hot off the press

The scaffolding team arrive at seven. They are five. I am one. It is twenty going on thirty....


The scaffolding is attached to the house with an anchor every 20 square metres. As the façade progressed I worked around the anchors leaving holes in first the insulation and then the timber cladding. These holes now need to be filled as the scaffolding is taken down. So I fill in the missing bits as the scaffolding comes down around around my ears. My terra firma for the last 4 months starts swaying like an enormous jelly. I'm so used to my giant solid steel shelving system that the first time it sways I swear blind I'm pushing the house over with the screw I'm driving home.

By three all is finished.....

Everyone, with the exception of the cat, is pleased to see the scaffolding go.

It's just like unwrapping a big birthday present. The Skater says its 'futurist'. I think he really meant to say 'modern' and is not referring to the triumph of speed and technology over nature in early twentieth century Italy. But one never can tell with The Skater.

The Client will be pleased.

Stay tuned. This is not the end.

Roll of drums

Scaffolding coming down soon - just put in the request. One more weekend of up and down the ladders like an early version of Donkey Kong and it's all over. Well, at least the façade.
Unfortunately no respite in sight for The Architect as The Skater has put in an urgent request for a wall and door for his bedroom.
Really, the cheek, when I was a lad we had to make do with...........

Beige?

Saturday morning at 7 am work starts on rendering the end wall (or 'pignon' in French). The end wall is in 20cm clay insulating bricks with an internal insulation, so it needs a render finish to make it weather tight and finish it off.

The render is projected onto the wall under pressure with a flexible hose from the compresser parked in the street. The compresser makes an infernal noise so communication is impossible without shouting very loudly, which the team of 4 builders manages very well. My command of portugese being limited to approximate interpretations of menus, I presume they are only shouting important instructions about the pressure regulation or the mix of sand and cement in order to spare the neighbours as much as possible an unpleasant awakening. I suspect, however that they are more likely discussing a football match or the events of the previous evening.
By the beginning of the afternoon the work is finished and a calm, broken only by the sound of distant DIY, returns to the neighbourhood.

The English Neighbour admires the work and asks when it's going to be painted beige like all the other houses in the quarter. I presume she's just teasing me and smile back....or maybe she really thinks I'd paint something beige?

The timber cladding is finished. All that remains are the fibre cement panels.

Photos to follow when the tropical rain forest effect weather ceases.

Progress slow

Progress on the cladding is slow. Rear façade 50%. Front façade 80%.
The render to the end wall is programmed for the end of the week. Passers by stop and watch. Cars slow down. Lots of questions. Neighbours chart the progress and comment on my form for the day. The Client likes it - but can't wait till it turns grey. The Skater hasn't noticed anything different - maybe I should post it for him on facebook?