Monday 19 November
A day of non-stop action.
The kitchen fitters arrived around 7.45am, closely followed by the kitchen designer to run through everything with them, then the builders who shifted the heavy sheets of plasterboard and ply out of the way before disappearing upstairs to work in the loft. A short while after that, Parcel Force arrived to collect a long length of stair nosing delivered by mistake.
Although I'd been told that getting the sink and tap delivered was the only priority this week in terms of appliances, it seems the fitters also need the dishwasher and cooker hood on site as soon as possible fit into the run of units, and the integral fridge/freezer to install in its housing. A decision must also be made on the hob, so that the size of the opening is known when the worktop people come on Thursday to do the template for their bit.
As a result, most of my morning was spent finding the best deal for the gas hob and cooker hood I'd selected and placing the order so that they would arrive before the end of the week. I'll order the fridge/freezer when the housing is up and I know the dimensions I'm working to. A trip to the Miele factory shop is on the cards as soon as possible to see if I can pick up a discounted dishwasher of the right size.
Next task was site meeting with the partner of the man in charge to talk about the reveals of the new doors and windows which are a mess, some more than others...In particular, the left hand side of the door frame, when viewed from the garden...
In an ideal world, they would replace the damaged and missing bricks but this risks messing up the newly installed doors. The next best option is to take render all the way up and around the corner of the reveal to cover up where bricks have been cut unnecessarily or taken out and the gap filled with mortar, and then paint the render to match the frames of the doors.
We discussed the timescale for completion of the works so I know when to give 2 weeks notice on my off site storage unit. He hopes in a fortnight but we'll review at the end of this week. I also asked for the boiler to be commissioned as soon as possible as its getting VERY cold now - heat and hot water is a priority!
Around lunchtime, I went out to pick up a click and collect order, and buy sockets and switches for the kitchen area. Most of the sockets and switches I'm using will be plain white, but in the kitchen area I'm using a shiny, dark nickel finish which will tie in with the grey mirror glass splash back in which the sockets will sit, and brushed steel dimmer switches which will be fixed on the the platinum grey end panel of the tall larder unit, just inside the door.
On returning home, the fitters had some bad news for me. One of the carcasses was damaged (not a disaster as it won't been seen) but they have made a new top with a spare carcass element.
However, a nick in the paint finish of one of the doors which although small, is noticeable....so that will need to be replaced.
The worst news was that they didn't think there was enough space above worktop level to install the gas hob I'd just ordered this morning. The problem isn't with the extract duct above which isn't flammable, but the wall cupboards either side which are designed to butt up to the extract hood with no gaps. Apparently, there needs to be a 10cm gap on either side of the extract hood. I have a choice. Loose the wall cupboards or change the gas hob for an induction hob where the space between the hob and any cupboards above can be less than for a gas hob. I think it will have to be the latter, if the fitters concerns are justified. I'm waiting for the kitchen supplier to call me back with advice...they should have warned me that this would be an issue.
However, works has progressed and some of the base units are in place but not fixed. The width of the kitchen area is now apparent. I had been concerned that it would feel too cramped, but it's fine. It's also obvious that the run of units along the back wall will take up all the available wall space. Good job the design allows for light switches to be on the end panel of the tall larder unit at the door end of the run. There will be no wall left to fix them on!
Up in the loft, the internal walls of the shower cubicle are now in place and have been waterproofed.
However, they have boarded over the "niche" between the studs narrow storage shelf (the rectangle in the centre of the frame, in the photo below). I don't know if they have forgotten its supposed to be there, or intend to cut it out tomorrow, but either way, I need to make sure it's installed!
Last job of the day was the man from the firm that supplied the garden doors to refit a bit of trim which had sprung off. A five minute job, in the dark, just as it started to rain...but it's done. Here's hoping this is a permanent fix...
Tuesday 20 November
I was out all morning, so let the kitchen fitters and builders get on with it...By the end of the day, the wall cupboards had been put in place in the kitchen area
Another problem has come to light with the units...What was supposed to be a 400mm wide wall cupboard turned out to be 450mm wide. The fitters have cut the carcass down to size and put it up on the wall, but a replacement door will need to be provided. They also told me that two of the base cabinets legs were of the wrong design - they wouldn't fit onto the units. That's a couple of things to follow up with the kitchen supplier tomorrow.
