Possible stone walls

We are looking at styles of rocks for the curving wall around the courtyard.  Two are left in the race, basalt from Roßdorf and granite from Groß Bieberau.

Roßdorf wall build with nice dark stone

Possible wall style, but not the right colour

Arrival of pool

After the lull of the summer holidays and the excitement of the Ortskernfest, there are some things happening at the building site again.

The window maker has started installing the frames.  Six are in and the rest should follow this week.  The glass parts will come next week.  Hopefully.

The electrician has been preparing light switch locations and sockets ... yesterday I had to say how high to put the switches for the bedside lights above the floor (60 cm).

Outside, the retaining walls have all been poured and the shuttering is off.

Three sections of the retaining wall

Other parts of the concrete for the garden have been delivered including the rain-water pool.  Maybe they will get installed this week.

Rain-water pool ready for deployment by retaining wall sequence

Roof getting thicker

After three weeks of dry weather, the roofer has made some real progress.

Edge of roof showing internal layers

On top of the concrete, there is a layer of some kind of bitumen/tar, which may or may not be bedded on some sort of insulation.  On top of that are two layers of polystyrene (about 10cm).  Then comes a layer of wood (about 1cm).  Next comes a sort of thick plastic sheeting like you can line ponds with.  That layer is just about finished.  Maybe the pebbels come next - let's wait and see.

Roof panorama

Manifold destiny

In an attempt to out boring the window diagram, here is a photo' of one of the (three) under-floor heating/cooling manifolds.  How crazy is that?

Progress on windows

Concrete(ish) evidence of activity on window constructions ...

Richtfest

Today we had the Richtfest (topping out party?) to celebrate the approaching end of the concrete and steel work (the house is complete, just additional walls to do) and the addition of the first waterproof layer to the (flat) roof.  Classically the last roof timbers going in would be the time to celebrate, but what with our flat roof ...

Decorated tree top on top of scaffolding

Decorations on tree

Among the festivities we decorated the end of a bit of tree with crepe ribbons and the builders put it up on the scaffolding.  The branch came from the tree just in front of the house.

The owner of the building firm and his colleague then read a traditional poem from the roof wishing us luck and thanking the builders for their hard work.  After a couple of toasts and some applause, they threw their wine glasses to the floor which duly smashed, thereby ensuring good luck, health, happiness, etc.

Spectators at the Richtfest

Then it was sausage in a bun, drinks and brownies time (thanks Tom for covering for me with the grill).  The rain stayed off until most people had left.  At least it is dry in the house now.

Concrete infrastructure nearing completion

On Thursday last week, the final concrete layer was poured on the roof.

Tidying up after pouring the roof

The surrounding raised rim (roof parapet or Attika) has the re-enforcing in place and should be poured very soon.

Most of the interior support structure will be taken down on the ground floor this week so that the window maker can get decent access to things.  We signed the contract with him on Thursday last week.  Some of the props and struts look a bit improvised.

Complex engineering holding up living room window frame