Progress is slow, but we are moving forward.

 Billy and l soon get to grips with laying the beams onto the steel, and the ground floor starts to come to life.

It doesn't take more than a day to get all the beams into place, although the smaller sections were too long. In fact it wasnt the smaller ones, it was the larger span that were 30mm too long which then made it difficult to get the smaller ones in place. So into town for a £50 diamond cutting blade that was able to cut through the metal reinforcing and the concrete.

Then the really heavy work comes when you have to move 800 blocks into their respective places.

Neil welding up another upright. Only another 20 to do.

Next delivery of concrete beams arrive, already for the first floor. All we need are the uprights and then we can move on.

In between the rain storms we weld up the pillars to support the first floor

It seems that we can only manage four uprights per day, what with the breaks for tea, lunch and the regular downpours. Rushing for cover into the Hobbit house, otherwise called a shipping container.

Billy lifts in one of the long universal beams. A delicate procedure.

7th July and we are nearly at the point where we can add the first floor concrete beams

The rain quickly turns the site into a mud bath. Its the Somme all over again.

As soon as the sun comes out it quickly dries out and you manage to walk without sliding through the site.

Timber fillers are bolted into the metal , after which we fit the 1.5m galvanized straps to hold the floor down, as if it could blow away with all the concrete on it.

The blocks need to be cut to fit the edges and then they have to be mortared in on top of the slip bricks.

16th July and most of the steel is up.

Another day of rain and we finish off the last of the uprights and also the ring of steel for the ground floor. We have also fixed the uprights for the spare bedroom/office. But we will have to wait for ten days for Neil to come back and top with the even thicker beams. They are site, but need to be lifted.
Plus its whats called the Glasgow Fair weeks. Two weeks of holiday for many businesses, including the gabion and concrete quarry.

 

Whilst waiting for this to happen, we make up more gabion baskets and on this occasion we manage to get Billy to use his 750mm to fill. More importantly, we wire them in to a dgree far greater than advised. But we have found that the weight of the stone soon find weaknesses in the build, bulging and forcing out on underwire edges. 

The quality of stone is also better, but still quite full of dust and small stone.

Even at a reduced rate of £20 a ton, thousands disappear in front of your eyes, and you never get to see them.
Took me ages to clear up the boulders that had been dumped onto the pavement. Eventually managed to move a couple of tons into the site which allowed me to replace the barriers and brush up the pavement. Could imagine people walking home in the dark and falling over the boulder filled path. Then again it does only get dark at 11pm. But you have a responsibility.

Also had another hiccup. The architect advised that the decking needed to be lifted 150mm higher than shown in the drawings. Down side. The pillars had been made, cut to size and where already galvanised. 
It was suggested that we cut and add. That join would look good as you are on the lower deck.
We will have two choices. Re fabricate five new pillars £1000. Which we cant do, due to time and costs. So we will have to build up the foundation, total cost £400. 
Once again, according to the architect, its not his fault, its the structural engineer.

BUT WHO PAYS FOR THESE CONTINUING COCK UP'S - GUESS WHO - YES ME.