The good news is that there is no requirement in the gas regs to set back wall cupboards 10cm either side of the hob - at least not in a house like mine (different rules for shared houses). So the wall cupboards can stay as they are. We'll put a door on the front of the extract hood that is the same depth as the doors on both sides, on the basis that when the hob is in use, the extract will be opened up and raised so will achieve the clearance required above the gas hob. If the gas fitter isn't happy with that, we have a spare door which can be cut to the required height and swapped out. Always good to have a plan B!
Work has progressed up in the loft where the guys are working on the new shower cubicle and changes to the existing toilet.
The water pipes are in for the new shower and wash hand basin, along with the drain pipe which fits under the small raised platform on which the shower tray sits.
The pipework is also in for the replacement toilet and Saniflow, and the goods are there ready to be installed.
The old wall mounted cupboard at the top of the stairs has been cut back so that it's flush with the back of the shower cubicle in the loft room. What's left of the space inside the old cupboard will be opened up on the other side, into the toilet where it will become a small recessed storage area above the wash hand basin.
Wednesday 21 November
Having done a bit of research online last night, my mission for today is to go to the Miele Outlet shop in Abingdon to buy a dishwasher and fridge freezer at a bargain price, I hope. Sadly, someone had beaten me to the dishwasher I had my eye on, but the fridge freezer was still available - a very expensive model but half price due to a couple of small dents in one side which won't be visible when the appliance is in its tall housing unit. Those nice people at Miele also deliver for free, so the new fridge freezer will come on Friday, along with the gas hob and cooker hood.
Back at the house, more kitchen cupboards have been put in place including the tall units for the oven and microwave and the fridge/freezer. There's even a bit of copper trim installed now to liven up the soft matt finish of the doors. The tall pull out larder unit has been temporary tacked on the end of the run to get it out of the way until the fitters are ready to install properly. There's just enough room to fit the end panel to the larder unit before the door opening. Phew!
The fitters have made one small mistake, inadvertently swapping the positions of two 600mm wide base units. There are supposed to be two units that look identical below the hob. But this is an easy fix.
More progress too, up in the loft, where the old cupboard on the landing has been opened up into the adjacent toilet, creating a little niche above the wash basin. The shaver socket will go in this little recess, so there will be somewhere to put toiletries up and out of the way, plug in a shaver and recharge electric toothbrushes...
And then I spotted that the shower tray has been installed too! Standing in the cubicle, it feels bigger than I was expecting and it will be even nicer when tiled and the glazed panel has been installed to bring in some borrowed natural light.
My evening was spent looking for a good deal on a dishwasher and making the order (thank you Black Friday discount!), calculating/ordering tiles for the loft shower and toilet which will arrive on Saturday and sourcing a pop up power unit which will actually be installed upside down in the corner void between wall cupboards in the kitchen (thank you eBay).
Thursday 22 November
It's been freezing overnight, temperatures down to -5C. And still no heating here....So frustrating when the boiler and underfloor heating are in place, but not yet commissioned...
My morning job was to go and collect a new set of legs for the kitchen base units while the fitter carried on with the installation. I returned home to be told that the last base unit is not quite square, so the fitters had to spend a lot of time rebuilding it to get it spot on. This is where using people who know what they are doing is priceless. Failure to correct a relatively small anomaly at this stage would have created much bigger problems down the line with ill fitting drawers and doors. Installing the worktop which would have been impossible as a rigid material can't bend in two directions to fit snuggly around an "out of true" base cabinet at the end of the peninsular.
By mid afternoon, the wonky base unit has been rebuilt, space has been left for the dishwasher and the run of the peninsular units is in place and braced, ready for the worktop people to come this afternoon to take measurements for templating. The misplaced 600mm wide base units have been swapped around so that there is now a matching pair of cabinets with drawers on the short end of the U-shaped layout. The unit with a plain front has been moved to the peninsular units separating the kitchen from the dining area, where it matches other base units in this run, including the sink and integrated dishwasher.
Having got this far, the kitchen fitters are now off site until Monday so I won't have to get up quite so early tomorrow morning...
