Sunday, 20 November 2011
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Nearly up to hollow core!!
After a couple of weeks of fine weather (typical since its November) the blocks have been started on the house. We're nearly up to hollow core level after only a 2 and half weeks.
Prior to starting the blocks my head was wrecked trying to figure out the cavity wall insulation. As i was have a 150mm cavity, i could have either fully pumped bead or board insulation. I wasn't gone on the pumped solution due to the rumours of them sagging over time and this would lead to a build up of insulation which could act as a conductor from the outer leaf to the inner leaf. I also felt, that the pumped solution is suitable for existing houses where they have no choice and that they are trying to get in the new house builds. I decided for a 100mm board insulation due to the fact that the rigid boards have been around for a long time and will not sag over time. Also, they allow a 50mm cavity in which think is the idea. Depsite the boards being more expensive i think i've done the right decision.
Another consequence of having 150mm cavity was that the block layer could not use the standard wall ties for the exteral walls. So i had to buy the 300mm wall ties which to my surprise are quiet expensive.
My engineer advised me to put in a lite block on the first line of blocks of the inner leaf of the external wall and all internal walls. This is to reduce heat loss from the walls to the raft foundation. Sounds like a relatively new concept but from heat loss point of view it makes sense. However these blocks are quite expensive in comparison to the normal blocks. I used around 300 of these.
I'm getting the hollow core from Trotters in Leitrim and a rep came to measure up for this last week. They were the best priced for this work.
I put the window cills as the blocks were being done as it was much easier to do and its much more effective to put the Damp proof course around the cills.
While the blocks were going up on the house we got the roof on the garage felted.I plan to put in the windows this week. It was a good idea to do the roof as i feel it is good practice for the roof on the house which we'll attempt when its readt. Having the garage also means we have a place where we can store things and a place to have a cuppa tea. We'll slate this some time in the future.
I post more relevant photos of the build later.
Prior to starting the blocks my head was wrecked trying to figure out the cavity wall insulation. As i was have a 150mm cavity, i could have either fully pumped bead or board insulation. I wasn't gone on the pumped solution due to the rumours of them sagging over time and this would lead to a build up of insulation which could act as a conductor from the outer leaf to the inner leaf. I also felt, that the pumped solution is suitable for existing houses where they have no choice and that they are trying to get in the new house builds. I decided for a 100mm board insulation due to the fact that the rigid boards have been around for a long time and will not sag over time. Also, they allow a 50mm cavity in which think is the idea. Depsite the boards being more expensive i think i've done the right decision.
Another consequence of having 150mm cavity was that the block layer could not use the standard wall ties for the exteral walls. So i had to buy the 300mm wall ties which to my surprise are quiet expensive.
My engineer advised me to put in a lite block on the first line of blocks of the inner leaf of the external wall and all internal walls. This is to reduce heat loss from the walls to the raft foundation. Sounds like a relatively new concept but from heat loss point of view it makes sense. However these blocks are quite expensive in comparison to the normal blocks. I used around 300 of these.
I'm getting the hollow core from Trotters in Leitrim and a rep came to measure up for this last week. They were the best priced for this work.
I put the window cills as the blocks were being done as it was much easier to do and its much more effective to put the Damp proof course around the cills.
While the blocks were going up on the house we got the roof on the garage felted.I plan to put in the windows this week. It was a good idea to do the roof as i feel it is good practice for the roof on the house which we'll attempt when its readt. Having the garage also means we have a place where we can store things and a place to have a cuppa tea. We'll slate this some time in the future.
I post more relevant photos of the build later.
Monday, 7 November 2011
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