Building our own Home

Groundwork and Foundations

The first task was to construct a drive, which needed a JCB to remove the topsoil,
followed by laying 80 tons of limestone.

Without a drive, the building materials could not have been delivered on site.

After laying out the site with a hired theodolite, a JCB dug the footings.
The necessary depth of concrete was then poured.
The bricklayers then brought the walls out of the ground.

Holes through the foundation walls were left for the drainage pipes, with concrete lintels above them.

More limestone was then obtained for the oversite.

The deep bits near to the walls needed to be tamped by hand,
no powered tamper could get near enough.

Fortunately, it was possible to have the limestone placed more or less in the correct position,
leaving us (just) to shovel it flat and then to tamp it firm.

The five drain pipe egresses required special attention.

Sand from the local quarry was then used to "blind" the over-site limestone,
It was now May, and our newly planted hay crop was clearly growing well.

The sand was then tamped flat before being covered with a damp-proof membrane.

Then in 4 hours on Spring Bank Holiday Saturday,
22½ cubic metres of ready mixed concrete (4 loads) were poured and screeded.

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