Alan has worked like a trooper this week and he has the sore, creaky knees to prove it.
All the underfloor heating mats were first glued into place, with the doorways and edges being like a mind-boggling jigsaw of little bits cut to keep the pipes travelling logically in the right direction.
Then he was onto the task of pushing all the pipes into the grooves.
Missing out areas where we do not need the heating to extend to. This is in the en-suite, and beyond the line of bricks is where the shower tray will fit.
All I can say is he has a LOT more patience than me. 😄
By Thursday evening he was all finished.
All the pipes lead to the manifold, which he is commissioning this morning. An engineers delight and a total mystery to me. 😐
Then we will have the weekend to wait and check for any leaks before he starts on the next job, which is laying the floor tiles in the main room ready for the kitchen to be installed the following week.
He's had a busy week, and he's rewarded himself with a new set of knee protectors ready for the tile laying.
I've been taking him his lunch each day, and we sit on the back step while he eats. The 'mountain' as it's now been christened, is alive with all sorts of insects and it's fascinating to watch.
So much so we have decided to keep a wildlife area when we finally get around to sorting out the garden next year. It's the least we can do for all those very necessary little pollinators.
Sue xx
A trooper indeed. Not sure I would regard knee protectors as an adequate reward! Could you maybe treat him to a coffee as well.
ReplyDeleteHe bought the knee protectors himself, I've been supplying all his meals AND cups of coffee each day.
DeleteVery impressed by his pipelaying,. Agree with FC but would add " AND a cake, in Booths"
ReplyDeleteI've been delivering food and drink to him at the bungalow every day since January, but yes on occasion we meet in Booths instead and he has a bacon butty or/and cake along with coffee or a cold drink.
DeleteA wildlife area is a wonderful idea
ReplyDeleteI think it's needed, just a patch of grass and mixed seeds left to it's own devices, along with a water feature of some kind. 💚
DeleteWith the help and encouragement of my son we turned the lawn over to a wildlife area. It’s so interesting Sue to sit with a coffee and just watch. A lawn seems boring and hard work now! Can thoroughly recommend it. Very relaxing. June
ReplyDeleteWe weren't going to have any grass, but I've persuaded Alan that just a small patch that only gets cut maybe once, or at the most twice a year would benefit so many little lives.💚
DeleteI saw a guardian newspaper article about someone, inspired by the new walled garden at Knepp Castle, who just left the mountain of earth in the garden and used it as the basis of a wild area. At Knepp Castle they dumped all the rubble from demolishing a barn into the walled garden and left it to create a dry wild garden.
ReplyDeleteOf course this all depends on the size of the mound and the size of your garden!
We have a small garden, but I will definitely be planning a wildlife area ... not necessarily a mound though. 🙂
DeleteVery impressive work on the pipework!
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of interest, as an all-electric house did you consider direct electric underfloor heating rather than pipework? May have given you a few inches more of room height with being thinner?
Alan did a lot of research and this kind has deemed best for longevity. We haven't lost any room height as all our wooden floors and joists were removed in the initial stages of the renovation, there was also a twelve inch void under the joists as is quite traditional in houses of this era. Then we filled to a level that allowed for the dmp, concrete, the thick insulation pads, screeding and then the underfloor heating mats and tiles. We will be back to the exact same floor level as when we started once the tiles are laid.
DeleteThanks again for the update.
DeleteVery impressive pipework and fingers crossed there are no leaks! Love your wildlife mound. Catriona
ReplyDeleteHe's done a brilliant job, I'm very impressed. ❤️
DeleteAlan has done an amazing job. It all looks very complicated. A wild area is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteHe really has, and he is loving almost every minute of this side of the renovation, he's definitely in his comfort zone ... well apart from his poor knees!!
DeleteAlan is doing a great job. I have heard that in floor heating is the way to go now.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's good in a few ways, it's cheaper to run, especially if you have insulated underneath it well. Heat rises from the floor upwards so there are no cold voids in the rooms and there is no need for wall space for radiators.
DeleteLooking at all the piping and thinking about how long Alan must have spent on his knees I hope that he found the thickest, most comfortable new pair of knee protectors ever for laying tile. So well-deserved. And good job, you, for keeping the comestibles coming! Well done, both of you.
ReplyDeleteThey are still in their box and about to be opened for next weeks tile laying marathon. We are a good team. ❤️
DeleteOh, I do like the idea of a patch of wild garden for the pollinators and other wildlife!
ReplyDeleteIt's the least we can do to help nature isn't it. ❤️
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