Day Seventy

Getting some sort of normality back today.  It's great to get my desk set up again.

Still lots to do but I wont be picking up a paint brush anytime soon !

Day Sixty Nine

WOW!

This has been such hard work but it look's absolutely brilliant.

Here's the old hall, stairs and landing with a lick of paint and the new carpet.

and here's the new stairs and converted loft.

Time for a night off I think.

Day Sixty Eight

The plumber was back today to install the toilet.  That's bathroom completely finished now.

A frantic evening as we tried to varnish the stairs with a couple more coats.  Also, 2 coats for the airing cupboard door frame.

Finally finished at 01:00am.  Must be mad but we've done as much as we could before the carpet comes.

"Why don't you delay the carpet fitting ?" we keep getting asked...."Because we don't want to, we want to get moved as soon as possible so that we can get the rest of the house back to normal."

Day Sixty Seven

Yet more brushwork.  This time varnishing the stairs.  Not worth taking any pictures.

Day Sixty Six

Groundhog Day.

Another full day painting.  The second coat was a little easier though, even though I had to cut in again !

The plaster work was easily covered but the walls with the old colour took an extra coat.

Next it's varnishing the stairs to get them ready before the carpet comes on Wednesday.

Day Sixty Five

I spent the whole day painting.  I did the cutting in for the new landing, stairs and old office areas.  That took hours.  I then did the rest using a roller, which also seemed to take forever.

The target was to get the first coat completed today so that the second coat can go on tomorrow.  So, as soon as I'd finished the first coat I packed up and called it a day.

Day Sixty Four

Well we're into November now and almost finished.

Everyone keeps saying "oh, you'll be done before Christmas !".   erm...too right, hoping to be in within the next couple of days.

So, today, our Plumber fitted the radiators in the bathroom and the office.  He also fitted the sink but did not have enough time to fit the toilet.  He'll be back next week to do that.

I finished off the primer coat for all the new plasterwork.  So it's ready now for 2 proper coats over the weekend.

Day Sixty Three

Back to normal today.  I managed to put the cupboard doors back on during my lunch hour.  Sounds simple enough but would they fit back in the holes...no !

Then after an hour or so terrorising the neighbours after work (trick or treat) it was back up the ladder to put the base coat on the new plaster.

The decorator finished today as well.  The colour we picked looks great.  Which is good news as we'll be doing a load more walls with the same colour at the weekend.

Got the Plumber coming tomorrow to finish off too.

Day Sixty Two

I took a day off today to see if I could make a dent in all the decorating.  It's half term too and Nikki took the kids out for the day so it was just me and the painter in the house.

Maybe it was just a slight dent but it was definitely worth taking the day off.

Day Sixty One

There is no way I could tackle all of the painting on my own so we had a painter start today.  He is doing the hall, cloakroom, stairs and landing.  It should only take him 3 days to complete the job.  Meanwhile I'm left to tackle all the new rooms !   Not today though, I spent the day in Chester  (working of course).

The lack of pictures is because nobody likes watching paint dry !

I'll post some more pics as and when areas get completed.

Day Sixty

I was on call today which meant a late start.  So I spent the morning having a bit of a tidy up and then tackled the bathroom flooring.

I'd never fitted vinyl flooring before and this wasn't the easiest shaped room to start with.  Once I had some momentum the stress levels started to drop and I managed to fit most of it.  I had to stop though as it was time to go to work.  I had to leave the fitting until 9pm when I finished my shift.

Luckily it only took another 15 minutes to complete.

Day Fifty Nine

Painting constantly now.  In fact, anything that moves gets a coat of paint.

Glossing doors today and giving the new office it's 1st coat.  We both got through a lot today thanks to the kids spending the day with Nainie and Grandad.

It' a bit weird having the house back to ourselves.  Although that won't be for long.  We've the electrician and plumber to come back and finish yet.

Day Fifty Eight

Saturdays have just got a whole lot busier.

We had a guy back in this morning to finish off the stairs.  Everything was done apart from one piece of beading that he didn't have the right size for.  He'll be back in the week to fit that.

