My Self Build - Dorset
Discussion
Well pretty much all the lower steel frame is now complete. The carpenters (not the pop group) are in later this week to construct the flat roof that goes all round the edge and then the steel company can come back next week to complete the steel for the mono pitch roofs.
View from the rear:
View from the front:
View from front left corner:
Steels above the kitchen taken from living room:
View from the rear:
View from the front:
View from front left corner:
Steels above the kitchen taken from living room:
So in the last few weeks the carpenters have been in to complete the flat roof rafters.
Once that was complete it gave a platform for the steel guys to fit the pitch roof.
First the left side.
And then the right joined it.
So now you can begin to get a feeling for the height of the inside along the hallway toward the living area.
And from the rear.
So from the road it's starting to look big again.
So that was as of Friday just gone.
This week they are finishing the roof carpentry, starting to build the fireplace and, weather permitting, putting the pitched roof on the garage.
Once that was complete it gave a platform for the steel guys to fit the pitch roof.
First the left side.
And then the right joined it.
So now you can begin to get a feeling for the height of the inside along the hallway toward the living area.
And from the rear.
So from the road it's starting to look big again.
So that was as of Friday just gone.
This week they are finishing the roof carpentry, starting to build the fireplace and, weather permitting, putting the pitched roof on the garage.
Quick update.
Fireplace almost built in Living/Dining Room.
Left hand Zinc roof almost complete.
Internal walls nearly all complete to full height - this is the kitchen wall you can see under the middle roof section.
Hopefully all roofing will be complete in the next 2 weeks and then the windows can go in.
Fireplace almost built in Living/Dining Room.
Left hand Zinc roof almost complete.
Internal walls nearly all complete to full height - this is the kitchen wall you can see under the middle roof section.
Hopefully all roofing will be complete in the next 2 weeks and then the windows can go in.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 7th November 17:13
straker said:
looking good . . . I'd love a zinc roof one day 
do you know the reason for the different bricks on some of the walls? some are large blocks, and some
are shallow blocks laid in pairs, its probably obvious but I'm a bit slow today!
thanks
Some blocks are supporting the roof and steels so are laid on their side or doubles. That's all I know!!do you know the reason for the different bricks on some of the walls? some are large blocks, and some
are shallow blocks laid in pairs, its probably obvious but I'm a bit slow today!
thanks
5potTurbo said:
Is the zinc roof coloured or natural zinc finish?
We have zinc on the dormers and their surround of our new house (2nd floor attic rooms) and the roof around the front door recess. It's finished in very dark grey to match the colour scheme of the house.
If it's VM Zinc, which I am using, then the colour you have is probably the Anthra whereas I have the lighter Quartz. Quartz is a natural zinc colour as you can see below.We have zinc on the dormers and their surround of our new house (2nd floor attic rooms) and the roof around the front door recess. It's finished in very dark grey to match the colour scheme of the house.
Burnham said:
It looks a lot bigger in the pictures than id imagined from the renderings. You must be sleepless with excitment!
Lovely spot too - I have a mate who lives on Cliff Drive, so I cant wait to see your place all finished. Hope all goes to plan
Cheers! Yes, as it's getting closer to looking like a house I'm getting more excited and starting to think about what it will be like to live there. I've had many sleepless nights either worrying or just trying to make decisions on the many things you have to. It's a great learning experience though Lovely spot too - I have a mate who lives on Cliff Drive, so I cant wait to see your place all finished. Hope all goes to plan
I was only commenting to the builder on Friday that the roofs look much bigger than I imagined.
Cliff Drive is a lovely spot with those views over the sea.
Well another 6 weeks has passed and we are now all roofed in and the floor based first fix plumbing and electrics have been done (everything that will be in the floor). This weekend all the floor insulation (Celotex) gets laid and the screed is scheduled to be poured the week after Christmas.
Then the above ground 1st fix electrics, mainly lighting and speakers, will get done and the windows will be installed the week of 6 January when the house will finally be watertight.
The one thing that you can never prepare for is the sheer volume of decisions that you suddenly have to make. The position of sockets, switches and lights is just one of a multitude of things you have to decide on. Although I had planned much of this months ago, it's not until the building starts to look and feel more like a house that you really feel in a position to make these decisions.
So pictures from today:
The completed zinc roof as seen from my neighbours front.
The 3 roofs as seen from the rear garden.
The left zinc roof and flat roof.
And from the rear.
The hallway from the front door.
My office where the AV/Data racking will be. More Cat 6 to follow.
The master bedroom starting to take shape.
Master en-suite with vaulted ceiling.
The living room as seen from the end of the hallway.
The kitchen with extractor ducting ready for its screed covering.
The kitchen as seen from hallway end.
The central fireplace as seen from living room towards the kitchen,
There is still a possibility of being finished at the end of February but it's more likely to be March.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Then the above ground 1st fix electrics, mainly lighting and speakers, will get done and the windows will be installed the week of 6 January when the house will finally be watertight.
