Building work around our flat.

Tony has been busy with further building work beside our flat.  Lats year he completed a single room (with bathroom) flat. This year he is adding a second storey.  Here are some progress shots over the last 4 weeks.

Before work started on the second level

Reinforcing for the concrete columns

Form work for the concrete to be poured to make the columns

Sand and the sifter used to remove the larger lumps. This is on the roof of the first level. All the concrete will be mixed on this level to pour into the formd

Blocks ready for the walls

Progress on the walls

Looking inside the blocks you should be able to make out the horizontal reinforcing steel

Walls and gaps for the windows

The walls butt up to the columns. Plaster cement does wonders to hide the gap. (see photos below how the walls are tied in)

This is how the walls are kept true and vertical.  The sheet of ply is fixed to the column, leveled and a leading edge is vertical.  Then string lines are attached from one column to another. The blocks are then laid to the string lines.

Forms for the poured beams along the top of the walls.  Reinforcing rods are tied into the verticle reinforcing

The structure across a window space and heavy clamps holding the form work together All four walls beams are tied together with reinforcing at the corners.

Stand for the men to stand on to work the top of the walls

End of the form work will extend out past the wall to make the canopy.