In 2018 we began the installation of an in-ground swimming pool and fountain. Sadly, we had to remove several Manchurian Pear trees and Leighton Green trees to make way for the pool terrace. Adjacent to the pool we erected a pavilion which incorporates a verandah...
The first three courses of the tower walls are made of cement blocks core filled with steel and concrete. From there on upwards I laid normal bricks in a radial pattern to ensure a smooth curved finish to the wall and, most fortunately, my next...
The GFC hit just at the time when I needed to dig the footings for the loggia and tower, so to avoid running down our super fund I did it all with a jack-hammer, a pick and a shovel. Three months of hard labour saw...
I began working on the venus garden before we'd purchased our Kubota tractor so had to use a pick and shovel to level the ground. Using a jack hammer, shovel and wheel barrow I dug the trenches for the footings of all the retaining walls around...
In many ways the Wisteria Arbour was a challenging project. Large footings were necessary to ensure the columns would remain plumb. The columns themselves were made of fibrous cement and were too heavy to be lifted into place manually, so I welded up a jig that fitted onto the...
The Ruby garden sits on a major axis and on three sides has gardens at a higher level. Large footings were constructed entirely around the garden to retain the soil of surrounding gardens and to support the Arch at one end and a set of stairs...