Two months on and Alan and Marlene were hoping to be living in the garage annexe and working on the footings for the house. Unfortunately this was not to be due to a problem familiar to many self builders, that of being let down by tradesmen.

However, considerable progress has been made with the build. The roof is now finished, using slate in preference to tiles. “I’m using slate instead of tiles due to the moss growth that tiles are prone to that can eventually break free and block guttering, I also believe tiles do not weather as well as real slate,” commented Alan. The lead work on the dormer windows helps to give a cottagy look, as do the ridge tiles that will match those on the main house to provide continuity between the two buildings. The custom made windows have also been fitted. They are double glazed sashes with a UPVC frame and are designed with easy access for cleaning in mind.

Finishing off the front of the annexe has been the fitting of the garage doors. “These are of the up-and-over type and I may motorise them at a later date. I also intend using part of the ground level area of the annexe as a workshop and to make this more economical to heat, the doors are of double skin construction with insulation between the skins. The ground flooring itself is of concrete floated to a smooth finish that is being protected from accident damage by dropped blocks and tools during the build with sheets of shuttering ply,” said Alan.

Inside, most of the dry lining is complete with the stud and plasterboard partitions dividing the open plan kitchen/lounge, bedroom and shower room. The pitched roof has been lined internally so as to maximize storage space, with access to the side of the dormer windows as can be seen from the photograph. Plumbing and central heating pipe work has been carcassed-out and radiators fitted, which now just awaits the boiler and connection to mains services. Similarly, all the electrics have been carcassed out.

The only other snag Alan has run up against apart from elusive tradesmen has been the gas supplier who has dictated that the size of the property warrants a commercial gas supply. In practice only the meter is different from a domestic supply, with the same infrastructure, but installation costs are higher. As an experienced plumbing and heating engineer, Alan knows that a commercial supply is not necessary and correspondence is still taking place, but this has held up connection by some 8 weeks. “All being well, and with the cooperation of the gas provider and tradesmen, we should have moved in by the end of May and be able to make a start on the house,” said Alan.