Week 7 update

We have reached a milestone - the stone masons arrived at the start of the second week in March bringing with them a welcome change in the weather.

View from the lane down to the site

The good weather has enabled the builders to begin the construction of the internal structural walls either side if the main staircase.  We have made the decision to use 4inch blocks on the flat rather than 6 inch blocks on their edges. Whilst this increases the cost of the blocks the builders will work quicker with the lighter block and thus will be more economic overall. It also helps keep the builder on side who did not want to build an 8 meter high wall in one skin of 6 inch blocks.

Interior structural wall inn the sitting room

Graham has also cracked on and first floor in the long barn is complete enabling us to see what our snug and office will feel like. We have made the decision to alter the design slightly, in that we have removed the wall between the two rooms, and also inserted a mezzanine from this room over looking the dining room. This will mean that on entering the snug/office we will be have almost 50ft of the long barn's roof exposed - allowing us to retain as much of the building's character as possible.

Snug/office looking towards the dining room

The stone masons highlighted that the stone arches above the bedroom windows have dropped and that they could not be repaired in situ. The solution was to make a shaped steel plate to support the key stones. Inside we will support the stone with an oak lintel.  Cat's Dad to the rescue and his weekend was spent in the metal workshop. On Saturday morning we fired up the saw bench and cut the first oak felled on the farm to create 3 window lintels.

Oak for the lintels

And for the beams over the fireplace and Aga

Prepped for sawing

The saw bench in motion

With the weekend's hard work complete the masons have been able crack on with repairing the gable in order continue preparation for the ridge beams.

Adrian and Pete the stone masons inserting the first of the steel arches

And with the keystones back in place

The first lintel is inserted above the top window

The roof timbers have been ordered and should arrive this week.

Finally the stud work in the front of the barn has started in preparation for the wall plate and rafters.

In summary the team continues to work incredibly well and every day things have moved on leaps and bounds.

Stud work at the front of the mill