We hit the nadir this week. At least I hope it's the nadir, or we are in trouble. It's mainly to do with the never-ending clutter and inability to move freely. Just when you think we've got all the crap the house can handle, the builder brings in some gib or something to clutter up the hall some more. Also, it's very frustrating that not one single aspect of this project has been finished. And therefore we still have the basement, garden, kitchen, dining room, hall, laundry, and front bedroom (to a greater or lesser degree) out of action. The only untouched room is the bathroom. But even that suffers plastery footprints and lots of dust and needs constant cleaning.
The valuer came in this week - we await his verdict with baited breath...
Progress this week centred around the walls of the main kitchen/diner. The gib is starting to go up and the electrician has been in. We now have no lights in the room as they've gibbed over the ceiling.
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| New window to go in to the left - it's the horrible one out of the kitchen but will be all done up and double glazed and will match the blue one to the right |
I noticed that the builders have sourced some extra tall gib - normally it comes in 2.4m long sheets, but our ceilings are 3.6m and it goes right up to the ceiling.
The electrician came in and started putting the wiring in. Having counted the number of plugs currently in use behind our telly - 11 (Modem * 2, digibox, TV, VCR, DVD, Xbox, Playstation, Amp, CD player, PC) - we asked for that many sockets in the new TV corner but were told it would be inordinately expensive as a new RCD (residual current device) would be required. So we had to settle for 6.
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| extra tall gib - 3.6m with wiring - only 3 double sockets, we wanted 6 |
The builders' home made scaffold for gibbing the ceiling.
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| builders don't hire scaffold, they build it! |
The deck looks good, but still needs its stairs
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| the nearly finished deck |
I wish they'd just get on and fill in the trench already. Don't know what they're waiting for now but it makes me nervous, the house next door is not supported by much with the trench like this.
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The nearly finished retaining wall complete with drain |
Pantry is getting there. I think it will be really good eventually...
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| half gibbed pantry plus wiring |
Day to day life in the hall...
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| just when you think the house couldn't possibly get any more crowded... the radiators arrive (behind box at left) |
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| oh and then the gib arrives too |
Sunday has been sunny so I thought I'd work outside. As we have so many bricks I am working on edging the house. Apparently the building code says earth shouldn't touch weatherboards so I am working my way along the front of the house digging down to the bottom of the weatherboards and then putting a brick edge in and leaving a gap so the boards can breathe, or whatever they do.
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| my sunday afternoon project. Original front of house with grass hard up against weatherboards |
Steve says this project of mine is a waste of time, but it's good to keep busy and not have to look at all the clutter inside for a while. And it will make mowing the lawn much easier.
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| New border to house, bricks and a gap to the base of the weatherboards |
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| Steve contemplates the devastation. At least it is a sunny day |
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| The washing up area. Sink is too low and there's no draining board. And the cold tap doesn't work. And if you're not careful you hit your head on the shelf above. But apart from that, it's fine. |
To finish on a positive note, the leadlights are looking great now we have winter sun on them.
And finally. Someone is really enjoying our building work. Our mice are back and loving the fact that there is food everywhere. We hear them scuttling around behind the boxes of food conveniently left on the floor for them. Enjoy it while you can, mice!
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