The kitchen designer arrived shortly after the fitters left, closely followed by the chap who does the templating for the worktops. Although the kitchen area has a U-shaped layout, the designer has worked out a way of using only two lengths of worktop with a join at the narrowest point in one corner where it will be least noticeable. There was a detailed discussion about the design of this joint to make it strong and stable, but still look good and relate visually to the structural column which it abuts. The end result of these discussions was what I can only describe as a double mitre "S" shape, with one end at the inner corner where the two length of worktops meet and the other end terminating at the corner of the adjacent wall column, as per the sketch below.
The templating itself was a long and careful process, taking precise measurements with a laser for accuracy. I was surprised to find out that the worktops will actually be manufactured and cut to size in Portugal and shipped over ready to install in 10 days at the most, maybe sooner. It seems that that's where the expertise is, with Portugal having a long history of working in ceramics (as I recall from the wonderful tiles I'd seen in Lisbon).
The only downside of this templating session was that one of the tall cabinets which has already been fitted will have to be taken down in order to slide into place one of the worktops (the one with small return to go round the corner without a join). A pity, but unavoidable.
The kitchen designer has also tweaked the back of one of the peninsular units (where it say's "cut off" in the photo above) to gain an extra couple of centimetres for one the bespoke units which will slide under the breakfast bar and be accessible from the dining area side. It's not a huge amount, but sufficient for one of the bespoke fittings to incorporate a wine rack. Important consideration!
While all this was going on downstairs, the builders have been working in the loft.
The new back wall of the toilet/wash basin which overhangs the stairwell has been plastered...
...as has the surround where the glazed panel will be installed to allow some borrowed light into the shower cubicle from the adjacent toilet.
All the plumbing (water and drainage) is now in place for the shower and wash hand basin...
...and the edging has been put on the replacement purlin ready for skimming.
There have also been works going on outside - drainage I assume - but I've been otherwise engaged with the kitchen during the day and it's been dark by the time the builders have left, so I don't really know what's been going on. Apart from the fact that I now have an outside tap (according to the kitchen fitters who saw it being installed) so no more carrying heavy watering cans backwards and forwards in droughts. I can connect up the hose and water the garden with ease!
Friday 23 November
Delivery day!
My earlybird Black Friday purchases start arriving today, so the first job of the morning is to rearrange a few things in the dining area to make sure there's enough space for deliveries in amongst the sheets of plasterboard, kitchen doors and fittings yet to be installed, and tools and equipment being stored here.
Before that happens, the man who is repairing the broken stained glass panel in the front door arrives to take it out carefully so he can work on it in his studio, and the opening is boarded up. Should be back in a fortnight or so, just in time to put up the Christmas wreath on the front door I hope!
The builders are next to arrive (it feels like they are housemates now, its been going one so long...). Some of them set to work upstairs in the loft. One is cutting channels for the wall lamp in the dining area - the flex is there but it was plastered over in error - and for the switch for the outside lights which they had forgotten about. Doh! Someone else is setting up in the dining area ready to install the manifold for the underfloor heating and (I hope) to commission the boiler. About time too - I've been freezing here with sub zero temperatures overnight over the last couple of days...
The kitchen cabinets have been protected with cardboard and I've asked the builders to be very careful around these units. Any movement of the cabinets now and all the careful templating done yesterday will be wasted as the worktops won't be an exact fit. That would be a very expensive outcome for the builder who would have to pay for replacement worktops and a lot more inconvenience for me.
First delivery of the day is from Miele - the fridge/freezer has arrived.
Next up is the Smeg gas hob and the Siemans cooker hood.
My kitchen is beginning to come together!
Late in the day, the wall tiles for the loft shower arrive....The loft is coming together too!
During the day, I reviewed progress with the partner of the man in charge.
He accepted that the decked area immediately outside the new garden doors will needs to be replaced. The schedule of works required the boards to be taken up and stored while the supporting framework was modified to build the extension and install below ground drainage and ventilation works. Then it was to be replaced undamaged, when all this work was completed. Instead of that, the boards were lifted and cut willy nilly, as and when access was required, and now there aren't enough undamaged boards to restore the deck to its original condition.
He sounded me out about sharing the cost of replacing the deck which I politely, but firmly, declined. This is only necessary because the schedule of works wasn't followed. It's an expense to be born by the builder. However, I have agreed to order and pay for a new radiator to heat the kitchen area, as the schedule of works only refers to installation. I think that's a fair compromise.
