Unleash The Dragon!

Week 14 (Days 64 - 68)
This week started well but once again ended in disappointment, we decided to go out for a day and I think the builders thought that they would also put their feet up and do nothing! I finally said exactly what I thought to our main contractor who initially said he didn't believe me ("they work their cotton socks off") then admitted that if he criticised their work they would all leave him (so is he just afraid of them?) Anyway I told them I wasn't prepared to allow weekend work until I could see week day work moving a bit faster, we will see.
A brief summary of the work...

Plastering -

• En suite completed (wow that was a big job)
• Walk-in wardrobe
• Bedroom
• Landing

Woodwork -

• 2 doors
• Some architrave and skirting upstairs
• Shower enclosure fitted (this took all day apparently)

Front of house painted and scaffold from front taken down

(before) (After but not finished)

Week 15 (Days 69 - 73)
On the hope of weekend work Monday and Tuesday was a hive of activity but after consulting the runes I decided against weekend work (1 swallow doesn't make a summer). This went down like a lead balloon and as expected work slowed to a snail pace yet again.
Summary of work....

Kitchen plastered (not as big a job as it sounds)

(two beams and a small wall)

Woodwork -

• 2 doors
• Bit more architrave and skirting (still not finished)
• Vanity unit completed
• Back door and utility window fitted
• Kitchen floor tidied up (thx Ed)

(Our replacement mirror after the Elecy scratched 1st)

Small en suite plumbed in

Painting completed, gutters fitted and rest of scaffold removed

Coving fitted

(Walk in wardrobe spots) (Upstairs hallway)

Rosie goes to Brecon Beacons

It was a beautiful sunny day so we took a trip out to the waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons (near Neath). Its a very long walk - almost 4 hours taking it slowly but fantastic scenery, waterfalls weren't very spectacular because it hadn't rained for over a week. Rosie loved paddling in the stream and getting muddy!

Slow, slow, quick, quick.......

Week 12 (Days 55 - 59)
This week was very slow in terms of progress and not very much happened at all - I did tell Tony and things improved the following week.

The major change was the big switch over to our new boiler on Thursday and this went very smoothly apart from 1 leak in the utility room. The only problem is because Loris hasn't finished the wiring yet we don't have the timer set up yet so we need to turn it on and off manually. The old boiler was taken out of the kitchen and the radiator was put back on the wall temporarily until we can get the underfloor heating sorted out. Unfortunately Al hasn't connected the pipes to it yet!

Buster and Ed fitted 1 door frame and made a start on ply boarding the walk in wardrobe - now you know what I mean about it being a slow week! They did have a big tidy up though after I had a big rant on Friday - they even mopped the kitchen floor, wonder if they want a full time job?

Week 13 (Days 60 - 63)
Yet another Bank Holiday and luckily things seemed to move a bit faster. Richie finally finished rendering the outside of the house ready for painting next week. He also finished plaster boarding the en suite and started to plaster it, I was a bit disappointed that he didn't finish it but apparently he didn't feel well (it was a very sunny Friday!).

The sun tunnel extension arrived and so this was also finally completed - I keep thinking someones left the light on now though!

Buster and Ed got the door frames in upstairs and got started on the skirting boards and architrave, it makes a big difference and it feels like its starting to come together now.
The tiler arrived Thursday and was amazingly fast. I'm really pleased with the tiles, so just grouting and skirting to do now.

A "Hole" Lot of Fun

Week 11 (Days 50 - 54)
This week the whole extension really started to come to life with all the stud walls going up. Over the weekend we mapped out the walk-in wardrobe and guest en-suite using bits of timber left lying around. We were a bit worried that it might be a bit tight walking around the bed (yes we mapped thatout as well) but on Monday Tony came up with the bright idea of knocking the corner off the ensuite and this improved the bedroom size dramatically!

(shape change on the en-suite)

We went out yet again to look at tiles and when we got back another wall had been smashed away (the one between bedroom 2 and the stairs) if we lose anymore walls the house will fall down! Anyway we were now left with a totally open plan feel.

Tuesday was the calm before the storm as Tim calls it. Laurice turned up while I was out at work and decided to crack on with the downlights and made lots of holes in our ceilings, unfortunately I had different ideas regarding their positions and was cheesed off to say the least! Lots more stud walls went up Tuesday and Wednesday.

After hiding on Wednesday Laurice finally turned up Thursday to feel my full wrath! I pointed out exactly where the downlights should be and exactly why his were so badly positioned then I informed him that I wanted 1 switch in the hall to control all the lights not 2 switches to control half the lights which he had also set up on Tuesday. Not sure he was too happy but I felt much better :)

This was also a memorable day because the last of the stud walls went up and we finally chose our tiles HURRAH! Richie also plastered the guest en-suite and Al positioned the pipes for the bathrooms.

(The floor tiles we chose and bathroom mirror with lights!)

The week was rounded off on Friday with lots of the walls being dot and dabbed (plasterboarded) and the front of the house getting pebble dashed. Its all really starting to come together now :)