Thursday 1st April 2004

Four builders on site today plus main builder who turned up briefly (think he was delivering supplies to them) this afternoon. The remaining kitchen wall was rendered this morning, the outside at the back looks more houselike and less building site like! Inside the electrician came and did some more wiring - having wires for lights and lights switches seems to be such an important milestone for me! Lauren's room has had one wall rendered (the wall joining next door) and the majority of her ceiling is boarded in. In our bedroom the remaining wall has been built up to join the ceiling and the door lining was put in place.

Friday 2nd April 2004

Three builders here today plus the electrician who came late morning. Billy's room was completely skimmed and now looks like a proper room! Our ceiling was finished boarding in and insulating. The boarding was continued in the bathroom and Lauren's insulating as they went. The back wall of the kitchen (the wall which back on to next door) was rendered also.

Monday 5th April 2004

Guess what - NO BUILDERS. What a surprise. Now if you have been reading all the way through this you will see that there is more often no builders than there is builders. Kelvin rang up and apparently nobody turned up for work this morning. Main builder has to wait for building inspector (on the job that he wasn't doing anymore until ours was finished) and he said he is coming to us at 4pm with another chap to do some more skimming. Well, they better work till midnight to equal a days work here. Some full crew.....

Builder plus one other turned up at 5pm (well, did you honestly expect him to turn up on time?). I haven't a clue what time they worked till but in Kelvin's opinion it wouldn't have been very late.

Tuesday 6th April 2004

We had four builders (including the main man himself) turn up today. Went down to have a look this evening and to be honest I can't see what exactly they have been doing today and last night. The small wall on the landing has been rendered, one wall in our room has been rendered, lauren's ceiling and one wall has been plastered and her window now has a window sill. They have been up on the roof to fix it as it is still leaking.

Wednesday 7th April 2004

Well we started the day with one builder who has now left, apparently to collect another builder from Truro and that will be our full quota for the day. Oh and we are exactly 6 months and 1 week behind today.

From 12 o'clock we had two builders and that was it. It also appears that one of the chaps who had been coming has quit (marvellous) and this morning main builder plus one that was collected from Truro were block laying at the job they aren't doing any more. Apparently they may be coming this evening - I shall believe it when I see it.

Well, he didn't turn up! The two that were here did more plastering and skimming today in our bedroom and Lauren's room.

Thursday 8th April 2004

Two builders here this morning (not the main one though). They have done further rendering now, Lauren's room has one wall left to be done. The electrician is there and is wiring in the ceiling lights - they are complete with pendants now and there are some light switches in place. That bit of it is looking very good. Main builder apperas to think the electricity is going to be connected next week but we were under the impression that the porch needed to be finished first - we shall see! The ceiling is being put up in the lounge between the beams. It looks really strange as we have seen it without the boards for so long!

Kelvin has spoken to main builder who insists we should be ready to move in by the end of the month - the house won't be finished but the building will be habitable (it better be more than that)

Friday 9th April 2004 (Good Friday)

Well the main builder told Kelvin yesterday that he would be coming today..... what do you reckon? Come on, he can't even manage to turn up on a normal work day what are the chances of him turning up on a Bank Holiday. Yep you are right - he didn't turn up.

Sunday 11th April 2004

Kelvin ran the cables upstairs for the computer network (priorities!) and also tv points as well. We have put in network points in all the bedrooms and tv points also. In theory we should be running a wireless network but this way if the wireless one doesn't work out we can still plug in and surf away......

Tuesday 13th April 2004

9am came and went and no builders in sight. Kelvin phoned them just after that time and was informed they were quickly moving an oil tank and would be down later - eventually at 1.30pm they arrived (three of them, main builder included). Kelvin's Dad had another 'polite' word with them but none of us are sure that it is doing anything to make them turn up and work! Today they boarded the bathroom ceiling and also plastered the back wall. The main builder is still insisting we will be moved in at the end of the month, the work won't be finished by then but it will be sufficient for us to live there. We shall see (but I don't believe him). We are still having trouble with damp in the kitchen, during the day the kitchen dries out and then the next morning the wall is damp again - we presume this is because the wall was open for so long the damp has seeped into the insulation in the cavity and is seeping out through the brick and plaster overnight. Marvellous, until the wall dries out completely I can't have the kitchen doors hung. Grrrrrrrr.

