ToughButterCup

I'd missed that for some reason. Well when we meet for a pint we'll have something to talk about eh?

In terms of the fright... I wonder how long its going to take us to ignore a windy day. It was horrible, sickening at 0200 to listen to the blocks coming off sometimes in groups,sometimes one at a time, and bounce off the scaffolding. I'm not the big roughy toughy I used to be Deb reminds me. I have made some indelible reference points on key bits of the building and either laser measured the distance between them or used the laser plumb line to connect two vertically inline points - so I can check for slow movement. Looking at those readings for a few days should, I hope, build our confidence about the building stability. I have, by accident, acquired an optical theodolite, and a mate has given me a proper tripod. I'll find out how to use it and create some reference levels: two of our main GPS station nails are right outside the house a few meters away and within easy sight of the building corners

Spot on @Stones. @Declan52, that's what I think will be a sensible resolution. Given a pour straight away after the build, or maybe two during it....

Thanks @JamesP. We have no intention of shooting anything. We need to focus on solving the problem, not making it worse. This issue would have been sorted out by simply pouring when it was built. It really is that easy.

We, all of us, contractor, me , the architect went away on the Durisol course at their depot in deepest Yorkshire. And Durisol sent their rep to us on the first day of our build. He trained the lads on site for half a day, and at the end of the morning session, left. In other words, the contractors had had a day and a half's training. Attended by me too.

Thanks for the good wishes. Durisol seem to be pushing the boat out a bit. Hopefully we'll get an order in and delivered by the end of next week. It's a Faff when the BM is a 400 mile round trip.

Right folks, here's what's happening. Done a good deal of clearing up today. Why oh why oh why do scaffolders put clips at exactly the wrong height for my head? Still, if I can't take joke, shouldn't have started should I? Been on to Durisol. The rep's coming on Tuesday of next week, and we're putting an order together then, to be delivered by the end of next week I suppose. I paid the contractor on a day rate. And so far I've paid about half his bill. I will be interested to see what he has to say for himself when he gets here. Ideas on how I should approach this one will be gratefully considered. Ian

I am really heartened by all the posts and sympathy. Off for an old mans zizz; been up for 14 hours....

French oak, as green as you can get it. Pure, simple, expensive.

The answer will depend, at least in part, on where the pub is. So, more details please. How derelict is the land? Where is it? What access is there? Is it within development limits? Or the sticks? Or in an Inner City? What research have you done for yourself? How much local advice have you sought? What interested you in the pub in the first place? Buy, develop, sell, repeat? Fall in love, develop, settle down, watch babies grow?

Thanks folks @JSHarris, right as usual; needs shuttering, and yes, the sector needs more experience of Durisol. I am working hard in the next bit to be even-handed. The system is Austrian. It's robust. They wouldn't give it house room if it were less than spot on.The common practice there is - a few courses then pour. Last night we had a 30 square meter sail (wall) stuck out in the wind: gusts of 40mph. I'm sure that adds up to a fair old bit of shock (dynamic?) side load (as opposed to steady load). Full of concrete, nothing would have happened. The west side, far more shuttered than the upwind side (east) is still standing. By chance I had etched a few reference points in the wall and the floor. Using a laser plumb 'line' I checked that the remaining walls are still where they should be. They are either spot on or less than half a laserspot out (half a mil). Better get with shifting more blocks. I've exhausted all my English and German swear words. Christ I'm damn annoyed. Damn annoyed. Almost as annoyed as I was at Sgt Williams for failing me on my first 'P Company' in the 1970s (I deserved to fail)

Blocks, probably not. But the minced blocks, yes. So it's off to hire a diesel mincer next week, and bag it all up. The chippings appear to me to make good temporary walk ways. They drain well, and keep the mud off yer feet. Yes, I need to inject some Vim and Vigour into this one: windows for one thing due early September. Already rung Gaulhofer to give them a heads up. Ian

Yes. I'm #king annoyed. But we need a strong and stable solution to this problem and we are working with our partners and others towards a speedy resolution. I would like to thank all the semi-emergency services who have already attended this morning; the scaffolders, and we are in active contact with our supply partners Durisol. I am sure that they are also working with their partners and others - the message I want to get through is that we are strong and stable despite this temporary problem. What is needed now is for the community to pull together, emphasise that together we are stable, together we are strong. We are not going to be distracted by a few blocks lying on the kitchen floor. But I'm still pissed off.