Apart from a 2ft piece of beading all of the building work is done and we have our house back.

Seems strange in a way, we've got used to having the guys around.  They were a really nice bunch and we've had some good laughs with them.

Now it's all decorating and tidying up.   There is a lot of dust to get rid of before the hall, stairs and landing get painted.

Today we also;
Removed the stair gate...for good.
Stained the skirting in the bathroom (twice)
Gave the bathroom door and cupboard doors an undercoat
Brushed up a lot of dust
Measured up the bathroom ready to fit the flooring tomorrow
Got more masking tape (we'll need loads)
Picked the paint we are having through the hall, stairs, landing, new landing and new stairs

I know there has been a lack of pictures lately.  Now that the building work has been completed it means that we are now mad busy with the decorating so I've not had time to take any pictures.  I will get some tomorrow morning though before the next lot of painting starts.

I also have a couple of (sort of) time lapses I've been collecting pictures for.  It's great to see the transformation from start to finish.

Day Fifty Seven

Just a few small jobs left now;

The old loft hatch has finally gone, that alone makes the landing look a lot lighter.
All skimming has now been finished, great job overall by the plasterer.
The new airing cupboard now has shelves.
I managed a bit more painting at lunchtime.

The stairs are almost complete so they'll be coming back tomorrow morning (Saturday) to finish off.

We'll then have the house back to ourselves.

Day Fifty Six

The stairs were getting the finishing touches today.  The back of the stairs was boxed in and skimmed and they started putting all the beading on to tidy up the edges.

We also had the bi-folding bathroom door fitted, very nice.

They couldn't  put the handrails up yet though as we had to get the sofa bed up there.  It took a while but we managed it in the end.  That sofa bed will only ever leave the loft if we cut it in half or take out a window.

I made use of the morning (as I was on late's) and started painting the bathroom.  Need to get this done by the weekend so that I can fit the floor.

No pictures today, will catch up tomorrow.

Day Fifty Five

Yet more skimming today along with touching up all the other bits that needed it.  Some of the ceilings and walls have taken a battering recently so there were a few holes to fill in.

I've been busy working out a plan of action.  We need to have all of the decorating completed by the 6th November.  We're also looking at new furniture so no doubt we'll be visiting Ikea soon !

Day Fifty Four

Yet more plastering today and the place is looking really good now.  The ceiling of the old office has now been re-skimmed and the new light fittings are in.  We also have power and light in the loft now.

The roofer came to fit the vent for the extractor fan so that's another tick on the done list.

I found a couple more holes where the starlings may have been getting in, they've no chance now.

Highlight of the day though was Danny in his school concert this morning.  Oh, and not forgetting a much needed catch up in the evening with a good mate :-)

Day Fifty Three

Why is it the closer you get to the end of a Project the more intense and stressful it gets ?

I can think of two reasons straight away;

1) There is more work that we have to do ourselves now
2) The invoices will be coming in soon !

The electrician was here today fitting the lights and sockets etc.  He's not quite finished so we still don't have light up there yet.  Which meant of course that I got the evening off.
(not that sitting at my desk working was a night off though).

We also had the plasterer back so he could check out what is left to do.  He'll be back tomorrow to finish off.  I think the roofer will be calling in as well to fit the remaining vented tile.

I also spoke to the painter and reduced the amount of work we want him to do (thus reducing the cost).  The only problem is that means I have to do more work.  Work which includes staining the new stairs (several times).....I can't wait !

No pictures today (too busy) but i'll get some tomorrow.

Day Fifty Two

Painting all day.

Managed to get enough done before the electrician comes tomorrow to put all the lights etc in.

Unfortunately that means we will have lights in the loft so I will be able to paint in the evenings now as well.

So that's my evenings for the next couple of weeks sorted !

Day Fifty One

Saturday and the start of two days of painting.

But first a trip to the Carpet place to see if there are any other carpets that we like.  We picked one from the samples when he came to measure the other day but we wanted to be sure.  We eventually decided on our original choice and the fitting is booked for 6th November.

Then it was back home (via McD's) and on with the painting.  The first coat on new plaster is very messy. Using watered down paint is not my idea of fund.  Here's the before pic, before it got messy.

