Hi from Snowdonia - Welsh cottage renovation. 100% newbie

[connick159]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I have purchased an 1840's former quarryman's cottage in North Wales and have just embarked on an extension to the rear and side of it. Over the weekend we excavated over 225t and now have a huge clay pit. Still need to dig footings and also sort a terraced retaining wall. The saying 'bitten off more that I can chew' comes to mind

 

Day 1 we struck a problem with an old culvert underneath the floor level so we will have to divert it. It seems pretty daunting given the closest thing I've done like this before is converting an old outside laundry to a new bathroom plus - I don't have a builder as have decided instead to manage it and organise the trades. Would love a builder but as budget is tight (4 kids to feed) I've decided to try and engage the trades myself and order materials so this adds to the 'what the hell am I doing?'  I'm thinking of tracking it in a blog or on FB so can post pics there and link to it (if allowed).

 

Anyway, stumbled across this forum while doing some searches and glad I found it. I reckon I'll be using it a bit so hopefully my questions aren't to daft!

 

Cheers

Connick

[Dreadnaught]

Welcome @connick159!

[Ferdinand]

Welcome.

 

IMO Facebook does not really preserve things, so get to know us for a few days then perhaps start one here.

 

BTW there are a few blogs here that may be useful .. including the Scooby Cottage Renovation of a cottage renovation, though that is in an English Town.

 

Mine is more general - God is in the Details.

 

There are plenty of others.

 

I am unanimous that yours should be called "Here be Dragons". But you may disagree.

 

You really can't spend too much time doing homework in advance ... given that mistakes on paper or in your head are the least expensive.

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited April 8, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Gone West]

Hi Connick, welcome to the forum. We've all started knowing a lot less than we do now. Persevere and you'll get there in the end and ask as many questions as you like, they won't be daft. Good luck with the project.

PS You're in a lovely part of the world, do you have any pictures of the house.

Edited April 8, 2019 by PeterStarck

[Ian]

@connick159

don't forget to install a radon barrier. Snowdonia is a hot spot.

https://www.ukradon.org/information/ukmaps

[connick159]

5 minutes ago, Ian said:

@connick159

don't forget to install a radon barrier. Snowdonia is a hot spot.

https://www.ukradon.org/information/ukmaps

Thanks Ian, we had it checked during planning stage and luckily we are all good.

[connick159]

9 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

Hi Connick, welcome to the forum. We've all started knowing a lot less than we do now. Persevere and you'll get there in the end and ask as many questions as you like, they won't be daft. Good luck with the project.

PS You're in a lovely part of the world, do you have any pictures of the house.

Hi Peter, yes I do but all on phone at the moment and for some reason its playing up trying to send to pc. I'll sort it tonight and post some up.
Cheers

 

[Ian]

 

1 minute ago, connick159 said:

Thanks Ian, we had it checked during planning stage and luckily we are all good.

That's good to hear. My own build is not too far from you (I'm in the Clwydian Range AONB) and our Radon readings were surprisingly high.

[connick159]

20 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Welcome.

 

IMO Facebook does not really preserve things, so get to know us for a few days then perhaps start one here.

 

BTW there are a few blogs here that may be useful .. including the Scooby Cottage Renovation of a cottage renovation, though that is in an English Town.

 

Mine is more general - God is in the Details.

 

There are plenty of others.

 

I am unanimous that yours should be called "Here be Dragons". But you may disagree.

 

You really can't spend too much time doing homework in advance ... given that mistakes on paper or in your head are the least expensive.

 

Ferdinand

 

Thanks for the tip re FB and also for the links. will have a look tonight.

Prob I have at the moment is that I just had the site cleared as the local digger driver could only fit me in this weekend but... I still need to work out exact finished floor heights and uncovering an old culvert drain right in the middle of the planned extension will need diverting so... have to try and scramble to get it all done before I can find someone else to help with digging the footings (once I know the height that is ?

[joe90]

Welcome, there is no such thing as a stupid question, stupid is not asking !.. I believe we are all better informed from being on this forum. I spent many years up near you walking the hills, wonderful area.

[connick159]

Thanks for the messages... here is a bit of an update for you all.

 

The building inspector has agreed that the sensible solution for the old culvert drain is to divert it behind a new stone retaining wall that we will be building. Good result!

Next problem is that I only had to dig down about 400mm to find the sewage waste which means that we are going to find it challenging to get the fall required for the installation of the new waste pipes.
 

We also have a bit of water in on the site now as it is seepage from the land at the back which gently slopes down towards to cottage. hopefully the French drain behind the dry stone wall will resolve this.

 

Meating with my excavators next week to discuss the groundworks and waste pipe design challenge and the stone waller also start on Thursday. Should then get the foundations dug and poured the following week. So much to learn on my behalf!!!

 

Cheers