Ode on a Fan Heater

I thought it was time for a little interlude to highlight the immense contribution this workhorse has made to our project.


It is no exaggeration to say that living here "on site" these past 6 months would just not have been possible without the fan heater. Its warm glow, in the winter months when there was no central heating, was a huge source of psychological comfort in addition to the obvious physical necessity. But it's been so versatile as well! We still don't have a washing machine, so for those times when it's quicker to wash stuff at home rather than send it out, the heater speeds up the drying process by about 150%. When André's mum was visiting and she got wet in the rain, it dried her shoes in time for her to pack them the next day. It dried paintbrushes so we could carry on with our work on the windows in a timely manner. We never tried, but in retrospect I bet we could have used it to heat food in the couple of days before our new microwave was delivered. I bet in a pinch it could even double as a toaster...

More seriously, the psychological point is an interesting one - André pointed out the other day that the little fan heater has been arguably the most reliable "character" in this whole drama. G.C. let us down hugely (and got us into this whole predicament in the first place). M. let us down. The plumbers are fantastic but slightly mercurial. But this fan heater has been rock solid! And there's emphasis on this one - which is actually on long-term loan to me from a dear friend. I had bought another one in mid-winter to supplement its output, but it conked out within 2 weeks. The supplementary one that André bought from the hardware store gave up the ghost the same day! Maybe it's our talisman... Even so, I'm relieved that we've made enough progress (even though sometimes it feels like we've hadly gotten anywhere) that we won't have to get through another winter without central heating!

Plumbing: visible progress

Today the plumbers came back to try to finish what they're calling the "first fixing" of their work. I guess I should try to explain the vast scope of plumbing work we're doing - it's difficult to imagine unless you're here, actually seeing it.

Andre's design involved moving the kitchen from one side of the flat to the other, and also rotating/moving some elements in the bathroom. I actually didn't even know such fundamental changes were possible, but it turns out that they are - if you do massive amounts of work to reconfigure the entire plumbing system. As in, move ALL the gas and water pipes to accommodate the new locations of the boiler, sinks, and appliances.


There is so much to be done that after the plumbers' first couple of days of work, I didn't see too much difference - it just seemed that there were a few new copper pipes in a few different places. Today, however, I got home from work and found that our new boiler has been installed! There are also gauges sitting around running "pressure tests" to make sure the boiler will work safely.

The best moment tonight came when Andre was giving me the "tour" of the new plumbing work, and he said "I had them attach the boiler [to the wall] here, so the controls are at eye level for you." I sort of goggled, a bit speechless. He elaborated: "Because we can! We're customising things!!" It's kind of an amazing to think that the boiler has been configured with my specific height in mind!!



It's good to have such happy thoughts to fall back on, because today was the day I had been dreading in terms of the impact the work would have on our lives. The first few days they were here, the plumbers were only working in the living room space and the bathroom. But today they needed to pull up the floorboards in the bedroom space to lay pipes for the radiators, so we had to completely clear out "The Box". It made for a hectic morning, and now we are left with the task - which after a full day at work feels sort of monumental - of reconstructing the little sanctuary we have created amidst the chaos.

But first we have to clean it out - the plumbers also drilled massive holes that will eventually accommodate the boiler flue, and the dust and debris went everywhere. Best make start...

Dormer Trimwork

With the roofing finished, and smaller tasks like painting underway, completing the exterior of the dormer is probably the last major element of exterior work before the scaffolding can come down. As with most things on this project, I originally did not think it would take too long to complete...but of course it did. 

I had never done any exterior carpentry & finishing before, so there was a steep learning curve - and I ended up with a new-found appreciation for, and understanding of, what goes into doing this work well.

By "trimming-out" the dormer, I'm referring to building the part the facade that will surround the windows & doors - this type of woodwork is called "trim", and here, it will ultimately be painted. As the facade is not structural, its main purpose is to keep the water out, which in England is a major task! Normally, having painted wood exterior trim is frowned upon here because of all the rain and dampness - if you use paint, you generally have to re-paint every year or so. In most buildings, one would normally need scaffolding to access these areas for repainting, so more durable (and very expensive) materials such as lead are normally used. But because there's going to be a Juliet balcony in front of the dormer, I figured we could save a lot of money and some construction time by using wood and then re-painting every year.

The base of the trim-work was actually started in between other tasks, and during the roofing and slate work. After finishing the ridge tiles in the early afternoon of June 20th, I used the rest of the day to build-out the vertical portion of the dormers edge.

June 20th

After that, I managed to do a few little things here and there, but it was only on the 24th that I was able to focus completely on it. As you'll see, most of the wider trim is plywood - actually waterproof plywood (18mm WPBP) that is screwed into the dormer structure and edge battens for the slates. Then smaller planks of pine are used to frame the opening for the future windows and doors.

June 22nd

Part of the challenge here is that the design of the trim had to utilize the lead flashing detail I developed to span between the slate roof and the modern membrane roof. Roof and wall systems (whether modern or traditional) are always designed to allow water to drip down without hitting the building face. As an architect, I had always drawn these details, but it was completely different to see these principles in action, while building them.

The final design is basically like a series of overhanging elements - each with their own drip edge until we get to the window. So there are several layers of protection - almost like an upside down wedding cake. After several days, the dormer finally began to take its final shape, and by June 27th with the trim finished, the end of the exterior work was finally feeling close...

June 24th - completed the plywood that forms the roof's edge

Starting the trim that covers the dormer's structure

The main drip edge completed, with the window trim in progress

June 25th - the window trim almost finished

Supporting strips of wood for an exterior piece

The window side is completed

Applying a waterproof chemical to the wood - this is the foundation for the primer & paint

June 27th - Doing the final trim around where the balcony doors will go

Trim around the door opening completed

The finished trim. Now onto filling the holes with wood putty, primer and painting...

Painting (myself into a corner?)

Today we did the bulk of work on yet another task that needed doing before we can take the scaffolding down: exterior painting.

As you can see, the exteriors of the windows were (like almost everything in the flat!) in dire condition.

I thought this was going to be a relatively fun job, because I had NO idea how much work was involved! First we had to strip off the loose old paint (well, what was left of it) Then we had to repair some of the wood that had rotted/been damaged after years of rain and neglect. This involved getting rid of the old, rotted wood, and then drying what remained that still had years of damp embedded in it. André laughed at me when I suggested that my hairdryer would speed the process along - but actually, the technique worked really well !

Once the wood was dry, we used wood filler to repair the wood where it was damaged. Then we sanded the filler down once it had dried.

Finally, after all of this we were able to bring out the brushes. The first step was a coat of primer on the exposed wood, and then, once that dried, finally, fresh white paint.

As for being painted into a corner (literally)? No, it didn't happen, because I did figure out that I needed to climb back in through the window before painting the sill, and paint the sill from the inside! Being stranded on the scaffold would not have been much fun...

Balcony Formwork

With the ridge tiles done, the roof is basically finished - so it's nice to finally start doing something else. The next area to focus on is finishing the dormer - but before working on the carpentry and painting which will be quite involved, I figure it makes to start at the bottom. The bottom of the dormer will be a narrow "Juliet" balcony which will sit in front of a very large series of windows that will open (on one side) like a set of French doors. The idea is that one day, we'll be able to open these doors and step out onto the balcony to enjoy a view if the beautiful neighboring gardens and trees below.

The Dormer -afternoon of June 22nd

The balcony will be made of concrete so that it's strong enough to allow the balcony to extend beyond the face of the brick wall, and also to help hold together all the loose bricks that remain exposed. The first step in working with concrete will be to make the wooden form-work that will hold the wet concrete in place before it dries.

Before starting the form-work, the first task was to remove some obstructions that were in the way - the ends of the vent stack for the plumbing, and the downspout for the old gutters. These were quickly cut away, revealing that some of the brickwork had been removed, leaving a gap. I soon realized that before moving forward, this gap had to be repaired before the form-work could go up - whoever installed these pipes really butchered the wall and the brick. Because it was so bad, the rest of the day was taken up by repairing and filling in this gap. It was only on the following day that I was able to do the actual form-work, and that ended-up taking the whole day...but at least it was finished. Another item to check off the list!

The obstructing pipes before being cut away

After the pipes were cut, the gap and damage to the brick (from when the pipes were originally installed) was revealed

To fully repair som eof the decorative brickwork would have involved removing most of the surrounding bricks, and possibly causing more damage. To avoid this, I decided to span the gap with a plate of unused steel from the structural work. The plate was held in place by mortar.

Brick were then laid over the steel plate and the gap was slowly filled.

The completed repair.

June 23rd - the form-work in place.

This space is where the concrete will go. The left side is the form-work, the right side is the wood "wall plate" that used to hold the original roof rafters.

