Calder Progress for Judy

The House, now empty and clean on the inside, has had a fare bit of work completed outside.

As you already know, KAD have taken down all the Trees and Cherry Laurels, but left peripheral trees standing for privacy. 

The site is now pretty much cleared with piles of wood chip dotted about.

The tree fellas left and the skip arrived. Apart from being essential, it also blocks the gate, making it clear that people are not welcome on site, and shows that work's ongoing, again showing that people are on site.

We now urgently need the gardener to come in and tidy up the site. 

The power company turned out to cover the live overhead cables,

as the treefellers got on with their jobs.

With the live cables insulated and the tree fellers finished, the scaffolders could bring in the scaffolding without endangering themselves.

Here it is, small but essential and needed to enable access to

this wall. It is a serious problem, as the structure of this part of the building was a surprise to Derek. 

Derek has now covered it up. I've checked inside and it appears to be watertight, tho it's not gorgeous to look at.

This diagram shows how this wall is constructed (the 2 right angle roof timbers are not labelled - more haste less speed). Making it watertight will mean either 

1. doing the job fully, using top grade materials, build quality plywood, rendered, having replaced or repaired any damaged structural wood first. 
2. leaving it as it now is with the crack left in place and the risk of degradation of the temporary repair and the resultant ingression of moisture, 
3. or a temporary repair which would last up to 2 years (weather dependant figure) using basic materials such as thinner, cheaper ply wood with a good render coat on top. No repair or replacement of structural timbers.

I took a couple of shots of the newly opened up view

while I was here to look at the wall. The garden looks very different now.

With the power cables sheathed from the drive entrance to the house,

Derek was able to replace the guttering on the front elevation.

All done and serviceable.

He had already completed a temporary repair here, at the side of the house, where the sewer has collapsed. His jury rigged solution allows the rain water to flow away from the wall of the house along the cast iron guttering on the ground, leaving the new stone and pointing dry and able to do their job.

The old inspection hatch has been removed and the new one fully fitted.

I guess I've mentioned the general state of the Chapel. As you can see, the felt is peeling away.

It's OK though as Derek has made a temporary repair using some new felt and some old wood. It may just about get the thing through the winter, although it will need more battening as the roof timber is rotten and the clouts have ripped out above the big batten, leaving a section of the new felt free. 

Now a piece of guttering at the back of the house has let go and water runs down the wall from the twist in the guttering. It should be replaced ASAP as frost will pop the sodden stonework. Suggest it is replaced. Derek will attempt a repair, but that twist is set firm.

There are still some jobs, on the original quote, to be done. Hopefully soon so that I can get the scaffolding and the skip removed. 

Let me know what you want to do about the hole in the wall, the guttering at the back of the house, the collapsed drain. All will incur extra costs; quotes can be requested.

We need the gardener  in ASAP. Will you contact him, or shall I?

On the upside, our old dog fox (he's a very grey brown) loves this wood chip pile - it's generating warmth. He has made a scoop in the top and nestles into it, as snug as a bug, unless, as now, I disturb him.