the house that Turbotoes built - pics added 18/08.

turbotoes

turbotoes

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Tara
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Well, this is the progress so far for those that may have seen the "what to do with six months off thread"


16th March 2009.

Our first steps, pretty basic.. Cut the grass, mind the big green lizards and ferry beetles out of the way!!!

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8th April 2009.

Too late to stop now!

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22nd may 2009.

God, what a mess. the wettest spring in years and we had to choose this one to build.....

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10th June 2009. youpi concrete done.

I've dreaded this part of the job from the get go and sure enough it has proved a nightmare, but thank god, the ground works are finished. :clap:

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I can't tell you how good it feels to be "out of the ground" at last. We are a bit behind due to the awful weather we've had, but things should progress faster now. :woot::woot:

Tara
 
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Good Luck Tara and well done so far (y)
 
Well done on what is a pretty major thing to do:clap: Looks like a nice spot to build too.

We had 3 or 4 very relaxing hols near Villeneuve-sur-Lot in the late 90's and enjoyed the beautiful scenery very much...not so much the huge bugs :eek: but the lizards were fun to watch.

Here's to continuing success and getting back on track time-wise.

Karin
 
Thanks you two, today is shifting china blocks about the place and scribbling what goes where on the slab, I might be wishing I was still filling the cement mixer by the end of the day :LOL:

Tara
 
Well, the walls are up to height, and the ring beam is all around the top (french thing!!) the gables are a work in progress, as are the roof trusses. Photos' have been very thin on the ground due to extreme fatigue but will sort some out for next week.
We've been starting at six and finishing at about three because of the ridiculous temperates ...35-37 C ..... So far have avoided sun stroke but have had a couple of close shaves EUGH!

Blurryfocus: Wiltshire to France is what we did 17 years ago, from Westbury and Mere to be exact. Finding the plot was a bit trikky as our budget was/is very tight, and we wanted to be out in the countryside and in a certain area. We started our search three years ago and found a nice plot quite quickly, but after TWO years of trying to get silly cocks ups with the original outline planning sorted we gave up on that and found another, two years more expensive of course but what can you do!!

Getting the final planning was typically french, every official you speak to tells you a different story and then when the application goes in, (20 page dossier in quadrupliacate if you please, with 6 extras of various pages!!!!! :shrug::thinking:) they send it back with more requirements in the way of details and drawings, :razz: Mind you, it still only took three months.

The great thing (for us as selfbuilders) about building a house in France is that the only inspections you get are for your Filter beds for the septic tank, four visits at various stages! and then your electrical installation has to be inspected before the EDF will plumb you in to the lekky network, But all the rest is up to you or your builder.

Tara
 
Looks like a nice project you've got going there Tara. We're finally heading out there ourselves in three weeks time. We'll be a little further north but not too far away to have the odd TP France meet now and again.

Bob
 
A bit later than promised, an update...

This is looking at the house (I can say that now, as it is starting to look like one!) from the back garden, the first part with the door and 2 windows will be the workshop and extra winter plant store. The window by the scaffolding is the kitchen window, and the area to the right of the grey blocks is the conservatory where all the orchids and hibiscus will live in the winter, we also will have the dining table in there
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This is the view from the road (there is approx 20 meters of "front garden" between us and said quiet country road, the green window next to the conservatory is the lounge window (lounge also has two double french doors out to conservatory that will almost always be open) The currently open/empty side of conservatory will be 4 pairs of patio doors, ensuring lots of light.
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The view through the eastern/roadside conservatory window, shows french doors and window through to kitchen (more light)
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The inside of the house all empty, part of me wishes it could stay that way, the silly part that is!!!!

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As of today the workshop trusses are made and the penultimate gable is finished, fingers X'ed that by the end of the week we can start roofing (y)

Tara
 
Looking good Tara (y)
When are you hoping to be "in" by ?

I'm as jealous as hell BTW :)
 
Thanks Chris, We're hoping like heck to be in towards the end of September, we're still running about five weeks behind, and the heat wave really has not helped us regain the lost time ....... but what can you do?... I expect the early days will be rather like camping under a solid roof, but once on site we can do more hours. We're back to work in November, and moneys' running out so, the sooner the better (y)

Tara
 
I wish you luck
I am sure that it will all "come together" (y)
 
It IS hot isn't it? We're here for a break (praying the carers are managing OK in the UK)
Are you near Villenuve? Looks like that sort of country, but your address says Lot.
It must be murder working in the heat.
 
Blurryfocus, you are not wrong, the new place is in Monsempron-Libos in 47 about 30 mins from Villeneuve sur lot, our nearest town will be Fumel, we currently live in Puy l'eveque (46), about 25 mins away. We stopped work early today at 2pm, temps in the shade were 39C!!!!! Too blurry hot!! Let's hope thing cool down a bit over the next few days!

Tara
 
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