I also confirmed that there's no need to replace the bathroom radiator. This was only necessary because the existing radiator would have been in the way of a rerouted soil vent pipe (SVP), so needed to be replaced with something smaller. However, a change to the way the structural steelwork was carried out meant that the new pipe could be routed through the ceiling void; no need to replace the radiator with something smaller to make space for the pipework.
There was also discussion about the inspection pits for the below ground drainage works. As well as the pit inside the extension where it runs over the drain, another pit has been installed outside in the decked area, even though this wasn't called for on the plan. I asked if two pits were really necessary and he said no. The internal one could be permanently sealed and the floor finish taken over it. Sounds good to me, as long as Building Control are happy and will sign it off. He said he would arrange another inspection next week.
While these discussions were going on, the below ground ventilation was finished, with an air brick installed in the vertical face of the step down from the deck on to the paved area below. Assuming its been connected up to the vent below the floor slab in the dining area, this should allow enough air movement below the main house to avoid condensation.
The forgotten cable for a new wall lamp and for the switch for the external lights in the garden have now been put in place and the damaged plaster made good.
Up in the loft, the "between the studs" niche has been carved out of the stud wall in the shower to provide a shallow but useful recess where toiletries can be stored when showering.
The little shelf below where the new wash hand basin will be fitted has been constructed. It has a dual function - to screen the pipework from the shower and to provide a useful space above the small area of flat floor in the toilet where loo roll, toilet brush and such like can be stored without getting in the way.
The stud at the back of the toilet cubicle is in place...
...and the ends and top of the replacement purlin have been tided up and given a first coat of plaster, so looking a lot neater. Likewise, where part of the old cupboard on the landing (overhanging the stairwell) was removed, has also be tidied and plastered...
BUT the most exciting event of the day was the commissioning of the combi boiler! I now have heat in the radiators and hot water coming out of taps for the first time in around five months.
Happy day!
And, together with the start of the kitchen installation, that's two big milestones in week 25 of what was supposed to be a 10 week build.
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 November
A warm house and no builders site for two whole days, so indulgent late starts both mornings. Bliss!
Although there's been no building work in the house, I have taken this opportunity pack up all the cardboard packaging ready for the recycling collection next Friday. There's an awful to of it, but I've resisted the temptation to put it in the skip for landfill even though its now taken over the small front garden.
I've also tidied up the small room which will be the downstairs loo/utility room. At least the builders can now see what they have in terms of tools, equipment and materials. I'm sure they buy duplicates because they work in such a chaotic way that they can't find stuff that gets hidden in the mess!
More orders have gone in, making the most of Black Friday discounts for things I would have been buying anyway.
The replacement washing machine and tumble drier will be delivered on 12 December. I'd love to have them earlier but daren't risk the space not being ready for them. However, the end is in sight for visits to the local launderette. Yay! I've also ordered the radiator for the kitchen area. The new open plan space is so well insulated that I'm not sure it will be needed in addition to the under floor heating, but I'd rather be warm than too cold, so it's done.
There have been a couple of small deliveries too - Ikea plate storage stands to organise the kitchen drawers, bought from eBay as the items I wanted are no longer available in store. A floor sample for the loft loo and shower area has also arrived. White bark cork. Looks good. Decision made! I'll order nearer the time.
I've replied to an email from the partner of the man in charge who wanted to know whether I intended to paint the new (fire-rated) door into the kitchen/diner or leave the wood unpainted. The simple answer is that I haven't decided yet, but I have kept my options open by asking for the oak door I'd previously specified that will look good if I leave it unpainted.
I've also told him about the delivery dates for various goods, including the dishwasher due to arrive on Monday which means that heavy bags of cement and boxes of tiles will need to be moved out of the hall to allow the dishwasher to be carried through.
I've also told him about the arrangements to terminate the direct debit (DD) for the off-site storage locker where my stuff has been kept since May. They need two weeks notice to cancel the DD, so we need to work out the end of works date and allow some time for me to decorate, do the floor finish in the loft, put up shelves, get stuff lout of storage and put it away before the family arrives for Christmas.
