Grade II New Build With Basement

  For the last two weeks the diggers have been hard at it - excavating the basement, through soil, brash and rock.  Whilst to some it looks like we are digging a swimming pool, underground car park or even for Australia, it is in fact a 10.59m long x 4.55m wide basement, extending approximately 2m wider at the rear.  However, the hole itself is currently around 24m x 8.5m and 4m deep, and is not complete.

    What was a large and spacious garden has gradually diminished as more and more of it has been consumed by the excavations.  It is now a tight squeeze for the builders to manoeuvre their dumper trucks and diggers.

    The hole allows for the internal dimensions of the basement itself, about 0.7m on all sides for the shuttering and a double thickness of concrete with a membrane in the middle, plus a space for the builders to be able to walk around and work on it, and finally, up to a 45 degree angle for the top one metre of the hole, for added stability during construction.

    We are having a patio area outside the basement French doors and windows, to let in light, and a terraced garden and steps, which rise up to ground level; this has all had to be excavated too, and a ramp installed for vehicle access.  The length of the working area is more than double the internal basement measurement.

    Likewise, the depth is surprising - the room height will be 2.4m but the hole is 4m deep at the sides and slightly less in the middle.  This allows for a hard core base, the foundations and a concrete and membrane floor.

    Since last updating this blog we have had a visit from the local planning officer, who has chosen the style of pointing to be used on the external ironstone-clad walls of the house.  The builders prepared two alternative styles considered suitable for our conservation village and a listed new build; fortunately, it is the style with the recessed mortar which has been selected, and it's thumbs up from Alan and I.

Rejected pointing : shown with new and old stone

Approved pointing: shown with old stone