Starting our self build - knocking down the sheds.
Discussion
Good stuff mate - I've put the blog in my faves to see how you're progressing. How did you acquire the land? And why there? And where in Cambs are you?
How long for the whole project do you think?
So many questions ... sorry!
(How deep did you have to dig to get the bottom of the posts out?)
How long for the whole project do you think?
So many questions ... sorry!
(How deep did you have to dig to get the bottom of the posts out?)
How did we acquire the land? - We used Plotsearch to look for plots with at least outline planning permission. This one was one of the first we saw, then we looked around at about half a dozen others to convince ourselves that this was what we wanted. We also looked around at normal houses, just to check what we could get, but that just confirmed our view that property around Cambridge is hideously expensive.
Why here? - We lived in the middle of Cambridge, but wanted more space - gardens and garages. We didn't want to move too far away from the city as my work tends to be centred around there, or a short trip down to London. We looked in various villages around the area and found one that had good transport links, wasn't too far out and had it's own community and services.
How long for the whole project? - Hah! We saw the plot in June 2003, lost it to another bidder who pulled out a couple of months later (the ex owner wanted a complicated covenant on the site). We put in an offer, and took another year to negotiate the covenant. We bought it in 2004 and started to apply for planning permission. We moved on site in 2005 and have since put in three separate planning applications and one appeal. Our last application was accepted in November 2008 and we have spent the last six months sorting out reserved matters (details of bricks and tiles and other stuff which the planners need to approve before we build). We're building the main structure (walls and roof) with SIPs (structural insulated panels), so the house will 'go up' in about two weeks. Then we'll spend around six months fitting it out. If all goes to plan, we should be able to move in early in 2010. But, having been delayed so much, I don't like giving deadlines. We plan to eat Christmas Dinner in the house, even if it's not finished (which it probably won't be).
As for getting the posts out, none of them seem to be more than three foot deep, so as long as I've given them a bit of room to lean, I'm just pulling them out without any digging. Quite a few of them are rotten enough to just snap when a two tonne truck gives them a yank.
Why here? - We lived in the middle of Cambridge, but wanted more space - gardens and garages. We didn't want to move too far away from the city as my work tends to be centred around there, or a short trip down to London. We looked in various villages around the area and found one that had good transport links, wasn't too far out and had it's own community and services.
How long for the whole project? - Hah! We saw the plot in June 2003, lost it to another bidder who pulled out a couple of months later (the ex owner wanted a complicated covenant on the site). We put in an offer, and took another year to negotiate the covenant. We bought it in 2004 and started to apply for planning permission. We moved on site in 2005 and have since put in three separate planning applications and one appeal. Our last application was accepted in November 2008 and we have spent the last six months sorting out reserved matters (details of bricks and tiles and other stuff which the planners need to approve before we build). We're building the main structure (walls and roof) with SIPs (structural insulated panels), so the house will 'go up' in about two weeks. Then we'll spend around six months fitting it out. If all goes to plan, we should be able to move in early in 2010. But, having been delayed so much, I don't like giving deadlines. We plan to eat Christmas Dinner in the house, even if it's not finished (which it probably won't be).
As for getting the posts out, none of them seem to be more than three foot deep, so as long as I've given them a bit of room to lean, I'm just pulling them out without any digging. Quite a few of them are rotten enough to just snap when a two tonne truck gives them a yank.
Tuna said:
spikeyhead said:
I'm a bit disappointed, had visions of some classic Fred Dybner demolition technique 
The traction engine wouldn't start that morning. 
I'd got visions of some fires being started so that the main support poles fell over in a sequence and you having to sprint away as it came down a little quicker than expected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L1WOnR2KBY
with a healthy measure of 
and 
Love the Dibnah video ...
I saved some screengrabs from it - when coppers looked like coppers, no hard hat for Fred, standing about 20ft from it when it fell Can you imagine 'Elf and Safety today - blimey ... and the crud this thing threw out when burning - cos it had old car tyres on it -
I saved some screengrabs from it - when coppers looked like coppers, no hard hat for Fred, standing about 20ft from it when it fell
Can you imagine 'Elf and Safety today - blimey ... and the crud this thing threw out when burning - cos it had old car tyres on it - Edited by MikeyT on Friday 15th May 09:08
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff