we have so much to learn

21.2.2011

BUILDING NEWS

More research today. Edd and I drove into Melbourne to talk to the people in a shop that we found years ago when we had to repair a concrete water tank. They stock lots of waterproofing products and last time we took their advice it really worked. They also stock a funny sausage of material we are told can go in the joint between the concrete blocks and the slab and stop damp rising. Once again it is not cheap.

Our meeting last week with Al was fairly intense. So much to discuss and so little time. Edd wanted to talk about issues like the drainage and waterproofing and I was keen to clarify internal design. Edd had asked a local expect to look at our site and gives us his opinion about the drainage needs. He suggested putting at least two flexible drainage pipes covered with sleeves behind the block work to take any seepage water away and down the paddock on either side of the house.
Al had samples of the plastic mesh cladding that the waterproofing company who quoted for us use. They said that they could use the same material to make the drainage channels behind the house but once again we all thought that this was the most expensive option.

We need to finalise the chimney design so that we can put the order in for the flue lining that goes with the wood heater. Al explained that the height of the built in sofa beds determines the height we put the hearth in for the fire to sit on. The governing factor here seems to be the height that one wants to sit at. The design of the fire depends on knowing this because the mantelpiece needs to end up at a reachable height. I would ideally have a curved brick arch for the fire but Al thinks that it all might end up too high. We came away from the meeting with long lists of things we had to find out.

I did the sofa research on Friday and discovered that the average height of the top of a sofa seat was about 40 cm. I am not very tall so 38 cm is better for me. This depends also on how squashy the seats are so the next trip was to the futon factory. I was lucky there to meet a very helpful person called Bill. He showed me all the natural materials he could use and suggested five layers giving a firm seat with an initial depth of 7 inches that would settle to 5.

This week we have put the first order in for the larger H –blocks needed to build the back spine wall. The bricklayer plans to start next Monday and gave us lots of photos of similar work he has done. Looking at these was very encouraging. The slab looked much like ours with plastic drainpipes sticking up in odd places. Then the block walls started to rise and a three dimensional shape emerged. This stage will be really exciting.

On the way back from town we called in at a rock supplier and examined huge piles of stones of every colour and shape imaginable. There was every thing from brilliant white gleaming granite to dark black to ochre rock from Castella. We liked a yellow sand stone and a pinkish metamorphic, but un-named stone from Bairnsdale best and brought home samples. None of the rock looked exactly easy to build with.

OTHER NEWS

Whilst we were in town trip we picked up our order from Plasdene Glass. Simon buys his beer bottles and I brought the little jars we used when we made jam for our host farm guests from them. This time I only need the larger jars that are used for market produce and the milk bottles.

Family has also needed time this week. My mother, in the UK has had a fall and I have spent most evenings on the phone trying to help that situation. Wayne has also needed some help to start off the process of sorting out the teeth he damaged playing football this year. He has managed to get the insurance company to meet most of the charges but they will only re-in burse him after he has had the treatment. He could not have the treatment with out paying huge bills and in the mean time he was getting the injury infected so something had to be done.

For relaxation Al, Bo all the kids and Edd and I went up to the sailing club on Sunday. The kids all had their squad class and then Bo took Sylkie home to organise food for everyone and the rest of us got into boats and set off across the reservoir. We were just offshore when the weather changed dramatically. The wind went up and became choppy, icy drizzle poured down and increasingly large waves dictated our direction of progress what ever we tried.

Edd and I had to be towed back to the jetty by the rescue boat but we got soaked and had a good lesson on how minimal our sailing skills were. Al and family took longer to rescue as they were blown right into the edge and had to take down their sails and get onto the rescue boats. I think we are all very glad we decided to learn somewhere so helpful.