Wales, Nick. He told me he was looking for a bolshy plumber

Well, our architect specialises in Disaster Management. Will that do?

@MrsB, in relation to your question: doors. I used to live on quayside in Lancaster, right where the slave trade ships docked. All the shops, pubs and houses along that road have some form of flood defence. Our block of flats had a separate additional flat-bottomed boat shaped GRP 'door' which us residents would put in its seating - a rubber framework on the outside edge of the door. When the threat had passed we just took it off and stored it at the back of the stor room. Never mind what it looks like, it's functionality is the key issue. And while at one level the door was useful, it did nothing to prevent the upswell of water from other sources - especially the drains: even though they had non-return valves (large cast iron one way doors really). You can imagine in a block of flats (sorry sail lofts) how many minds were focused on solving the problem. The best we could come up with was Think of flooding as normal: plan for it Build a high door threshold (but observe Building Regs) Low windows need similarly high thresholds A post flood drainage plan is needed Make sure someone is always on duty looking for flood warnings - all year round For low rooms, make sure all the electrics are high up There were a series of other things which I can't quite remember but I'm sure that somewhere you can get guidance on how to deal with the threat. I seem to remember the Environment Agency distributing fliers about the problem. That was some time ago now. I bet the system is better now than it was then.

None. They have been, even if whole, stressed to an undeterminable level. I suppose @TerryE or @JSHarris could work it out, but their fee for doing so would be too high. Because of the PII fees they'd be paying naturally.

They're good lads. As an aside, for nothing, they took away the internal scaffold towers which, if they'd been hit by westward falling blocks, would have knocked the west wall out too. So all in all, lucky.

Well, our scaffolders have done us proud. They've already been and sorted it out. Ian

Yes. It is . It really is. But then again what else is left for us to do. Sit down and give up? Stuff that. So, what do you call the cocktail for this one then? Cocktail Collapso?

Thanks folks. Been out to look at it all with Debbie. And I've had a bit of a grizzle. Neither of us have slept much. Sleep deprivation is over-rated - we'll be fine. Need to wait a bit for the wind to drop, and once the site is shown to be safe, hire a chipper (for the wood in the now has-been-blocks rather than pay for them to go to landfill) and get cleared up. Lets hope that Durisol will give us some more blocks fairly quickly. Not pretty this is it? I could easily have been underneath that. Or worse. Sid, our tomcat could have..... I think I may just lay each block and then fill it with concrete after having put several pieces of rebar in it first. Nothing worse than a reformed smoker is there? Or a post-collapse Durisol builder. We are fully committed to continuing the build with Durisol. Ian

Yes. Strong(ish) east wind: its the east face that has collapsed: to the level of the first pour.

Thanks Ian. Time for a walk on a windy beach (Lune estuary) and a shouting session at the seagulls I think. God I'm pissed off. Seagulls are good at listening, and out on the salt marsh you can swear at them as much as you want.

Yes, nobody injured.... Trigger? It would be unwise to speculate in public. What's needed now is calm analysis, a plan to be formulated and then get on with it. There used to be a wall here.... and this is what it looks like from the inside I am so sick at heart. Really fed up. So much work and preparation and thought and care on our part. And I am working so hard at not being unkind. Or placing blame. All sorts of vacuous cliches bubble up in my sleep deprived head: when the going gets tough the tough get going, it'll be Ok, just you wait and see, we'll get over it, and other similar tripe. And sick, black humour - our architect specialises in disaster recovery of all things. This is going to hit us right in the bank balance. Better charge my phone; I'll be talking to a few people today, I expect. I would be really glad of some advice and insight into what to do next. And I want to keep it positive. I'm not up for criticism or inappropriate blame. I just want to get on with it safely and competently.

At 0200 this morning, the east wall of our house collapsed. I feel quite sick. And every time the feeling subsides another couple of blocks fall onto the scaffolding. And I feel sicker. Debbie's not best pleased either. I'm sitting here in our kitchen (the build is in our 'garden') waiting for more bits to fall .... It's too early to take photos, but I'll post them here later this morning. Thank God nobody was injured. It could have been so much much worse. What a time to remember that our architect specialises in disaster recovery. Damn damn, damn. Ian