Wednesday 14th April 2004

We had a total of 3 builders turn up today - although none before 10am. Todays work included 3 internal doors upstairs and Lauren's bedroom is now fully plastered. It is very strange seeing doors upstairs! It has been so open up there for so long it almost feels claustrophobic as it looks so odd! The bathroom has been plaster boarded now and also some plyboard has been put up for the tiles to go on. Builder is still insisting the end of the month (and I still don't believe him!)

Thursday 15th April 2004

Three builders on site (one turned up at 8.20am!), however didn't see the first one's van so I rang Kelvin to let him know no one was here - didn't realise the builder had gone to collect supplies - whoops! Oh well, who can blame me for not realising someone had been there?!

The bathroom is ready for plastering and tiling now, all the ceiling is boarded in now also. Lauren's room has a door (she's very impressed with that!). The dining room has had the remaining walls plastered for the first time.

I took Lauren and Billy's new bedroom curtains down to the house to check how much altering they needed (I bought them without knowing any measurements!) Lauren's curtains just need to be changed from tab top to header tape and they are fine. Billy's curtains do not need altering at all. Not bad guessing! It seems strange that I am sorting out minor details like curtains when in fact there is still so much more work to be done in the house! However, if we are in at the end of the month I would hate Lauren and Billy not to have any curtains at all!

Friday 16th April 2004

Two builders on site today (main builder didn't materialise at all - well it is Friday isn't it). Kelvin had a day off today so we went to Jewson (Redruth) and ordered our kitchen worktop, picked out and ordered the kitchen wall and floor tiles. Couldn't decide on any bathroom tiles which wasn't a problem as we didn't know the measurements anyway. Also bought the door latches and handles for the four upstairs doors. Gone for ones with a nice silver finish (really gone off brass ones). We couldn't get the paint that we wanted as they didn't have the correct base in stock. Kelvin went back later and collected all the radiators (not room in the car with us as well!) and ordered the oil tank. The oil tank and the bathroom suite (which is all in stock now) will be delivered on Tuesday morning. Duly traipsed to Jewson (Truro) this afternoon only to find that they don't make the supermatt paint (suitable for painting on new plaster) in the colours we wanted (Barley White and Honeygold) so we have ended up with two huge tubs of Magnolia and one of White (for the ceilings) which of course we could have got in Redruth this morning. Builders have fitted the handles on the doors and they are looking quite smart.

Saturday 17th April 2004

(Don't get excited the builders didn't turn up today!). Kelvin and his Mum started painting today - Lauren's room has had two coats (it doesn't appear to need a third coat), Billy's room has had the first coat on the ceiling and the kitchen has had the first coat on the ceiling (well, where Kelvin could reach!). Discovered because the doorways upstairs aren't a standard size it appears the handle on Lauren's door and the one on Billy's are different heights but they aren't it's the house that is on the skew! Also discovered today that the builders put architrave around one door - trouble is they forgot to ask us which style we wanted and they have put the wrong one up! Oh well, Kelvin has ripped it off again now!

Sunday 18th April 2004

Kelvin and his mum continued with the painting today and now Billy's room has also had it's first couple of coats.

Monday 19th April 2004

We had 3 builders on site today (including the main man himself - although he did arrive at lunchtime). Not entirely sure what was completed today - I know the roof had some repairs carried out to it (I'm sure the rain in the next couple of days will test that!) and also part of the stairwell was boxed in but too be honest I couldn't see anything else had been done! (I'm sure something must have been though!).

Tuesday 20th April 2004

Well....nearly had a heart attack this morning, main builder plus new chap were here at ....... 10am!!!!! Yep you did read that correctly AND they worked until 6.30pm (I wonder if that means they aren't coming tomorrow?!) Just been down and had a look and quite a bit has been done today. The lounge ceiling is boarded in now (looking quite nice), the only bit that hasn't been boarded in is in the alcoves which is waiting, I think, for electrical work to be finished. On the landing the ceiling is boarded in and the sky dome is properly in place - it just needs the diffuser on the end now. Also some plastering was done on the landing ceiling. The bathroom has had all the plastering that it needs (it isn't being fully plastered as it is easier and better to tile straight onto the plasterboard or plyboard). I ordered the bathroom tiles this morning, they should be in Jewson on Friday, I also bought a kitchen bin (important item!). We also had a huge delivery from Jewson today - our oil tank, the suite, shower, heated towel rail and the bath panel! Just need it to all be fitted now......

