Next year, definitely next year
It was all looking good. Planning permission was finalised, the plot cleared, detailed designs complete, a contractor ready to start on site. But sometimes luck doesn’t go your way and we’ve made the sad but pragmatic decision to delay the build until next spring, here’s why.
Our house is on two levels, this plus the top means the site will need terracing into three levels. There are therefore three phases of groundwork with each lower level needing to be completed before the next. The timeline looks a bit like this:
- 0–8 weeks: Site prep and lower ground groundwork
- 8–14 weeks: Lower ground structure
- 14–18 weeks: Upper ground groundwork
- 18–24 weeks: Upper ground structure
The site is clay which gets muddy quickly, not pleasant at the best of times but worse when you have machinery, big holes and a sloping site. So dry weather is key to easy and cost effective work.
Our groundwork team were running behind schedule owing to the wet start to 2023 and previous job growing in scope. So their estimated start date turned to August which would mean working in the wet months.
Our main contractor moved quickly to meet other ground workers who could jump onto the job. But then came the second issue, the estimated cost for the build increased significantly. The limited window to start made any ideas to control costs difficult.
In amongst this all we then had an acute downturn in the health of a close family member and sadly lost them at the start of July. We decided that our focus and attention was best spent with family, the plot will still be there next year.
On the bright side, a start in March/April provides a more comfortable 9 months of favourable dry weather. Between now and then we have time to get utility connections sorted as well as line up contractors and suppliers well in advance.
Here’s to a grand 2024 🍷