The completed form-work

Ridge Tiles - Learning the Hard Way

With the roof slates done, the first item on the list of things to be finished before the roof is complete is the installation of the ridge tiles. These are triangular shaped tiles that cap the intersection between each side of the roof, known as a ridge. With the slates completed, it's the only area still vulnerable to water penetration - so it should be tackled first. It's also probably the last "large" job - all the other items on the list are smaller, less strenuous tasks. That being said, I had no idea how "large" and "strenuous" installing these ridge tiles would be...

Back in March, when I decided to complete the roof myself , it was primarily because it appeared that most of the work ahead involved small, precise tasks - perfect for one person. Over these last few months, that has remained true - until these last three days.

Installing these ridge tiles proved to be the most exhausting work I've encountered so far. It's not that the tiles are heavy, or difficult to lay - it's the combination of all the tasks required at the same time. The primary culprit was mixing the mortar, which in itself is not hard, but it involves carrying heavy bags of cement and sand, mixing pail after pail of the stuff with a shovel, and then finally carrying the heavy pail to where it's needed. Now with the mortar in hand (or more precisely "in trowel") it is placed onto the dampened slates. The ridge tile is then placed onto that heap of mortar - if you happen to be a professional then you're done, if not (like me), you end-up making a mess...the mortar goes everywhere, and you then have to clean it before it dries...

I now understand (the hard way!) how much skill and experience goes into laying bricks or tiles - and how easy the professionals make it look. I also have learned (the hard way!) why making the mortar is usually the job of the most junior tradesman, or day laborer - it's exhausting, unending and dirty work.

...I soon realized that every ridge tile took about a bucket of mortar - so laying even a single tile took a long time...

So, like many other moments of this project, it was time to buckle down and just do it...but if there's ever a next time...I'm definitely getting help - or better yet, a mason...

Morning of June 20 - the "Hip Iron" will hold the tiles in place while they dry

Laying the first bed of mortar. Dampening the slates provides better adhesion of the mortar - this also applies to the ridge slates which are soaked in water (bottom right corner)

The first tile in place - so far so good...

A few tiles into it, I'm getting tired, and it's getting messy. Another reminder of my limited skill with a trowel...

Almost done...

The first corner is completed! As it was early afternoon by this point (and raining) I took a break and moved on to some less taxing tasks for the rest of the day.

The next morning - July 21nd - a long road ahead...

The first two tiles in place

Towards the end of the afternoon a little over halfway there

Looking down - finally starting to feel like progress

Making Mortar: Add sand and cement; mix together dry; add water; mix until a smooth, buttery texture. Repeat...

Nearing the top - a bed of mortar

It's 9pm - have been at this for 11 hours. Finally reached the top and turned the corner - time to call it a day

Morning of June 22rd - laying the tiles along the roof's ridge

The bed of mortar for the last tile - it's starting to rain, so it's good to be finishing

Montage of the completed ridge tiles

Montage of the completed ridge tiles

Reflections on radiators

Before the plumbers started work, I got a crash course in how design decisions affect even things as prosaic as heating systems. I was under the impression that we were just going to re-use the old radiators that had come with the flat (they've been sitting out on the balcony since we demolished the walls, but they're still functional, apparently). But the key design feature of the renovated flat is the double-height ceilings and opened-up spaces. Those features mean that we'll need more heat than if we had just kept the small, boxy spaces--so apparently we have to buy radiators that are more powerful than the old ones in order to keep the greater volume of space warm in winter.

Meanwhile, André hadn't liked the old radiators anyway because they're big and clunky...even I can see that they would sort of detract from the design of the space. I'm sure he was secretly somewhat pleased that we have to get different radiators, because it gave him the opportunity to choose ones that are lower to the ground and somewhat sleeker...

Progress: plumbing

Another major step forward this week: the plumbers have started work!

I was filled with foreboding on the first day, when they said they would stop by to plan things out and then never showed up--I'm still overly sensitive after what we went through last autumn. (See posts: Waiting and worrying, Waiting for G.C. and Screwed)

Happily, though, they showed up the next day to do the planning and then started work the following day, when they pulled up floorboards and started laying the pipes that will eventually carry gas and hot water (once we get the new boiler installed). We had to clear everything out of the living room and move the "table" back for them to do their work.



At least we get to cope with the disruption in stages: they are coming back over the course of several days next week to finish...

Just in case you think the roof is finished...

...it's not.

