The new project

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Loofah, Oct 4, 2019.

  1. Loofah

    Loofah Admin Staff Member

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    Going up to the wire is what it is! Taking about all my time and thinking power at the mo...
    We're moving on 3rd July come what may and we have no flooring, windows or working bathrooms yet. The site is a complete mess internally and out (seriously these are the messiest workers going) so it's a mad house getting it all finished off. Windows are the biggest one and should be arriving on the 24th.
    No pressure.

    IMAG2969.jpg IMAG3160.jpg IMAG3068.jpg IMAG3066.jpg IMAG3056.jpg
     
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    • Sheal

      Sheal Total Gardener

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      Well even if it's not finished Andy it should be far enough advanced for you to 'camp' in until it is. Thankfully you won't need to worry about heat at this time of year.

      I remember you saying a while back you hate moving house, I imagine that's probably tenfold at the moment. Despite your deadline of 3rd July a lot of progress can be made between now and then. It'll happen, I'm sure of it! :)
       
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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        Finishing is always a pain! It seems to look a mess until the last few days. :blue thumb:
         
      • Loofah

        Loofah Admin Staff Member

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        Yup, but most people don;t wait until the week before moving for the windows... There isn't enough time for it to be finished so works will continue beyond our moving in. If there's any snag at all with the windows then we're completely knackered
         
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        • Loofah

          Loofah Admin Staff Member

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          Starting to think of the move now and called talktalk to move the services over...except they don;t have fibre in the road and would a very slow broadband be OK? Virgin, it turns out, are the only ones to provide any sort of service so have just signed up for them
           
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          • Loofah

            Loofah Admin Staff Member

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            Hello everybody, I’ve been a tad busy of late but figured a quick update might be in order.
            Well we have moved in (pics soon), still lots to do and it’s more or less emptied all the accounts so anything needs to be on a shoestring from here on out. one of the things we need to sort is the mud. We need a lawn and a bit of a patio; the patio is already dug out and just needs the levels establishing and the various bit laid, the lawn is needing a bit more thought.

            With all the machinery and skips the ground is somewhat compacted. It needs levelling out anyway and topping up with soil so the real question is will I need to bother with rotavating prior to adding topsoil? This is just for the lawn area by the way, other areas such as the front are worse and need at least a light dig over. It’s sandy soil too so I’m thinking it might be ok to forgo the rotavating

            rear garden from a few angles
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            E0D125E7-2BBE-4309-AEB2-BB5A9D619370.jpeg

            side of house
            5D2FA6B5-E979-4016-BDAF-E1BBE3997920.jpeg

            Side of house facing road that is most compacted
            720623E4-77A9-4C98-BC8A-76B7BF476CB3.jpeg
             
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              Last edited: Jul 28, 2020
            • Sheal

              Sheal Total Gardener

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              Congratulations on moving in Andy and best wishes for you and your family in the future. :)

              How deep will the compost be and do you intend to grass seed or lay turf?
               
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              • Loofah

                Loofah Admin Staff Member

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                New topsoil depth will vary but not less than a couple of inches and in most places much deeper. Seeded as can’t afford turf!
                 
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                • Sheal

                  Sheal Total Gardener

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                  I've laid both turf and grass seed and I think grass seed gives a nicer lawn finish.

                  Grass roots grow to about four inches, so I think it would be wise to break up and rake level the surface of your current soil before seeding.
                   
                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Oh, Joy!!!!

                  The whole place has such huge potential for you, Andy, that's a brilliant choice and decision you've made.:love30::thumbsup:
                   
                • Loofah

                  Loofah Admin Staff Member

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                  The plot is massive (for Surrey) and more or less bare bones on the garden front; maybe I should start a thread for the garden? Lots of rhododendron pont-something (the weed one!) which I'm trying to get my wife to understand will be hacked or removed at some point...

                  Tried to get the fork into the compacted area yesterday and nearly broke an arm! It is very solid indeed. Perseverance got the tines in though and once the surface pan was broken a bit I could lift and break by going in at the side. It will be an ongoing job but clearly needs doing
                   
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                  • Scrungee

                    Scrungee Well known for it

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                    Many years I was involved with a project where underutilized allotments were consolidated and the area freed up was used to provide social housing.The contractors had access to the entire site and constructed both the housing and the new allotments, and aftervstripping the topsoil they ran heavy plant over the clay subsoil where the new allotment plots were to be located, an exceptionally hot summer baked the subsoil surface and topsoil was spread on top.

                    After heavy rainfall many of plots flooded and remained soggy. The whole area affected required the topsoil stripping again, then the subsoil ripping using a tractor pulling a device with huge metal stakes, then the topsoil relaying, all done in sections to suit onsite topsoil storage. This caused a load of expense and disruption to the allotment tenants ( who were without plots during the whole of the construction works).
                     
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                    • Loofah

                      Loofah Admin Staff Member

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                      Have been exceptionally busy recently so only just managed to get back online to say what's been happening.
                      Well the internal decorating was going OK but had a small break from that as frankly tired of it! The amount of prep on a bare, new build is ridiculous. We also had a torrential downpour where the road and compacted ground conspired against us to funnel all the water under the house - it was gushing under and we've since had to run the dehumidifier to dry out one wall. Needless to say the builder got it in the ear over that but serious damage has been done that can be seen so far.

                      Out the front I have taken a mattock and dug over the entire frontage to alleviate the compaction; this was left a short while and then topped with 11t of topsoil to level it out a bit and then seeded. All by hand I might add so no need for dieting this year!

                      To the side I have worked over a few bits of compacted ground but not doing too much as I'll tackle that over winter when creating some veg beds, the rest will have pathways throughout it and any other bits will er... well we'll have to see!

                      To the rear has been a project in itself. It's on a gentle slope which I wanted levelling out, so digging out from the rear of the garden area and bringing forward to balance it a bit. More topsoil brought in and it is now 'good enough' for the first few years. It will settle and I'll take it from there. Now seeded where I've worked which is probably 2/3 of the final lawn area, the rest has been left for the kids to play and swing; not that they're interested really, they'd rather play in all the spoil left over from digging! It currently looks patchy and a mess but when all grown in it should be OK... The spoil pile I'm just leaving and will probably plant up with flowers for the time being.

                      All the rocks, hardcore etc left from the house and build have been shifted to the patio and pathway areas. It's a complete safety nightmare area right now with a 3 years and 4 but can't be helped. I'll get some scalpings soon and compact that so at least it will be tidy(ish).

                      Everywhere I dig there are old bricks. I'm keeping as many as possible so I can create some sort of courtyard area; it might work out, it might not but that's the plan right now.

                      I've also been trying to sort some summer pruning of some fruit trees but it's going to have to wait I think, just not enough spare time! Over winter I'll move the Bramley and try to make the Braeburn tree upright. There's also a russet apple and a fairly big 'other' which has been very generous this year! We also have a peach tree, damson and something else which escapes me for the minute.
                       
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                      • jimcubs

                        jimcubs Gardener

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                        I’m still digging up tree stumps, old Victorian coping stones and lumps of concrete.
                        The house was built in late 60’s but as it was at the end of the road all the spoils were dump here to build the land up.
                        We had an extension and used the left over soil to level 1 lawn which needs finishing, but it’s beyond me now, house renovation is like painting the fourth bridge, it never ends
                         
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                        • Sheal

                          Sheal Total Gardener

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                          You certainly have been busy Andy. I bet you're sleeping well at the moment. :)
                           
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