The following day, the architect / structural engineer met the builder and Ian "on site". For 2 hours, there were inspections, deliberations, technical building conversations and speculations.
The result of all the above was relatively positive. Much of the remedial work could be done from the inside of the house - although unplanned for, does mean that subject to confirmation of the foundations, work can restart.
The builder, architect and Ian left the site, with the main open point being to investigate the foundations from inside the building.
Keen to progress, the builder came back later in the afternoon, removed a 6' x 5' section of the floor - including the joists - and dug the foundations. The news was good. Although no foundations were present, it turns out the building is build on top of a bed of rock!
The next day, I was visiting a neighbour in Mugdock whose kitchen overlooks our cottage. She told me that she has spent the morning watching a team of builders on the roof stripping tiles and removing the chimney. so I sat with my coffee and pollenta cake watching the deconstruction of my home. Can anyone remember the Billy Connolly sketch, when he woke up in a friends flat in Finnieston, looked out the window, and saw the house he was born in get pulled down? well, I got that surreal feeling.
When we were visiting the same neighbours on Sunday, we decided, after testing the emotional water with Maja, to let her go across to see what was going on. All she could say on seeing the house void of any rooms was "where are all the corners?"
"In the back garden." was Ians reply.
She thought it was hysterical. I think it may be useful letting her see the changes, as she is finally on board.
Now, the tiles are off the roof, the chimney is down, including the structure inside the building, the final measures for the new roof structure have been taken and the order for the truss (wooden structures that form the roof) manufacturer has been placed.
While no doubt there will be more snags to overcome (the telephone line to the house, for example, will need to be removed and moved, as it enters the building in an inconvenient place once the new roof structure is put up), but for now, no more major incidents to deal with.
