Extension to existing railway building

[Andymsa]

9 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

Those japanese anemones can be a nightmare. Although they flower late when not much else may be going on, they can be a real thug and get everywhere.

im afraid what I know about plants you can get on a postage stamp

[ITG]

I’m (actually, my OH) lucky enough to have inherited a holiday home on the coast, (which we plan to modify and update) and we’re just at the point of “interviewing” builders, having spent the last few months going through the architectural plans, planning permissions, structural calculations loops. The main extension areas are adding a bedroom to accommodate an en suite and extending the kitchen, but separate to this is a hobby room, around the side of the bungalow. But until we get the quotations in for the “essential” elements, I’m (actually, we) cannot make a decision as to whether to go ahead with the extra (ie luxury) bit of the hobby room. If we do, I’ll get a dedicated space of some 5.5m x 2.5m, off the lounge. Fingers crossed!

 

Funnily enough, the main bits for bedroom and kitchen (could have) fell under permitted development. Because the hobby room was at the side, and thus affected the front perspective, and was close to the side perimeter fence, it seems that bit needed planning permission. Because it was all a single planning application, it seems when we start (part of) the project, then any time restriction (normally 3 years) on the validity of the PP is removed, and it becomes permanent permission. That said, in consideration of our ages, if we don’t manage to get that hobby room now, it’s doubtful we’ll ever get round to it.

 

it’s only an hour away from our main home, so quite accessible. Who knows - I may end up with a layout in each location.

Edited September 29, 2022 by ITG
Added words

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, Andymsa said:

im afraid what I know about plants you can get on a postage stamp

 

The gum on the back of the stamp is made from plants?

[Andymsa]

Ground is now clear for the foundation dig, I will show the actual foundation design that I will employ, this is the same that I did before.

 

[Andymsa]

This is the foundation design going to be used, the previous builds employed the same method. The steel work has now been ordered and with luck the trench work will start next week.

 

[Andymsa]

The foundation has now been dug out, the next job will be the centre section will have type 1 ballast.

 

[WIMorrison]

How I wish my soil was like yours!!! If it was then I would have lovely green fields with long grass and wouldn’t need to use a digger for the all but the smallest of holes!!

[Andymsa]

20 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

How I wish my soil was like yours!!! If it was then I would have lovely green fields with long grass and wouldn’t need to use a digger for the all but the smallest of holes!!

don’t let looks deceive that was like concrete to dig, I never seen soil so dry and it’s very clay based

[Andymsa]

Had to dig deeper foundations at one end, a point anyone should note when digging foundations near a public sewer. You will have to enter into a build over agreement with the water company in your area. 
 

Edited October 6, 2022 by Andymsa

[WIMorrison]

Finally a benefit to not having any public sewers anywhere near my house 🤣

[RobinofLoxley]

As usual, sometime in the past the builders removed all the topsoil. Legislation needed to stop them, but too late for many of us

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 05/10/2022 at 21:16, Andymsa said:

don’t let looks deceive that was like concrete to dig, I never seen soil so dry and it’s very clay based

Looks very much like a signal hole I remember digging next to an old brickworks claypit. Six feet down in solid clay in the middle of a drought. As the 'baby' of the gang I ended up down the hole breaking out the last foot with a steel bar and lump hammer. I cut out the absolute minimum, taking a few tips from my grandad who was sometimes called the 'means test man' as when he was digging the hole was usually the smallest possible size to fit the job. After nearly 50 years on the job I think he knew how to achieve any result with the minimum possible effort.

[Andymsa]

Foundation is now ready for the steel reinforcement. The centre section has type 1 mot ballast which has been compacted and has now been covered with a damp proof membrane. Holes have also been drilled into the existing base which will have rebar fixed into it

 

[WIMorrison]

I think you should have made it wider to accommodate a viewing gallery 🤣

[Andymsa]

The steelwork has now arrived, the back garden looks like a steel yard. I forgot how big those steel mesh sheets are they were certainly fun getting them into the back garden.

[Davidl66]

Hope you have some new hacksaw blades ...

 

[Andymsa]

Steelwork is now installed, concrete poor tomorrow 

 

[WIMorrison]

I think you could put a real A4 Pacific on this slab 🤣

 

[chris p bacon]

I'm currently building up a reinforced concrete slab and it has half the steel !

