Master bedroom

Things are beginning to take shape and we can see what our bedroom is going to look like - very tall!

There will eventually be in internal window overlooking the extension with a view through to the garden (currently obscured by platforms).  Can you see where Adrian has painted the ceiling, before the scaffolding tower came down?  He's invented his own colour ("Bridleways White", 90%  white, 10% magnolia) and mixed up a HUGE vat of it ready to paint everywhere else.  You can also see a glimpse of the wooden beam right at the very top which, with Hannah's help, he sanded and waxed.

This is the door into our ensuite bathroom (landing on the right).

  Our bed will back onto the walk-through wardrobe, facing out the big window.

And this is the extension ceiling plastered.  Just need to paint it now before the scaffolding platform comes down!

Quite a productive week so far, what with the cavity wall insulation being installed today as well.  Tomorrow is a big day as we take delivery of the extension oak frame and windows. Exciting stuff!

Miscellaneous

After nearly six months living at the end of the garden I have finally worked out that using a wheelbarrow to transfer my shopping from the car to the caravan is a really great idea!

I've had my very first go with a power sander, stripping down the old front door.

Hannah has done a first draft of the stairs design (or rather a Harry Potter cupboard under it!) ...

We've had to decide from samples which 'white' we want our render on the lower storey: Silver Pearl, Ivory, Light Beige or Cream.  Who knew their were so many off-whites?

 

It amuses me how I get given shopping lists from the builders scribbled on special plasterboard 'writing pads'!

Just when Adrian is away for three days (Germany) the caravan gas bottle runs out, which I manage to replace with the help of Pat.  On the same day the toilet is full.  And I have to book in the cavity wall insulation (Thursday).  And arrange delivery of the extension windows (Friday).  And 'pop' into Worthing to buy more guttering supplies. And Emma forgot her violin for school which meant another trip down the hill.  And I'm supposed to be doing my tax return!!! 

Spot the Difference

I've neglected my post!  So much has been happening and I've not been reporting on it.  Here are some pictures taken over the past couple of weeks ...

We've had our first sprinkling (nay, dusting!) of snow - which lasted all of about two hours.  And our first experience of frozen pipes one morning when the overnight temperature dropped to -4 degrees.  Not just no hot water, but no water out of the taps at all!  We had to brush our teeth in water out of the kettle that morning.  Thankfully that has so far been a one-off occurrence (fingers crossed!).  And we are perfectly cosy with the heaters on.  (As I write, the garden room temperature is a balmy 23 degrees!)

A little Spot the Difference game for you - the first one's easy (just one day without a bathroom wall!) ...

Adrian changed his mind about the wood stain on the lower level roof line, and decided to paint it in white to match the upper roof line.

This last one's much harder (as well as contrasting sky!). 




















 

Can you see on the top picture how the bottom left window didn't line up with the window above in the same way as the right hand pair?  We agreed that it would always niggle us if we didn't correct it, so Pat & Alan spent a day last week moving the bottom window left a foot!  It had happened because when the windows were installed, the upper level was all covered over and the mismatch just hadn't been spotted.  Oh well.  It's perfectly aligned now, and ready for rendering next week. 

Storm Survivors

We've survived this week's storms! Wind, hail, thunder, sleet, temperatures ranging in one week from -1 to 15 degrees!  Wednesday was one scary night with very high winds and torrential rain.  In the morning on waking, Adrian mumbled, "Have we still got an awning?".  Peeping through the window, thankfully the answer was yes!  The house was sound and luckily the wind direction was not through the open end of the build, where we are awaiting the extension glazing at the end of the month.  The house will then finally be weather-tight, with the addition of a front and back door.

Two more rooms are plastered (spare room and family bathroom), the guttering's up, plaster boarding is continuing in our bedroom (the very high vaulted ceiling), ready for plastering on Monday.  Everything is scheduled around being able to take down the scaffolding, both inside and out.  Bob the electrician has also been in and out this week fixing up lots of wires and socket holes.  (He's a very sharp mimic of various local characters and I dread that he has impressions of Adrian and me up his sleeve!)  Bob's not great with paperwork and confessed to me this week that, over the years, he's had no fewer than eight customers die on him before he's got round to issuing their invoices! 



It transpires that the morning sun melts the frost on one extension Velux window, but not the other.

Our ensuite bathroom is now boarded out, and the shower tray ordered.  Just trying to decide on baths now.

And this is our 'walk-in' wardrobe, positioned behind our bedhead.

 

Our bedroom side window

More of Adrian's carefully recorded measurements and guidelines.

The girls and I have been feeling a bit low this week, seeing the huge amount of work still to be done on the house, but in contrast Adrian keeps saying how excited he is every time he walks into the building.  His enthusiasm for the whole project is infectious and rallies us round.  We're understandably just impatient to move in ... all in good time.

Getting Plastered

Hannah and Emma are excited that their two bedrooms are the first rooms to be plastered - by our two lovey firemen plasterers Justin and Michael.  In theory we could start decorating next week!  Quite a long way to go with the rest of the house, though.


Adrian is thankful that Sunday's weather was nice and sunny (but with a freezing wind!) for him to paint the last two coats of paint on all the barge boards around the top of the house.

  

Old front door ...

















 turned into ....


new back door frame (old door to be sanded).

















The challenges ahead for this week are for Pat and Alan to finish the plaster boarding upstairs, and for the plasterers to continue as and when each room is ready.  And we have ordered all the guttering which will hopefully arrive in the morning.  We need to finish all jobs which require the external scaffolding so that this can be taken down and the lower floor rendering can be done.  Thousands of decisions lie ahead ... we must fine tune our plan of action!
 

Holiday Hard Work

On our return from Norfolk Adrian spent much of his Christmas holiday working on the house, largely on plumbing, meticulously marked out as you would expect!

 

We've all had to act out standing in imaginary showers, sitting in baths and on toilets to check space for knees, doors opening, towel rails etc ...

Happy New Year everyone!