One might imagine that now with the slates done, the roof is finished...

...but unfortunately that's hardly the case.

There's still a long list of things that needs to be done before the roof work is officially finished, the scaffolding can come down, and I can go back to New York:

• The Ridge tiles need to be installed along the sloping edge of each roof plane. These tiles are triangular shaped and cover the gaps where the roof planes meet (at one of the dreaded corners) with a bed or mortar. The tiles are placed on the mortar which holds everything together and seals all the openings. (You can see one of these ridge tiles sitting on the edge in the picture above.)
• The eaves, which are plywood, need to be be protected from the rain so they don't rot away. They can either painted (which would mean they would have to be re-painted every few years), or - preferably - covered by a waterproof sheet (so they won't fade or need repainting).
• The gutters need to replaced because we took the old ones out in order to remove the roof joists back in January as part of the structural work. Besides being in the way, the old gutters were metal and rusting away - it was only a matter of time before they started falling off...
• There's a small area of re-pointing to be completed in the brick party wall over the flat roof.
• The flashing needs to be completed along the brick wall - primarily where the flat roof is.
• Once the flashing is completely finished, I need to apply a special waterproof caulk in the open joints where the lead is inserted into the brick. The caulk is formulated to bond between the brick and lead, but allows each to expand and contract properly - this avoids the problems associated with water getting into cracked mortar, which is the traditional way to seal the joint.
• Our neighbors' TV antennas, which are cluttered along the face of the dormer, will need to be relocated.
• And now on to the dormer - the first element of the dormer that needs to be done is all of the final exterior trim-work and facing. The plan is to do this with wood and then paint it (beacuse it will be easily accessible for repainting)
• Once the dormer is trimmed out, the wood needs to be treated for exposure to the rain & damp weather with a protective coating for the wood. Once that's dry (2 days later), all joists and screw holes need to be patched with an exterior filler. After drying and sanding, the wood is ready to be primed, and then finally painted with 3 coats of black exterior paint.
• Once the dormer is painted and finished, the final flashing/cap can be installed over the top edge. this will prevent water from coming in along the edge of the dormer where the slates stop. The trick with this is that the detail needs to span both types of roofing: traditional slates and modern membranes, yet look the same for visual consistency.
• The vents for the boiler, kitchen exhaust and bathroom exhaust need to be cut through the brick wall in the rear and the vents need to be installed. This has to be done before the scaffolding comes down because otherwise there is no way to install the vents and patch the holes. The plumbers will do the boiler vents and I'll take care of the others.
• The hole from the old boiler vent needs to be patched (once the plumbers take it down) - otherwise we'll have a 4" hole on the side of the building!
• The windows need to scraped and painted (not replaced) because in a few years we would like to replace the windows with efficient double-glazed windows. 
• Paint the exterior stone sills and other decorative stone elements that frame the windows. These are probably the most distinctive features of our building's facade.
• The floor of the Juliette balcony needs to be poured in concrete. To do this, the wood form-work must be made, followed by the placement of steel reinforcing bars, followed by the brackets that hold the railing posts. Once all of that is done...then you can pour the concrete...
• Once the balcony is poured and dry, the balcony railing can be installed.
• Finally...the scaffolding needs to be cleared of all the debris that's piled up since November, and then it can be taken down by the scaffolding company!

Finishing the Roof Slates: small area, huge milestone!

Immediately after finishing the Dark Side, I walked to the back of the roof and got started on the only remaining area that needed slates - the little corner at the edge of the new dormer. This area is very small, but has an angled corner on one side and a small section of vertical wall on the other - which meant that it would be a huge pain in the neck.

And sure enough, it was. Besides the time-consuming angled cuts, the weather decided to be difficult once again. It kept raining on and off all day, so I'd get a little done, then have to move inside...this made the work go really, really slowly. I also had to keep going down to check on the plumbers, so I was only able to finish the roof portion, but not the wall. The wall only got done the next day.

But with that, we reached a major milestone - the slates are completely finished! The end of the roof work is in sight...

June 16 - before starting work

The first few battens in place

June 17 - installing the battens

The first slates installed

Starting the 2nd row - the vertical slate was used to locate the starting position (edge) of the roof

It was raining on and off, but managed to get a few rows up.

June 18th - Finished the roof slates, starting on the vertical wall

It's not many slates, but time consuming due to the cuts and hanging everything vertically

Almost every piece has to be custom cut.

3:30pm - Finished! Tired, but happy and relieved!