My work progress
work in progress
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 9:07 PM
A reasonably good day, I know we all moan about the weather but there is no happy medium its either rain and cold or blooming hot, got 90 per cent of the old council paving up and in the skips, we have had three up to now, these slabs are 50mm thick and are 3ft x 2ft in size so they are heavy, the best way is get them broken and carry the pieces. Will finish the rest tomorrow and have got 6 tonnes of ballast coming so that should be good. In readiness to laying the concrete base. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, May 21, 2012 9:00 PM
Started the Shorne job today, we were contracted to do so, need to get to a point we can leave it for about two days, just to get some other work finished. Weather has been good and looks like the rest of the week is going to be fine so that should help. Its a massive job to be done about 23 days in all. Over 400 slabs and two circle patios. I think I might have mentioned that before. We had some extra help today, Neils son Mitchell is down for two weeks and is free to help us get on, day one has started good, he has been loading up the two skips we had which enabled us to crack on with the lifting of the old paving. See you allo soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, May 08, 2012 7:28 PM
Today was a better day, not too wet, but I was so fed up with the weather I took the decision on Monday to buy a Gazebo, this allows us tyo do sections of the garden under cover, 3m x 2m in size completely waterproof, great. Got the footings laid for a brick wall we are building. Completely dry under the cover and no water was in touch with the ballast. Left it up overnight and secured so will allow the cement ot set. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 9:01 PM
well the patio is going great, this one is a circle built in the main paving area, 1.8m diameter. Square off kits allow to carry on the pattern, whic is the Oakham Pattern, just two sizes but works. This spring weather is great isnt it!! tee shirt weather in March, the last time I was able to do that was on holiday a while back in Tenerife. Make the most of it!! see you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2012 9:28 PM
The Rope Deck has been completed, looks great, we did stairs using Walksure boards for the treads, very secure on the foot. Watch out for pictures. Quoting again tomorrow, and starting a new Patio on Monday. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 9:57 PM
Nearly finished the deck, with the rope handrail, had to soak the rope, and left to dry out. Deck boards all down, posts ready, the trellis and the steps are going in tomorrow. So we should finish. Starting a new patio on Monday. Lovely weather !! See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 5:28 PM
Another successful day, done all the supports and cemented them in, and part of the deck boards are placed, weed membrane under the deck and shingle spread over. Its just a thin layer of shingle enoiugh to keep the WM in place, too much shingle and it starts the opposite effect, dust settles in it and seeds flow into the dust and starts growing, so too much depth is not good. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, March 19, 2012 8:29 PM
Well today was eventful, after trying on Saturday afternoon to deliver the decking boards and 4 x 2, in which the truck could not turn a corner which leads down the rear entrance of the garden, we had the delivery on the main 7.5 tonne lorry, now the house is on a bank, which leads to a rear pathway, along side other houses, walking distance of about 400 yards, we had 40 deck boards and 30 lengths of 4 x 2, so it took the driver of my supplier to life them onto the bank to Neil, then neil lifted them over the rail to me, then we had to walk the 400 yards to the job two lengths at a time. Nightmare was one word for it, thanks to our suppliers we had a slightly less walk to do. It would have been 600 yards. It wasnt until I rang Shaun of "All and Sundry rubbish clearance just to ask him how he got his truck up the bank and to the garden, he then turned up in his car to give us a hand, what a great chap, he managed to get round the corner, cars can do it, he put the boards on his roof rake and drove them down to the garden, bearing in mind we had already taken about a third by walking, this was a great help. Well done Shaun!! See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 9:58 PM
all done at snodland, another patio finished, Indian Sandstone Autumn Brown, great colour. Look out for the picture on the site. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2012 4:35 PM
Got rained off today, we tried our very best to lay some paving and did do some of the cuts and laid those, but then the heavy rain came and it was a losing battle. Tomorrow and friday are suppose to be dry. Lets hope so. Need to finish the paving and start the pointing. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 9:30 PM
Indian Sandstone is a great paving product, very hard wearing, attractive and versatile, beautiful natural colours, will last a very long time. Needs a clean from time to time, as sandstone does attract moss and other airborn fungi, just a hard broom can work wonders. Jet washing is not always needed. Every year the stone could do with a good clean though, an old fashion scrubbing brush does the trick, but if that sounds like too much hard work, then a jet wash attachment using the scrubbing circular item would do the work for you. If you are going to seal the stones then make sure that the salt has come out for good, this is mainly in the cement used to bed the paving and in the pointing, it is a white powdery stain that wears off in time, whatever you do do not seal this in as you will be looking at the white stain for a very long time, usually about 3 to 5 months after the paving has been laid is enough time. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 9:59 PM
