Thank you for bringing us along on this adventure - it has been very fun, very interesting and quite generous on your part! Bravo!!

thanks Superman, A930Rocket and David, thanks for following, I'll keep posting if you're still enjoying our progress

Steve, I blew up my parents wooden driveway gate and nearly peppered myself and the dog with shrapnel playing about with gun power when I was a teenager :eek: Once nearly blown up, twice shy, so now keep away from explosives

Billy, the stone isn't great quality, a bit crumbly so we'll cover it up, you'll like the below update as it's all about exposed, natural stone on display


Believe it or not this is the pile of left over stone from only turning a window into a door way and making a new door way, just when I'd thought we'd finished with moving mountains :(

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1645369859.jpg

Mrs Ahab wanted the feel of a castle, while creating a seamless transition where the old part of the house met the new build along the 1st floor hall way where is passes through the original 2ft thick external wall. We decided to use the best and largest stone we had and to give a sense of scale the smallest course of stone is 9" high

As she has the skills, I just encouraged her with a 'go on then do it!' :D. My part was limited to being just the stone cutter, while Mrs Ahab was professor, boss lady, madam on this job :D

The stone mortar joints on the house are typically around 3/8" to 1/2" wide but we wanted a higher quality, looking job, something a bit closer to an Inca/Mayan paper thickness joints.

In the end we only achieved 1/8"ish thick mortar joints which was massively time consuming (we started this back on page 31) and difficult enough to do but we're very happy with the end result.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1645370717.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1645371432.jpg

To finish it off, we still need to cement in the oak lintels, mortar the joints flush and add a couple of discrete, hidden spot downlights to illuminate the stone sides of the opening before knocking through

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1645370842.jpg

As there is a step up from the old to new I've kept aside a single, very large and very heavy 3" thick flagstone. No idea how the hell we'll get it up from the ground floor or lay it place but that's just part of the fun of this project so I'm sure we'll find a way

Steve, can you mount a chain fall in the garage ceiling to raise the flagstone to the upper level, then move it on rollers to the doorway?

Best
Les

Great thinking Les,

I'd already had the roof steel ridge beam pre-drilled for an electric hoist but forgot about it and now it's covered up with insulation and plasterboard :rolleyes:

Thinking of reinforcing my temporary garage stairs and with a combination of pulling the stone with ropes while it's on rollers, slowly slide it up to the 1st level ;)

4 maybe 5 people should do it, sounds like a family activity to me :D

All of this mucking about with heavy stones has to be the furthest thing from your day job that there could be.

Dare I ask how the other 40-odd stones made their way up there?

As big a contrast as one can imagine, my day job spent saving grams on race cars but my fun job spent adding tons of weight to a house :D

We carried all the stones up, a few of the larger ones needed both of us, was much easier than carrying the big pile of left over stone and buckets and buckets of rubble down :(

When I'm busy working on the house part I try not to loose focus on the all important man-cave element by constantly thinking of ways to make it the best it can be

Knew I want a TV in there but never considered a hidden TV that drops down out of the ceiling by remote control :cool:

Well that was yesterday and now today I have a 2nd hand electric lifting mechanism, for a bargain $50 (new price is $425) :eek:

It's the same as this one, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YasrXCcgq-k&feature=emb_logo

Will take a 44" TV but I'll fit it upside down, should be perfect for watching 'How to fix my car' :confused: video clips on YouTube

This illustrates the importance of a clear and well thought-out mission statement, since this has implications for much of the decision-making throughout the project. This is either a house project which incidentally also might result in man-cave improvements -or- it is a man-cave project with whole house implications. Focus, Ahab. Focus.

S'man, all along I've sold it as a house improvement 1st and man-cave addition 2nd but I'm sure Mrs Ahab has worked out exactly what my plan is ;)

Smart!

BTW - does Mrs Ahab read this...?

