Buildlogue #9

Thursday 26 June 2014: Construction Day number 7. Happy Plumbers (I will call him ‘Happy’ with a big ‘H’ for ease of reference) arrive on schedule this morning, with his two black labradors, who are happy to remain inside the ban. After unpacking the pipes, fittings and tools, we had a quick discussion about the sanitary-ware to be fitted. Then the skies opened and we witnessed what, in my opinion, was the heaviest torrential downpour I have witnessed in New Zealand in 2014. I bucketed down, without hint or promise of respite. Overnight until 08:00 this morning, we had 10mm rain, bringing the June month-to-date up to 68mm

Happy was not happy.

PVC glue used in joining pipe fittings, etc is not all that happy with the wet muddy conditions, and neither was Happy. Apparently, the weather outlook for tomorrow Friday is also not all that good, so Happy, after calling Builder John, decides that Monday morning will be a good day to do the couple of hours work he has. This will still be within John’s Wednesday concrete-pour schedule.

John arrived an hour later with a delivery of building materials, but no construction activity ensued.

(Above): The PlaceMakers truck arrives just after the deluge, and proceeds to offload a dozen 6 metre lengths of timber, reinforcing steel rods and boxes of nails, fittings, etc.

(Above): Next John guides the polystyrene insulation panels, rolls of polythene damp-proofing, and plywood for foundation boxing.

(Above): Squish, squish. One needs to tread extremely carefully in the toffee-like muddy underfoot conditions.

(Above): John helps guide the steel mesh for the foundations to the waiting pallets. From United Steel NZ, they are 5.05m x 2.02m 24.8kg each 500E Ductile Mesh SE62.

At this point, I need to make a decision about how to number the days. A Construction Day will be numbered according to the number of weekdays elapsed since Wednesday 18 June, when Builder John accepted the site. Therefore to-day and to-morrow, even though no work will be done, will be numbered Construction Day 7 and Day 8. The next Buildlogue will relate to progress, weather permitting, on Monday 30 June.