My latest deadline for all this to be done by is 14 December, in three weeks time. That gives the builder a fortnight to finish the main works, followed by a week for me to decorate, get floor finishes down, shelves up, stuff out of storage and put away (a big ask!) then 10 days to get ready for Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho!
A day of non-stop action.
The kitchen fitters arrived around 7.45am, closely followed by the kitchen designer to run through everything with them, then the builders who shifted the heavy sheets of plasterboard and ply out of the way before disappearing upstairs to work in the loft. A short while after that, Parcel Force arrived to collect a long length of stair nosing delivered by mistake.
Although I'd been told that getting the sink and tap delivered was the only priority this week in terms of appliances, it seems the fitters also need the dishwasher and cooker hood on site as soon as possible fit into the run of units, and the integral fridge/freezer to install in its housing. A decision must also be made on the hob, so that the size of the opening is known when the worktop people come on Thursday to do the template for their bit.
As a result, most of my morning was spent finding the best deal for the gas hob and cooker hood I'd selected and placing the order so that they would arrive before the end of the week. I'll order the fridge/freezer when the housing is up and I know the dimensions I'm working to. A trip to the Miele factory shop is on the cards as soon as possible to see if I can pick up a discounted dishwasher of the right size.
Next task was site meeting with the partner of the man in charge to talk about the reveals of the new doors and windows which are a mess, some more than others...In particular, the left hand side of the door frame, when viewed from the garden...
In an ideal world, they would replace the damaged and missing bricks but this risks messing up the newly installed doors. The next best option is to take render all the way up and around the corner of the reveal to cover up where bricks have been cut unnecessarily or taken out and the gap filled with mortar, and then paint the render to match the frames of the doors.
We discussed the timescale for completion of the works so I know when to give 2 weeks notice on my off site storage unit. He hopes in a fortnight but we'll review at the end of this week. I also asked for the boiler to be commissioned as soon as possible as its getting VERY cold now - heat and hot water is a priority!
Around lunchtime, I went out to pick up a click and collect order, and buy sockets and switches for the kitchen area. Most of the sockets and switches I'm using will be plain white, but in the kitchen area I'm using a shiny, dark nickel finish which will tie in with the grey mirror glass splash back in which the sockets will sit, and brushed steel dimmer switches which will be fixed on the the platinum grey end panel of the tall larder unit, just inside the door.
On returning home, the fitters had some bad news for me. One of the carcasses was damaged (not a disaster as it won't been seen) but they have made a new top with a spare carcass element.
However, a nick in the paint finish of one of the doors which although small, is noticeable....so that will need to be replaced.
The worst news was that they didn't think there was enough space above worktop level to install the gas hob I'd just ordered this morning. The problem isn't with the extract duct above which isn't flammable, but the wall cupboards either side which are designed to butt up to the extract hood with no gaps. Apparently, there needs to be a 10cm gap on either side of the extract hood. I have a choice. Loose the wall cupboards or change the gas hob for an induction hob where the space between the hob and any cupboards above can be less than for a gas hob. I think it will have to be the latter, if the fitters concerns are justified. I'm waiting for the kitchen supplier to call me back with advice...they should have warned me that this would be an issue.
However, works has progressed and some of the base units are in place but not fixed. The width of the kitchen area is now apparent. I had been concerned that it would feel too cramped, but it's fine. It's also obvious that the run of units along the back wall will take up all the available wall space. Good job the design allows for light switches to be on the end panel of the tall larder unit at the door end of the run. There will be no wall left to fix them on!
Up in the loft, the internal walls of the shower cubicle are now in place and have been waterproofed.
However, they have boarded over the "niche" between the studs narrow storage shelf (the rectangle in the centre of the frame, in the photo below). I don't know if they have forgotten its supposed to be there, or intend to cut it out tomorrow, but either way, I need to make sure it's installed!
Last job of the day was the man from the firm that supplied the garden doors to refit a bit of trim which had sprung off. A five minute job, in the dark, just as it started to rain...but it's done. Here's hoping this is a permanent fix...