Yes, she does and appreciates all the comments as much as I do :)

Mrs Ahab is very supportive of my man cave quest, I've been agonising over which car lift to buy, 1st world problem, I know :rolleyes:

Do I compromise my F1 inspired man cave vision by buying the more affordable 'conventional' single level 4-post car lift or go for the expensive 'extreme' 2 level high 4-post car lift at 3x the cost which is the car lift I really, really want?

Mrs Ahab persuaded me to buy the one I really want, so today I contacted the company and the wheels are in motion :cool:

^Thats awesome! Mrs Ahab is truly your soulmate.

Def a keeper!

This morning I started insulating the small roof above garage opening, after only cutting/fitting 3 panels I couldn't feel my fingers anymore, boy did they hurt like hell warming up :mad:

Not my idea of fun :( so went indoors to try and book flights to somewhere warm :)

4 seasons in a day weather here :confused: it's sunny again so will try to do a few more panels until I can't feel my fingers again

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1648732280.jpg

Maybe put the door in first so it's cozy?
JK. I'm sure you have a plan.

are you screwing the large foam sheet insulation up into the 2nd story floor joists? 3"-4" long screws or something.?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1648771982.jpg

Rod, :D door is a big project, I'll use rustic oak planks to make 8 panels ie 4 panels will slide to each side

Rusty, if only it was that easy :( I'm using the low angle roof void for more storage and space is quite limited

3 far panels are finished, with 2 layers of 2" thick insulation boards and any gaps have been foil tapes too. The other panels aren't finished and only have 1 layer of insulation board

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1649022880.jpg

Bob, that photo warmed me up, thanks, looks like Bali or maybe Sri Lanka :confused:

I found somewhere warmer going in the opposite direction, got a great deal on flights to Lima, Peru, now excitedly planning a 14 day self driving route and an 3-day excursion into the Amazon

Back to man cave but keeping to the great deal theme, I bought something from FB Marketplace that is almost worthy of a place on the 'Craigslist and Garage sale scores' thread :cool:

For $50 I picked up a used but perfect working order remote control motorised TV lifting mechanism which will take up to a 44" TV

Same model as this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YasrXCcgq-k but I'll use it upside down to the lower a TV down from the ceiling so I can watch YouTube 'how to fix my car' videos ;)

Before you finish, you should mount a couple/few pairs of these in one of the stone walls as a funny conversation piece.

https://images.fineartamerica.com/im...t-eclectic.jpg

Steve, that should scare off any porch pirates :D

As it's been a while since my last update, here is a two part double update!

Somehow, between the new build extension and shed we've built in holes for 15 windows :cool: Quote for locally made, custom, hardwood, painted windows that exactly matched our original windows came in at $25k :eek: This build is a 'no budget build' ie it will cost what it will cost but I'm not made of $'s ;)

For me windows on a house are like wheels on a car, they make or break the overall look. Any new build windows had to exactly match the original house windows
so I found another company that mass produces made to measure softwood windows.

Original windows are softwood and as solid as the day I fitted them over 20yrs ago so softwood would be plenty good enough

One window style were dimensionally an exact match but the horizontal/vertical glazing bars were crap, self-adhesive, plastic trash that just looked wrong so I ordered the windows without glazing bars

I bought some off the shelf timber window beading profiles and set to work 'hot rodding' all 15 windows or 33 panes of glass

Tools look brutal but they worked perfectly as no damage was done while I carefully :rolleyes: removed the wooden window beading

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650838035.jpg

After some measuring, chopping on the bandsaw, hey presto one window done, just needs painting and fitting

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650838151.jpg

Here is an original house window for comparison
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650838354.jpg

Best part of my my 'hot rodded' windows is they will only cost me $12k

Part 2 update to follow shortly and the theme will be 'now my man cave has a ceiling'!

That looks good, you did well. Those details are different in England and in the US. Interesting…

Thanks, javadog

The life of a builder is dangerous as at the end of this job it was off to hospital for me again, this time to the Eye Accident and Emergency department. I was wearing glasses but got an eyeful of circular saw wood debris, needed a bit picked out of my eye jelly and some antibiotic drops for a cornea :rolleyes:

Rear roof above the garage opening originally was designed to be a glass roof but in reality it would have looked out of place and not worked out well with the internal ceiling.