Wednesday 21st April 2004

Phoned Kelvin at 10.10am to let him know there were no builders on site and four of them turned up at 10.15am (typical!). More plastering was done today - our bedroom ceiling has been half plastered and the bathroom and Lauren's bedroom has had plastering around the window done to finish it off. The newel posts have been put in at the top of the stairs and at the bottom - I am very impressed with the look of these, they are very sturdy and finish the stairs off nicely. The dining room ceiling has had more boarding in also. The central heating guy turned up this evening to start fitting the radiators. When we went down to have a look Lauren's, Billy's and the lounge's radiators were in place and look good! One of the radiators had to be changed today as not only had Kelvin ordered the wrong one, Jewson gave us the wrong one (not the one Kelvin ordered which was wrong anyway but a completely different one!). Two more radiators have to be changed tomorrow for various reasons. The thought of having radiators is wonderful - having never had central heating before this is going to be a novelty! Oh, and the builders struck again - they placed loads and loads of heavy roofing slates on top of the central heating piping in the dining room. We hope it hasn't been damaged but we won't know until the central heating is fired up.

Thursday 22nd April 2004

Can't remember how many builders were on site today - but I know it was two at least! Today's work included the skirting board in Billy's bedroom (that room is nearly complete!). Also the bannister rail has been continued with - it seems a very intricate job.

Friday 23rd April 2004

Had four builders on site today - more skirtings are in place, more has been done on the bannisters (this seems to be sooooo time consuming as it is made of up of lots of spindles and bits of wood!), the oil tank base has been concreted in so hopefully the tank can be put in place tomorrow. The second half of our ceiling has been plastered, hopefully that will dry by Sunday so it can be painted. The central heating guys are coming this weekend to finish the radiators and to pipe in the boiler. Apparently we will have a builder tomorrow finishing the bannisters - this I have to see!

Saturday 24th April 2004

Well, the guy never turned up to finish the bannisters but none of us were surprised about that! However, the heating guys turned up before 9am! I like these people! The central heating is nearly all connected up, the boiler is in place and the oil tank is on it's base and connected up - now all I need to do is order some oil (which I must remember to do on Monday) and then we shall be well on the way to having some hot water (doh - we don't have water yet do we?!) and some heating eventually!

Sunday 25th April .

Kelvin and his Dad transported all the kitchen appliances down to the house all ready for them to be fitted this week (the bit I'm awaiting for lol!)

A polite little 'hint' in case the builders tried moving the appliances!

Monday 26th April 2004

Mmmm 10am - no builders, 11am - no builders, 12 midday - no builders. Just after 12 noon two arrived (main man plus one), usual reasons for no one turning up earlier - one of the usual early ones nearly killed himself at the weekend by crashing his bike. Ok so where have you been all morning, a working day does not start at noon! Another chap came this evening (he is a plasterer by trade) and he and main builder worked on until 9pm plastering lounge and dining room ceilings. Will have to go down tomorrow and see what else has been done. Apparently a chap is coming tomorrow specifically to clad the porch - thought a roof would have been useful first but there you go.

Tuesday 27th April 2004

The chap doing the stonework turned up before 9am (now that is the time you are meant to start work), he is doing an amazing job. The porch is going to look stunning when it is finished - the granite looks like it was originally there (I know that is the idea!). He is coming back tomorrow to do some more. The extractor vent for the bathroom was put in today (good job Kelvin noticed it hadn't been put in before - luckily a panel was removed in the landing to get up into the roof space). The shower has been put in the bathroom - we are being awkward by wanting it fitted in the wall (apparently it would have been easier to have it fixed to the wall but it looks better mounted in it). Not plumbed in or wired up but it is there! Our delivery from Jewson eventually arrived (only a day late) so now we are in posession of the worktop, kitchen floor and wall tiles and the bathroom tiles.

