The New Roof

It was now time for the big one, the roof. This would give real shape to the house we had imagined and help create the living space we desired. 
There is to be a large dorma coming out from the chimney to the back block wall about 20cms below the main roof ridge height. This will provide a 4 X 4 meters bedroom at the back where it was once just single story.
The back stone wall of the house is only 4 meters high and as the ceiling below the extra bedroom would be 2.5 meters I need to put in “eyebrows” in order to give us head room to get up the stairs. One either side for symmetry. In other words a fairly complex shaped roof at the rear.
At the front we were just putting in what are known as “dipped dormas” to give us floor to ceiling windows in the two rooms at the front of the house. 
We were replacing every timber in the roof and tiling with brand new “composite slate” using stainless hooks to hold them in place. 
My building consultant and roofing expert had measured it all up for me and we took delivery on Aug 2nd of 6,500 euros worth of timbers, membrane, slates and hooks.

To say my carpentry skills are a bit limited is a bit like saying Snow White needs a step ladder (they are, and she does) and it had been arranged that as designer I would be the labourer for the roofer/carpenter. 
He asked me just before we began the project if I would be happy for his son, who is a trained joiner and had worked on dozens of roofs with him, could take it on as his first “solo roof” with him as the advisor when required. We trust our friends judgment implicitly and happily agreed that the arrangement suited us.
He would do the first few days and get the thing started as we had to make sure that it met the old tin roof of the derelict next door correctly and remained sealed.
I had spoken to the owner of the old bit it next door and he was happy with the arrangement and I assured him that we would put up new tin where required to ensure the integrity of his roof where the two joined. He was happy with that. 
So there we were with all the equipment we needed and on the 4th August 8 am we started work on taking down one side of the old roof . 


This is how it progressed on the first day.






In this next one you can see the big beige tarp covered section in the lounge where I had taken out all of my tools and other equipment that we knew we would not be using and protected them should it choose to rain.




An all action shot of the three of us (Mick the carpenter and his dad Chris my building guru)  clearing the roof late afternoon on day one with just the pearlings (the big ones) and a few chevrons left.




End of day 1



Next day (Michael the carpenter) balanced on the old ridge marking out its height in preparation for removal and installation of new timbers.. 




Once we had removed most of the pearlings and stashed them out of the way it was a case of forming a new A Frame to make it level with the original ridge on the gable. 
We did this by leaving a pearling either side in place to give us the correct angle. 
Put up the tower scaffold and hauling the two angled pieces of the “A” into place and letting them cross over at the top until we had the right angle. Then measured the angle at the bottom and cutting it in. and likewise marking and cutting the angle at the top. Both done in situation with a bit of grunting and heaving required. We than had to haul up and level the cross piece of the “A” that gives it its rigidity and also sets the potential ceiling height. 
This was all down to math’s as we had no floor at this stage so Mr Middleton’s geometry classes at Barnstaple Grammar School finally came to be of practical use after all these years. 








Next we had to take the a frame apart and the n reconstruct where it was going to end up. This point was chosen to allow for the dipped dorma windows at the front and also the veluxes 1 at the back to take light into bathroom and one at the front to take light into the toilet. As with much else on the build you had to keep projecting forward in time to what the next few stages were likely to be to ensure you didn’t hang yourself up and have to take down your hard work. 

We prebuilt the A frame in situation and secured in place with a chevron to keep it upright. 








I have never had an issue with heights as the early prt of my working life was spent up aloft on a moving vessel overhauling running and standing rigging on cargo vessels in the days before safety harnesses were considered sensible things to wear. Imagine my surprise when stood on the top platform of the tower scaffold (set at a piddling 6.5 meters) holding the two uprights of the a frame together while M located the bottoms I had a set of wobbles. 
That is where the scaffold sways a bit and you automatically try to counter balance and you end up doing a sort of cross between the twist and an Elvis style crotch thrust just to stay in position. It completely unnerved me and I had to stop the operation for a couple of minutes to get myself together. I was surprised embarrassed and p!ssed off as nothing like that had ever happened to me before. Mrs B (wise as ever) suggested it might be my subconscious accepting the fact that I wasn’t a fit, lithe 20 year old anymore (like M) able to spring about on the roof like a monkey. I had to plan my moves and move with caution as it in reality had been a long time since I had worked for prolonged periods of time at height. You cant bend as far or as quickly or reach as far or in general move as well. Anyone about to attempt the same should be aware that it wont be as easy as it once was. 
Mrs B sorted me out with some deep relaxation and self-affirmation techniques over lunch and all was well. I just had to accept my limitations and once I had acknowledged that (albeit reluctantly) I was back on the roof (or what was left of it) 

Now it was just a case of fitting the purlins into place (again allowing for velux fitting, dipped dorma and ceiling height)
 
In the first photo you can see the ridge beam is in place. To get this to the right height and so that the “A” Frame supports it we had to level it between the two roofs and then you put up two thick pieces of wood either side of the a frame resting on the cross piece and cut to the correct height. If you look closely you can see the construction of it and where the uprights sit just proud of the apex of the “A”
This gives to a level platform for the ridge beam. 






Then the chevrons go on the back side of the roof 






Looking up to see the shape 




Build up the dipped dormas or (peddys as Michael the roofer/joiner called them) at the front







And that’s the first fifth of the roof basic timbering done.

It is starting to look groooooovy