Written by Charlie and Helen – Plot 1 (Church Cottage) homeowners
Our oak frames and WrightWall encapsulation systems were erected by Oakwrights’ site teams in August, and from then on, autumn was chasing us with its shorter days, cold temperatures and rain.
As we were finishing the brickwork for our cottage, we found the scaffolding delayed us from rendering and installing our external doors; some stage payments from self-build mortgage lenders are dependent on external doors being installed to achieve a dry shell but luckily ours operated differently and we were able to plough ahead. However, as our plastering was completed inside, it was time to focus on applying our mist coat.
We began this process earlier than planned, as a loss of a certain rugby match meant all celebrations that day were off, and so mist coat it was! Rightly or wrongly, we opted for a 60/40 blend of paint to water: every painter and YouTube video will give you a different answer. We chose what we thought was an off-white with a hint of grey: in reality, it is now a lilac glow in the wrong light…
Once our scaffolding had been taken down, Helen and I were able to stand back for the first time and take a proper glimpse of our Church Cottage.
Written by Craig and LB – Plot 2 (Manuka Cottage) homeowners
Once the roof to our cottage had been completed and the weatherboarding was fixed to the first floor, we were able to call the scaffolders in to dismantle the scaffolding. Seeing our oak frame home without the scaffold for the first time was so exciting and finally felt like a step towards the finish line!
On the inside, the plaster had dried which meant we were ready to begin mist coating. Craig had begun the bathroom tiling which left me as ‘Chief Painter.’ I quickly realised it was going to take me a long time to get it done, especially after work in the pitch-black winter evenings, so we enlisted the help of Craig’s friend, James. It soon dawned on me this was the best use of our budget; James put my attempts to shame, especially with his impeccable cutting-in and clean lines. The paintwork really does contribute to the finish and I certainly couldn’t have achieved the same standard!
Charlie, Helen, Craig and LB took inspiration for the designs of their bespoke oak frame cottages from our Cottage range. Please click here to compare the six cottage designs within the range which can be tailored to suit your exact needs and lifestyle.
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