Spent the day yesterday down in Randalstown visiting my mum and dad and I took the opportunity to go round McCartneys tiles (again).
I am hoping I have hit lucky and found floor tiles at a very reasonable price. Not sure what colour yet but it is Atlas Concorde Pulse range: http://www.atlasconcordesolution.it/collezioni.php?idseriec=70&idp=390&col=1
For the walls in the family bathroom and the guest ensuite I have found a soft light grey tile and a black slate type one for our ensuite. It sounds simple but it has taken a bit of effort on my part to get to here. So when hubby gets home at the weekend he can look over the choices!
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
My first letter on Valentines!
On February 14th I got my first piece of mail at our new home. Not a Valentine but a boring letter from Phoenix gas to let me know that they were coming next week to install the gas line. At least I will have a utility bill in my name for identification purposes later on!
Today was very exciting as the first parts of our bathroom fittings have arrived! The plumber Mark and his mate had to move the ladder so that I could get upstairs. How many people does it take to get Jackie down a ladder? Three (not including me!) The radiators and towel rails have been fitted upstairs and the water tank has been installed. The bath is in as well - it is looking good!
Frankie and Jim were outside sorting out the patio and groundworks!
And the sun was shining! You can see how nice its gonna be.
Today was very exciting as the first parts of our bathroom fittings have arrived! The plumber Mark and his mate had to move the ladder so that I could get upstairs. How many people does it take to get Jackie down a ladder? Three (not including me!) The radiators and towel rails have been fitted upstairs and the water tank has been installed. The bath is in as well - it is looking good!
Frankie and Jim were outside sorting out the patio and groundworks!
And the sun was shining! You can see how nice its gonna be.
Virgin Hooked Up
The race to the finish line is well and truly underway and yesterday it was the turn of Virginmedia to hook up their services to the house. They are a little early, but I certainly didn't want them turning up at the end of the project only to make a mess of our newly landscaped front garden and newly laid driveway. So yesterday, they laid their cable from the road up to the house.
Staggeringly, though, they insisted on leaving behind a set-top box. There is no television in the house! There is no front door yet! The house is not habitable! And Virginmedia were told of this situation - we shan't be in a position to move in until the end of March at the earliest.
But rules are rules! The STB was left. Even though I will be sending it back as soon as I move in to be replaced by a V+ box.
Yet again, my dealings with Virginmedia have not lived up to the expectations I would have of a professional organisation. Unfortunately, those same dealings have lived up to the expectations I have of Virginmedia.
Staggeringly, though, they insisted on leaving behind a set-top box. There is no television in the house! There is no front door yet! The house is not habitable! And Virginmedia were told of this situation - we shan't be in a position to move in until the end of March at the earliest.
But rules are rules! The STB was left. Even though I will be sending it back as soon as I move in to be replaced by a V+ box.
Yet again, my dealings with Virginmedia have not lived up to the expectations I would have of a professional organisation. Unfortunately, those same dealings have lived up to the expectations I have of Virginmedia.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Clabbered...
When the builder said that the drains had been put in, I did expect that some digging would be involved and that the recent "wetness" would ensure our building site was a bit of a bog.
I wasn't wrong.
My shoes - what was I thinking! - got "stuck in the mud" on too many occassions today. But the visit was still worthwhile. And that was despite our inability to enter the house!
The liquid screed has been poured and isn't quite ready to take the weight of my bulky mass - maybe tomorrow. But it was great to peer in through a window and see a smooth floor.
The other sight to behold was the patio doors. They have finally turned up and been fitted:
The rest of today was spent in tile showrooms. After a while they all start to look the same to me. Thankfully, the boss (my wife) has a keener eye than me. Her sensitivity to colour variation is invaluable at this stage!
I wasn't wrong.
My shoes - what was I thinking! - got "stuck in the mud" on too many occassions today. But the visit was still worthwhile. And that was despite our inability to enter the house!
The liquid screed has been poured and isn't quite ready to take the weight of my bulky mass - maybe tomorrow. But it was great to peer in through a window and see a smooth floor.
The other sight to behold was the patio doors. They have finally turned up and been fitted:
The rest of today was spent in tile showrooms. After a while they all start to look the same to me. Thankfully, the boss (my wife) has a keener eye than me. Her sensitivity to colour variation is invaluable at this stage!
Sunday, 6 February 2011
OMG - The Scaffolding Has Gone
The scale of what we have built has now been revealed as the scaffolding has finally come down. Without the driveway, raised borders, paths and steps, the house looks a little "elevated":
Of course, with so much glass in that hallway, standing inside the hallway feels wonderful - look how tiny Emily looks in this picture:
As you can see - she can't reach the ceiling!!!
The floor insulation has also turned up and has been laid in most of the downstairs floor area and it is tremendously thick. As the insulation has been put in place, so has the pipework for the gas - a pipe to the hob and a pipe to the gas fire in the front sitting room.
