THIS IS SOMETHING I WANTED TO WRITE, TO SHOW APPRECIATION TO THE LADS WHO DO THE GROUNDWORK.
Often the work no-one else is willing to do!
Since my parents moved in to this bungalow nearly 20 years ago, there’s always been an issue with pipes. This is more noticeable at Christmas when the gang is all here, and the bathroom is used more than usual. We get a flood on the drive.
Dad was a plumber, so we managed it ourselves. We are careful not to flush anything down the loo that shouldn’t be going down there - hair from the hairbrush, wet wipes - anything other than toilet roll, and we have been constantly reminded!! We’ve allotted time in the shower, tried to restrict the younger family members who love various potions and lotions from going crazy in the shower or the sink, but alas, we still get floods on the drive.
This year, mum decided to get it sorted - and it turned out that there was half a brick blocking our flow into the main sewer - to cut a long story short - so no matter how many times we tried to unblock our drain by the house, it would never have really done the job.
Photo - Richard and Nick - the grafters.
IT WAS TIME FOR THE BIG GUYS TO COME IN AND DIG UP THE DRIVE.
What we all thought would be pretty straight-forward actually led to the most enormous hole dug out we could ever have imagined. I took mum to the hospital in the morning to have an eye operation and by the time we returned, our drive was a huge crevasse to traverse.
Photo - Nick standing at the side of the hole with the bridge to get me and mum across to the house.
“I left school at 16. Straight C’s for GCSEs. Always wanted to work outside, so got an apprenticeship with a landscape gardening company. I did 1 day a week at Bishop Burton College then 5 days at work.
Didn’t finish the 2 year course as I felt I was learning more at work and money was better if I left the course.
Started doing landscaping which was paving, fencing, decking turfing etc . then moved on to do conservatory bases which was foundations and concrete work.
I prefer the groundwork side of construction which is drainage, foundations, concrete and digger driving.
Never wanted the stress of becoming a bigger company so decided to do smaller jobs that I can do on my own so now I try to concentrate on drainage jobs as they are a challenge to solve the problems and not many people like the hard graft of manually digging and working with 💩 but it’s never bothered me. But as I have a lot of experience in different aspects of construction I get asked to do different jobs each week. Love being self employed.
These trades are usually passed down through the generations. In this industry you don’t necessarily need qualifications, it’s more about experience. So I’ve now had 19 years working outside.”
— NICK BARR - GROUNDWORK
Nick's dad leaning on the digger.
Richard Johnson ‘Jono’
What’s more notable than the hole is the local lads who did the work. Richard has done work for our family since my parents moved in. My dad was friends with his dad, Vic. Years ago I used to love sitting in the pub with dad chatting to Vic, a true Gentleman, always happy and smiling, and I’d often bump into him cycling past on his bike, curly hair bouncing and his knees sticking out, he always makes me smile, his dear wife too. Lovely family.
Richard did our conservatory when my parents first moved in and then in 2020, he ‘project managed’ the construction of the extension on our kitchen. Nick came in to do the groundwork, and other local lads to do the other parts, all friends and Richard finally finishing off with the roof.
It was all completed, due to their extra hard work, in dad’s last few months - he wanted it finished for mum before he moved on from this world. And we use this room every day and dad’s never far from our thoughts.
I’d like to note that these lads work really, really hard, in all weather, come rain or shine, with great determination and with pride in their work. They go above and beyond to do a good job and are kind and helpful in their manner. These are reliable men built from finer stuff, something very genuine and of strong foundations. I would describe them as gentlemen, although I know this will have them laughing.
Thank you to you all.
Neil in 1996 sat on an oil rig leg in dock in Singapore where we lived.
Dad on his bike in France, 2007
Original article - Strong Foundations — Carry Forth Tradition