Cobbled basement( with built in stream)...advice??

[JanJonWestWales]

added some photos of the cellar from this weekend.......
http://blaencwmbychan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/blinkin-cold.html

 

[JanJonWestWales]

...and so it begins...(hopefully) the last major structural project.

This weekend, we pulled up the floor in the library, took out the old joists, which gave us easy access to the cellar below.
We dug out a channel for the water to flow freely, started taking off the old lime render, and made a start at taking up the cobbles.
Channel seems to flow well, so hopefuly the perforated pipe will work.

A quick review of the beam and post...
1. The Post is shot, not doing anything, rotten at the base...so took it out (and supported with an Acro prop)
2. The beam is ok at one end, but pretty bad at the other, so will mean a scarf joint repair we think
3. Planning to do supporting posts at both ends (maybe in the middle too), probably set on plinths to minimise damp exposure

A long way to go , but a good start
http://blaencwmbychan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/first-christmas-at-bcb-and-start-of.html

 

[Zebra]

Gosh, big project.

 

[JanJonWestWales]

progress.....

http://blaencwmbychan.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/progress-on-basement.html

 

[Feltwell]

Working hard by the look of it. Is this a "weekends only" project at present or have you moved in?

 

[JanJonWestWales]

Working hard by the look of it. Is this a "weekends only" project at present or have you moved in?

weekends and holidays only for now.
It has water (Borehole) and electricity, but no bathroom (shower and toilet I installed in a shed outside), and no Kitchen (Microwave and log buring stove in the living room)
We hope to add an extension, when the house is finished, and we can afford it...Might move in then !!

 

[Feltwell]

Sounds like you're doing well then, I guess at least you get to leave the chaos and return to a more finished house during the week! Must be hard to keep the motivation up though, weekends and holidays only must make for slow progress on a project that large.

 

[JanJonWestWales]

Sounds like you're doing well then, I guess at least you get to leave the chaos and return to a more finished house during the week! Must be hard to keep the motivation up though, weekends and holidays only must make for slow progress on a project that large.

your right on both counts..
...its nice to come home (to Bristol) have a Shower, and a good meal !
...and yes it can be slow progress at times, but the motivation is usualy pretty good, It's just what we love doing, and it is encouraging to see things improving...eventually !!

The blog is mainly done to remind oursleves how much progress we are actually making, during those times when it feels like very little.