Day 167. More roof.

Noises off at 10 to 8, but they are quiet noises, of planks being moved and stuff. Outside, heavy frost, and the sun bloody on the horizon. So: make them some tea: its Tim and ? back to put some of the rafters up. Not all of them, apparently, because the brickies need to come to complete the gable. Its a bit tricky not being able to access the outside...

Bit of a poor photo, taken at nearly 4 so its nearly dark. You can see that the old useless TV aerial is now gone.

Day 165-166.

Nothing monday; nothing at 8 a.m. today as we lie in bed thinking: it looks cold out there and listening to the news. But! As we're getting ready to go at 9, Tim turns up and starts up. Then stops to put his gloves on. It *is* cold.

Back at 2:30, after chat to Ian (worktops; granite still possible; and paying his bill). Carl is there too, and needs to check stuff about the kitchen electricals, OK. Tim has been busy cutting timber and building blockwork, and we have a roofline up.

Day 164: Deliveries and a radiator

Rather early on a big Ridgeons lorry turns up with some roof timbers; however no-one is around to use them. Then an even bigger Ikea lorry arrives to deliver a pile of kitchen type bits, which all get carried through to the new room while I'm still a-bed. Then Pete arrives and takes about 15 mins to put the new radiator in place. Then he settles down to the main task, which is draining the system so he can connect it up via the living room. We leave him to it: with the front door open to let the radiator drain hose out, its cold. When I return, its all done, neat and tidy, Pete is gone, and its warm again.

Day 163: Velux, and a brief Plumber

In the morning a Velux window is delivered. I guess that means we'll be having a Velux in the roof of the extension... I didn't know that! But it sounds good. Also a partial excuse for not putting any solar heating stuff in.

Pete the Plumber turns up too, looks at where the radiator is to go, and discusses replacing the valve upstairs at the same time (probably not worth it). Then he is off to another job, until tomorrow. He complains: at this time of year, wherever he goes is cold, and as soon as he fixes that he has to leave!

Day 160-2. Not a lot: talking

Not a lot in the way of actual activity-type stuff. The weather has been chilly (but hasn't stopped the people from pushing on at the pavilion...). Talked to Ian about getting the radiator put in; maybe tomorrow.

Day 159. Piano

No building on friday, but on Sunday we did some internal moving: the piano into the living room. This gets us far more space in the current dining area, at the expense of less space in the living room, but thats OK. Also we have to turn off the radiator near it, so may lose some heat. Also tidy up some shelves and M's music in the process.

Day 158. More scaffolding, and a blue line

A bit more early building this morning, followed by a big lorry arriving with scaffolding poles and two men who knew how to use them.

And they set to, and raised up the scaffolding level to a second floor. Later on I took D on a tour of it, but wouldn't let E up: too high.

There had been some question as to where the new roofline will go; and would it cut through our shiny internet connection. I asked Ian; he has been around; there are now two thin blue lines marking out the top and bottom lines, and it looks like we're safe. Its a long way up there: the views are good. Everyone should have a turret to look out of!

Day 156-7: Further upwards

Steady progress upwards yesterday and today. Pete and Paul on site all day. The new kitchen is gradually emptying of insulation and cement; the piles of bricks and blocks in the drive go down; the sandbags empty. And it all gets stacked up. The walls are now man-high on the first floor. Apparently tomorrow more scaffloding should turn up.

Paul queries the wireless aerial: isn't it in the way of the new roofline? Some uncertainty as to where it is to go. See Ian (by W.I.) and ask him; he will "take a look" sometime.

Cheap sh*t from Sweden

The title a reference to John Flecks "Cheap shit from China", and I'm being unfair. What I mean is, we visited Ikea (Edmonson) to order our kitchen carcasses and stuff. Under £1000, inc delivery, which is fairly cheap. But then we weren't ordering worktop or appliances. And Bob and his chaps are going to assemble it for us.

The entire experience was fairly painless (apart from 10 minutes lost under the North Circular). Short Q's (to get to the kitchen people to order the stuff, at the restaurant, and later at the checkouts when we bought some more stuff - I couldn't resist the owl cushion, D got come chalk, and we got some pegs for the childrens jackets).

Day 155: upwards

Pete and Paul at work all day raising the level above the joists. Also the joists get cemented in.

The pic is a general view of the front to show the level we're at. I climbed up and looked westwards at the back into the setting sun, which will be posible when the work is done.

In the meantime the front isn't quite such a mess as the piccy indicates.

Day 153-4: Joists

No work yesterday, but the joists turned up. A shame, as it was a lovely day for building, or indeed just for living.

Talk to Ian re kitchen and spiral stairs.

Apparently Bob and all his folk are all off boating in the Med on thurs-fri, so we're not expecting anything then.

Today the joists go up, and when I'm back they are well loaded with what looks like several tons of bricks, so they must be strong. They are exactly levelled by little black flakes: slate fragments. Also the windows at the front of the kitchen go up.

Day 150-152: scaffolding

No building, but the scaffolding turns up on... thursday? I think it was.

Which is probably rather useful as it was getting a bit high. I sort of imagined them putting in the joists from below then climbing onto them but that might be precarious.

Also the blue tarp at the back is now goone gone gone hurrah. It used to have the insulation under it, but a day ago I realised that there wasn't any more and there was just junk. So I phoned Bob and he fixed it. There is mud underneath cos all the grass has died but it can be re-seeded.

Day 147-149: Holes

Nothing friday or monday; but the weather was poor.

Today however dawns bright and clear (and I saw the sun rise from my bedroom window, owning ot an attack of early waking).

Somewhat before 8 a few plank-shifting type noises come floating up; somewhat after 8 the rather louder sound of the brick saw disturbs the air. But more excitement comes when its time for Pete to make a test hole to find out the floor/joist levels relative to the new bit (thats the near hole somewhat above the level of the others). The whole wall resounds to his chisel; D and E watch from the bedroom window and offer advice on how not to hit the radiator. Sadly they have to go before "breakthrough".

When I get back, just past 4, there are 9 nice neat holes presumably for the joists. Also some evidence of wall building on the other side. Now all we need are for the joists to be delivered.

BTW, if you were (hypothetically) a builder reading this, don't hesitate to use the "comment" button... :-)