2 Storey Side Extension with Lift!

Ironwork has been added to the new roof rafters, beams, and wall plates.

 

Ooops! Not a great start to WEEK 14...



A block of wood bounced out of the skip and into my car. Should have parked it further away!

 

Not the roof finish I was looking for, but I think it will mellow in..



Work has started on the old utility room.



The downstairs loo is the new temporary washing room..



The old utility room ceiling/roof from above. Note the pathetic attempt at insulation in 1973! Now you see it...



Now you don't...

 

WEEK 15 The big reveal!

This week walls were knocked down, the old garage flat roof removed and the space opened up. Here's a shot of the utility room before...



And after...





These are the new openings to the lift (right) and stairs to the media room (left). The electricians are coming in next week to tidy up the birds-nest of wires.

 

The old garage flat roof has been removed and the media room finally revealed.



The media room ceiling will have 2 heights, to create a lit up recess. But this makes the ceiling timberwork appear complex.



You can also see that the blue sarking membrane and roof battens have been added. We are almost watertight. Hooray!

 

WEEK 16 The Lift is installed.

I like trucks, so imagine my delight when the lift arrived on this beauty..



Who knew that lifts came flat packed?





Then the installation begins. The guide brackets are fitted to the wall to take the guide rails.



Rails are attached and the central piston installed. This is a hydraulic lift which pushes a piston that is attached to the cabin via cables over the yellow pulley wheels. The pulleys have a multiplying effect on the piston movement. Basically, for every 1cm the piston moves up, the cabin raises by 2cm.



This photo shows (a mess!) the pump unit, control box and the bottom of the piston.



The lift cabin sits on a platform (silver), attached to the trolley (grey) which rides up and down the rails (black). You can also see the pulley cables attached to the trolley.

 

But IT DOESN'T FIT !!!

The lift is built to order, and we gave exact measurements for the purpose built shaft, which is 1250mm deep. But the engineer said he needed 1270mm. The lift platform was catching on the nearside wall.

The drawings give a tolerance of 20mm either side of the platform but the engineer said they need 30mm. The extra 10mm each side appears to be for the wiring loom to cross over the shaft.



The only thing for it was to knock out the wall and lintel above to give the clearance needed. The concrete lintel and blocks installed 2 weeks ago have now been replaced with a wooden lintel. There will have to be some additional support stud work installed around this on the ground and 1st floors.

The really annoying thing is that this was completely avoidable, even up to the point last week when the lift co. surveyor came out, measured the shaft and signed it off for installation.

I shall be contacting the lift company for redress!



At least it now fits. Just!

A closer view of the wiring.



There is also a problem with a faulty safety sensor, so the lift won't be finished until next week.

 

What a bugger!!! Even more so after their own surveyor had been onsite

 

Meanwhile, up on the roof, work has started above the front porch. Replacing the flat roof with a pitched version. To keep the lines, the new roof continues on from the new roof above the garage. But, to avoid blocking the picture window, the roof has a ridge with a pitch behind it. it's easier to see than explain.





Now covered with membrane.

 

The roof framework has been installed at the rear, with 3 gaps for the Velux roof windows.



The Velux windows have gone in at the front, and roof tiling started.



First views from inside the new media room. Note the vaulted ceiling, which was J's idea. Thanks.





The lift now has doors and is working. Yeh! But it has been disconnected until officially signed off. The nibs need to be built in next. Pics to follow.

 

I've lost count, but I think this is WEEK 18.

One of those weeks when not a lot appears to change, but it's all about the detail. Working on the main roof and the pitched roof over the porch.





Inside the porch roof.



Now with insulation.



The roof has a fibreglass gully and some fancy leadwork.









Very neat.

 

WEEK 19

More detail on the roof.







The leadwork has been patinated with oil to stop the rainwater run-off staining the tiles.