June Garden

Kitchen finished

After 4 weeks the kitchen is now finished! I had to create a temporary kitchen in the lean too. This will then be like a utility room, as the freezer and washing machine are already out there. The first task was to remove the old units. Some were too bad to keep and all of them needed a lot of work. I then re-installed them in their new location. I had to build a broom cupboard from scratch. Then plumb in the sink and isolate the old kitchen plumbing.

 

Once the units were out we removed all the existing wall paper and made good all the holes, and rewired the room ready for the units.

Then I had to remove the wall. That was fun!

Once the way was open, I was able to block off the kitchen door to the hall

And make good the opening into the lounge.

The base units and the plumbing came next. The water, gas and the work surfaces.

Then the wall units and the floor.

Finally the trimmings, splash-backs, and decorating, and the jobs a good one.

The view from the kitchen sink of the garden is fantastic, and everything works!!

The Pond

I thought I had better make a start on demolishing the pond today. Whoever made it used the same technique as that used to build an air raid shelter. Talk about over the top! Still I suppose it was good, cos it never leaked!!

Sledge hammer never touched it so I resorted to an electric hammer chisel.

 The rubble will make good footings for the proposed extension!

April in the Garden

I'm not into plants and things, that's Lorna's domain! But I can fit water butts and things.

 Jo very kindly brought us this very nice bird table which is a source of great delight, although it took the birds nearly two weeks to find it!!

 It's bery dry but in spite of this the garden is beginning to show some colour.

Starting on the Bedrooms

After removing the fitted wardrobes, a 3 day task, as they seemed to be industrial strength, we set to removing the wall coverings. These varied from vinyl wallpaper covered in layers of paint, to Polystyrene tiles and cork!

 

We then covered all the outside walls with insulation before papering/

The work begins

It took upon us several days to find all the leaks and stop them.

Virginia and Lorna had worked very hard cleaning kitchen units, floors and the loo, but everything still smelt of smoke (cigarette) and was caked in nicotine. I spent the next few days removing the built in wardrobes in the three bedrooms. They were horrible, but extremely well made and fixed to the walls and ceilings with industrial strength fixings.

Completion Date

 Completion completion was on 8 June 2009. We were not able to collect the keys until the 10th. On arrival at the house we turned on the water only to find water pouring through the roof. Investigation found 47 leaks and burst joints.

I was pleased that Virginia and David had decided to come and visit us. I was very depressed.

We called a plumber who came and hitched up a temporary water supply for us to the toilet and kitchen tap. He has promised to come back tomorrow and start hunting for all the leaks.