On the 20th we start the next phase and strip back more of the roof. The hole becomes bigger.
I’ve not been blogging, but we have some photos. It’s really quite stressful having lots of people working on the project as there’s so many question on top of whatever job you’re trying to do.
But the weather is good. In fact it’s now alpine summer weather at last. I did worry that it might get too hot.
The main progress today is taking down the huge cross beam that spans the house. We need this for the front door/window.
The 21st was a big day. With a big hole to fill and the dormer to build we needed to push on from dawn till dusk …. none shall sleep.
Last of the old timbers on the first section are out. New wood and joints are cut and timbers aligned. If we can finalise we can bolt it and move on. Everything is taking a long time with the extended part of the building not being well laid out.
The original frame is a masterpiece. It was built in 1849 with hand tools. The big timbers are not sawn; the faces have cut marks from hand tools to form the flat faces. The levels are very good. We soon discover the where it’s leaning over, its the base that’s moved due to some water damaged wood and we’re able to reset this easily.
The extended part of the building is not set out well. Projecting the roof line creates a layout with the big bedroom being a few feet longer. We needed to raise the height where the rafters meet the wall and pack in other places. This all takes time.
Yesterday morning the rain continued. It’s difficult to understand how that much water gets up there!
Peter and I continued with prep jobs inside. Planed more of the large timbers and oiled more T&G.
Lunchtime and the A-team arrived: Keith, Andy and Mike fresh in from sunny Bristol. A miracle … the rain begins to ease and we can unsheet for the first time in days.
What a difference 5 blokes makes. We cut the bird’s mouths on the rafters and continued oiling T&G. The chain saw came out and some of the big old rafter came down. We set up the lines and levels and fitted the first set of new wood in the correct place.
Andy gets to it
Progress at last ….
Out with the old
Large rafter come down
In with the new
Our problem
How long can it rain for ? It rained all night and all day. We spent our time planing and oiling the exterior wood. We rearranged the tarps during a brief gap in the weather at the end of the day. It looked like it was clearing as the evening sun broke through, just before it went black and the wind picked up blowing in heavy rain.
Rain rain rain. And some more rain. It’s now been raining since about 2pm and has not stopped. Looks like is going to continue all night.
It even rains when the sun’s out.
Rain and Sun
It took us several hours to get the tarps just right. At first the wind was coming over the ridge causing them to billow up. Then the water was collecting in pockets. Lots of bits of wood as props as we manage to get it water tight.
Drip Drip Pour
With Peter’s help thing have really moved. First we stripped a line to check how the rafters lie. With it all looking good, we stripped the lower part of the roof and started rebuilding.
Not a spectacularly successful day. (Thursday) It didn’t start well and got worse.
Spent the morning in the doctor’s waiting room. Charles needed his knee checking after last night’s accident. Several hours later and we made it back to the house. Made a start on the roof before the Homatherm arrived.
Homatherm Arrive
After no more than an hour on the roof and I could sense the rain was coming. BUT, not as quickly as it did.Here you can see blue sky, but within 10 minutes it was black.
Before the storm
Wind Up
I had the sheet fitted to the ridge when the thunder started. It went dark and then it came. Couldn’t get the lower sheet on fast enough and the rain was lashing down. Water was pouring in. On the top sheet huge pockets of water formed before I could get the sheet tight. Too big to lift they eventually crashed down into the barn.
The beds stayed dry!
Still Mopping
The boys were screaming as the water poured into the rooms below. I finally got the sheets tight and went to help with the disaster below.
After a hour the water stopped draining through. By this time the sun was out. I then set off for Geneva to collect Peter from the airport. Peter brought Gin. Soon enough everything seemed much better.
As you might have forecast, the showers were in fact torrential. Shame the weather forecast can’t get it right.
We couldn’t sheet the roof as it still has hundreds of sharp nails sticking up. So we sheeted up the floor of the barn. A few small drips in the night, but no problems. However, this morning the heavens opened and at 8am Monika and I were upstairs bucketing away the sitting water.
