Porch Up To Damp

Some more progress on the porch over the last couple of weeks.

Last Saturday (2nd of May) a mate of mine, Dill, came over and started on some of the brick work and setting out of the porch and another project I've got going on (more of that another time). I've worked with him lots over the last few years and he's a really good bricklayer and roofer (Some of the projects we've done together can be seen here and here although there are many more) and he's a real hard worker. I made sure that he had everything he needed and all his materials were close to hand.

 He got the brick and block work up to damp course ready for concreting.

This Sunday just gone my dad and brother came over and helped me get the concrete in and done.

Inside and outside were filled with scalpings, the inside is then blinded with sand to prevent any stones piercing the plastic. 

first layer of plastic going in

Insulation added to the floor (75mm) and a 25mm insulation going around the perimeter  of the walls to prevent cold bridges. Another layer of plastic was added on top of this to prevent the concrete reacting with the insulation, although I think this might be an unnecessary step it's on my plans so I do it!
Levels are all worked out from the oak floor inside, allowing enough for quarry tiles, adhesive and then 150mm of concrete.

Concreting finished! 

I'm really pleased to have the porch up to this level (up to damp as we'd say in the building trade). I now need to wait a few weeks for the bricks to come as they have to be ordered in and there's a bit of a shortage at the moment. I already have a door to fit (the old one is coming out as it's on it's last legs) but I need to source some windows and get the materials for the roof sorted. In the meantime we can use the front door again!  

I hope that I can get this porch finished fairly quickly and then get cracking with the the real bulk of the extension, the propect of a bigger kitchen is a real incentive at the moment! That said there are so many things I need to do first it's a little daunting (lots of drainage, manholes, walls, fuel tanks, boilers, etc)!