One of the advantages we have in the house/apartment we are renting
whilst the build is taking place is that I can look across the valley
from our terrace and just make out, some 8km away and with the aid of
binoculars, sections of our plot.
Early one morning I looked
across and saw that the concrete pump was already in place. I rapidly
made my way across and arrived on site before 0900 hrs. On the way I
passed two returning ready mix lorries and discovered that pouring had
been underway for over an hour.
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| Pouring the main beams well under way. |
The concrete was being carefully pumped into the beam "moulds",
created by the outer shuttering and the polystyrene blocks, and a
vibration tool was being used to tamp down and smooth the concrete. Special
attention was again paid by the team to the section around the
perimeter of the house site and to carefully working the concrete
around the reinforced waste pipes to avoid damaging them.
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| Extra care being taken around the waste pipe runs. |
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| Vibrating carefully around the perimeter of the build. |
In order to create large open plan living area with south facing wall
of windows the engineers have specified a couple of metal pillars to
support the earth covered roof. These supports will be bolted to plates
that have been set into one of the main beams. The contractor who is
undertaking the metalwork for the project had therefore turned up to
accurately set these plates in position and to ensure that they would be
well and truly anchored into the beam. After an initial problem that
was resolved after a lot of "discussion" this was duly accomplished.
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| Setting the steel plates to support the steel columns carefully and accurately in place. |
Meanwhile the pouring and vibration of the concrete continued non-stop
with particular attention throughout being paid to the outer beams on
the east, north and west sides of the house.
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| The final pour of the day. (Yes the lorry wheels really were at the very edge of the earth "cliff". |
Once again there was a last top up load of concrete required which was,
rather precariously, delivered directly from the lorry perched on the
very edge of the steep bank down to the house site, carefully laid,
tamped down and finished as the end of another exciting non- stop day.
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| End of another very successful day. |
