"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee · 30 October 2017 at 10:48PM

We're not going away for Christmas a my brother and SIL have decided that the kids have too much on. So I've told them they'll have to do Christmas as I won't have a kitchen and may not have much of the rest of the house... we may need to stay with them...

In better news, the tree surgeon can also turn up at the end of this week, so hopefully he'll get everything done and out of the way before the builders get too busy.

I've also accepted a new job offer and resigned from the current one. Now I just need to negotiate to reduce my notice period. And ideally get all the work on the house (and anything else I need to get done) out of the way before the new job starts. My cleaner is going to do some extra hours tomorrow and Wednesday to help me pack up.

The new job pays quite a bit more than the current one, so I'm taking a risk and getting as much of the house done as I can. It'll make my savings scarily low, but hopefully I can rebuild them in the first 6 months and then throw money at the mortgage. I could potentially take another 2 years off (in addition to the 8 years already worked out) without really noticing, and still build up some additional savings.

I'm also really looking forward to the new job as it's going to be a real challenge - I have so many ideas already!

Tomorrow morning I need to do a charity shop run as my mum has cleared out a whole lot of my dad's clothes, plus I've been through the kids' toys and there are a few things they don't use which I can get rid of. It all makes more space to pack away the stuff from downstairs!

greenbee · 7 November 2017 at 10:32PM

Making progress.

Cleaner is taking the sofabed which I meant to get rid of a couple of years ago. It means I don't have to store it for the next couple of months and I'm forced to do something about replacing it... eventually.

I'm currently working in the kids' bedroom, which is full of boxes. The spare room is inaccessible. The bed is accessible in the room my mum uses, but it's also full of wine and laundry. I thought about drinking the wine instead of moving it, but the challenge was too great...

Downstairs the sitting room, hall, and office are empty (apart from the sofabed waiting for collection and plastic wrapped carpet and underlay...). The dining room has double doors from the dining room to sitting room are sealed up with gaffer tape and plastic and have a bookcase in front of them. So to get from the habitable bit of downstairs to upstairs means going outside. Which will be fine when it isn't raining...

Electrics are all chased in for the dining room, sitting room, hall and office (actually, I need to check about the switches in the hall), fire surround and jetmaster have been removed (and the soot, twigs and jackdaw skeleton). Sitting room skirtings are off and the ceiling and windowsills have been sanded.

Electrician is finishing off tomorrow/Thursday and builders are back Friday. Most of downstairs should be done before Christmas. We'll leave the kitchen and utility till the new year. So fingers crossed we don't find any issues.

Betterthanever · 8 November 2017 at 9:58AM

Congrats on the new job - how are you getting on with negotiating the notice period etc?

It all sounds like its going really well, one way or another, for you!

greenbee · 8 November 2017 at 1:07PM

Thanks

Notice period sorted... I've got another week and a half of 'work' and then I'm on gardening leave till mid-Jan. Didn't bother to try to reduce the time in the end as they tried to convince me I had a shorter notice period that I do and I ended up having to email a photograph of the relevant clause in my contract. Not letting them out of paying me... and I have holiday owing, which will be a nice contribution to the building fund. Plus I think I could do with the break to be honest.

Tree surgeon is on his way over, then the electrician will be turning of the power so I'll have to go for a run. The other thing on today's list is to sign and return my new contract now I have all the correct dates on it.

greenbee · 13 November 2017 at 8:00PM

Tree surgeon diagnosed honey fungus (blindingly obvious now...) so the tree will need to have the stump ground out and chippings removed. Booked in for January but if they have time before they'll try to fit it in earlier.

Builders have started and are making good progress - lots of filling and sanding done, hall ceiling is down and fireplace is being opened up. Tomorrow the electrician is back an should be finishing off. The fireplace and sanding should be done tomorrow and the plasterboarding in the hall (including under the stairs and blocking up the kitchen door) should be done this week. They're hoping to be ready to latex the floors while I'm away next week. Floor tiles for the loo have arrived and we're just finalising the decision on the rest of the flooring. I must remember to mention the need for a well for the doormat and get the size worked out!

So it's all going well - I'm trying not to think about how much it is all costing, just about getting it done before I start work again... only 4 more days till gardening leave!

greenbee · 15 November 2017 at 6:43PM

Lots of progress being made - Hall ceiling is up (apart from under the stairs), pipes are boxed in, gullies in floors (from old heating pipework) have been concreted.

Not only are they hoping to latex the floors at the front while I'm away, but also fill the dining room and possibly latex that too. And paint all the ceilings. They'll then be able to put the flooring down when I'm away the next time (three days later). So it should all be done well before Christmas.

Tomorrow I need to go and choose a multi-fuel stove and a hearth (at least the back half). I also need to measure for curtain poles and remember to go and look at them at the weekend as it will be good to have curtains back up again as soon as possible. We're going to put up batten as the blocks are so soft that poles tend to come out - they'll be more secure on a batten. Or I could use rails.

I've started digging up the patch of 'lawn' that I want to fill with bulbs, as I need to get that done in the next few days. As it's where three tree stumps were ground out, it seems to be relatively easy to dig. I've got 25kgs of narcissi and daffs plus some alliums and other things to go in there, so need to dig out to 20cm and then layer them in with soil. I also had a rose delivered yesterday which needs planting, and there are a couple of flowerbeds that need weeding and the rest of the tulip bulbs to plant (they may go in pots as the last flowerbed needs extending).

I've also had my work exit interview and am busy wrapping up the last few bits and pieces.

greenbee · 27 November 2017 at 10:28AM

I've been away for nearly a week and the builders have made the most of it. Coving is up, floors are latexed, all the ceilings and most of the walls painted. One door is off and sanded, and the flooring has been delivered.

I need to change the woodwork colour in the dining room as it just doesn't work with the light in there, but other than that it all of it is looking great. Curtain poles and light fittings are next on the decision-making list. So I may have to go shopping...

beanielou · 4 December 2017 at 1:26PM

AQll sounding good.

greenbee · 4 December 2017 at 6:24PM

I've been away for nearly another week and its even closer to being finished! Back part of hearth is in, woodwork paint corrected in dining room, satinwood done on stairs, doors painted and filled and latches changed ready for doorknobs to replace door handles. Piles of cut and painted architrave and skirting ready to go on when floor goes down. Radiators have been taken off the wall and painted behind.

Tomorrow they have a bit of painting left to do in the dining room and then they'll start putting the floor down. The electrician is coming back to change the face plates on sockets and switches now that the painting is done. It all looks unbelievably different - and should all be finished by the end of next week. I can then take ages to decide where to put all the furniture and pictures!

So while the floor is being done tomorrow I need to go for a run, do some gardening and sort out the stove. On Wednesday I need to get curtain poles and blinds organised and ideally some light fittings as well.

greenbee · 6 December 2017 at 8:19PM

Went out today - builders have finished the dining room in my absence and have got most of the skirting on in the sitting room. It needs filling and the doors need painting (I would have preferred them to do that before putting them back, but hopefully they'll manage to do it tidily) and then I can move stuff back in there too. Although they are currently storing the flooring in there, so I won't be able to move furniture back until they've done enough of the hall for me to kick them out.

I bought a curtain pole, so need to nag them about the batten they were supposed to put up so I can put curtains up in the dining room. And I need to order another curtain pole for the sitting room. I also ordered the stove, but I'm not sure they took the date requirement on board - I've had an invoice but no confirmation that it will arrive in time for fitting.

I have completely failed to go for a run or do any gardening. But I have looked at lights...

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

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