Not worth the extra cost/complication so I changed to concrete roof tiles to match the house roof, added bonus was I gained a bit more storage space :cool:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650919689.jpg

1st job was to cut and fit 2 layers of 2" thick insulation boards between the roof joists

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650919777.jpg

Cladded the inside with 3/8" plywood, only crawl space sized, just big enough to go in head first, wringle along to each end and roll over but not turn around. On a clumsy exit attempt I kicked over the ladder but luckily had my phone with me so called Mrs Ahab to rescue me :D

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650919871.jpg

To support all the car junk that will end up being stashed I fitted floor joists using a 2" x 3" and 2" x 2" screwed together

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650920131.jpg

Then another 4" of insulation board between the joists as I plan to spend my winters working in warm comfort on the car projects I have queued up

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650920231.jpg

Keeping the comfort theme going I also found a position for my 'drop out the ceiling' remote control TV lift mechanism. Can't afford a TV so spray painted 'TV' on a correctly sized piece of plywood for a 50" TV. Would have preferred it angled towards the centre of the garage but there just wasn't enough height clearance

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650920890.jpg

Lastly covered over with 1/2" 30 minute fire rated plaster board to create a ceiling above my garage which at the moment is being used as my 'window chop shop'

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650920961.jpg

I would have put the 2 x 2 on top of the 2 x 3, but that’s just me…

I like how you are turning any available space into storage space, I did that at my last house too. Can’t have too much storage space.

You’re putting in a lot of insulation, that’s good. Make sure that all the edges are sealed against air movement.

This guy has a product for every possible sealing need:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1650922886.jpg

Javadog, I tape over all joints using 2" aluminium tape before it's covered over

Been a busy week on my 'window chop shop' production line, was hoping to have all 33 panes of glass done on the external side of each window

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1651270992.jpg

Need to wait another week for more wood beading, even though I've reused all the original edge beading I never thought I'd need over 160ft of extra window beading :rolleyes:

For todays activity I took some inspiration from the meth heads that overload their cars when shopping at Home Depot and made myself a 'ghetto' roof rack from bits of old wood and cable ties

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1651406914.jpg

Successfully load rated to 225lbs abd speed rated to 70mph :cool:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1651407250.jpg

Car was full too!

They're soakaway crates, which are stacked/inter locked together, then wrapped in a permeable membrane blanket, throw the lot into a big hole in the ground, pipe in all the roof rainwater and the water soaks away back into the earth

Nice use of your roof rack - like it a lot!

By way of contrast (but in no way am I saying "better"), in So Cal if the soil is right we dig a pit 8'-10' deep, line it with "filter fabric", fill it half way with gravel, insert the end of the drainage pipe, then fill the rest of the way with more gravel, and then finally, wrap the remaining filter fabric over the top, and landscape to suit. That much gravel can handle a LOT of water, and the filter fabric keeps the "fines" - the smallest dirt/sand particles - from filling up the gravel.

I think you should collect all of your roof rainwater on the uphill side of your property, near the street, and rig system to shoot jets of pressurized water down the curb in the dead of night, so you’ll never have to sweep again.

Should be easy to engineer. Do a little CFD modeling when nobody’s looking.

:D

I hate sweeping my curbs, I get crap from every house in the neighborhood that stops at my curb, because of the topography.

External side of the windows are all done and painted, very time consuming, nearly 500 pieces of window beading that needed measuring, cutting and fitting

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1652997577.jpg

Installing the windows will have to wait as we're getting stuck into a 'while you're in there' job :rolleyes: Come on we've all been there!!!

Roof of the original house only has 2" thick insulation board (same R value as 3.5" of mineral wool). I fitted it 15yrs ago but as many winters have proven it wasn't enough to keep the top floor all toasty warm.