Today was a bit dryer than I thought it was going to be, we got some slabs laid and finished off the concreting, so had a good day after all. Hoping if all goes well to get the rest of the paving done, its Indian Sandstone Autumn Brown colour, a blend of browns and grey, looks great, four different sizes make a different pattern. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 10:33 PM
Not a bad day today, got almost all of the decking finished in Gillingham. The customer here have three children and I think they cannot wait for it to finished so they can play. Also they have a staffy dog, and a camelion, lovely thing, bright green with reds and other colour markings, I do not htink it will go on the deck, if it does it might change colour and then no one will find it. Should finish the deck tomorrow. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 10:44 PM
Been quite busy, quoting after a little rush of inquiries, all done now just waiting for work to come in, building a fence tomorrow after a customer passed on my details to them, nice getting work that way. Close boarded fence about five sections so not too bad. In Greenhithe near bluewater. I shall resist the temptation to do some shopping. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Saturday, February 18, 2012 10:58 AM
A good week, finished the paving at cuxton the customer was very pleased and will be sending me an email. The design was a simple one but these designs look good in the right area. The Oakham Pattern was used, the paving is Rutland and its only two sizes but very attractive to look at. A sloping effect on the pointing creates a nice effect. See you soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:37 PM
Well I got this new "builders phone" or so its called, its a samsung, its waterproof ish! dust proof ish! and shatter proof, drop it today on the patio and it was fine, the back is screwed into place so that didnt come off. So I guess its ok. Why they call it a builders phone I will never know, I am a landscaper after all. Still my last phone, which was still going ish! cost me £9.50 from Argos I had it over two years and had been drop a few times as well. But it had to go!! The moral of this story is you dont have to pay over the odds for what you want. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2012 5:37 PM
Had a very productive day today, all went to plan. Need some more sand for the paving we are laying, but all went well. Cuxton has still got a fair amount of snow but it got up to 8 degrees on the paving today so that helped the setting. Will be taking pictures of it soon see you all Soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, February 08, 2012 9:34 PM
Well the snow and cold weather is still with us, we have been laying some paving this week, using a 4 : 1 mix and some frostproofer and rapid hardener chemicle, this works so that the cement hardens, its not so affected by the cold weather, it will stand down to minus 8, and the frostproofer in it works well. The customer is very pleased with us turning up in such cold weather, making us hot drinks to keep us going. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Sunday, February 05, 2012 10:39 PM
Snowed in at the moment, hopefully will all gone by tuesday. We have been creating a patio in Cuxton, type 1 base laid before the snow. Will have to use some rapid hardener to put into the cement, to make it set a little quicker. When we start back. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 6:17 PM
We have just finished a shingle drive for a customer in strood, the other day we had a delivery of the type 1 roadstone and other items, about three tonnes in all. Whilst we were preparing the ground using a hired digger, we came across an old manhole cover, under which was a disused drain, which created a hole about 6 to 7 feet deep, as we were taking up old tarmac we filled the hole with this material and other hardcore, after making sure that the drain was not in use of course. When the delivery turned up we said to the driver please be careful of this area as we have not made it firm enough yet, well you can guess what happened, yes the truck got stuck in the hole, the front wheel was well and truly deep into it. After some attempts to lift it, it was decided that my van would be the answer to help pull the truck out. Now my van is only a scudo, not the type of vehicle to go pulling a 7.5 tonne truck out. Well I was very proud of my little old thing, it pulled the truck out and got it on its way. Fiat scudo the new JCB. The hole is now firm to drive over. See you all soon!!! |
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peter: Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2012 5:49 PM
well my blog is very popular thank you all for taking the time to read it. Hope its not too boring. It got over 3000 views in just 24 hours. Fantastic. I could not belive it either but the system program says just that. Thank you!! We are still in Chatham at the moment, building yet another lovely deck for a couple who are expecting a little one. Decking is such a great product for all the family, a safe play area for the children to play. Great for entertaining, great for relaxing on, a secure surround especially if handrails are installed, all in all its a great place to be. A family in walderslade have said that they cant keep thier little boy of it, he likes playing with his cars well into the early evening. Wonderful time for all the family. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, January 16, 2012 10:47 PM
Working local for about a week nice to be local. Creating a garden in Boundary Road Chatham Building a fence using panels and concrete posts, a timber deck and slate scree on the rest of the plot. Everything has to come through the house. Ok so far except the 6ft panels would not go through the back door, its a small door. Anyhow using 5ft panels and gracel boards now, adaptability I think its called, All the rest got through, the long lengths of decking and the 4 x 2 timber, but the panels!! Well!! see you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 10:15 PM
