Been a couple of months since my last update:
June 2020 - During Coronavirus lockdown I ordered some additional kitchen wall cabinets and base units to match units relocated from my old workshop. Luckily IKEA change their range quite infrequently. I was able to purchase the same doors, drawer fronts and handles as three years ago.
I mounted the two additional wall cabinets on the limited wall space available between each window and the door. The limited wall space is a downside to having made the electrics surface mount rather than concealed. The conduit drops with round junction boxes are for the external lights and PIR sensors.
I reduced the height of two standard 800mm base units to 600mm making support pedestals for a low level assembly workbench.
IKEA units are so very adaptable, I was able to make a pair of these bespoke pedestals using their door and drawer units. A new worktop was acquired for the low-level bench. During lockdown my local Formica Supplier was open, but not open; they took the order by telephone, confirmed the worktop was in stock and as they were not doing two-man deliveries, I would have to collect. Round the back of the showroom at a specific time, knock three times on the office window and ask for Charlie (I added that last bit). ;-)
July - 2020 No actual build progress on the outside this month.
External Cladding was ordered and delivered late July.
It was agreed with my builder the main structure would be clad horizontally, with the underskirt clad vertically to hide the ground screws.
In order to mount the underskirt cladding vertically, a framework would be required for attaching the lower clips. The upper clips would be fitted to the wooden ring-beam. To that end, and several doodles later, metal plates attached to the shaft of each ground screw seemed the preferred option.
I requested a quote from a company I found on the Internet to supply; 25 x Galvanised 76mm U-bolts and custom drilled galvanised plates. They came back with £470. Ouch!
Decided on a DIY approach: A local engineering company cut me thirty 40mm x 5mm plates from steel bar into the required lengths. Almost next door on the local industrial estate is a Motor Spares wholesaler who ordered-in 25 Zinc plated Exhaust clamps. Over a weekend I drilled the plates to suit the exhaust clamp and lower cladding framework. I then had the drilled steel plates Zinc plated. Total cost - £114. A huge saving.
Test fitting looked promising.
Next time: External Cladding starts...