Another task off the list We’re dying to get the walls up
Our block layer didn’t have to come far, about 100 metre from his home and the place he grew up. He remembers our field as a child and seeing ridges of potatoes /Fataí in the lower field. Lovely to have involved in our building journey, he also crossed path with my Dad 20 years ago when they worked on a job together.
A small job for our block layer, but he got it done accurate and tidy job, I loved how he transformed the site to his work place for the week with the outdoor radio accompanying the work.
Twin blocks for the twin walls with insulation in-between, when you go down this self-build route, this small work falls on us to coordinate and do. Harder to hand this over to one subcontractor.
Cian has been hands on this part. We were undertreated by storm Eunice and getting the DPCS bonded to the DPM before the timber frame is installed. We are the architect, engineer, Contractor, Client and labourer, getting your hands dirty is part of the fun with self-build. I’d like to do more myself but someone has to look after the kiddies. My father-in-law has been a big help, helping me with pickup from creche and keeping the two entertained in the car while I pop into site to do a quick visit. with Total commitment is required for self-build, even when the first shift ends and the kids are put to bed, there is always time to catch-up of review of drawings, details, or queries to suppliers, getting quotes, managing the budget, research for fittings and finishes, kitchen utility, appliances, lights, sanitaryware, sometimes its’s hard to believe that it’s a job for ourselves and not a client, agonise on the decisions even more, maybe I should treat myself like a client.
Wearing the many hats of a self-builder. It is a marathon, there is no point looking too far down the road, you will only feel overwhelmed by all the activities ahead. What’s in our immediate sight and what do we need to have planned for. Even if you’re organised with quotes from suppliers, if you delay getting back to them. They too busy and don’t want to take on the work or want to requote. There is definitely a benefit of getting appointments done, prices locked in, you also have an appointment contractor to bounce questions off as you go through the build and it helps with coordination.
Scaffolding will go up this week, it’s hard to believe, we’ve got to this point, but I’m so ready to see the spaces formed and the scaffolding to form the silhouette of our building and give us a sneak peak of the view from the first floor.
At the end of the week Irish ecohomes will install the sole plate which will form the base of the timber frame. Once we press go on this, there will be another flurry of activity.
Samples produced for window tray/cill, these will be fitted at the base of the floor to ceiling windows. We will be able to press go on the roof, windows (currently waiting in storage) and the battens for the cladding I’m looking forward to a busy active site
Yes, self-building can be exhausting especially with small kids who sometimes sleep, a conveyor belt of germs from the crèche, but we keep resetting. A night out would be amazing, but we will plough on and keep our eye on the prize.
I made an effort to speak Irish with our block layer, I try to use Irish until I get into difficulty. Throughout the lockdowns I’ve been doing Irish courses online, I’d love to be fluent by now, but I try to use it in any daily life and Cian’s family.