Job going well in bexley, had a delivery today of the fence pieces to make a close boarded type fence. Took down three fence panels and shredded 90 per cent of the three trees we cut down and got the roots out, one of them was rather large. Got another delivery of the customers slabs tomorrow. All 112 of them. See you all soon!!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, December 19, 2011 9:56 PM
What a day, went to Bexley cut down two trees and dug out a row of shrubs. All went well until I was told that I was in the low emmisions zone and that my vehicle as from the 3rd Jan 2012 will not comply. Happy days, came home spent about 90 mins on the phone to various people still non the wiser. Waiting for a phone call tomorrow from a nice lady who I hope will tell me that my vehicle does comply. If not its a bloody long walk. !!! |
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peter: Posted on Sunday, December 18, 2011 8:58 PM
Well I am off to Bexley tomorrow, Monday, to start a new scheme, its some paving, a small deck and fencing. And not forgetting cutting down three trees and getting the roots out. See you all soon!!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 10:22 PM
Had a good day today finished with the hired digger, with the rain last night it made the ground very soft and slushy, in fact some of the soil picked up would not leave the diggers bucket, it was just stuck there. Made a good improvement and now have to leave the ground to rest until around February to carry on, by that time it would have settled and more likely to be easier to level. Fresh topsoil will then be applied. Other work can be started sooner. Just back in Walderslade to finish off the deck. See you all soon!!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, December 12, 2011 11:00 PM
Used a digger again today, this time is was fior clearing away built up soil, the worse type for digging by spade and shovel, Heavy clay and flint, the hired digger took it in its stride. Also dug out several tree stumps with it as well. As said in previous blogs well worth the money, and very good on diesel as well, spent all day and still loads in the tank. All it needs is a space of 1m wide to gain access to the garden. I would take a picture but when you have seen soil before you have seen soil, if you catch my drift. Tonight is very windy out there, a good test for the fence we have built in Strood, gust up to 60 miles per hour. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2011 10:14 PM
Its great to be busy but I find myself running out of time to keep everyone happy this side of Christmas. The turf suppliers will not be able to deliver the turf until next wednesday, the digger that a customer was going to hire and get a friend to drive is not going to happen so we have to do it, well it looks that way, and then we have to bexley and start a job booked for the 19th december. Happy days. !! still I would only moan if I have no work so I ought to be thank you, which I am totally See you soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, December 07, 2011 10:27 PM
Doing quite well at strood, got 10 posts and rails up yesterday, and the feathered edge boards on today, also the gate installed. So all doing ok. Going to be about another fours days I think to finish. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 10:39 PM
The hired digger went back today done all the work we can with it. Great time saver. Getting the first phase done by friday I would say, then onto to phase two the fence all 31.5m of it better get digging those post holes. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 10:26 PM
Got a lot done today, the hired digger played its part well, took out a huge conifer tree stump with some degree of ease, took out about eight altogether, lifted all the side hedge out as well, and various lumps of concrete. Well worth the money. As yet not had to put any fuel in but will probably have to tomorrow. Skip is nearly full. Just got a small area to lift and then thats it. See you all soon!!! |
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peter: Posted on Friday, November 25, 2011 10:08 PM
Well what a week, had to leave the job we are on, because the customer has to prepare for the next phase, so we have agreed to go away for twoweeks while its being done. Starting a new scheme on Monday in Strood, hopefully a digger to clear a section oif the garden, I say hopefully because I had a phone call earlier today to say that we might get the digger until Tuesday. Still we can make a start. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 9:32 PM
Had a good day today, apart from feeling rather unwell with cold that is, or as ladys like to call it "man flu", I did feel rough though, but as my dad used to say "work it off", and to a certain degree I suppose I have. But yes back to the day I have had, got the handrails and a third of the lower deck done, just the steps to do and then its a two week break, that is because the customer has to prepare a certain part of the garden before we can carry on, so we have another job to go to and then we will be back, not my usual way of doing things, I like to finish a job then move on, but in this case we have no choice. Must get the digger hired sorted!! See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Friday, November 18, 2011 7:55 PM
Well thats another week done, got about a third of the decking boards done today, and the weed membrane as well. All of them tightly into place with screws. To be continued on Monday. Looking good so far, then got the lower deck to build. The customer is to paint cuprinol "stay new" onto the boards after we have left. This odes exactly that it keeps the timber looking like new, it puts a wax onto it, so the water simply runs off, it also brings the natural colour of the grain. see you all soon!!! |
