Garage Roof

Garage roof went on during first 2 weeks of October as planned. We abandoned the Eternit Thrutone slates after discovering that each slate must be nailed as normal then fixed at the bottom with copper wire to avoid them moving. Bought Spanish slates from excellent local merchant - Yates for Slates in Clitheroe. yateslates These slates are fitted widely in this area. Very good value and liked by the roofers as they are heavy enough to withstand knocks and soft enough to cut and shape. Buy 19/sq m and you will have enough to cover fitting and breakages. We’re very pleased with the Velux windows which work well and their flashing's blend in with the gray slates. The treated pine barge boards and ply board soffits have been stained with 2 coats Sikkens Cetol HLS 009 dark oak and 2 coats of translucent finish. Aluminium, powder coated gutters will be fitted.

We have also agreed a connection into mains sewerage. Our neighbours will allow us to connect at a manhole in their lawn about 6m from our boundary. The sewer is still the responsibility of the developer who built our neighbour’s house. It will be adopted by the Local Authority next year. The developer built sufficient capacity to add several houses to the system, and has arranged for us to be connected. This is a much better solution than the alternative: the Environment Agency had insisted on us replacing our septic tank with a treatment plant owing to there being a stream in the garden.

Electrics completed to first fix including a temporary power supply from the house. United Utilities surveyed the proposed re-siting of the meter which will be located at the rear of the garage directly over the main cable’s entry to our land. We will cut over to this supply and feed the house temporarily via a 10mm cable taken from the garage until the house is demolished.

On 14 October United Utilities replaced the old meter in the house with a new electronic gizmo that can charge economy 7 rate. Unfortunately, the meter removers can only fit the old type to the new box, so United Utilities will have to come back and change the meter again after it has been re-sited. This seamless operation has taken 8 months to organise. It will cost £560 for the main cable to be run 1.5m into the new meter cabinet.

The garage ceiling has been boarded out with fireline plasterboard and the stairs installed to the upper room.

Insulation has been laid in the floor of the upper room. Knauf glass fibre roll 200mm: low cost and easy to install before the first floor is laid. Fibre matting was chosen as it acts as sound, thermal and smoke insulation between the garage and the upper room.

The garage roof will be insulated with Actis TRISO-Super 9 reflective foil. (actis-isolation) This material is said to produce the same effect as 200mm fibre and will give improved air tightness. Using the foil in the garage will serve as a trial run for the house which will be constructed to have a warm roof with a multi-layered reflective foil layer.

The garage doors have been fitted by Garage Doors Lancashire of Bamber Bridge Preston, who have been excellent in all of their dealings with us. Garage Doors did exactly what they said they would do, when they said they would do it, and carried out the installation in 2 hours. It all went without a hitch, probably because they sent a surveyor beforehand who made sure that everything was ready for the installers on the day. A very professional company which we would recommend. 01772 334828