A GIANT LEAP...

It’s been three weeks since the last update, and while we were away sunning ourselves in Cuba, Tony and his guys have been busy with the house, getting the two bedrooms completed (img1-4), and the staircase almost ready too (img5-6). This was actually the first thing we saw when we came in on Sunday, and a nice sight it was too. The all hall is now very white and bright, which makes it a lot more welcoming that it was before I think.



IMG1-2: Front bedroom



IMG3-4: Back bedroom



IMG5-6: The freshly-painted hall and staircase

The bathroom is not quite complete yet, but should be by next week (img7-8). At least, we have a clean toilet (flushing cold water), a shower in working order, although we cannot currently quite use it yet as the shower screen still needs to be coated with a special product to stop water marks when dry. The sink is now in place too, but somehow the waste pipe has gone walkies, so better not use it yet.



IMG7-8: The nearly completed bathroom looking really nice

Despite a continued effort from MFI to mess it all up, the kitchen is almost complete too, and looking even better than I was expecting (img9-11). We are still waiting for a few bits and pieces from them, and the windows people still haven’t come round to fit the back window and new back door, but this should finally happen next week.




IMG9-11: The kitchen is now completely fitted

Just before we left for Cuba, we had to transfer the whole content of the two bedrooms into the lounge, which will be the last room to be done, and everything is still there so life is no short of chaotic. Not only about half of the kitchen is in there, but our complete wardrobes too.

CONSTRUCTION DERBY...

It’s been nearly a week since I updated this blog last, and things have been moving steadily while I was away. The kitchen units at the back are pretty much all in now, and the work surface is partly down (img1-2), but, despite all this, it still seems as it will be a while until it is completed. There are some delays with MFI to deliver some of the missing bits, and there’s also been a bit of an issue with one of the guys cutting the work top to fit the sink the wrong way round. These things happen I suppose, but it means a further delay with this. At least, we are away from Friday, so we shouldn’t have to suffer chaos much longer.



The kitchen is starting to look more kitcheny

The tiling in the bathroom is almost complete now (img3-8), apart from the floor, which, I suppose will be finished while we’re away. The shelves unit is taking shape too, with the back panel now in place so the pipes are hidden, and half of the unit tiled. There are some issues in the bathroom too. The plate that’s supposed to sit behind the taps, landscape-way, has been engraved… portrait way! Sean’s spoke to the bathroom people and apparently it is the case with all their stock, so they are apparently going to send our to be polished… they’re good guys.






IMG3-7: Tiles and more tiles, what was done while I was away...


IMG8: ...and more progress from today.

IN KITCHEN UNITS WE TRUST

It’s been a few days since the last update, and there’s been some more progress on quite a few fronts. The carpet’s all gone in the hallway, staircase and landing (img1-2).




IMG1-2: Who needs carpet anyway?...

The kitchen floor was finished on Tuesday (img3). The section in the dining room is protected with boards to avoid any damage (img4). Since, the guys have started putting the kitchen units together (img5-7) and the new fridge and freezer and double oven are in place (img8-9).


IMG3: The north wing of the dance floor.


IMG4: The dining room floor protected with board.






IMG5-7: The first kitchen units



IMG8: The new fridge and freezer.


IMG9: I have it in good authority that two ovens are necessary.

In the bathroom, the new taps have been fitted (img10-11), and the guys have started to tile (img12-14), and it is all looking really sexy.




IMG10-11: The new taps






IMG12-14: Now, this is starting to look more like it...

GET DOWN ON THE NEW FLOOR

Dust gets everywhere, and it finally got on my nerves. Look at the state of our poor turntable (img1)! I know vinyls are supposed to be a thing of the past, but there’s a limit to how much dust one can leave untouched. I know I am fighting a loosing battle, so I only did dust the Hi-Fi (some would say I’ve got my priorities all wrong, but wishing to play the beautiful new Vetiver album while writing tonight’s update, I couldn’t play it on a dusty Hi-Fi system, could I?).


IMG1: This is not a 'before/after' picture, this is a 'during' picture...

Mess is a state of affair when building work is going on, and the front garden is a proof of it. (img2). I won’t even bother with the back garden. First thing I noticed when I got home is a strong smell in the hallway. Looking closer, the rest of the wallpaper has come off and the walls have had bonding of some description applied to them (img3-6).


IMG2: We may have a storage issue.








IMG3-6: The hallway, staircase and landing stripped bear

I spent part of Saturday working in the office while the guys were just above me laying boarding in the loft (img7-8). At times, they were banging so hard it felt as if the whole house was about to collapse on my head.




IMG7-8: The loft boarding

Not much progress in the bathroom, apart for the channeling for the bath pipes, tapes and spout (img9), and, to go onto my favourite topic, we have played musical throne this weekend, with the old one from upstairs interestingly being replaced with the old green one from downstairs (img10). Not really sure why… Perhaps to keep us on our toes!


IMG9: Nice brick effect in the bathroom.


IMG10: The chameleloo... even David Cameron finds it hard to keep up.

The biggest change has been in the dining room. Seeing as everything’s been shifted to the kitchen (img11), the new wood flooring has been partly laid down (img12-14), and it looks really nice.


IMG11: The kitchen is rather cosy at the moment.






IMG12-14: The newly-laid floor in the dining room.

DAY 19 IN THE BIG BOTHER HOUSE

The floor in the kitchen extension at the back was not quite level with the rest of the house, so the guys had to lower it a bit by knocking the concrete that was there and redoing it (img1-2). The manhole has also been changed, all ready for the guys to start laying the floor next week. From there, that part of the house is going to start looking more habitable. I can’t wait. The dining room ceiling has received its second coat of white paint (img3).




IMG1-2: The concrete floor in the extension


IMG3: The dining room ceiling looking positively whiter than the walls

In the bathroom, things are progressing. No major change but the plumbing for the towel rail and the new sink seem to be sorted (img4-5), but the bath fixtures haven’t been changed yet. Think should start to improve there too from next week.




IMG4-5: More progress in the bathroom
Continuing on my now recurring toilet topic, I am dying to finally get something that can be used without requiring full decontamination first and manual treatment after use (img6).


IMG6: Luxury muck...