A surpisingly green roof...

Although the main contactor - O’Mac Construction completed the waterproofing the green roof itself was a task that we chose to take on ourselves! Over two intense weeks in March and June four layer of roofing build up from AGB Geosynthetics were layered on top of the root resistant liquid waterproofing and secured to the roof.

Over 15 tonnes of soil was then carefully placed on the roof by hand, working from the bottom up to ensure that the roof structure was loaded correctly and not over stressed. The soil was then seeded with a mix of local grasses and wildflowers.

Then five weeks later we have a surprisingly green roof…still a few sparse patches but in a couple of months time we should have a completely green roof….

New Year, New House

It has been a little while since the last progress update but things have moved on substantially! The roof Waterproofing is complete and aside from the landscaping the only external item we have left to complete is the green roof…best to save that for the warmer, less stormy weather!

Internally the floors have been laid, the walls are ready for decorating and the bathroom and kitchen have been fitted. All of this means were able to stay in the house for the first time last week and experience what the 60mph winds feel like standing inside the house!!

A couple more months and the decorations and roof will be complete and then we can get some finished photographs for everyone to see!

In the meantime here are a couple of photos from last week…. although you can still see the house from across the bay it easy to see now how the house will disappear into the landscape once that green roof goes on….

An Autumn Update

With the cladding on the outside of the building works have been progressing on the inside with the insulation, underfloor heating and screed installed. Utilities are connected and bathroom and kitchen furniture is ordered and ready for install as soon as the screed is dry enough.

Though the weather has not been kind…just waiting for that break to finish the roofing!

Below is an updated time lapse video showing progress until now….

All wrapped up

As summer has progressed so have the building works….the timber cladding to the external wall and soffit is nearly complete and the internal spaces are starting to feel enclosed…the building is now nearly watertight and everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that the windows arrive soon!

A building Jig....

Things are still moving on well on site...this is a slightly edited version of the timelapse video...with a small musical accompaniment!

Time Moves Fast....

Or at least it does on a time lapse camera....the recording started whist the foundation was under construction and continues as the main contractor - O'Mac Construction take over the site...things start to move at pace with the arrival of the Glulam Beams.....

Foundations Complete

So...June was a busy month...

The foundations were completed by C.A.McPherson from Perth who arrived on the 18th June to 40mph winds and driving rain and left on 22nd June with a complete slab ready to take the Glulam beams...

In a timber yard in Carnforth the larch cladding, grown near Newby Bridge was being profiled by Irving Timber ready for collection...

Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, in a workshop in Devon our Glulam beams were nearing completion ready for their long journey north at the start of July!

Mud Glorious Mud (and Rocks!!)

A final update before Easter! As the groundworks have continued we have learnt more about our site....there is a substantial amount of peat and quite a few large rocks. Most of the site has been leveled and there is only 500mm left to go before we can start building back up again.

The landscape looks even more dramatic now the rock is exposed behind the house but at least we know the hill won't fall down onto us! There is also a small stream in the rain....it is a nice feature....just more for a garden than a house!

In the photo above we can also see the shape of the driveway being formed. Not long left until it starts to look cleaner again!!

TIME TO MOVE SOME MUD!

So the groundworks have commenced...not the most glamorous part of the build but possibly the most important one! Our gorundworks contractor is GTS contracting and they are maing a good start on clearing the site!

It is very difficult to know quite how long this will take in Harris as there is a lot of rock....well at least there might be....you don't know until you start digging....another beautiful day on site though.

All Change!

Unfortunately the project in Lewis is a little slow off the ground....well a little is an understatement, the negotiations with the land are taking a while but we have not given up and we are sure eventually we will be able to progress Callum's House.

In the meantime we have decided that we cannot wait any longer (apparently we are not very patient!!).....so we have purchased a site in Bunavoneader, on the Isle of Harris. The site looks out west over the whaling station chimney towards the Atlantic. A planning application was submitted in December and permission received in February.....watch this space....we are finally building a bothy!

A little house in Lewis

This last bank holiday my Husband and I took an opportunity to visit a potential house site located in Lewis....up in a far flung corner of Scotland. The Isle of Lewis is a part of the Outer Hebrides and getting there is no mean feat, a flight from London to Inverness is followed by a short but slightly scary flight over to Stornoway. Once you are there however you are flung into a different world....there are few places more opposite than London!

The outer Hebrides are quiet, peaceful and remote, thankfully when we were there the sun was shining and then there is nowhere more beautiful. The house site is located on the Isle of Lewis, overlooking the beautiful Loch Shiphoirt to the south and we are hoping to submit a planning application to the local authority within the next 3 months. Fingers crossed it all goes to plan!

Whilst in the outer Hebrides we visited the wonderful Luskentyre beach, one of the finest in the world and spent plenty of time watching the sheep roaming around with their new lambs. The island life is summed up best on Sunday when everything closes, even the distillery! We took the opportunity to enjoy the nature and visit a couple of the wonderful honesty shops that are open 24 hours a day, a evening in watching the waves crashing into the headland with a peat fire burning in the corner and hearing nothing but the wind whistling and sheep bleating outside is the perfect remedy to our usually hectic London life!