Tuesday 20 November
I was out all morning, so let the kitchen fitters and builders get on with it...By the end of the day, the wall cupboards had been put in place in the kitchen area
Another problem has come to light with the units...What was supposed to be a 400mm wide wall cupboard turned out to be 450mm wide. The fitters have cut the carcass down to size and put it up on the wall, but a replacement door will need to be provided. They also told me that two of the base cabinets legs were of the wrong design - they wouldn't fit onto the units. That's a couple of things to follow up with the kitchen supplier tomorrow.
The good news is that there is no requirement in the gas regs to set back wall cupboards 10cm either side of the hob - at least not in a house like mine (different rules for shared houses). So the wall cupboards can stay as they are. We'll put a door on the front of the extract hood that is the same depth as the doors on both sides, on the basis that when the hob is in use, the extract will be opened up and raised so will achieve the clearance required above the gas hob. If the gas fitter isn't happy with that, we have a spare door which can be cut to the required height and swapped out. Always good to have a plan B!
Work has progressed up in the loft where the guys are working on the new shower cubicle and changes to the existing toilet.
The old wall mounted cupboard at the top of the stairs has been cut back so that it's flush with the back of the shower cubicle in the loft room. What's left of the space inside the old cupboard will be opened up on the other side, into the toilet where it will become a small recessed storage area above the wash hand basin.
Wednesday 21 November
Having done a bit of research online last night, my mission for today is to go to the Miele Outlet shop in Abingdon to buy a dishwasher and fridge freezer at a bargain price, I hope. Sadly, someone had beaten me to the dishwasher I had my eye on, but the fridge freezer was still available - a very expensive model but half price due to a couple of small dents in one side which won't be visible when the appliance is in its tall housing unit. Those nice people at Miele also deliver for free, so the new fridge freezer will come on Friday, along with the gas hob and cooker hood.
Back at the house, more kitchen cupboards have been put in place including the tall units for the oven and microwave and the fridge/freezer. There's even a bit of copper trim installed now to liven up the soft matt finish of the doors. The tall pull out larder unit has been temporary tacked on the end of the run to get it out of the way until the fitters are ready to install properly. There's just enough room to fit the end panel to the larder unit before the door opening. Phew!
The fitters have made one small mistake, inadvertently swapping the positions of two 600mm wide base units. There are supposed to be two units that look identical below the hob. But this is an easy fix.
More progress too, up in the loft, where the old cupboard on the landing has been opened up into the adjacent toilet, creating a little niche above the wash basin. The shaver socket will go in this little recess, so there will be somewhere to put toiletries up and out of the way, plug in a shaver and recharge electric toothbrushes...
And then I spotted that the shower tray has been installed too! Standing in the cubicle, it feels bigger than I was expecting and it will be even nicer when tiled and the glazed panel has been installed to bring in some borrowed natural light.
My evening was spent looking for a good deal on a dishwasher and making the order (thank you Black Friday discount!), calculating/ordering tiles for the loft shower and toilet which will arrive on Saturday and sourcing a pop up power unit which will actually be installed upside down in the corner void between wall cupboards in the kitchen (thank you eBay).
Thursday 22 November
It's been freezing overnight, temperatures down to -5C. And still no heating here....So frustrating when the boiler and underfloor heating are in place, but not yet commissioned...
My morning job was to go and collect a new set of legs for the kitchen base units while the fitter carried on with the installation. I returned home to be told that the last base unit is not quite square, so the fitters had to spend a lot of time rebuilding it to get it spot on. This is where using people who know what they are doing is priceless. Failure to correct a relatively small anomaly at this stage would have created much bigger problems down the line with ill fitting drawers and doors. Installing the worktop which would have been impossible as a rigid material can't bend in two directions to fit snuggly around an "out of true" base cabinet at the end of the peninsular.
By mid afternoon, the wonky base unit has been rebuilt, space has been left for the dishwasher and the run of the peninsular units is in place and braced, ready for the worktop people to come this afternoon to take measurements for templating. The misplaced 600mm wide base units have been swapped around so that there is now a matching pair of cabinets with drawers on the short end of the U-shaped layout. The unit with a plain front has been moved to the peninsular units separating the kitchen from the dining area, where it matches other base units in this run, including the sink and integrated dishwasher.
Having got this far, the kitchen fitters are now off site until Monday so I won't have to get up quite so early tomorrow morning...
