Jun 17
Not posted for a while because we're busy working like crazy so we can pay to get our garden looking like a garden. At the moment the only thing the kids can play on is a trampoline because it's far enough away from the dust and dirt.
Things are moving on though. The wall is up (Terry and crew) and rendered (John), and Simon has started to create the levels at the front of the house. Next step is to paint the wall and get the patio at the rear of the house complete. After that it's as simple as getting the decking in and turfing the rest. Easy.
May 13
Today we are reminded that in the world that is house/garden renovation, things generally get a lot worse before they get better. And so we present our soil and chalk mound of a garden.
Simon has been here with his digger for two days solid and has scraped and moved and piled more chalk and soil than we thought we had in the first place. He's leveled the back, which is where our walled courtyard will be (and which now looks huge), and has started the footings for the wall. All 42 metres of it. He'll be back Monday to finish the footings and get the levels right at the side of the house for the decking.
Last night I dreamt the whole of the bank at the back of our house collapsed and all the trees came with it. Let's hope it stays dry until we get the wall up...
Apr 27
Couldn't resist picking these and can't wait to get stuck into planting up our poor excuse for a garden. At the moment it's a lovely combination of chalk, dust, ash and the odd patch of worn grass. But we have big plans to transform it. We're even having a WATER FEATURE. First step is to get a big digger to help us get all the levels right. Then walls, deck, courtyard, turf, raised beds and plants.
Apr 27
Our cladding was finished a week or so ago by the brilliant Derek and Martin from Palm Property Maintenance. We used a product called Cedral Weatherboard from Marley, which although has the character and appearance of wood is actually a rot proof and maintenance free cement-board. The colour is blue-grey and we love it.
So do our neighbours. People stop in the road and tell us how wonderful it looks, which is really kind of wonderful in itself.
Yesterday the skip and the big metal container that have been sat in front of the house were taken away so you, and we, get to see the the front of the house properly for the first time. We are waiting on our new front door, which will be put in where the big pane of glass is currently. The old front door, which was on the side of the porch, has been blocked up.
So what do you think of our little slice of New England style in Ovingdean?
Apr 7
Giving the outside of our house a major makeover.
Mar 26
After a three month wait, the shutters finally arrived this week and we were able to go to bed without taping blackout stuff to the windows. They've really added some character to the place (inside and out), and the way they play with the light is really beautiful. Even Gene is wowed by them, and that's saying something. (I'm taking all the credit.)
Mar 26
Dave and Dan came back this week to put in the kitchen island (and build a couple of cupboards for the consumer unit and the boiler). The island is oak, so we have been dutifully oiling it for the past few days. The boys are currently deciding whether to use it for table tennis, poker or Monopoly. I vote for all three, plus a bit of eating and baking. Finally the kitchen, and the whole room, is pretty much as it should be, and I totally love it.
Mar 26
The kitchen floor went down last week. It is a wonder and a delight. Exactly what we hoped for. Finally we feel dust-free.
Mar 14
This was Dan's instruction to me this afternoon when I asked what was involved in taking out the cloakroom loo in order for the floor to go down. Fair enough, he did say to put a plastic bag on my hand first, but still a pretty nasty job for a Monday (or any day, ever).
I spend the weekend with six men/boys and where are they all when the disgusting jobs need doing. Nowhere to be seen, that's where!
I did it tho. Gene, Dad, how proud are you? :)
Mar 14
At last, at last, after months of waiting for our concrete slab of a floor to fully dry out, the floor in our kitchen/open plan area is going down. The nice people at Harmony Carpets were here today preparing the subfloor with laytex. Tomorrow the Marmoleum tiles arrive and start going in. I am BEYOND excited. This is momentous. It is going to be FABULOUS. Should be finished Weds/Thurs so more pics to follow then.
