My House renovation in Slovakia Blog.

[Mrdjc]

I thought this might interest some people..

It's in Blog format, as its a lot easier to create pages and upload pictures with picassa etc.

I started it back in January but the project ground to a halt due to lack of funding/willingness etc, and I went home to the UK for the summer, but now its being picked up again.

Anyhow, here's the link:

www.brit-living-in-sk.blogspot.com

Let me know what you think.. A lot of the original plans have changed already, but hopefully it will get somewhere soon.

Comments (even negative ones) are welcome

 

[RedHerring2]

Bonne chance! or veľa šťastia. I can't even pronounce the slovakian one.

 

[Mrdjc]

It's simple (even though I've been here for 2 years and still don't speak a word of the language.. )
My Slovak is speaking English more slowly and slightly louder.

veľa šťastia

Vel-la Shtjast-ia (I think!)

Just been informed that we can have a load of Sandy/gravely unwashed stuff delivered for free (They are building a new connecting road/bypass locally) and Skanska (who is building the road) is dumping them wherever they can to get shot of it, sometimes it pays to known the Mayor very well

It will do quite nicely for blinding sand and bedding in pipes/cables in the ground

 

[RedHerring2]

I don't know if you saw my comments on quarry waste used as sand blinding on my French house restoration.
The first time I used quarry waste, then dpm, then insulation.
Nxt time I'll use quarry waste, layer of insulation, dpm, then another layer of insulation.

I was a little worried about the quarry waste puncturing the dpm. I don't think it did, but there's always the possibility.

 

[Mrdjc]

I'm planning on using the concrete slab as thermal mass, so yes, Blinding Material, Insulation DPM, Concrete.

The insulation is High Density Extruded Polystyrene so it doesn't mind sitting on a damp underground as it won't absorb anything.

 

[RedHerring2]

In France they sell the both types, high density is designed for floor slabs. the greatest thickness I could get was 40mm. In hindsight I would have done: blinding, 40mm insulation, dpm, 40mm insulation, concrete.

The ready-mix concrete there was much wetter than I'm used to here in UK.

 

[Mrdjc]

I've managed to find a very good supplier here (Dektrade) which stocks 100mm XPS insulation, it's currently in storage in the garage
9 Tonne of Concrete aggregate arrived today

 

[RedHerring2]

Blimey, you mixing your own?
Is that about 10m³? Me and the good lady did about 1m³ per day for the terrasse. But that was about a 25m hike with the barrow each time.
Me mixing, barrowing it and she spreading and tamping, with me helping out with final tamping.

So I hope you've got some strong, fit assistants, maybe even 2 mixers.

 

[Mrdjc]

I'm going to do it room by room, over a few months.

The first room is going to be 4 x 4.5m x 100mm so 1.8M3

Mixer will be 135L mixing output of about 80L.

22 or 23 loads

I might do a 80mm layer and then screed the final 20mm at a later stage once all the walls are up and done.

 

[Mrdjc]

Done a pretty mahoosive update on the blog tonight... had a fair bit of catching up to do!

 

[Mrdjc]

Updated again, concrete is in, taking another wall down supporting roof trusses with acro-props and re-routing old 3 phase wiring as a temporary measure.

 

[Mrdjc]

End of destruction for now.. building up has commenced!

 

[Mrdjc]

Just updated again.

www.brit-living-in-sk.blogspot.com

Walls plastered, plasterboard ceiling in and electrics done.. almost time to paint and then do the floor screed, then done! (Well, one room that is..)

 

[Jamie80]

hope your work is doing well. what part of slovakia?

 

[Mrdjc]

It's in the South east of the country, near the second largest city called Kosice.

All going well, should hopefully get round to fitting the laminate flooring tomorrow for the first room