In my last post, I wrote that the groundworkers were due to start work on 15 August. All was going well until the Tuesday before they were due to start, when Sean the project manager called and told us that NHBC, the structural warranty insurer and building regs inspector had written requiring that we carry out a geotechnical survey of the site. We had not expected this; a few short words later, we found that the investigation was likely to cost about £4,000 (ouch!) and take up to 8 weeks (ouch again!).
So, a hastily constructed Plan B emerged. Sean and I met Brian Philips, the groundworker, and agreed that he would clear the vegetation from the site, and have a digger (machine and man) to dig the trial pits that the geotech company required. This being building, Brian had another job that overran, so rather than starting on 15 August, he actually started yesterday – 22 August.
But, at last, miraculously, the overgrown vegetation is gone….
The other piece of work that’s underway is the provision of electricity to the site. That entails Western Power Distribution digging up the road outside…
Hopefully, WPD will finish this today (Tuesday), so that South West Water can come and dig it all up again to lay in the water supply!
But at least, now, we can see the site without the thickets. Here are some more pictures
