Gulp...!

We're in the Ullapool News! We think this means we've been granted a building warrant. Does it include stage one? Can we have the roof tiles we want? The building warrant officer wasn't happy to learn that our chosen roof tiles need no underlay and are held together by what appears to be velcro. Will we be the couple running around lochside picking up roof tiles every time there is a bit of a breeze?
The foundations are finished. What if they're crooked? The Trelleborg team were emphatic about the accuracy needed when constructing a timber framed building. They arrive on Wednesday evening (4 of them) They are driving up from Devon. The house is coming over by boat from Denmark to arrive on Thursday. As yet no one is sure whether it will come to Harwich or Newcastle. What if it's the wrong house? What if we made some terrible mistake? What if the Trelleborg team don't like the shepherds pie I'll make for their tea? I'm worried for the first time. There still seems such an enormous amount to do. The man along the road has said we can borrow his scaffolding. We are still trying to find a joiner to help with the completion of the inside.

This isn't the house! It's a box that Niels has built to hold the consumer unit so that the electricity can be connected. We thought that would be this week, but despite various phone calls and emails the electricity board hasn't heard of us! They will come a week on Wednesday, almost a week after we need electricity. Fortunately our neighbours have an outside connection in their garage they have said we can use. I'm happy we have neighbours.

Our other neighbour dear Annie sits next to the electricity pole in her garden. If you click on the picture you can just see the black cable that has to cross the few feet to be connected. When I asked her if this would be ok, she said of course but pointed out she had no idea where the electricity pole was in her garden!

Meanwhile our very own sceptic tank sits quietly waiting at the top of the drive for the start of the action. Some days I feel exhausted!

Men at work

It's easy to lose sight of one of the main reasons for this blog. To record the building of our house! It is happening bit by slow bit. A week ago today the Trelleborg agent and his site manager were here from north Devon for a meeting with our building contractor.

A bunch of blokes, talking about our house! I must try to remain calm.

Now I know how important this bit is. I've watched Grand Designs on television and if the foundations are too high, too low, too far back and in the wrong place all together, it has a disastrous knock on effect. It means the delivery date for the window frames and doors gets delayed by 6 months, the bad weather sets in, the chipboard goes soggy, the underfloor heating gets damaged the roof timbers are the wrong size and a vital interlocking part of the structure doesn't arrive. And worse the budget goes through the roof (if it's been put on that is) So I hope these two are taking it seriously!

Back to our place to drink 9,347 cups of tea and discuss 'things'
We think it went well - the supporting wall and foundations will be done next. Then Trelleborg if all goes to plan will arrive in March to erect the house which will be coming on a lorry from Denmark! The equipment needed to off load the building materials has been discussed and a suitable turning point in the lane found to enable the lorry driver to turn round and drive home again. Fortunately the bridges in the lane with their weight restriction of 7.50 tons were reinforced last year. Finally room has been found to put the house whilst it's being built - I wouldn't have thought of that. But I can remember all those Lego building bricks scattered over the floor when our children were little. I hope they don't lose the instructions.