I also picked up the bathroom flooring today and yet more paint and various other odds n sods.

Day Fifty

A quiet day compared to yesterdays happenings.

The new airing cupboard has now been built (slightly wider than first planned to avoid all those pipes) and there is very little else left to do before we can get all the cosmetic work started.

We also had the quote through from the decorator as well as confirmation that the bathroom flooring has arrived.

The weekend is going to be all out painting which will set us up for the remaining tasks next week.

Saturday
Do the undercoat in the new loft space - Office, Bathroom, Landing & Stairs
Buy some stain for the woodwork
Buy some gloss for the new doors - Office & Bathroom
Collect Bathroom flooring from the store

Sunday
Apply the stain to the skirting in the Office & Bathroom
Paint the first & second coats (at least getting around where all the fittings are going)

Monday
Electrician will be here to fit all the lights, switches, sockets etc (hopefully including some new lighting for the old office space)
Continue with painting (in evenings as there will now be light)

Tuesday
Fit the bathroom flooring
Move some furniture up into the loft before the stairs are completed

Wednesday
Plastering all the remaining spots in the old office and landing (including removing the old loft hatch and boarding up the underside of the new stairs
Fitting the new bathroom door (should be delivered today)

Thursday
Fit the spindles, handrails etc to the stairs to finish them off

Friday
We might just be finished ?????

Not long after this we'll have the painter in to do the rest of the existing hall, stairs and landing.
Then finally the carpet will be fitted.

Then we really will be finished.

Day Forty Nine

Well we can't hide everything behind a closed door now.  It's all gone.

We did have some fun and games today though.  Just when we thought everything had been going so smoothly....a nail went through a pipe !

No sooner had the old airing cupboard been ripped down a new one was being built.
Unfortunately those pipes (above) took a right turn exactly where the side of the frame was going.  They are only about 2mm below the floorboards and luckily the builder heard the hissing sound and stopped to investigate before it got messy. 

It could have been much worse though.  Had he set his circular saw just 2mm deeper he would have cut through 6 pipes when taking out the floor panel !  So the new airing cupboard will have to wait until tomorrow now.

I also got my hands dirty yet again and ended up chasing birds !

While washing the plaster off the purlins at lunchtime I heard a noise coming from the ceiling.  As I was looking up at the holes that had been cut for the new lights I saw a beak pop through.  Those damn starlings again.

Having blocked off the hole they had previously used I have no idea how it got in.  More to the point, how it got right in above the new ceiling in the loft.  Anyway, I couldn't find any more holes but didn't have much time to check properly.  My main concern now was how to get it out.

Not long after that, Nikki arrived home.  We went up to the loft and I was about to tell her about the starling as we walked into the room.  But before I could say anything Nikki spots the bird throwing itself at the window trying to get out.  It nearly knocked itself out flying into the velux but it eventually found the open window.

Roll on tomorrow...Day Fifty. 

Day Forty Eight

Well I can definitely say that we are nearly finished.

The Loft (Fire) door was fitted today so there is just the bathroom door to go and all build work in the new loft space will be completed.

I even got my hands dirty today and put some loft boards down inside the new hatch so I can get at all the stuff we have hidden away up there.

We've also had a carpet guy around to measure.  We've also picked a carpet from the samples but we're going to the store on Saturday to have a look just in case we see something else.

So, that's the painter, carpet guy, electrician and plumber all penciled in over the next couple of weeks.

The next big job is opening up the old office space and that may well be happening tomorrow.

Day Forty Seven

The skirting boards were fitted today along with the finishing touches to the door frames and also the cupboard doors for the loft storage space.

We also had a visit from a Painter/Decorator to price up painting the hall, stairs & landing.  Now that it's such a huge space it's not the sort of task I would like to complete on my own.  I'm happy to do the new office and bathroom in the loft though.

Hopefully by the end of the week the bathroom door and office door (fire door) will be fitted.  The build work on the loft rooms will then be completed.

The electrician is ready to put all the fittings in but we are pushing him back until next Monday so that we can do the painting beforehand.

