Sometimes it just keeps coming at you.
Dec4
Category Archives: Building Phase 1
May31
We have Closure
No, we haven’t finished the entire house while you weren’t looking! If only! But we have installed Lynne Knowlton’s gorgeous sliding barn door wooden wheels, and we now have an amazing sliding door in the cabin! More
Dec3
A Curtain Raiser
Confession: We haven’t finished the interior of the Cabin. The main problem has been how to create a sliding ‘barn’ type door for the bathroom. But the arrival of a special package is going to be a ‘curtain raiser’ for us!
More
Nov6
So nice to be here
Before… and during. Leftmost photo – the cabin before the house was started. Rightmost photo (and below), look closely, the single storey bit- away from the scaffolding to the left in the photo, that’s the Cabin that we are living in. I really want to share what an amazing experience it is to live in a micro version of the house you are building, while you are building it, but I’m struggling to explain.
Jul3
Showing me the ropes
Ropes were the theme of yesterday. Started the day learning about rope halters for sheep milking and ended up rigging the bed platform!
Jun29
Up in the air
May26
Bits of progress
Still struggling to get more done. Brilliant photogenic weather last week doesn’t help (no excuse!)
May14
Not without Niggles
So why is the dishwasher out of its built-in lair? You may be wondering if we’ve really had such a trouble-free, smooth time during this project, but things do go wrong and not to plan.
May4
Looking Up!
Apr24
We’re On!
Everything before Easter has been on a go slow, but there’s a very important light at the end of the tunnel
Mar30
Can it get busier?
No days off for us, unlike our neighbours with the steam engine!
I keep asking myself the above question. Trying not to stumble under massive irony – We have phone and internet at Easterdown, but at the cottage where we are staying someone accidentally put a chainsaw through the telephone line, so no internet/email/voip in the evenings. Tough to arrange stuff, but we’re still progressing –
Mar21
Connections – Off Grid but Online
Telephone and Internet installed yesterday. Didn’t expect to feel quite so different, but now that the telephone is in and the place is warm and cosy, I want to start living there. RIGHT NOW!
Mar3
On Top of the World
We are now out of West Acres but not quite at Easterdown. Up on the Brendon Hills, half a mile away from Easterdown. More
Feb21
On the Ceilings
Feb10
First Light
Our first Zero Carbon system is in and IT WORKS!!!!
Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU Jamie Burnham for having the courage and the brains to design our brilliant wood range thermal store hot water system. It works perfectly and has already out-performed expectations. More
Feb2
It’s a Sign
Just a cheapie – to see if my slightly mad idea about old typefaces is legible enough. Other than that just pushing on with the fit out.
Jan28
New Skills
Are we building a house, or is this really just an excuse for getting an education? Both of us are really enjoying learning carpentry skills from Mike Roberts.
Jan17
Getting a move on
Flue in, floor and bathroom underway, all we need is a plumber….
We HAVE to move in soon, this Cabin is so lovely in the sunlight: More
Jan10
Outside In
What a Stunner! So nice to see the Cabin with no scaffolding (angle of photo hides Mike Roberts small scaffolding to the east….) Started Floor today, took admiring photos of Esse and Frame
Jan9
Esse Arrives
The ever resourceful Ben Bowman of Ben Bowman limited, himself arrived with colleague James to deliver the Esse Plus 1 which will provide heat, hot water and cooking. All in one very pretty package. Comments on the cabin from James “What an amazing place! Fantastic wood frame” (pointing to the Belfast Truss) to which Ben answered ” I only take you to the best places”. Everyone who sees the Cabin, loves it.
Dec15
Hearth and Home
A few projects over the last few weeks. Cabin 99% water tight – trying to do inside work now. Held up by the non- appearance of our wood burning range. Building regulations require hearth 12.5mm above final floor level. I reckon we cracked it. Or damn close. More
Nov30
A Home
Dropped in to Easterdown today and suddenly it no longer looks a construction, it looks like a home More
Nov22
Opening the front door
Technically speaking, there is now an opening to what will be the front door to the Cabin. Roof nearly done and 4 of the 6 roof lights in.
Nov21
and 3 more days later…
Dropped in to Easterdown yesterday. Roof well underway and one roof light already installed. Really starting to look like a home. More
Nov18
Did this really take 3 days?
Yes, it did. Well, two and a half, actually. This has to be the future. Self builders living in micro cabins, well insulated, beautiful, sustainable construction, and this becomes part of the final house. Plus we get to try out lighting, heating, electricity and cooking off grid and see what works and what doesn’t before we commit to the whole house. A microcosm of our future lifestyle. More
Nov14
What a difference a week makes, 3 weeks and 3 days later
When I showed up this afternoon, Thursday, what did I see? More
Nov14
What a difference a week makes (3 weeks later)
3 weeks later and Carpenter Oak bring the cabin to Easterdown. This transformation in 3 days is astounding. More
Nov14
What a difference a week makes, (2 weeks later)
One week to go and Andrew Parkin has got the groundworks perfect. Less than 4mm height difference across those stones.
More
Nov14
What a difference a week makes
Or I probably should say, 3 weeks. This has been an incredibly busy time. Click for photo diary of just how quick the house came down and the Cabin goes up. More