Half a wall is better than none

Half cellar walls completed

In the picture you can see the half completed wall along the side of the Riedsbach

Half completed wall showing exterior shuttering for rest of cellar and reinforcing in place.  Yellow band is foe water-proofing the joint

I was a bit worried by the approach (a vertical join) and spoke with the construction manager and the architect.  Everything is okay.

As they pointed out, it is quite normal to have a similar join but horizontally between the ground plate and the walls, which are poured sequentially.  The vertical joins (there will be one on each side of the cellar), will be waterproof.  There is a special sealing band (in yellow) which goes between the sections, and is also used to seal the ground plate to the walls.

The rest of the exterior shuttering is (pretty much) complete, and they may be able to pour the rest of the cellar walls by the end of next week.  We just need the weather to warm up again for a few days.

Cellar windows inserted

Cellar windows inserted

The first couple of cellar windows have been put in the shuttering.

Exterior shuttering showing windows

There was a bit of water from the rain but nothing critical.  I gave the builders a bag of jammy donuts to cheer them up.

Front chap standing where heat pump should end up

I followed the builders track (a bit like an inverted construction ramp used on the pyramids) right down to the shuttering.  They were lowering the internal shuttering with the crane.

Internal shuttering being lowered in by crane

Tall shuttering partially installed

Shuttering for cellar

The first of the shuttering for the cellar walls was put up on Friday.

View from Ringstraße

View from Riedsbach

View from Blütenweg

The weather seems to be closing in for the winter.  Let's see how far the builders get before the pause.

Cellar floor poured and walls prepared

Cellar floor poured and walls prepared

By the end of Wednesday, the cellar floor had been poured and had set.  It was covered with plastic sheeting, held down by wooden battens.

Cellar floor setting under plastic

By the end of Friday, the shuttering is starting to take shape for the main walls in the cellar.

Initial shuttering for wall in place - ceiling struts bundled to right

We spent 3 hours going through the layout of the bathrooms and a first pass of the locations of lights switched, light fittings and sockets today. 

Steel matting ready for ground plate

Steel reinforcement in place ready for pouring of ground slab (Bodenplatte)



View from Ringstraße showing steelwork in place



Corner nearest Riedsbach and Ringstraße

I still haven't found out what the little bits of plastic scattered around under the steel mesh are for.  They are on top of the geo-textile matting and seem to have been scatter on purpose.  Mabe the site maanager can explain it to me.

Life exists down in the cellar

Foundations being laid

This morning (in daylight) the workmen could be seen working on the foundations.  Actually they seemed to be tapping the shuttering with a little hammer and frowning, but it was pretty cold.

View from Ringstrasse, 07:45

Earthworks just visible behind hut, to left of crane.

TARDIS, crane, fence.

Latest pictures from the building site

As the builders settle in the site is taking shape.

The TARDIS has turned up

Bottom of the crane (freshly polished)

Legs of the crane seen through the safety fence

It seems they have poured the first layer of concrete, but by the time I got there today it was too late/dark to see anything.

Digging complete

Digging complete

After about 4 days' digging (mainly in the rain) the excavations are complete.  The coarse gravel has been put in the bottom and leveled out.

View from Ringstraße along centre of house

View from corner of Blüten Weg and Ringstraße

 The Bauschild (building notice?) is hanging in a plastic sleeve on the gate, rather than on a 3 x 2 metre plaque as originally proposed.

 In order to try and prevent any big flooding problems, the engineers have installed a pump in the bottom of the hole which is working 24 x 7, making a sort of slurpy noo-noo noise.  It seems to be sucking mainly air.

Checking the pump

Start of earthworks for new house

View from Ringstrasse looking along the line of th Riedsbach

First pile of soil shifted to the side

First day of work fo rthe digger drivers ... last part of villa on the left