New build roof has 6" thick insulation board so we've decided to add another 4" of insulation board. Partly because of the escalation in energy prices and partly due to having access without dragging everything through the house

First job was to empty the room, view is from the stairway looking towards the new build end of the house, the end door way was a window

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1652998110.jpg

Original house has 3 floors, with access by two oak spiral stair cases, dogs and the kids all taught from from an early age to 'go wide', the outside lane is the safe lane on these stairs :D

I have a strong survival instinct as I climbed up two sets of stairs like these when not feeling very sporty, just before I had my cardiac arrest asleep in bed :eek: Our local firemen strapped me to a rescue stretcher for the trip down after the paramedics jump started me!

Stone wall is late 1700's, age of the stain glassed window unknown (lower stairs has another stained glass window too), guessing late 50's, 60's or 70's, oak window lintel/sill I fitted 15yrs ago

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1652998280.jpg

Work in progress after the 1st week, Mrs. Ahab and I are both on this job, she's a hard worker, no slacking allowed, so I've had to up my game ;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1652998969.jpg

Don't like to brag but I'm a regional 'hide and seek champion' and try to practice whenever I've got a spare moment :D

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1652999482.jpg

Nice temporary use of the soakaway crates.
How did you get yourself in there?
How did you get out? You DID get out, didn't you?

Best
Les

Soakaway crates must be a builder's best kept secret, they work great as a lightweight, stable work bench :cool:

It's ok I'm out and never going back in!

I lay on my side, head in first, then body, finally legs with lots of bending and cursing in between :D

Needed to drill a few holes, my ribs couldn't take leaning through the gaps between the vertical timbers any more :mad:

LOVE that stairwell!!! Such a Killer place Captain!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat6.gif

Now we need to see the rest of the house after those pictures! Very cool.

Great work Cap'n!

Re those beautiful stairs, what are the circular objects along the wall (shown in yellow)? Have you removed a stair rail/banister?

Thanks, Steve

Thanks Rod,
Haven't got many photos of the rest of the place, for now here is a picture of our fireplace, doing what it does best, keeping us cosy and burning all the man cave build left overs

Remind me and I'll post up photos of the more interesting house features

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1653253663.jpg

Thanks David, you've got a good eye, yes, they supported a rope hand rail, we fitted it when we rented it when we lived in Italy. One lady tenant was on the large side and ripped a couple of them right out of the wall :eek: :D

Oops - looks like I forgot the pic:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1653497678.jpg

This is your reminder. ;)

Seriously though, take your time but please do this. We would LOVE to see more pictures of this stunning place of yours. We see the ambitious (to say the least) and well-done improvements, and we are noticing this place has a massive amount of character and hundreds of years of history. Just lovely! That fireplace!

And to help put things into perspective for you, we have nothing like this where I live. Over on the other end of the continent, they signed some sort of "Constitution" document, whatever that is, in 1789. Your house was probably already built. Your house was built before Meriwether Lewis and William Clark walked across the continent of North America.

Doubleplus 1

Looking at your pictures makes my body ache sometimes. Like today since I was rolling around on the concrete yesterday changing oil in my wife's car.

I can't believe you have that wood stacked so close to that fire. Doesn't look like you have any draft problem when it's burning. I once lived on a vineyard where the owner's house had giant fireplace very similar to yours. The house was built so air tight that the fire had a problem and would fill the house with smoke because of the draft coming back down the chimney.

Love to see more of your place Capt'n.

Thanks for the interest S'man and David, I'll take some photo's for you guys

Historical perspective is all relative...

Declaration of Independence was signed around the time this house was built over 250 years ago

My previous house was a lot older as it was built when Henry VIII was King 475 years ago

An inn/pub in the nearby town of Stow-on-the-Wold had been a successful business for over 1000 years

Then stuff get crazy old as there is a stone circle in a neighbouring village that was built over 5000 years ago and it's still there today :eek:

All the stuff I've helped create during my working life only has a useable life of a few races or one race season at the most ie months not even a full year

Might sound odd but I get a huge amount of satisfaction knowing what we're creating with this build using our own hands should have a useable life of at least a 100 years :cool: