The Next Phase

With the impending arrival of autumn (given that we have hardly had a summer, again), I've had a breather this week and done very little on the house.

Our thoughts are now turning our focus to the question of the "service wing" extension at the back of the house.  My understanding is that the house has had three major phases: firstly (in 1834?), it was a rectangular schoolhouse of squared limestone with a ridge roof running east to west; the front was at the eastern end where there is part of an archway visible in the wall.  Then they converted it to a pair of semis, facing south (we own the western half, on the left of the photo right), adding a larger rectangular structure (in coursed rubble) to create the back rooms and allow for the front doors to be positioned on either side (just visible on either side of the photo right); we have dated this to prior to 1870.

Finally they built the brick extensions at the back on either side as the kitchens. This extension (left and right) is a brick built, single storey structure with a simple slate roof, set at an angle which appears too shallow for slates.  The brickwork is now in poor repair, one wall (photo below right) is bulging badly with loose bricks and daylight visible!  Additionally the roof structure is rotten after the years of damp neglect, and the ground around has been concreted at the level of the floor inside, adding to the damp problems.


Our plan is to repair this building with a new roof and re-positioned doors and windows.  Originally we wanted to extend it but this application was refused as it would have spoiled the symmetry of the pair of buildings.  Our plan now, with the Conservation Officer's verbal agreement, is instead to add a conservatory which, being obviously new, does not have the same effect on the symmetry.  This conservatory will be a solid piece of structure, hopefully from 6" square oak in a natural finish (if we can afford it!), although the CO has said that it should have a brick wall at one end so that the conservatory is not visible from the front... words fail me.  I'll do anything that gets it done and saves me having to have further interaction with such an unpredictable person.  The application is in and so now I need to come up with some decisions.

The major decision is how to do the repair work.  The building is single brick but we will have to make the walls thicker to meet Building Regulations; hence, does everything have to be done in lime?  I am all for it as a general principle but if this is not actually essential for breathability, it would make sense to make the entire finished extension using modern materials, even with Thermalite blocks on the inner skin!  Then a builder I know just threw a huge spanner in my works by suggesting that the inner structure could be an insulated wooden frame.  I have no idea as to whether this would be acceptable to the CO.

Then the next question will be the materials for the conservatory - the ideal desire for green oak will be simply a matter of whether we can afford it.  Hopefully, as it's not large the cost will be vaguely sensible...

Then all I have to do is to enlist the required contractors and we're off!  Firstly the lads to demolish most of it, then the groundworker to remove a lot of concrete and earth, then also do the foundations and drains, then the brickie for the footings and walls, then the same demolition lads to do the roof structure, slates and lead.    Finally, we'll get the same plasterer, electrician and plumber back.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?

[Edited 6 Sep to include photos of service wing]

We actually live here now

Never move house just before you have a holiday.  We have just returned from a 16 night camping holiday to our "new" house, and it just feels so strange; after all, we had only spent 13 nights here before the holiday, so we didn't really know what it was like to live in this house after spending so long restoring it.  We came inside and walked around admiring the handiwork as though we had never seen it before!  Do we actually live here now?  We own it, it's all ours!  We had even forgotten where things were - which drawer contained the cling film in the kitchen; more importantly, where was my clean underwear?  I didn't realise how bad it was until Jane came home tonight and asked why there was so much stuff in the sink.  "Have you forgotten that we now have a dishwasher again?"  Or is that just my age?

Apart from my memory, the other trouble now is motivation.  For the last nine months I have been working to a plan (sort of) which basically was to do all the necessary things so that we could move in.  Having achieved that, I now have serious problems in personal motivation and prioritization.  There is so much to do in the house, quite apart from our plan to re-build the brick extension (which is about to fall down) and sort out the garden/drive.  I can see why people talk about taking ten or more years on their period property renovation, so I must stick with the weekly lists of tasks and make sure that I achieve what I aim for each week.  There are also loads of boxes containing the assorted miscellanea of 37 years of marriage, and for once I do not have a storeroom or garage to hide them in; in fact, I don't even have a store for my tools which are now getting in the way.

The good news is that we have submitted our revised planning application for the brick extension and conservatory; my aim is to start the repair of the existing building in September (for which we don't need planning permission) and hope that the full approval is forthcoming soon after.  However, after previous encounters, I am not counting any chickens as far as the council are concerned!