My listing on the Future Ready Homes Directory is now live

https://staging.futurereadyhomes-directory.org.uk/directory/robson-building/

10 hour porch in Rowlestone

The client wanted a simple porch that would provide protection for the door and not break the bank. I used shepherds hut roof sheets with a roll top zinc ridge and zinc flashing. The timber is Leylandii from an over grown tree in Llangarron. It actually makes excellent timber, very durable and densely structured, with a creamy colour. The curved brace is slab-sawn from a naturally curved branch and finished by hand. The simplicity of the design helped to keep the labour costs down, I built it with my 16 year old son in just 10 hours. I am looking forward to seeing it weathered 

down in the next few months...

Steel guttering, Orcop

Black coated galvanised steel guttering 

Replacing brown uPVC gutters. Plastic gutters tend to perform very badly, they come apart with expansion and contraction and they are ugly. Steel is totally stable, recyclable and biodegradable. It also looks great.

Timber Frame repairs, Tarrington

 

Repairs to Grade II listed cottage near Ledbury

The soleplate was badly repaired in places and completely missing is others. The whole elevation was sitting on crumbling cinder-block. Many of the studs were rotted at the ends. Previous repairs had caused serious structural problems.

Much of the damage was done when inappropriate large windows were fitted.

This was the only surviving original piece of sole plate. It was too badly deteriated to preserve. 

 

Some new timber going in. Rails fitted into original mortice holes on left and shouldered into the new post on the right with slip tenons.

An example of an squinted half-lap repair to a rotten post, morticed to new sole plate

One of the few original tenons preserved and refitted to new sole plate and the bridle joint in sole plate prior to connection.

Hempcrete was chosen for replacement panel infill. It was originally developed for this purpose and is proving to be the ideal material for the job, having excellent hydroscopic properties and brilliant thermal performance. Its also brilliant for filling the irregular shapes in old timber frames.

Hemcrete was also used to repair the two existing wattle panels 

New brick plinth and panels staves ready to hemcrete

Completed hempcrete casting ready lime rendering

Phase one complete. We'll be back in a few months to render the panels.

Ash 'n' elm door

 

Ash horizontal boards...

On to elm vertical boards. Sliding pocket door for bathroom.

Home grown and felled ash boards from Penallt.

Leylandii door

 

Ledge and brace door from leylandii planks with elm handle and bolt

Retrofit ceiling insulation

Retrofit ceiling insulation, Fownhope

The client wanted to replaster the ceiling and this proved to be an ideal opportunity to fit some extra insulation. 60mm of Woodfibre (doubled to 120mm on pitched part of ceiling) was added to compliment the mineral wool loft insulation above. The Warmshell boards are directly plastered with a natural hydraulic lime finish.