The kitchen designer arrived shortly after the fitters left, closely followed by the chap who does the templating for the worktops. Although the kitchen area has a U-shaped layout, the designer has worked out a way of using only two lengths of worktop with a join at the narrowest point in one corner where it will be least noticeable. There was a detailed discussion about the design of this joint to make it strong and stable, but still look good and relate visually to the structural column which it abuts. The end result of these discussions was what I can only describe as a double mitre "S" shape, with one end at the inner corner where the two length of worktops meet and the other end terminating at the corner of the adjacent wall column, as per the sketch below.
The templating itself was a long and careful process, taking precise measurements with a laser for accuracy. I was surprised to find out that the worktops will actually be manufactured and cut to size in Portugal and shipped over ready to install in 10 days at the most, maybe sooner. It seems that that's where the expertise is, with Portugal having a long history of working in ceramics (as I recall from the wonderful tiles I'd seen in Lisbon).
The only downside of this templating session was that one of the tall cabinets which has already been fitted will have to be taken down in order to slide into place one of the worktops (the one with small return to go round the corner without a join). A pity, but unavoidable.
The kitchen designer has also tweaked the back of one of the peninsular units (where it say's "cut off" in the photo above) to gain an extra couple of centimetres for one the bespoke units which will slide under the breakfast bar and be accessible from the dining area side. It's not a huge amount, but sufficient for one of the bespoke fittings to incorporate a wine rack. Important consideration!
While all this was going on downstairs, the builders have been working in the loft.
The new back wall of the toilet/wash basin which overhangs the stairwell has been plastered...
...as has the surround where the glazed panel will be installed to allow some borrowed light into the shower cubicle from the adjacent toilet.
All the plumbing (water and drainage) is now in place for the shower and wash hand basin...
...and the edging has been put on the replacement purlin ready for skimming.
There have also been works going on outside - drainage I assume - but I've been otherwise engaged with the kitchen during the day and it's been dark by the time the builders have left, so I don't really know what's been going on. Apart from the fact that I now have an outside tap (according to the kitchen fitters who saw it being installed) so no more carrying heavy watering cans backwards and forwards in droughts. I can connect up the hose and water the garden with ease!
Friday 23 November
Delivery day!
My earlybird Black Friday purchases start arriving today, so the first job of the morning is to rearrange a few things in the dining area to make sure there's enough space for deliveries in amongst the sheets of plasterboard, kitchen doors and fittings yet to be installed, and tools and equipment being stored here.
Before that happens, the man who is repairing the broken stained glass panel in the front door arrives to take it out carefully so he can work on it in his studio, and the opening is boarded up. Should be back in a fortnight or so, just in time to put up the Christmas wreath on the front door I hope!
The builders are next to arrive (it feels like they are housemates now, its been going one so long...). Some of them set to work upstairs in the loft. One is cutting channels for the wall lamp in the dining area - the flex is there but it was plastered over in error - and for the switch for the outside lights which they had forgotten about. Doh! Someone else is setting up in the dining area ready to install the manifold for the underfloor heating and (I hope) to commission the boiler. About time too - I've been freezing here with sub zero temperatures overnight over the last couple of days...
The kitchen cabinets have been protected with cardboard and I've asked the builders to be very careful around these units. Any movement of the cabinets now and all the careful templating done yesterday will be wasted as the worktops won't be an exact fit. That would be a very expensive outcome for the builder who would have to pay for replacement worktops and a lot more inconvenience for me.
First delivery of the day is from Miele - the fridge/freezer has arrived.
Next up is the Smeg gas hob and the Siemans cooker hood.
My kitchen is beginning to come together!
Late in the day, the wall tiles for the loft shower arrive....The loft is coming together too!
During the day, I reviewed progress with the partner of the man in charge.
He accepted that the decked area immediately outside the new garden doors will needs to be replaced. The schedule of works required the boards to be taken up and stored while the supporting framework was modified to build the extension and install below ground drainage and ventilation works. Then it was to be replaced undamaged, when all this work was completed. Instead of that, the boards were lifted and cut willy nilly, as and when access was required, and now there aren't enough undamaged boards to restore the deck to its original condition.
He sounded me out about sharing the cost of replacing the deck which I politely, but firmly, declined. This is only necessary because the schedule of works wasn't followed. It's an expense to be born by the builder. However, I have agreed to order and pay for a new radiator to heat the kitchen area, as the schedule of works only refers to installation. I think that's a fair compromise.
