My first meeting with a Building Control Officer

The "highlight" of the week, apart from completing the limecrete slab (see previous entry below), was the first visit of a real Building Control Officer (BCO).  I have been trying to develop some sort of communication with BC since early December, and have been in receipt of either poor advice which is contradicted by the next person you speak to, or else they simply fail to respond to telephone calls and even a letter.  So I just shoved in my application, got on with the work (i.e. digging out the hole for the limecrete floor) and called BC when I needed them to do a stage inspection when we were about to lay the limecrete slab this week.

I was actually quite apprehensive about this, but the chap who came was very nice and easy to talk to.  He was also quite frank about the state of the Council's BC team (who have suffered vicious job cuts in recent months), and also about the internal politics which I had viewed from afar.  Basically, Planning, Conservation and BC all have a view of life and the rules for each mean that they are often in conflict!  He believes that BC's hand will be reinforced in the next few years as modern rules on energy conservation are applied more to old buildings, so that Conservation will have less of a say in what is allowed.  Since I had Conservation forbid double glazing in a brand new sash window which is being made for us (replacing a metal framed sixties design), I think that can't come soon enough.  However, I'm sure that there will be a downside somewhere...

I wonder if the BCO was impressed by the amount of spoil outside in the garden?

As I said, the point of the visit was for him to see the construction of the limecrete floor slab whilst it was in progress.  He was interested in the details as he had never seen one before, and so I explained with my customary enthusiasm and he seemed quite happy.  He was well aware that in a listed building he has very little power at the moment and so k-values etc were quite irrelevant.  Logically that's fine (in my view) as what is being fitted well be far better in that regard than what was there, and the point is that if you dig down too far to install a breathable floor then your old building might well collapse.  Presumably someone will sort out this sort of issue before BC do get given wider reaching powers; the idea of a three foot deep hole in such a building does not bear thinking about!

Also this week the plastering was completed for now, and there remains only the kitchen, and a chimney breast in the lounge to be done later.  We have the finished smooth coat on three bedrooms, the bathroom, landing, hall, stairs and lounge.  It has been a lot longer in coming than I anticipated, and my budget was well and truly blown by the extra time and the vast amount of materials required.  The only other thing done this week was finishing the floorboard repairs in the main bedroom.  I replaced two sections of board (which had to be ripped to the right width) and repaired another couple of floorboards which were glued, clamped and screwed successfully so I think I'm fairly happy with my skills on that.  This was all required after the ravages of floorboards being lifted without the necessary love and care (don't get me started!) by certain tradesmen. 

Now, it's Easter and I rested on Good Friday, and even took part in some spiritual events at the church opposite the house.  Today (Saturday) we went for a long walk in the wonderful country around here to make the most of the great weather, and on Easter Sunday we shall be at the sunrise service at the church (you work out the time!).  Then on Monday I shall be back at work on the house - no rest for the wicked!