All being well the builders will start on the old office space next week.  The door ways for the old office (4th bedroom) and old airing cupboard will be removed so that the space is opened up onto the existing landing.

I can't wait for this part to happen but it may cause a bit of a mess.  Everything has happened behind these doors so far so it's been easy to hide all of the work (and dust).

Day Forty Six

We are well and truly plastered now.

All of the plastering in the loft space has been completed.  There's a bit of tidying up to do like cleaning the plaster off the purlins but overall it looks great.

It'll need a few days to dry out but we won't be able to start painting until the weekend anyway.

Just the skirting boards to be fitted and then we can take over.  The electrician and plumber will be in next week once we have painted so they can put in all of the the fittings.

The end is in sight !

Day Forty Five

After a nice lie-in we went to B&Q and bought the paint for the new office as well as a truck load of undercoat.  I also invested in some new brushes and rollers (so that Nikki can help with the painting).

Then we went to CarpetRight and picked some flooring for the new bathroom.  Typical, they only had one member off staff on the floor.  We couldn't be bothered waiting around so I'll be back there tomorrow to do the deal.

I've measured up for the carpet as well but we'll probably get someone round to do it properly.  There's lots to get done so I want to make sure it's done properly.  We'll be re-carpeting the stairs and landing as well as the extended landing area, new stairs and office.

I can hear the wallet weeping already !

Day Forty Four

No progress today.  Well it is Saturday after all.

Had the parents over for a visit.  They had a quick tour (and liked it).

Then I played xbox with Danny while Nikki took Elin to her friends Birthday pamper party.

Off to buy paint and flooring tomorrow.

Day Forty Three

I've been to the big office today so I wasn't able to take any pictures.

The skirting board has been measured up ready to be fitted next week.

Skimming continues and will be finished on Monday.

The roofer came and fitted the roof vent tiles.  He also fixed the leak behind the chimney stack.

I'll do another update tomorrow with more info and pictures.

Day Forty Two

The skimming continues.

I won't bore you with another picture of wet plaster.

More tomorrow.

Day Forty One

Skimming has started and the scaffolding has finally gone.

The electrician also came to cut out the holes where the lights, switches and plug sockets are going.

The end is almost in sight.

Day Forty

The plasterer had to go to another job today but we had our Chippy back to box in the soil pipe.

Now everything really is ready for the skimming.

The Plasterer is certainly keen though.  He turned up late afternoon to get all his gear in ready for an early start tomorrow.

As well as all this going on I managed to do a bit more work up on the roof.  I noticed the starlings trying to nest again through the gap at the end of the guttering.  Fortunately the scaffolding was still here so up I went and plugged the hole up....much to the disgust of the pair of Starlings watching me from next doors chimney.

Elin certainly approves.

Day Thirty Nine

Monday again and yet more plasterboards going up.

But the good news is that it's all ready to be skimmed now.

I've also done my bit and painted the new rendering around the gable end window.  I had to get this done today as the scaffolding is coming down tomorrow.

Day Thirty Eight

Sunday and a whole day out for me.  I left the house at 7:20am and returned at 7:40pm.

Nothing do with the build but here's a few pics from the Photography workshop I went on;

Monday tomorrow and more plastering.

Day Thirty Seven

Absolutely nothing to update you with today.

See you tomorrow.

Day Thirty Six

Almost all of the plasterboards are up now.  Just the gable ends to go.

The rendering around the new windows is ready.  I just need to let that dry over the weekend and then paint it on Monday.  The scaffolding will then come down on Tuesday.

The light in the loft space with all the windows in is fantastic.  The room was starting to look smaller and smaller as the insulation was fitted and then the boards put up but it's surprising how much space we have up there.

Another weekend now so I'm not sure what will get posted here for Saturday and Sunday.  We are 5 weeks in now so hopefully we are well over the half way point.

By the end of next week all of the plastering should be completed.  Then we'll start work on the old office.

Day Thirty Five

We got plastered today.  Well, not quite, we got a load of plasterboards up.

The Building Inspector did the pre-plaster check and everything is ok so we're on the home straight now.