I also confirmed that there's no need to replace the bathroom radiator. This was only necessary because the existing radiator would have been in the way of a rerouted soil vent pipe (SVP), so needed to be replaced with something smaller. However, a change to the way the structural steelwork was carried out meant that the new pipe could be routed through the ceiling void; no need to replace the radiator with something smaller to make space for the pipework.
There was also discussion about the inspection pits for the below ground drainage works. As well as the pit inside the extension where it runs over the drain, another pit has been installed outside in the decked area, even though this wasn't called for on the plan. I asked if two pits were really necessary and he said no. The internal one could be permanently sealed and the floor finish taken over it. Sounds good to me, as long as Building Control are happy and will sign it off. He said he would arrange another inspection next week.
While these discussions were going on, the below ground ventilation was finished, with an air brick installed in the vertical face of the step down from the deck on to the paved area below. Assuming its been connected up to the vent below the floor slab in the dining area, this should allow enough air movement below the main house to avoid condensation.
The forgotten cable for a new wall lamp and for the switch for the external lights in the garden have now been put in place and the damaged plaster made good.
Up in the loft, the "between the studs" niche has been carved out of the stud wall in the shower to provide a shallow but useful recess where toiletries can be stored when showering.
The little shelf below where the new wash hand basin will be fitted has been constructed. It has a dual function - to screen the pipework from the shower and to provide a useful space above the small area of flat floor in the toilet where loo roll, toilet brush and such like can be stored without getting in the way.
The stud at the back of the toilet cubicle is in place...
BUT the most exciting event of the day was the commissioning of the combi boiler! I now have heat in the radiators and hot water coming out of taps for the first time in around five months.
Happy day!
And, together with the start of the kitchen installation, that's two big milestones in week 25 of what was supposed to be a 10 week build.
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 November
A warm house and no builders site for two whole days, so indulgent late starts both mornings. Bliss!
Although there's been no building work in the house, I have taken this opportunity pack up all the cardboard packaging ready for the recycling collection next Friday. There's an awful to of it, but I've resisted the temptation to put it in the skip for landfill even though its now taken over the small front garden.
I've also tidied up the small room which will be the downstairs loo/utility room. At least the builders can now see what they have in terms of tools, equipment and materials. I'm sure they buy duplicates because they work in such a chaotic way that they can't find stuff that gets hidden in the mess!
More orders have gone in, making the most of Black Friday discounts for things I would have been buying anyway.
The replacement washing machine and tumble drier will be delivered on 12 December. I'd love to have them earlier but daren't risk the space not being ready for them. However, the end is in sight for visits to the local launderette. Yay! I've also ordered the radiator for the kitchen area. The new open plan space is so well insulated that I'm not sure it will be needed in addition to the under floor heating, but I'd rather be warm than too cold, so it's done.
There have been a couple of small deliveries too - Ikea plate storage stands to organise the kitchen drawers, bought from eBay as the items I wanted are no longer available in store. A floor sample for the loft loo and shower area has also arrived. White bark cork. Looks good. Decision made! I'll order nearer the time.
I've replied to an email from the partner of the man in charge who wanted to know whether I intended to paint the new (fire-rated) door into the kitchen/diner or leave the wood unpainted. The simple answer is that I haven't decided yet, but I have kept my options open by asking for the oak door I'd previously specified that will look good if I leave it unpainted.
I've also told him about the delivery dates for various goods, including the dishwasher due to arrive on Monday which means that heavy bags of cement and boxes of tiles will need to be moved out of the hall to allow the dishwasher to be carried through.
I've also told him about the arrangements to terminate the direct debit (DD) for the off-site storage locker where my stuff has been kept since May. They need two weeks notice to cancel the DD, so we need to work out the end of works date and allow some time for me to decorate, do the floor finish in the loft, put up shelves, get stuff lout of storage and put it away before the family arrives for Christmas.
My latest deadline for all this to be done by is 14 December, in three weeks time. That gives the builder a fortnight to finish the main works, followed by a week for me to decorate, get floor finishes down, shelves up, stuff out of storage and put away (a big ask!) then 10 days to get ready for Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho!
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