To get the large 8 foot ladder trusses for the roof overhangs on the south side of the site into place we decided to bring them all the way round on the teleporter across the fields, as there was not enough room to bring them round the side. The double V effect is 2 x 6 inch material to brace them as without this they are very flexy in this orientation.

The roof suppliers are good to their word and the replacement longer ridge beam arrives and is quickly craned up. Now we can crack on with the roof construction.

While we wait for the replacement roof trusses to come we use the otherwise idle small crane to lift up the heavy balcony doors and windows for the upstairs whilst there is access from above through the incomplete attic joists. Another job it does with ease!

Work stops for over a week while we try to resolve problems with fitting the roof to the house. So far the log stacking has gone fine, but the North American supplier sub contracted the roof design and supply to a UK supplier, and a communication break down means the roof does not fit the house we have built. The trusses were designed to sit on the logs but the logs have been supplied and assembled to sit higher than the roof designer expected. Meanwhile the crane is on hire doing nothing. We eventually resolve the design with the help of the UK supplier and our building control officer and work should restart in 10 days time once the new trusses and a longer ridge beam arrive. It’s not unusual for this sort of problem to arise when parts of the build are sub-contracted by the prime contractor and at least we are getting the replacement parts from the sub contractor who is only 100 miles away instead of 2,000.

The fine weather returns for a few days and we can crack on and finish stacking the logs. With the last courses of logs in place we can start the gable ends. No more taping, hurrah!

 As we approach the final courses of logs, we made this cutter up to make the spring pockets and to cross drill into electrical conduit holes.

We had got a bit ahead of ourselves and put the ground sourced heat pump ground loop in over a year ahead of starting the house build (the black pipes coiling out of the ground). With the recalculated heating requirement since then for possible future expansion we needed to add a second loop for the now larger pump. So we need to get the loop into the house and the pump connected once the underfloor heating is in place to start drying the house out. But with the scaffold in the way we cannot use a digger to make the final bit of trench to the house. And we can’t put the second loop in until the ground dries out unless we want to make a real mess of the adjacent field. Duh!

As we come towards the end of the ground floor log stack, it is time to get the posts up that will support the floor beams. We can then put the floor joists and a temporary floor down to enable the upstairs floor logs to be stacked and on it goes.

Prior to the logs arriving we sat down and decided where we would need wiring conduit for electrical, tv, phone etc services that would be set in the log walls. Then, as each log is stacked you have to drill with a long auger, checking with some conduit as you set each log that you are drilling bang on vertical. Where the conduit runs were going from floor to ceiling so going through 10 or more logs, the conduit was put in place after about 6 logs and left in place and logs lowered onto the conduit. It’s also very easy to forget to put a hole in, and once the next log is in place it’s too late! So bits of conduit were left in place sticking up to remind us.

After just 3 days of stacking logs we are half way through the ground floor. Visually progress is going to be quick to start with but will slow up as we have to put in the joists for the floors when we get to the top of each floor. Nevertheless it is good fun and the weather is being very kind to us if a little cold.