The house is almost habitable which means we have a significant number of decisions to take THIS WEEK! For example:
Phoenix Gas and Virginmedia have been given installation dates as have Stevenson & Reid (for the bathrooms) and McAuley's Kitchens (for the kitchen, unsurprisingly).
Financially, it's all a bit squeaky bottom but it looks like we will just about make it albeit we may be on bread and water for a few weeks!
Of course, with so much glass in that hallway, standing inside the hallway feels wonderful - look how tiny Emily looks in this picture:
The floor insulation has also turned up and has been laid in most of the downstairs floor area and it is tremendously thick. As the insulation has been put in place, so has the pipework for the gas - a pipe to the hob and a pipe to the gas fire in the front sitting room.
The house is almost habitable which means we have a significant number of decisions to take THIS WEEK! For example:
- Select stairs
- Select door handles
- Select floor coverings
- Select the covering for the "drainage channels"
- Select the paving material and pattern
- Select the light fittings
Phoenix Gas and Virginmedia have been given installation dates as have Stevenson & Reid (for the bathrooms) and McAuley's Kitchens (for the kitchen, unsurprisingly).
Financially, it's all a bit squeaky bottom but it looks like we will just about make it albeit we may be on bread and water for a few weeks!
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Update
I was up today to have a 2.5 hour meeting with plumber, electrician and builder and while I was there the guys came to take the scaffolding down. How exciting is that? We will be able to see what it is really like!
The hallway is plastered now and looks really great. Outside are huge piles of underfloor heating insulation. I am a bit worried about them as there is a storm blowing here - 60mph winds and heavy rain.
I am a bit under the weather (lol) at the moment so it is hard to take everything in but I believe that the floors are being poured next week. Not much else can happen til they dry out so next week will be a bit quiet.
We have a lot of decisions to make in the near future about paving, raised beds, the garage, stairs, light fittings, flooring and tiles, but it really is starting to look good!
The hallway is plastered now and looks really great. Outside are huge piles of underfloor heating insulation. I am a bit worried about them as there is a storm blowing here - 60mph winds and heavy rain.
I am a bit under the weather (lol) at the moment so it is hard to take everything in but I believe that the floors are being poured next week. Not much else can happen til they dry out so next week will be a bit quiet.
We have a lot of decisions to make in the near future about paving, raised beds, the garage, stairs, light fittings, flooring and tiles, but it really is starting to look good!
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Completion Date Almost Set
The panic surrounding the notion of whether we'd get into our new house in advance of my 40th Birthday subsided a few weeks ago when we addressed the issue by assuming that it just wasn't possible and that a mid-April completion date was more realistic.
Panic has returned, however. Our builder believes that we should be done and dusted by the end of March. I'm guessing that's the 31st March, ie the same weekend as my 40th Birthday. If so, my Birthday celebrations are likely to consist of asking friends and family to come along in their vans or with trailers in tow, suited in their dirtiest jeans and prepared for some hard labour. In short - I may need removal people!
It also means that if we do get in that weekend, we shall be supping Champagne from our Champagne saucers surrounded by upturned buckets masquerading as chairs; unopened tea chests and an empty fridge-freezer. That said, Champagne cannot be spoiled merely because of the surroundings.
Of course, with this dramatic "speed-up" (ahead of our expectations) comes the realisation that bills will need to be addressed rather sooner than expected. Note to friends and family: forego 40th Birthday presents in favour of cash. As one philosopher once said, "cash never offends". Or maybe that was my dear friend Lyndsay. Either way - wise words!
Equally exciting is the arrival of Virginmedia on the afternoon of 15th February to connect cables together. We just need dates for Phoenix Gas, Stevenson & Reid and McAuley's Kitchens. The next few weeks will be very busy indeed.
In the words of another great philosopher... TTFN.
Panic has returned, however. Our builder believes that we should be done and dusted by the end of March. I'm guessing that's the 31st March, ie the same weekend as my 40th Birthday. If so, my Birthday celebrations are likely to consist of asking friends and family to come along in their vans or with trailers in tow, suited in their dirtiest jeans and prepared for some hard labour. In short - I may need removal people!
It also means that if we do get in that weekend, we shall be supping Champagne from our Champagne saucers surrounded by upturned buckets masquerading as chairs; unopened tea chests and an empty fridge-freezer. That said, Champagne cannot be spoiled merely because of the surroundings.
Of course, with this dramatic "speed-up" (ahead of our expectations) comes the realisation that bills will need to be addressed rather sooner than expected. Note to friends and family: forego 40th Birthday presents in favour of cash. As one philosopher once said, "cash never offends". Or maybe that was my dear friend Lyndsay. Either way - wise words!
Equally exciting is the arrival of Virginmedia on the afternoon of 15th February to connect cables together. We just need dates for Phoenix Gas, Stevenson & Reid and McAuley's Kitchens. The next few weeks will be very busy indeed.
In the words of another great philosopher... TTFN.
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