The New house

Last Update on The New House:

Here we are in February in the New House and almost 100% finished. Just the rendering to do when the weather improves plus some internal fittings, we’re nearly at the top of the hill. Two busy years and would we do it again, no chance!!!!

But we are very happy with the house, it is so warm and easy to keep. The views stunning.

 

Here we are just after the Summer Solstice, June 21st:

The last two and a half months have passed in a blur but we are getting on and nearing some sort of completion. Lots still to do but there is light at the end of the very long tunnel. Nothing in order here just a selection of the past few weeks.

From the 24th Jan to date: March 10th 2018.

Here we are after a winter struggle, lots happening as usual, weather trying its best to defeat us but we march on. Nothing major in difference to the site but the work lately has been quite intense. Lots of very unfriendly Quinn-therm, which has got to be the most un-environmentally friendly building material ever invented, there must be something better? This last week we started plaster boarding but there is much to do, not bad for 9 months in.

Here’s the pics’. They start from where we are back to the 24th ish of January.

 

New House Update January 2018

Here we are on a miserable day, Thursday 25th January 2018, Ian our joiner has been away since before Christmas. The weather improved as he stepped on the boat but now he is coming back tomorrow, the weather has returned to normal. Thank goodness we have plenty to do inside and outside work can continue at anytime when it is a ‘nice day’!!!! Whenever that will be.

The site itself has survived quite a few gales and a storm that was pretty fierce yesterday, in fact up at the site on a windy day it is amazing how the site is so sheltered. There is a ruin and several footprints there around the site and they look like early settlers houses, the old folk new the best places so maybe when we picked the site it was on the back of being aware of the very old house built here centuries ago.

We are well up to date with most of the things we can do when Ian is away and if I get up there this afternoon I hope to be clear by the time he steps off the boat tomorrow.

We are, roof on but not finished, windows all in but finishings, sealings still to do, no leaks though apart from the cills on the full windows. Until we get the new plate made, painted and fitted that area will be problematic. If Ian starts the cladding I can help or carry on. Our electrician is raring to go and as he knows about plumbing we are together considering fitting that too. The air circulating system is in hand, the fire in hand and the central heating all in hand. Water treatment needs upgraded and only after the concreting is finished. Landscaping around the site is done as far as needed at the moment and there will be minimal work in that area at the end.

So, here are a selection of pictures of the house from around September through to date.

Been a challenging time since the last post, it was done in a hurry with so much work on up at the New House it is difficult to get time to sit down to do a blog. We were hoping to get the house wind and water tight before our holidays at the end of October.

The windows were always a worry because of their size and weight but we had managed to get them from Scandinavia to Mallaig, then onto Rona. From the shore to the site and then into the building without incident apart from major Stress.

The building paper, tape and straps were always going to happen on windy days and so they did. The weather has been a bit kinder but still a fair amount of rain. However the recent gales have not tested the house and we are very pleased with the location, it is obviously well sheltered and the South/South East wind (which we have had too much of lately) has not been too worrying.

The landing craft arrived to take Hugh’s machinery off and we used that to get more material but it was all a rush so sadly some things were left off, unable to get to Mallaig or Sconscer Pier.

Here’s the last few weeks in pictures:

The straps broke on the pallet and the pallet was broken too, well that is my excuse.

We have a problem with our cills, the cills provided don’t cover the timber at the foot of the floor to ceiling windows and are without an angle, we’re working on it as sealant is not the answer. The small windows work well but the big ones………..Just another headache to deal with.

Roddy from building control was out on a good day with a couple of helpers on the boat to give us a hand to move the patio doors, two hours later they were heading back to Portree, job done, Roddy happy.

The smaller windows went in pretty easily, just a faff holding them up, trying not to drop them!!!

Especially on a windy day when the steps get blown about.

We’re on holiday and having some welcome rest, looking forward to the next phase which is the roof and wall cladding. Bring it on.

 

End of August, Progress Has Been Made, Despite the Rain.

 

Here we go, one month on, despite every other day raining, we have made good progress. A wee bit of a hold up just now but hopefully next weekend we will get our second last landing craft with the windows, more timber, more mix, more fuel and the roofing. So it is all go.

Here’s the pictures of how it is going, busy time with visitors but we have mostly kept them at bay.

The floor has been a headache as it was not waterproof and needed painting. The weather was not good for that but in between very wet days we got there. Now the framing should go up pretty quickly, drainage next week, ridge beam on, maybe.

 

End of July and the Latest from the site:

Mostly photos, but you’ll work it out. Been going well, it seems that we get ahead quickly then get stuck at some other bits, material is the issue as we seem to not have this or that. But a few trips to Portree have meant no standing around.

The steel is up, the block work to finished floor level, some web packing done and to-day the pop ups. Lots of pecking and digging, best of all Hugh has his grading bucket and has graded a few tonnes of material which will make for better roads and lots of other projects I have up my sleeve.

Hopefully by the end of this week we will be pretty much up to date on our timetable. It is getting trickier just now as we will have another landing craft to take Huge off but we want to get as much on it for the next phase.

Last time I did this page we were just building the shutters and had started pouring the footings, that was the 24th of June, so in a Month we are here:

And this is how we got there:

 

 

We started the 2017 season by starting to build a new house on Rona, no small task but we have had a bit of experience so Spring came after a Winter of studying plans, quantifying and meetings, many meetings!!!!

First we have the prep which was done last year and this year landing crafts with material and machinery, lots of machinery.

So here we are three weeks  (Now 5 since the internet went down, which held this page up) in and lots and lots of pics’ to study progress. Hopefully there will be a weekly update soon. Finally started the concrete pour.