Quick update on the story so far regarding the bathroom floor.  The floor was unsupported at one side and had sagged. The wall that could have been supporting it had bowed away. Past cover ups of the continually sagging and sinking floor had been to add another layer of boards over the top. All this got […]

The roof is now finished!!! But while the scaffolding is up we’ve biten the bullet and asked the builders to re render the back of the cottage. The builders have now removed the cracked cement render reavealing the hodgepodge of stone and brick, all soaking wet as the old cement render wouldn’t let the wall […]

 We were expecting the roof to be long finished by now but events have conspired against us ( Local Authotity Scaffolding Licence and the weather). We are at last making steady progress. We’ve employed local builders who were recommended by a neighbour. They’re both experienced in traditional building techniques and were refreshingly enthusiastic about using lime etc. […]

While the scaffolding has been up the Stuff Doer has taken advantage and started replacing the cement pointing (ribbon pointing) on the front stonework. The pointing, although not in good shape and wasn’t on our priority list but cement mortar does the stone no good. Also working at height on a ladder on a very […]

The full flue liner article starts here and the video is on this page Please leave comments or questions below. Note: I’m currently looking in to, what problems might be caused by not sealing the top of the liner to the plate. So keep checking back, leave a comment below (wordpress should be able to email you when […]

Our walls in the Whitby cottage are around 2 foot  thick, constructed of sandstone bound with mud (clay, earth and chopped vegetation). On the outside they have been ribon pointed with cement mortar which will, eventually, be chased out and replaced with more appropriate lime mortar. Internally from what we can see, they were pointed with lime […]

That’s one big job for the Whitby Cottage restoration done. The new timber beam and column to support the bathroom is now installed.  As usual I didn’t go for the easy option.  I felled the tree, hand hewed it to a beam and a column, and now it’s fitted ready for me to start rebuilding the floors above. […]

The last room of the Whitby Cottage to get stripped back is the Kitchen. Being up there on my own means the kitchen is virtually redundant.  As long as I’ve got running water somewhere, kettle and microwave, I’m OK.  It was time for the last few discoveries. Unlike an onion, the room gets bigger as […]

A bit of background:  The Whitby Cottage renovation /restoration needs a new beam to support the bathroom floor, (read Whitby Cottage Floor in Need of Support), how it’s lasted as long as it has with a cast iron bath in up there I don’t know.  The plan to make new, additional beam with a column in […]

I’ve not posted much on this (yet), its one of those “hobby” iDoStuff projects, something that’s just happening in my spare time. One one those projects with very little ~(only £20 pound 30$ ish / euro pressure)~ and of course an immeasureable amount of a sportsman’s bet. Is there any better motivation? As of November 2012 its […]