Cottage renovation Part 6

 

Despite the bad weather recently, some progress has be made, with the roof now nearing completion : outstanding works comprise of the fixing of the ridge caps and some flashing to the elements of the vertical velux windows.

Inside work has commenced with the first fixing of services. Insulation options for the roof and ceiling are currently begining costed.

The delivery of the windows and doors are now due.

Cottage renovation Part 5

Work has progressed since my last site visit despite the poor weather. However its not been without delays.

The fixing of the breather membrane and slating battens is now complete, as is most of the slating on the northern side of the roof. However the completion of the slating has been delayed, as the vertical velux window units, were not ordered sufficient time in advance. As a point of information, the vertical elements codes VFA & VFB currently require a 3 week lead-in from date of ordering to delivery.

The client has opted to go with a factory finished hardwood timber window rather than Black uPVC. Windows and doors will be supplied by Carey Glass Joinery of Nenagh, who’s price was exceptionally competitive for the end product. A mixture of double and triple glazed units will be installed with delivery scheduled for the first week of December. Subject to favourable weather conditions, the external insulation and rendering will follow immediately.

Internally work has progressed; the first floor has now been floored with 18mm flooring grade ply and the studwork caucus now complete, which will enable commencement of the first fix of services. Final selection of sanitaryware will be critical in the coming week or so, to enable that element of the first fix progress.

At this stage the project is running 4-6 weeks behind the targeted programme, a common trait of self build projects constructed by direct labour.

Cottage renovation Part 4

The main roof structure is now complete, with work now progressing to preparing the roof for the velux windows. Velux windows to the south elevation will include vertical combinations, avoiding the necessity to construct dormers.

As noted below, rafters overhang the blockwork by a considerable amount, to allow for the provision of the external wall insulation, withthe insulation carried up  to the top of the wallplate, reducing cold bridging.

Cottage renovation Part 3

An unscheduled site visit had to be made yesterday to sort out a few unexpected problems. Addressable, however they do delay the work.

Despite starting on Monday and joisting out the first floor, the carpernter are not expected on site agin until Friday. Flooring to the first floor with be 18mm ply, providing a good base for tiles and laminate floor finishes.

Cottage renovation Part 2

Work is progressing on the cottage renovation. The project is behind programme, not helped in this instance by Tipperary winning the All Ireland Hurling Final: direct labour projects by their nature seldom go according to programme, as one is at the mercy of the sub-contractors, many of whom know that it will be the one and only time they will encounter that individual self-builder, unlike working for a building contractor.

At this stage the blockwork is complete. There is some work required around the existing opes, however this work is underway, mainly comprising of adjusting the cill levels, tidying up around the location of the former heads. New heads were cast as part of the band beam at first floor level. Cold bridges normally caused by band beams have been avoided in this instance with the used of external insulation.

The carpenter is due early next week to complete the first floor and commence the roof. While this will be going on, the windows and doors will be ordered(black uPVC has been selected) and installed prior to the installation of the external insulation and render. The external wall u-values have been calculated at a respectable least 0.22W/m2 using a thickness of 120mmof EPS insulation.

Consideration is currently been given to insulating the roof space along the line of the rafter right up to the ridge, creating a warm roof. I’m currently looking at the prop and cons of this, one major advantage of this method, which the clients sees, is of course the risk of frozen water pipes or a water tank is greatly reduced. The fact that there shouldn’t be excessive temperate differences in the attic, compared to the rest of the house, both in winter and summer, is also another factor wish is attractive to the client. Cost however may prove prohibitive… Kingspan, Xtratherm, Aeroboard, anybody?

Cottage renovation Part 1

Work is well under way to a cottage renovation, with blockwork having commenced last week following two weeks of demolition work. In the first in series of blog posts on the project, I will outline the choice of wall insulation.

With existing external walls of stone/rubble construction, it was decided to insulate the entire building externally, using weber's external wall insulation system. As a designer the choice of external insulation, was greatly influenced by the fact that the entire external face of the wall is insulated to the same thickness, with no thermal bridges, where cavities are closed or new and old work is bonded together. The proposal is to use the weber.therm XM  external wall insulation system which is Agrément Certified with a mineral fibre insulation to the existing stone/rubble walls and EPS to new conc blockwork. A series of articles in Construct Ireland Magazine entitled "Breaking the mould" which dealt with upgrading of single leaf external wall construction, further helped with the choice of insulation method.

All new work is constructed of solid blockwork, with the customary cavity eliminated. The dwelling does however comprise of a partly build extension of insulated cavity construction, which will also be insulated externally. In this element of the construction the entire cavity is been fully closed so there will be little or no air movement in the cavity.

The insulation will be carried down as far a practical below ground externally and right up to wall plate level at eaves. All existing windows and doors are to begining replaced and are brought forward in line with the external face of the external structure, further reducing cold bridges.

It is expected that the installion with be complete within the next 4-5 weeks, however beforehand the requirements from all service pipe supports etc has to be assessed and provisions made for.