The rest of the boards should be finished tomorrow as well as new rendering around the gable end window. I'll be able to paint that on Monday and then the scaffolding will be taken down on Tuesday.

Just need the roofer to fit the vented tiles before then.

Day Thirty Four

Let there be light.

A very busy morning with all three windows fitted before lunchtime.  Another big job made to look quick and simple.  The amount of light we'll be getting up there is great.

Over the past week or so the space has appeared to get smaller but with all the light it looks like a decent sized space again.

All being well the Building Inspector will be here tomorrow to check the insulation.  Then the plasterboards will be going up.

Day Thirty Three

Window fitting expected this afternoon but a call from the Builder meant that nothing would be happening until tomorrow.

So, a nice quiet day in the end.  Just for the record the stairs did go in on Friday so here's a couple more pics.

Tomorrow we should have the Gable end window in and both Velux.  Fingers crossed.

Day Thirty Two

More woodwork today.  Casings for the cupboard doors and the door frames were all completed.

One of the guys is now off to Tenerife for a couple of weeks.  Lucky for some eh.

Day Thirty One

Lazy Sunday afternoon.

Nothing happened today.  I was on call so sat at my desk most of the day.

The Gable end window should be going in tomorrow though.

Day Thirty

The past four weeks have certainly flown by.  I reckon by the end of October the whole thing will be completed.

I thought I'd do a quick recap of everything that has been completed so far;

Loft emptied
Scaffolding erected
Hole knocked in gable end to form new window
Steel installed above bedroom door to support new steels required to hold the new loft floor
Holes cut in internal brickwork to take new steels
Steels lifted in via crane
Steels installed and holding brickwork completed
New loft floor joists installed
Old loft hatch closed off
Old Office emptied ready for conversion work
Floor installed
Hole cut through ceiling into loft
Woodwork for new walls in
First layer of insulation in
First fix wiring and plumbing in
More insulation in
Yet more insulation in
Stairs in and fitted

Roll on next week....

Day Twenty Nine

First thing this morning the new stairs arrived.  It all got delivered in pieces like a huge 3D jigsaw.

The guys then spent a couple of hours locating all of the numbered pieces and getting them in order before putting it all together.

Luckily the radiator doesn't have to be moved.  That was my only worry.

Roll on next week.  All the windows will be fitted and the plasterboards are going up.  The scaffolding will go too...at last.

The downside was receiving an invoice from the Council for the Building Inspector.  Extortion springs to mind.

Day Twenty Eight

Seriously, how much insulation do you need ?   It's going to be like a sauna up there when they've finished.

At least the Roofer finally came around to see what needs doing.  He'll be putting some vented tiles in and also fixing the leak by the chimney.  It sounds like a quick fix though thankfully.

Fingers crossed we'll be getting the plaster boards tomorrow and also the stairs.

I'll take more pictures if it get's interesting.
 

Day Twenty Seven

This has turned into a very slow week.  One guy came today and finished off the insulation for the ceiling.

Really hoping there is more activity tomorrow.

Wasn't even worth taking a picture today !

Day Twenty Six

A very early visit from the Electrician to measure up for the lighting.  Nothing else.

So here's a quick before and after (well where we are now) photo.

All systems go tomorrow though.

Day Twenty Five

Got a call first thing from the Builders to say that they wouldn't be with us until Wednesday.

Although it sounds like the velux windows and gable end window might be ready this week.  It would be great to get those in as well as the stairs on Friday.  Fingers crossed.

In the meantime I have to put up with this little one.

She likes Costa !

Day Twenty Four

Another nice day to round off the weekend.

No chance of any Loft related work today with such nice weather.  Managed to get some time outside.

Summer is trying it's best to cling on but Autumn is taking over.

Day Twenty Three

Saturday.  A day off and an opportunity to enjoy the nice weather.  So, a quick spin around Llandegla Red route.  I was enjoying it that much that I forgot to stop and ended up heading back up the trails again.  This time straight to the radio masts at the top and then down the single-track across the moor.

Superb views from the top.  Only one crash on the way down fortunately.  Absolutely knackered.