Day 216 - Arts and Crafts

One of the features for the house that we've planned from the start was decorative bars for the sidelight windows either side of the front door. Now nobody can understand what I mean when I try to explain it so here's an example:



Now there aren't really any suppliers for this sort of thing any more, its more of a bespoke project, so I thought I'd have a go. I'm pretty handy with a jig saw - how hard could it be?

Well, after agreeing a design with The Boss, I mocked it up on my laptop and scaled it to fit the size of the windows. I printed it out on A4 sheets and then stuck them together with tape to make a full size template.
 Next I used push pins to transfer the template to some MDF sheets, breaking the full pattern up into three secions to make life easier, then drew over the pin lines in pencil to give me a continuous cut line.
Jig saw time. I had to be quite careful to ensure that I didn't snap the fragile sections - I only bought enough wood for a single attempt!
I sanded them all down to remove any lumps and bumps and sharpened up the tight corners with a stanley blade, then two coats of undercoat and one of gloss.
Finally, with a little trimming of the ends to fit and a bead of white silicone to fix the finished article is in place. I need to touch them up slightly with some gloss now they're on but on the whole I think it is a success.

Job done!

Day 215 - Completion Week

Lots of odd jobs this weekend. I fixed the leak in the shower with a replacement valve from Matki and have begun work on the repairs to the water damage.

The phone lines are now all in and tested and the stair case hand rail is coming along nicely. The replacement newels have arrived this morning and will be going in later today. I fitted the door mat to the lobby and completed the remaining towel rail installs too.

The granite has arrived at the stone company (the slab in the picture is about 2 metres tall!) and should be ready to install on Thursday/Friday this week. The lead on the canopy is also now on and looking great.

I have the pressure test booked for Wednesday, and if all is well, the building inspector is coming on Thursday for the completion inspection.

Cross everything!

       

Day 212 - Utility Complete

The utility room is now finally finished and looking amazing.

The handrail on the stairs is starting to go on, albeit with a few problems. It turns out the manufacturer made a mistake in part of the frame and we're having to work around it with some creative joinery. The fun continues!

The BT lines are in (one for the alarm system and one for us), but the BT engineer just tacked the wires up the plasterboard so I'll have to cut them and re-route them this weekend.

I've ordered the carpet for the stairs - that will be fitted in around two weeks - and will be installing the coir matting in the lobby this weekend. The new shower valve to fix the leak should be here today, and the granite arrived from the quarry yesterday and is being cut as I write, ready to install next Thursday/Friday.

We're still on for provisional completion next Thursday provided we have a successful pressure test on Wednesday, so as well as the above I'll be continuing my efforts throughout the house this weekend to seek out and plug any leaks.

        

Day 211 - Staircase Clad

Chris has clad the staircase yesterday and on the whole its looking good. There are some issues with the mitres that I'm not happy with but I'm sure we'll find a way around that. I'm going to order the carpet runner this week too.

Today Chris will crack on with the handrail and hopefully we should have a working staircase by the end of the week.

Perry and Dad are back today as the remaining items for the utility finally turned up yesterday. They will be able to fit them all today so I should have some great shots of the finished room for you tomorrow. Moben say the wine fridge should be with us tomorrow too so Perry is booked to come back at the weekend and finish off.

The lead work for the canopy is going to be done today too. I have just spoken to the roofer who says that he ordered up the lead especially for me only to have it stolen from the back of his van whilst on a site in Newmarket last week. Sound familiar?

 

Day 210 - Addendum

We found the problem causing the leak - a busted valve in the shower. Off to the supplier I go tomorrow...

Oh, and here's some more pictures of the bits I forgot earlier!

    

Day 210 - Another leak!

I was on site all day today making my way slowly through the snags list and preparing the house for its pressure test a week on Wednesday - hunting gaps and cracks and trying to make the house as air-tight as possible.

Another problem cropped up at the end of last week when the flooring guys resigned and refused to clad the stair-case sighting "health and safety reasons", but wouldn't go into details. They couldn't even pluck up the courage to call me (despite me calling them multiple times on Friday trying to find out why they had not turned up) and sent me an email instead! Crazy.

My new carpenter Chris however has come to the rescue and, after a half hour of discussion this morning working out the details, has cracked on with the job. What a nice chap.

Paul the decorator is pretty much finished now so all of the skirting is done, with the exception of a few minor pieces that are still off. This weekend is planned to be a massive cleaning push to get the house ready. Once that's done it should look pretty good.

The glass in the kitchen doors and the lobby has gone in today too and looks great.

There was one major setback today though - we have another leak. The shower valve in the main bathroom is leaking quite badly. We have wet plasterboard and insulation to contend with again. I have the water all shut off now so the damage has been limited. I'm meeting Matt the plumber on site it about 15 minutes to fix the problem and start the repair.

    

Day 206 - Alarm System and Skirting

Work continues at pace.

The skirtking board is going on now upstairs and the alarm system chaps have come down to second fix the sensors and control boxes. The electricians have returned to site at last and have complete the sewer pump which is the last thing on their list.

Carpentry continues in the loft and the flooring guys will be back on Thursday to start cladding the stairs.

    

Day 204 - LEAK!

Matt the plumber and I worked on the rainwater harvester this morning. The electricians have been useless and not turned up for three days so I helped out by completing the wiring for the pump power and we were in business.

We powered up the control unit and, after a few trial runs messing with the float switch, the pump fired up and recycled rainwater came gushing out of the outside taps. Marvellous!

Except that when we closed the taps there was a loud wushing sound from inside the house. Panic! A leak! We quickly shut off the pump and found that water was pouring out from under the plasterboard in the corner of the lounge - right on top of my new wood floor!

Ten minutes later, a cup of tea on board and the expletives all used up we cut a few exploratory holes in the plasterboard to find the leak - and we did. The plaster boarders had put a screw right through the pipe. Nice.

Matt cut out the damaged pipe and put in a joint and I made good the plasterboard and replastered the damage.

Phew!

Disaster averted we now have toilets that fill and flush, albeit with year old slightly brown and very smelly rainwater!

    

Day 203 - Utility room underway

Lots of work this week. The utility room is now finally underway and looking great. Perry the kitchen fitter is having to work wonders to fit everything around the plumbing but its going really well so far.

Pete the plasterer was back yesterday to plaster under the stairs and put up some board in the utility room, while Paul the decorator is on site finishing the gloss work and preparing the skirting board.

The granite guys have also been on site taking the templates for the kitchen worktop, and the electricians have almost finished but have frustratingly left a few items undone.

Today more plumbing and kitchen work, hopefully some electrics and then its finishing touches next week.

Not long now!