Wednesday 28th April 2004

Two builders plus stone chap on site before 9am! Main builder turned up lunchtime. Stone chap had difficulty finding enough good stone out of the pile we had collected in the driveway so one of the builders dismantled the old stone 'toilet' at the top of the garden. The porch is looking even more stunning than it did yesterday! The 'makeshift' front door has been removed and we now have a locking front door (well, door between porch and lounge). We had three builders work late into the evening (one of them was the chap who is a plasterer). There isn't much ceiling left unplastered now. I telephoned the electricity company to see when they were going to come and connect us and apparently we are booked in for this Friday! Unfortunately we aren't actually going to be ready by then, I just hope they don't charge us extra for another visit because when they turn up on Friday they won't be able to do what they have come for.

Our new locking door! This is the door from the lounge to the porch.

Thursday 29th April 2004

At 7.30am (yep you did read that right) the chap who was doing the stone turned up - unfortunately nobody else did so he couldn't get in. We don't actually have a key yet to the front door (didn't realise that Kelvin's parents have one though). Two builders turned up before 9am so stone chap continued with porch, unfortunately it starting tipping down a bit later on so he couldn't do very much. Had more sand delivered today. The bannisters have now been finished off and they are stunning, they look absolutely amazing! We also had the electrician there today continuing with his wiring - one thing today he was doing was wiring up the smoke alarm. The kitchen guy was also there (full house today!) he has fitted both the worktops, the hob is in place, both the sinks are in place (not plumbed in though), the tap is in although it doesn't seem to swivel properly so we will get that looked at.

	The two sinks are in place - no water or drainage connection yet. The tap has also been fitted.
The hob is in place. I cannot wait to get in and cook on this! The hob is completely flat and the buttons are 'touch buttons'. (Doesn't really look much in the photo though!) The builders have made my kitchen untidy grrrrrr

Friday 30th April 2004

Well, the house was meant to be finished by today but yet again it isn't (not that I ever believed it would be finished). The guy doing the stone turned up at 7.30am again! The central heating chap turned up at 8am! Two builders turned up 9ish, main builder spoke to Kelvin at 10.30am and said he was on his way to our house....... he didn't turn up till mid afternoon - rather alot of hours to drive 10 miles. The stone is up to roof level on our porch and Kelvin's parents porch is started also - they are both looking stunning. No more can be done until the roof is on. The central heating chap finished putting the radiators up and then filled the system up with water - rather amusing as the only water we have is via a hosepipe out the back, the hosepipe had two leaks in it so someone had to stand with their hand over the holes! The system proved to have some leaks in it and the lounge floor got soaked! Think it is all sorted now. The oil turned up so we have a full tank, such a shame we don't have power because they could have tested the system but they said they will come back as soon as the power is connected. Western Power turned up to connect the meter up ready for power..... trouble is somehow the meter has disappeared. None of the builders have seen it (of course) so that is now presenting a major problem. We do not get our electricity through the local power company but through British Gas so it appears I have to ring Sweb to get our meter number, then ring British Gas to tell them we need a new meter and then they ring Western Power who bring one for us! Can't imagine this is going to be quick though.

Builders laid the battens for the flooring in the lounge (in between mopping up from the central heating leak) and also put the insulation in.

April - a conclusion

Well, here we are again at the end of yet another month. Some days I feel very optimistic that we will finish this project and other days I would quite happily sell the house and never see it again but obviously that isn't going to happen and we have to see it through.

Builders have been on site for most of the month and other people have been coming in and doing their bits (ie kitchen, stone, central heating) but I feel if more effort had been put in by the main man himself (instead of him turning up mid afternoon alot of days) then we might have actually been finished. In the main builder's opinion we will be finished in a week (yeah right) but what I'm not impressed with is that he said it in front of Lauren who is desperate to get back to the house and live next door to 'granny and grandpa'. So next Friday when she is majorly upset perhaps I should send her down to him to sort out as she is now counting down the days.......

The fact that this is running over into yet another month has major financial implications for us which isn't helping in our overall feeling for the project.

I daren't say I hope this will finish next month - perhaps I am jinxing it. I was relying on it finishing this month so I didn't have to add May to every page in this website!