The one thing that you can never prepare for is the sheer volume of decisions that you suddenly have to make. The position of sockets, switches and lights is just one of a multitude of things you have to decide on. Although I had planned much of this months ago, it's not until the building starts to look and feel more like a house that you really feel in a position to make these decisions.
So pictures from today:
The completed zinc roof as seen from my neighbours front.
The 3 roofs as seen from the rear garden.
The left zinc roof and flat roof.
And from the rear.
The hallway from the front door.
My office where the AV/Data racking will be. More Cat 6 to follow.
The master bedroom starting to take shape.
Master en-suite with vaulted ceiling.
The living room as seen from the end of the hallway.
The kitchen with extractor ducting ready for its screed covering.
The kitchen as seen from hallway end.
The central fireplace as seen from living room towards the kitchen,
There is still a possibility of being finished at the end of February but it's more likely to be March.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Botley roofing - very efficient guys.Pictures from last few weeks to today.
From 5th and 7th Jan - this was when the window frames started going in and the UFH pipes were laid and then screeded over.
Frames for High Level Windows in Hall
Hallway UFH pipes
UFH in Kitchen. We had to board up the rear of the property ready for screed being laid, hence the dark image.
Screed in the kitchen/dining room
Screed down hallway
![]()
Screed in Kitchen
FROM TODAY
So after letting the screed dry for 48 hours we had the electrician start all the 1st fix.
First fix electrics and plumbing all now complete and all the windows are in. Garage has been dry lined and the rest of the house starts this week.
Rear Patio Doors in at last. Glass gets fitted tomorrow.
Garage - looks narrow in this pic but is about a garage and a half in width.
Inside the kitchen.
Inside the lounge looking to the kitchen.
Hallway with high level glass now installed.
Spare bedroom.
Kitchen doors.
The front now ready for cladding and rendering.
From 5th and 7th Jan - this was when the window frames started going in and the UFH pipes were laid and then screeded over.
Frames for High Level Windows in Hall
Hallway UFH pipes
UFH in Kitchen. We had to board up the rear of the property ready for screed being laid, hence the dark image.
Screed in the kitchen/dining room
Screed down hallway
Screed in Kitchen
FROM TODAY
So after letting the screed dry for 48 hours we had the electrician start all the 1st fix.
First fix electrics and plumbing all now complete and all the windows are in. Garage has been dry lined and the rest of the house starts this week.
Rear Patio Doors in at last. Glass gets fitted tomorrow.
Garage - looks narrow in this pic but is about a garage and a half in width.
Inside the kitchen.
Inside the lounge looking to the kitchen.
Hallway with high level glass now installed.
Spare bedroom.
Kitchen doors.
The front now ready for cladding and rendering.
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 19th January 19:02
Craikeybaby said:
Now it is coming together you can see just how impressive it will be - the sort of house you see on Grand Designs!
How big is that garage?
It's even surprised me and the architect as to how good it looks 'in the flesh' so to speak :-)How big is that garage?
Iirc garage is 3.6m wide and 7m long
pmanson said:
My folks are in Mudeford - there are a couple down there that you can rent by the day.
I was surprised at how much it costs to buy a shed with a sea view
Most Sandbanks ones are council let but they are still very expensive. Boscombe still have 60% of their pods for sale - £70K originally I believe!I was surprised at how much it costs to buy a shed with a sea view
TonyHetherington said:
Wow, what a build! I remember seeing your drawings in another thread, but had managed to completely miss this one.
Looks fantastic!
I'm just finishing renovating a house (so not close to your full on build), but even I found the decisions you HAVE to make quite tough. Not just on final decoration, but really early things like where you want light switches, sockets etc. etc....all of which you have to choose really early on, but until you start using/living in the house you don't quite know how you use it. And at least I had a house to walk in! You had to do that by drawings!
It's really interesting Tony. I thought I had everything covered until the last week or so when the decisions needing to me made have accelerated beyond belief on some days. I am renting only 5 minutes walk from the build so often will pop up for 20 minutes to see whats going on only to be there for an hour answering questions (read: making things up) and coming back home with a list of things I still need to decide on.Looks fantastic!
I'm just finishing renovating a house (so not close to your full on build), but even I found the decisions you HAVE to make quite tough. Not just on final decoration, but really early things like where you want light switches, sockets etc. etc....all of which you have to choose really early on, but until you start using/living in the house you don't quite know how you use it. And at least I had a house to walk in! You had to do that by drawings!
Last week it was what front door (thought I had that nailed until I saw what was actually needed rather than imagined), what sockets and switches (changed due to needing to match with other things I had not imagined), where do you want this, where should that go, how high, how long etc.
It's a fantastic experience but it can be exhausting on days
Still, end of March is not far away! The underfloor heating was switched on Monday - that's made a massive difference already, and the kitchen is scheduled for first week of March - and I can now start to dream of what it will be like to actually have a home of my own again.
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