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peter: Posted on Friday, November 18, 2011 8:17 AM
Laying the deck boards today using turbo gold screws, the frame should be "set" got to put the weed membrane under it and off we go. The wall should be "set" as well. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2011 9:03 PM
Got all the supports for the deck cut and cemented in, built the wall to the full height and now going to lay the deck boards tomorrow. Then on Monday building the lower section of the decking. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2011 8:24 AM
Building a block wall today in Walderslade, got to do the supports for the deck frame, and hopefully the deck boards are going to be delivered on time. The ground is a little dryer now so not too bad to get around the site. See you soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 9:11 PM
Another good day got most of the upper frame done for the deck, we use screws not nails as this makes the frame a lot stronger, just got to cement the legs into place. Building a block wall tomorrow, so the lower deck will have to wait until thats finished, the customer is pleased with it so far. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 9:27 PM
We have had one of the best and worse days, the worse part is that the ground we are working on is Clay and Flint, very hard going when digging, especially when the ground is wet, you tend to take more off with your footwear then on the spade. But the best part was I got two orders and two enquiries. Lovely!! One job is in Bexley and the other in Strood. The enquiries are both in Chatham. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, November 14, 2011 10:30 PM
Not a great day today weather wise, materials turned up ok, so all steam ahead tomorrow, railway sleeper wall and frame hopefully. The concrete step was about 10 inches think if not more in places, had to lower it to get the deck height, as you can imagine it took a wee while. See you all soon!! |
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Peter: Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 10:04 PM
Today was a good day laid all the paving, all 78 of them, just the pointing tomorrow to do and clear the site, customer is very pleased, has ask for me to quote for a new lawn to be laid. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2011 5:30 PM
Not a bad day today, laying some paving for a customer I did some work for back in 2006, nice for them to get me back. Laid the base ready for laying the slabs tomorrow. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2011 9:51 PM
Done the decking in Rochester on to the next job. A small patio in Gillingham, going to use type 1 as the base on this as its getting the materials in the back might take a while. Its all small slabs 30 x 30cm and two colours, with a curved edge, blocks on this edge will hide the cuts needed. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, November 07, 2011 7:57 PM
Bit of a miss mash day today, weather was damp, steps took a little longer than we thought, still looking good, must remember the electric planner tomorrow, just to shape the ends the steps. Then got to install the decking lights, a small amount of deck near the back gate and thats about it. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, November 01, 2011 9:44 PM
Got on well today, creating a Deck with a handmade pergola built in. The esplanade houses in Rochester, going to look good when finished. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 4:11 PM
good day today again the weather played well. The last of the concreting is finally done and after 14 tonnes of ballast and 52 bags of cement mixed and laid I think we deserve a rest at least for today. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Thursday, October 20, 2011 8:28 PM
Today went well, and dare i say the weather has been good, looks like we in for another mini warm up for the next few dats as well, which makes our lives a little easier working on the ten tonnes of ballast we are mixing and laying at the moment. we have broken it into ten bays and we have done seven so far. Have got another 4 tonnes of ballast being delivered tomorrow happy days. Have to quote for a deck at the same job, which is to take a 3.5 tonne Hot tub on it, plenty of supports, in fact 40 of them to be installed. Have a great day see you all soon. Give us a call if you are in need of our services. Cheers!! |
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peter: Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 6:48 PM
hello not looking forward to tomorrow, have got ten tonnes of loose ballst being delivered in one go, back ache here I come. then we have to mix it in a cement mixer and lay it Simples¬!! |
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peter: Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 9:31 PM
hello, finished the work in strood, customer was very pleased with the work. The whole area now is much safer for everyone to walk on especially Kirsty, two handrails one in the rear patio and the other in the front near the entrance door, will give her peace of mind. I am going to miss "red" the labrador she was so obedient and friendly, and Susan her keeper said she made a great friend in me, cant see why!! haha!! take care all, it was a pleasure to do the work for you. Oh and thanks for keeping the coffee coming makes all the difference. See you all soon!! |
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Peter: Posted on Wednesday, October 05, 2011 9:17 PM
good day, got rid of the rubbish today, it was starting to get in the way so Shaun the rubbish man got rid. Still working in Strood doing the front paving now. "Red" the pet dog is so obidient and a lovely animal. Some pets when you say shake they lift their paw and you shake. "Red" has a great way of doing just that but you have to "high 5" what a cute trick. See you all soon!! |
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