Out of the ground...

After the concrete pour on the Friday, we quickly back filled the long sewer pipe trench and around the inspection chamber before the builders started on Tuesday 23rd April.

Carl arrived first thing with his son Callum to labour for him and two days later they had done up to the damp proof course. To say the least-I was amazed how quick they worked!

We then had about 4 days to make sure the shower drain would run in the right place, remove any remaining concrete, level the ground, shovel on and level all the hardcore ready for the builders return.

We managed to get that all done and hold a birthday party for our son and 30 other 5 year olds...

Yes, thats my husband nearly dying at 11pm trying to inflate a 6ft cacti with a dodgy valve. Yes, I did make that 2 tier birthday cake and it took every spare minute I had for three days, and yes, I think we may have slightly lost our marbles that weekend just from sheer exhaustion! But, it was all worth when we saw this happy little cowboy riding a rodeo bull... (without anyone telling him to do it one handed I might add!)

Check out Mini-Clint with the hat in his hand!

The day before the builders came back we shovelled well into the night and our fantastically wonderful neighbour, Tony, came over to help. I shovelled the hardcore into the barrow, Adam ran and tipped it out and Tony levelled it at the other end. Together we moved 10 tons all ready for the builders.

When Carl returned with his colleague Ash, he prepared the ground ready for laying the Damp Proof Membrane by using a vibrating plate to compact the hardcore. While Carl did that, Ash lay down the sand blinding for the DPM to lie on.

Then the Damp Proof membrane was laid out, smoothed out and duct taped where it overlapped...

Once that was complete and ready for the concrete floor plate to be poured, the building inspector visited again to ensure all was as it should be.

It rained later that day and we seemed to have more of a paddling pool than the start of a house, but the next day it was all swept out and the concrete lorry and pump were back!

The builders took charge this time and I sighed with relief. I stood indoors in the warm and dry with a nice cuppa (I also made one for everyone outside) and watched as they raked and levelled the concrete and created a lovely smooth concrete floor plate.

As it was raining during the pour, Carl returned the next day to smooth out garage floor plate and make sure there wasn't any pitting from the raindrops. The concrete for the garage floor plate will be our actual floor, which is why it was important it was smooth. The rest of the extension will have Celotex insulation board on top of the floor plate and then a screed.

Here is it dry... (ignore the dust, footprints and barrow tracks)

Now on to the best bit...

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