Wednesday 13 May 2015

Porch Up To Damp

Some more progress on the porch over the last couple of weeks.
Last Saturday (2nd of May) a mate of mine, Dill, came over and started on some of the brick work and setting out of the porch and another project I've got going on (more of that another time). I've worked with him lots over the last few years and he's a really good bricklayer and roofer (Some of the projects we've done together can be seen here and here although there are many more) and he's a real hard worker. I made sure that he had everything he needed and all his materials were close to hand.
 He got the brick and block work up to damp course ready for concreting.
This Sunday just gone my dad and brother came over and helped me get the concrete in and done.
Inside and outside were filled with scalpings, the inside is then blinded with sand to prevent any stones piercing the plastic. 

first layer of plastic going in

Insulation added to the floor (75mm) and a 25mm insulation going around the perimeter  of the walls to prevent cold bridges. Another layer of plastic was added on top of this to prevent the concrete reacting with the insulation, although I think this might be an unnecessary step it's on my plans so I do it!
Levels are all worked out from the oak floor inside, allowing enough for quarry tiles, adhesive and then 150mm of concrete.

Concreting finished! 
I'm really pleased to have the porch up to this level (up to damp as we'd say in the building trade). I now need to wait a few weeks for the bricks to come as they have to be ordered in and there's a bit of a shortage at the moment. I already have a door to fit (the old one is coming out as it's on it's last legs) but I need to source some windows and get the materials for the roof sorted. In the meantime we can use the front door again!  
I hope that I can get this porch finished fairly quickly and then get cracking with the the real bulk of the extension, the propect of a bigger kitchen is a real incentive at the moment! That said there are so many things I need to do first it's a little daunting (lots of drainage, manholes, walls, fuel tanks, boilers, etc)! 

19 comments:

  1. Are you having a second door on the porch, its going to be a great sheltered place for some plants over winter :-)

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    1. We're going to take the current front door off and just have one main front door on the front of the porch. Otherwise you open one door just to open another. So it will be part of the main house, thats why building regulations have to be followed.
      It won't be big enough to keep any plants unfortunately but it should house all our coats amd shoes which currently get scattered all over the house!

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  2. It's extra space at the right place when you have youngsters with loads of coats and shoes. Nice job.

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    1. I can't move for all their coats and shoes. To make matters worse the little one is a little obsessed with them all and keeps getting them out!

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  3. It's looking good, I do like to see a job being done well. Lovely Hubby would approve of you following plans properly.... he's a stickler!!

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    1. Gotta stick to the plans! Well if they're right that is!

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  4. Hey Kev. I am watching with interest. as you know I love a good porch.

    Can we see the drawing of the design please. I am also looking forward to seeing your storage of the shoes.

    I completely hear you about it all being scattered all over. this will be a real boon as when the girls start school there wont be the panic of where are the school shoes.

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    1. I'll put some drawings up if you like. I'm still not sure how to make best use of the space but I'm thinking of lots of ideas at the moment, I think it might end up quite simple in the end.

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  5. Is the porch for boots, wellingtons and raincoats, work coats? Will it keep the draughts away too? Would love a conservatory/sunroom but our kitchen is north facing. Seen some good one's in Homebase in Killarney.

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    1. It's going to be part of the envelope of the house as another door in between just gets in the way. It should be daught proof if I make it all right!
      I'd love an orangery on the side of the house one day then I could be self sufficient in citrus as well!

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  6. Tidy job. Looking forward to seeing the progress. Over here we would have both doors as it would be an air lock to keep the cold out in winter, and we call that a mud room because it is were you shed your muddy boots and coat before coming in the house.

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    1. It was tempting to leave a door in but it's only four foot long so you'd be opening one and having to open the next straight away, it hardly seemed worth it. Also we don;t get as cold as you guys over here. To be fair the porch will be better insulated than the house because of current regs.

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  7. We're looking into adding a porch next year for storage reasons., yours is coming along well.

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    1. This won't store much but it will house our coats and boot and the rubbish that seems to accumulate on the stairs!

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  8. Will be handy for sure. We would like a screened in porch but neither of the two on our house is really deep enough for that. Not really a good way to add one on either due to the roof lay out without it being a huge ordeal. Hind sight ya know...Our back porch is nice for sitting on as long as the bugs arent out lol

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    1. Not too many bugs about over here to need a screened porch. Hopefully I won;t look back on too many things with all the building work and think hind sight!

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  9. So is it going to be totally enclosed and that's why you are insulating it?

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    1. Yes. I might do another post on this and put the drawings on here as I don;t think I've explained it very well. Our front door opens right on to the stairs so it would give a bit of distance for that as well.

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    ReplyDelete

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