Panic ye not, though... resorting to caveman style grunting and sketching with sticks in the sand resolved all the issues! The result of the sketching:
Friday, 20 August 2010
A Modern Fireplace
Raised voices could be heard last night in the vicinty of Glengormley as I desperately tried to explain to my wife how we would go about implementing the multi-fuel stove in our new home. Of course, being the husband in the marital arrangement means that I was no doubt in the wrong and I'm more than happy to accept that this was the case. It was my fault for being incapable of explaining some very basic concepts.
Panic ye not, though... resorting to caveman style grunting and sketching with sticks in the sand resolved all the issues! The result of the sketching:
Panic ye not, though... resorting to caveman style grunting and sketching with sticks in the sand resolved all the issues! The result of the sketching:
Monday, 16 August 2010
Steel Work Deployed
The latest pictures of the house are quite exciting as we can now see some proper structure in place for the extensions. The steelwork has been erected out front, and the base has been laid out back.
More steel beams are resting in the garage just now. It's hard to tell where they are going but I can hardly wait to find out.
More steel beams are resting in the garage just now. It's hard to tell where they are going but I can hardly wait to find out.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Foundations Dug
The workers keep on working and the progress being made is just fantastic.
Foundations have been dug front and back and the true scale of the extension can now be seen. From one angle, it looks quite small. From another, it looks enormous. The true extent is probably somewhere in between, I guess.
The blocks for construction have also turned up on site and the site has been secured with fencing. I've also notice that my builder has put a sign up stating that he is performing the building work so I can safely announce that the builder is W&R Moore.
In other news, my insurers have thrown the toys out of the pram stating that the work being performed is greater than they were expecting and have decided to cancel my insurance. I find this quite strange - after all, I entered into an agreement with them to insure my property and was up-front with all the facts. They knew the property was vacant and they knew there would be renovation work and they knew that value of the house post renovation. When I phoned to say that the work was about to start, I thought I would be considered a good citizen but the insurers have taken the opportunity to cancel my policy instead.
Getting insurance for 12 months is not like signing a contract at all... the insurers can perform minor miracles in order to get out of paying out on the policy and can cancel as and when they see fit. Staggering really. My faith in the insurance "game" has been well and truly shattered.
Carnhill is currently a building site and my builder has adequate insurance but I will have to source replacement insurance before next Friday. And because it is a building site, I am (of course) still living in my current property which will be put up for sale very soon. But therein lies another problem... getting estate agents to accurately value the house and define a decent strategy for selling.
There is quite a discrepancy between the lowest valuation and the highest valuation and none of the four valuations we've had thus far come close to what friends and family would expect the house to fetch. Are friends and family being too kind? Are estate agents desparate to price the property at a price point that they know will generate interest regardless of the house's worth?
Buying and renovating introduces you to solicitors, builders, architects, plumbers, salesmen, bankers, insurers, estate agents and all other manner of "professional" people. Most of them have lived up to the standards that I expect, thankfully.
Foundations have been dug front and back and the true scale of the extension can now be seen. From one angle, it looks quite small. From another, it looks enormous. The true extent is probably somewhere in between, I guess.
The blocks for construction have also turned up on site and the site has been secured with fencing. I've also notice that my builder has put a sign up stating that he is performing the building work so I can safely announce that the builder is W&R Moore.
In other news, my insurers have thrown the toys out of the pram stating that the work being performed is greater than they were expecting and have decided to cancel my insurance. I find this quite strange - after all, I entered into an agreement with them to insure my property and was up-front with all the facts. They knew the property was vacant and they knew there would be renovation work and they knew that value of the house post renovation. When I phoned to say that the work was about to start, I thought I would be considered a good citizen but the insurers have taken the opportunity to cancel my policy instead.
Getting insurance for 12 months is not like signing a contract at all... the insurers can perform minor miracles in order to get out of paying out on the policy and can cancel as and when they see fit. Staggering really. My faith in the insurance "game" has been well and truly shattered.
Carnhill is currently a building site and my builder has adequate insurance but I will have to source replacement insurance before next Friday. And because it is a building site, I am (of course) still living in my current property which will be put up for sale very soon. But therein lies another problem... getting estate agents to accurately value the house and define a decent strategy for selling.
There is quite a discrepancy between the lowest valuation and the highest valuation and none of the four valuations we've had thus far come close to what friends and family would expect the house to fetch. Are friends and family being too kind? Are estate agents desparate to price the property at a price point that they know will generate interest regardless of the house's worth?
Buying and renovating introduces you to solicitors, builders, architects, plumbers, salesmen, bankers, insurers, estate agents and all other manner of "professional" people. Most of them have lived up to the standards that I expect, thankfully.
Friday, 6 August 2010
Week One Completed
One week down, twenty-nine (or so) to go!
It's amazing how quickly things can be "removed" and I'm sure the builders have had a lot of fun this week with their sledge-hammers and diggers. Today, the internal stud walls were removed and the back of the house is now clear ready for the foundations for the extension to be put in place.
The site looks strangely reminiscent of 1982, don't you think?
It's amazing how quickly things can be "removed" and I'm sure the builders have had a lot of fun this week with their sledge-hammers and diggers. Today, the internal stud walls were removed and the back of the house is now clear ready for the foundations for the extension to be put in place.
The site looks strangely reminiscent of 1982, don't you think?
Thursday, 5 August 2010
No More Windows
Passers-by now stop to have "look-see"!
And here's how it looks... an empty shell!
It is fair to say we are some way off moving in but the builders seem to be making great progress which is positive.
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Heavy Plant Onsite
Well it seems that machines can do the job of many men...
The heavy plant has turned up on site and the roof has completely gone. The front of the garage has completely gone. The overgrown shubbery has completely gone. The property looks properly dangerous now! Click on the images below to see how much one machine can get through!
The heavy plant has turned up on site and the roof has completely gone. The front of the garage has completely gone. The overgrown shubbery has completely gone. The property looks properly dangerous now! Click on the images below to see how much one machine can get through!
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
A Room With A View
Further progress today although the real action starts tomorrow when the diggers move in.
For now, take a look at what will be one of the bedrooms...
Ultimately, this dormor will just be completely removed and replaced with Velux style windows but once slates are removed, it's amazing to see how flimsy a house actually is!
For now, take a look at what will be one of the bedrooms...
Ultimately, this dormor will just be completely removed and replaced with Velux style windows but once slates are removed, it's amazing to see how flimsy a house actually is!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)