Decoration

Bedroom wall
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The decorating has started in earnest and we've been pleased to see that there's now a seemingly very competent guy doing the whole job. We've had some concerns about the finish in the upstairs bathroom where the cutting-in as really substandard. Hopefully this'll all be put straight and were certain that the previous job was the result of a rush job by an apprentice who needed to get the job done quickly before we moved in.

Stove

Stove
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The stove is in and (not shown here) has been plastered behind. There is a concern that because an uninsulated flue pipe has been used, there will be some cracking and blown plaster, but we're willing to suffer that and let Rihoys deal with the messy out come (which they've agreed to do).

Drainage down the side

Drainage
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

A trough has been doug and filld with gravel on the other side of the kerbing to allow the run-off to drain away. The side here will eventually be ashphalted.

Plastering the buffer space

Plastering the buffer space
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The plastering and screeding is actually complete in the buffer space. It's almost shocking how fast it happened. The plasterers seem to be really superb, really sharp and clued in. A couple of small detail were worrying us a little and they've really sorted them out and made them look better than we could've hoped. With the screed in, the tiler will be able to start really soon, especiall seeing as we've agreed for the floor levels to be augmented by wediboard onto which the slate will be laid. this basicall means that they won't even have to wait until the screed is perfectly dry to start the tiling.
Best of all the scaffolding has had to come down and we've had to leave the doors open to stop the screed from cooling too fast - fine by us, it's a lovely day.

Steps

Niches
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

No, not the popular music group. The steps from the gable to the patio are coming along very nicely and all of the niches have been formed in the brickwork as we wanted. We'll stick candles in these on a still night when we're sitting out. Should be nice.
When the patio is complete, the fossil stone treads for the lower two steps should be ready to go in, followed by the slate, which will carry through from the floor of the buffer space.

Wetroom

Wetroom
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The building in the wetroom has started in earnest, despite the plumber throwing a fit and leaving in a huff. Wedi board has gone up to cover the areas nearest the shower head and the plasterers have finished the walls (not shown here). The tiler should be in soon. Let's see what he makes of Meriel's Mosaic.

Patio nearly complete

Patio nearly complete
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

Just teh edging stones to be added and the cement grout to be put in. Looking laaaavly.

HRVS vents go in

HRVS vents go in
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The business about the fan and the damper in the apex of the buffer zone has been sorted out, so we are guessing that the HRVS installation is nearing an end. The controller for the whole system has been agreed upon, so it should be a matter of days before the whole lot is boarded up and plastered over. Hope everything works ok.

Patio progress

Patio progress
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The hardcore has be consolidated and the brick edging has begun. Just can't wait until the fossil stone goes in. Fingers crossed it'll start by the end of the week.I know that they're working to a pre-determined pattern and I overheard a conversation about a large stone going into the center of the layout. I'm sure it'll be good - let's just wait to see how the edges pan out ...

Other news

Other things that are underway this week are the doors for the eaves cupboards which are almost complete. Also the undercoat is going on upstairs.
A screed has been applied to the wetroom and Brian had Wedi-boarded the walls.
The skirts and architraves are almost all in and all we are waiting for is the connection of the fan and the damper in the buffer space ...
But this small step is proving to be a major stepping stone. Up until today there was disagreement about who was to connect the fan and damper to the electrical cables which have already been laid to supply them. After a meeting today a course of action has been agreed - not before time, as all of the remaining plastering/rendering appears to be waiting for the fan and damper to be installed and covered up. Once that is done, all of the remaining gubbins can be completed in the buffer space and the decorating can continue at full speed. Weirdly it will also impact the kitchen as the floor to ceiling cupboards which house the fridge were built too close to the wall (so the fridge sticks out). The isolation switched for the oven/hood/elements etc are consequently too close to the proposed position of the cupboards and have to be moved. As the electrician has been unavailable for a week, the switches have not been moved, but even though this has now been done, the plasterers will not be back to make them good for quite a while. This means that not only will the cupboards not be moved until this is done, but the associated small piece of granite worktop will not be measured until it's all finished. Also, because all of the granite will be measured at once, this means that none of the worksurfaces will be measured, cut and installed until the cupboards are made good, switches are made good and blah, blah, blah, blah ...

Still the house is looking really nice, and with all the best intentions in the world, as soon as we have it to ourselves, it'll be just fantastic.

Fossil stones for the patio

Fossil stone & gable
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

The Indian fossil stone has arrived in time to be placed on the prepared patio area. It'll be edged with half bricks and will sit on the consolidated hardcore and sand base which the builders are finishing (hopefully) this week.

Stove goes upstairs

Lift off
Originally uploaded by Lenny & Meriel.

Lifting gear has been brought in to get the stove (which weighs a ton) up to the first floor. The buffer space is cleared of the scaffolding and the lifting rig is carefully placed in the double height buffer space. It's then cranked up to the first floor, where it's taken through the inner skin window upstairs and into the living room, where it's to be installed.

Details of the progress

The external works are well underway with the patio dug out and the steps formed and ready to be clad in brick, slate and pavers.



The bannisters are complete, which is handy. seeing as the kids are using the upstairs bathroom.



Utility room's done (but the washing machine's already broken) and most of the internal doors are in (all in on the ground floor). The top right image is the first floor, looking through to the bedroom from the landing, the bootm left is the hallway and the bottom right is the view through to the landing and living room from the bedroom on the first floor.



First floor living room - waiting for the large pieces of glass for the gable and the fitting of the new bath (old one got broken when being moved).



All the cupboard doors are going in on the first floor - they have the wierd effect of closing the room in, just part of the continuous expansion and contraction this that everyone says they experience when building a house.



The lovely landing shelves, another piece designed in sketchup



Hallway cupboard doors - to stop the little hands from grasping the exposed electrics.



The bathroom on the first floor - fully useable but for the shower, which needs silicone around the grate on the floor. This is a job which gets done at the end of the job (like the wood flooring) - bummer.



Our bedroom and the solution to hiding the heat recovery pipes - sketchup again.

All seems to be trotting along at a reasonable pace, but we are suffering from the subcontrators not turning up again. Every little delay seems to mean that the momentum is lost bit by bit. At the moment the electrics are holding us up and we are concerned that the subcontractors are shifting their attention to another job, when, truth be told, this one is very, very far from over.

But we've been living here from several days and can't help saying what an unbelievable place it is. The spaces and the layout are all we could have hoped for. It'll get done and we'll be very happy here when it is.

We're in!

With some trepidation, we moved in on friday 11th August on returning from holiday in the UK.

We'll post pictures soon - but suffice it to say that we're kind of camping out here now because the builders are still here in force. There will follow a power struggle where both the builders and us vie for control. I suspect we'll create the illusion we're winning at weekends and perhaps in the evenings - but the truth will be that the builders are still in control! We're not looking forward to our home being invaded at 7.30 tomorrow morning. We chose a friday afternoon to move in so that we had a weekend to ourselves (Catherine's very wise suggestion). The truth is of course that we want the builders here - if we could get them here twice as much we would because the job would get done in half the time.

Watch this space for pics.