22nd May 2013

The rear en-suite looks like the meeting place for every local hose and pipe at the moment. Eventually all these pipes from the underfloor heating will be connected to a central manifold and pump. Until then this room is still being used for access to upstairs rather than the main staircase.

The initial fit of the shower mixer tap, along with the feed for the toilet systems and the towel rail are also in place now.

The brick wall will be battened out with and have plasterboard installed soon. There are very few cabling routes left open and this is one of the last. Hopefully we have identified all the cable runs now so when this gets closed off it won't be needed. Famous last words... We will see.

In the back bedroom, we are planning on having built in wardrobes as in the original house we always struggled for storage. The frame is being installed by the builder to provide a structural point to mount sliding doors on at some point in the future. Behind the frame will be two supports, one across the floor and another across the ceiling. These will be used to install a pole based sectional wardrobe system from a well known Swedish company with large blue buildings. The idea being that we can install it later, and to a design that suites our needs.

The office, and probably the storage cupboards off the hall and the built in wardrobe will have carpet tiles fitted. I purchased these from a reclamation supplier, which I think is a fancy word for 2nd hand. Either way, for the office etc they should be hard wearing and durable. Currently I've just got them stacked up until we get to the point of bring ready to lay them.

With the exception of paint and floor covering, the first room is done. OK, so its the small cupboard on the landing that used to house the hot water tank, before becoming known as the Narnia cupboard. However we refer to it, we are pleased to see it complete as far as building is concerned.

19th May 2013

The door frame to the large cupboard on the landing is now in place, it is now possible to really get a feel for the layout upstairs.

The small cupboard has been plastered, although the back will be a removable board to allow access to the plumbing and future electrical work to fit the new electric shower in the family bathroom. The two en-suites will have the normal mains pressure showers using the heat exchange tank, but we wanted to have at least one electric shower just in case we ever have problems with the boiler. Not that I am cast doubt on the plumber's work, but better safe than sorry.

The architrave is now up on a number of doors, although there are still a number to do, primarily because other jobs are still outstanding. In the photo below for example, much of the room etc is done, but through the door to the 2nd en-suite, brickwork is still visible. 

This en-suite is being used for access from the garage and utility room below to reduce the traffic through the main house. It will soon have the underfloor heating installed, along with all the plasterboard etc, but when we get to that stage the only access will be by the main stairs. Therefore we are trying to get as much complete upstairs whilst this access is still available.

The black cable sticking out of the wall is a TV Ariel, in this picture it looks like there may be something on the camera lens.

The front room, or office has now had its first coat of paint just to seal the plaster.

Likewise the 1st en-suite has been painted with a rough coat to seal the plaster, the mirror has been mounted along with the heated tile rail. There is still the plumbing work to finish in this room yet though.

A view from the back garden of the house now that pretty much all of the external building work has been completed. In the top left hand corner we have chosen to have a camera installed, just for added peace of mind as the entry to the garden is now a reasonable way from the main living accommodation. The extension blends in well with the existing house, the roof tiles stand out a bit, but they should age and become less noticeable with time.

The front view shows how the rendering has bought the extension and the main house together. Unfortunately my garage is still out of action, but it won't be long before I can start using it again.

9th May 2013

In the master bedroom, the opening to the new en-suite is clearly visible, along with the new wall.

This new wall has a number of built in shelves for books and a TV, which are obscured by at the moment whilst work continues in the large cupboard off the hallway on the other side.

Pretty much throughout Steve the builder has managed to minimize the impact and disturbance to the existing living accommodation, which we very much appreciate.

28th Apr 2013

This bottom right two blocks on this wall had unfortunately dropped a little due whilst the opening down stairs was enlarged where the old back door was. The steel lintel is in place now, has all been bedded down and this wall has been made good. It isn't supporting anything significant above due to the lintels that are already in place above it. However it is good that it has been bricked up and sorted out now. One less thing to worry about.

The area above will eventually be a cupboard with a wall facing the master bedroom with built in shelves for books and a TV. Access to the cupboard will be from the landing with a single door, within the cupboard we are planning on having a small radiator with a thermostatic valve so that we still have a warm area of storage now that the hot water tank has gone.

The first fitment of the shower tray and toilet in the new en-suite has been started by the plumber. Only the toilet is operational at the moment, the rest to be completed later.

The LED down lights have been installed in the office and the bedroom, along with most of the sockets and data points.

The sockets on the wall are for a future planned TV mounting, again data points as most TV's these days have an Ethernet network port on them for streaming and on demand services.

20th Apr 2013

The next stage of work along the landing corridor is underway now, the insulation and plywood is going up on the walls.

The plasters have now done the en-suite, the office and the bedroom. It is still drying out in places so not ready for painting yet.

In the photo above, we have opted to make a feature and use the old window opening and use the space for some built in shelves next to the sink. It has always bugged me when there isn't a level surface somewhere near a shaver socket to put a toothbrush or shaver on whilst charging. We will have one next to the bottom shelf so we won't have to charge things whilst dangling in mid air.

Office is still a store room, but has now been plastered and is drying out well as it catches the sun through the large window.

The new bedroom has also been plastered. and the mains sockets have been installed.