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House is a tip
Thursday November 12th, 2009 |
Well, it had to happen, but I have been amazed at how much mess builders can make… oh, they’re not exactly untidy, but with the sheets down to protect the carpets we are keeping, and all the paraphernalia they bring with them, they have rather taken over the place. Also, I have to clamber over a rolled-up carpet to get to the bedroom… It was better putting it there than try and just roll it back. (We want to be able to reuse it!)
The outside guys have gone great guns since they arrived on Monday. They started filling in the channels they dug on Monday yesterday (Wednesday) and some sections have already been turfed over again. Now that it’s hissing it down with rain, one is working outside (he has a cab!) which is moving the spare soil which was created by having to install a new soak away for the cesspit. (There’s a lesson for us!) The other guy is indoors making the holes for the waste pipes…
Meanwhile, the carpenters are here and have already demolished the old partitions in the two side-by-side bedrooms, and have started to build the new partition between. We have made the smaller bedroom slightly bigger and reduced the middle size – so they are now of almost equal size, although the smaller one will still have a smaller bathroom – but will have a bigger shower as compensation. Still both will be bigger than some places we’ve stayed! However, they are making a racket by using one of those nail guns… yikes what a noise. Serves a purpose, and is less banging than if they were hammering in!
Meanwhile, I have stripped the wallpaper from the large bedroom. Not only was it not to our taste, but the painted colour was not our thing either – too pink. In addition, we were aware of some damp and plaster problems, which needed addressing. So, to see the real problem, it was easier to remove the stuff. Also, the window recess had some very misshapen areas, but that can now be resolved. It looks like the damp area is caused by the chimney – partly I think because it has a fireplace in what will be our lounge below, which has not been used for sometime – so that will help, but we need to look on the roof at the inner side of the chimney, in case it’s the lead flashing which is not sound. Anyway, the wallpaper came off in great chunks, with very little need for the steamer – best part of 3 walls came away with my pulling it, in some areas it was by the roll! Although I have to say that the majority of it was because there were about 3-4 layers of wallpaper, plus about 3 layers of paint too… no wonder it came away so easy!
Had to move the hub this morning, so that the carpenters had an unimpeded access on the landing, so dug out a very long telephone extension lead and have moved it into our bedroom… means Norman will have a very strong signal for work tomorrow and Monday (his desk is set-up in there), and I can use my laptop in the kitchen – it’s the warmest place most of the day (and is right below our bedroom)! And I can have plenty of cups of tea, like whilst I am doing this… Took me about 2 hours though to re-set-up, as I have now discovered that one of the extensions does not work!! Grrr…
Had our very first Christmas card yesterday – to be fair it was from friends in Saudi and it said good luck in our new home, so maybe they could not find an appropriate card there – and as it is coming up in about 7 weeks (eek!)… Still a shock to receive one in November though!
Ah well, that’s you up-to-date again. I am now off to catch up with some ironing…
Tags: Building Work