[RobinofLoxley]

38 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

I'm currently building up a reinforced concrete slab and it has half the steel !

I think Andy is a no half measures kind of person

[chris p bacon]

2 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

I think Andy is a no half measures kind of person

 

Too much steel within the slab actually reduces the strength as it reduces the 'mass' of the concrete*. It wouldn't matter on a slab such as this as it's not structural, but there is no benefit for having so much and it will now require a vibrating poker as the chance of air pockets has increased.

 

* it also depends on the aggregate used within the concrete.

[Andymsa]

1 hour ago, chris p bacon said:

 

Too much steel within the slab actually reduces the strength as it reduces the 'mass' of the concrete*. It wouldn't matter on a slab such as this as it's not structural, but there is no benefit for having so much and it will now require a vibrating poker as the chance of air pockets has increased.

 

* it also depends on the aggregate used within the concrete.

 

Maybe be some clarification of why so much steel. When I built the first part of the building originally it was intended to have pilled foundations but I found this extremely expensive even back in 2000. So I asked the local building inspector as I had building control in place, he recommended a raft foundation along the same design which I previously uploaded, the reason for the amount of steel is two fold that 1.5 meters from the edge of the foundation is a public sewer which it’s self requires a build near/ over agreement from the water company and on the other side there is a willow tree. Concerns were raised by the inspector of the stability of the ground because of the above factors. In 2013 I did the first extension which was on the willow tree side and the same foundation design was made. Now the second extension is being done I’ve done the same again. This is for two reasons to keep consistency of movement within the three raft foundations which are keyed by movement joints and secondly as I’m taking out parts of the existing walls that support the roof I got to install an RSJ. Also the foundation has been looked at by a structural engineer for stress loadings of the RSJ on to the raft at the insistence of the building inspector. When I exposed the original foundation for this build there was no cracks or movement observed, in fact there was no movement between the original build and extension 1 when I put a laser level on them to check the slab level. The building inspector has signed this off as ok for concrete poor to go ahead.

 

The use of vibrating pokers can also have a detrimental effect if not used correctly as all the aggregate can go to the bottom of the foundation if overdone.
 

ps, I do have some 10mm steel mesh left over 😀

Edited November 1, 2022 by Andymsa

[Andymsa]

4 hours ago, WIMorrison said:

I think you could put a real A4 Pacific on this slab 🤣

 

Was thinking more like a big boy😀

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, Andymsa said:

Was thinking more like a big boy😀

I recall the Roanoke Museum had an Allegheny the year I was working in Virginia ... the following winter the place suffered from flash flooding after exceptioanally heavy rains in a valley above the town ... and the loco sank three feet into the mud  ...

https://www.steamlocomotive.com/whyte/2-6-6-6/USA/photos/co1604-flood.jpg

[chris p bacon]

8 hours ago, Andymsa said:

 

Maybe be some clarification of why so much steel. When I built the first part of the building originally it was intended to have pilled foundations but I found this extremely expensive even back in 2000. So I asked the local building inspector as I had building control in place, he recommended a raft foundation along the same design which I previously uploaded, the reason for the amount of steel is two fold that 1.5 meters from the edge of the foundation is a public sewer which it’s self requires a build near/ over agreement from the water company and on the other side there is a willow tree. Concerns were raised by the inspector of the stability of the ground because of the above factors. In 2013 I did the first extension which was on the willow tree side and the same foundation design was made. Now the second extension is being done I’ve done the same again. This is for two reasons to keep consistency of movement within the three raft foundations which are keyed by movement joints and secondly as I’m taking out parts of the existing walls that support the roof I got to install an RSJ. Also the foundation has been looked at by a structural engineer for stress loadings of the RSJ on to the raft at the insistence of the building inspector. When I exposed the original foundation for this build there was no cracks or movement observed, in fact there was no movement between the original build and extension 1 when I put a laser level on them to check the slab level. The building inspector has signed this off as ok for concrete poor to go ahead.

 

The use of vibrating pokers can also have a detrimental effect if not used correctly as all the aggregate can go to the bottom of the foundation if overdone.
 

ps, I do have some 10mm steel mesh left over 😀

The vagaries of different Building controls. I've got worse soil conditions as well as being on a steep hill and haven't got anywhere near that amount of re-inforcing. There is a 130 rafter slated roof which will be bearing on the slab as the walls aren't sufficiently stable. 

We always say there is more in the ground than above.