer007]

Brickie turned up on a Saturday and we’re on the way up! Good progress in a day.

 

[bummer007]

We now have a concreted base. Next walls and roof I guess. Been smooth so far so hoping progress can continue and we can be done on time.

 

[dann2707]

Please forgive my ignorance but what's the middle bit for? The bit that looks like a brick rubble iceberg thing.

And what is the concrete for as it looks like you've poured another sandy coloured layer on afterwards? Is it a two step process? One to act as a foundation and the other like a waterproof layer? I know nothing about foundations etc so explain it to me like a 4 year old.

 

[jam.]

Please forgive my ignorance but what's the middle bit for? The bit that looks like a brick rubble iceberg thing.

View attachment 1534143

And what is the concrete for as it looks like you've poured another sandy coloured layer on afterwards? Is it a two step process? One to act as a foundation and the other like a waterproof layer? I know nothing about foundations etc so explain it to me like a 4 year old.

Put simply;
The middle bit is just what is left from digging the foundation trenches.

Concrete is poured in trenches, foundations built in brick up to dpc level off the concrete, slab poured on top

 

[Bjorn]

This is going to be lovely, especially with your view to the water. Did you consider extending right the way across the house to the right?

 

[Green51]

Could just about fit a Clio in there, never too late to make it a garage

 

[bummer007]

Put simply;
The middle bit is just what is left from digging the foundation trenches.

Concrete is poured in trenches, foundations built in brick up to dpc level off the concrete, slab poured on top

What that guy says. Although the middle bit was also what was left of the old conservatory base too. Basically, they put hardcore in, whack it down then a layer of sand, polyethene sheet and then concrete. Now ready to start the real beick

This is going to be lovely, especially with your view to the water. Did you consider extending right the way across the house to the right?

Thanks, we hope so. TBH not really, the kitchen diner is already big and to an excellent spec so we don’t really need the space and we didn’t want to mess with the existing kitchen layouts or knock out any more of the wall.

Could just about fit a Clio in there, never too late to make it a garage

I reckon we could get a clio in but luckily we already have a massive double garage at the front. (Thankfully as my wife has a lot of horse gear!)

 

[bummer007]

Could just about fit a Clio in there, never too late to make it a garage

That’s the best photo I have on my phone of current garage on the front...with a clean car on the drive

 

[bummer007]

Actual brickwork has begun. Where it looks like there’s bites out of the side pillars, it’s because they’d got confused and matched to the height of the kitchen windows and not the bay window the other side so I made them take 6 courses of bricks out that they’d just laid...oops. So they’ll have to fix those when they’re back.

 

[bummer007]

After a frustrating week of weather, most of the brickwork nearly done. Awaiting steel now so we can start the roof structure.