Renovating & Building

I've done this before with my homes, several times. But not for 12 years. Things have changed a lot. I have changed - older, less fit, less stamina, failing memory....However, this time I have a really nice, very competent & professional, team of people to help me - Never had that before.

I knew there would be lots of decisions, from where I want sockets, to replacement windows & doors and all things inbetween. Each choice involves finding good manufacturers & suppliers. You need catalogues & good websites - I prefer hard copy I can write on. Your choice depends on the available space, so you need very good plans, which you can read accurately. Choice is also a very subjective personal thing. In my house it's more complicated because I will have a 1930's house I'm trying to keep the character of and a very modern extension. 

What I wasn't prepared for was the amount of time each decision takes. For example the sliding sash windows - 4 companies, some who manufacture, others who buy in. Each has to do an initial view & measure, so you have to be there to discuss what you want. (One company didn't do this - quoted from plan). There is a huge benefit to this because each person you talk to gives you information & refines what you want & need. They then quote. In the meantime you need to visit the showroom to actually see the product. This involved driving miles around Oxford. There is quite a big variation in quality & detail. Finally a decision based on what you want & what you can afford.

I'm now waiting for quotes for doors & windows for the extension. What I find surprising & irritating is that I send out an email asking for quotes & get no response. So I don't know if they have received the email or if they are going to quote at all. Then I need to chase to find out....

At the same time I've moved on to bathrooms. So many individual items to decide on. Very practical issues to consider - will I be able to turn the taps / shower on? My hands aren't good & may well get worse. I also need to think about pathways. Will I use a stick in future & need more space to move around? Future proofing isn't easy.

At one level all of this is exciting. If I get this right my house will be perfect for my needs. Hopefully my money won't run out, so I can do what I would like to. 

At another level I'm really tired at the end of the day. I can only do so much before my batteries expire & pain dominates my thinking. (Driving, sitting at the computer, pouring over plans & brochures is bad for my neck & back). 

But despite all this I am very lucky to be able to do this. So many people aren't as fortunate. Our housing situation is truly dire. Both Government & big building companies really need to get their act together. We are building a lot of rubbish. But it's rubbish a lot of people simply cannot afford. Other European countries do so much better.

Why can't we?

Contempt & Politics

I was born into a very working class family. My father was a lorry driver in the war. He wasn't allowed to fight because he was married to a German. I remember him working for ICI Metals in Smethwick as a copper smelter. There wasn't much H&S and he came home with some bad burns. My mother worked part time in factories like Kunzles cakes. So I grew up with Socialism. When I thought for myself about politics I became a Liberal Socialist. I could never vote Conservative.

I tell you that to make clear my affiliations because what I think now is deeply troubling. 

There have been two times in my life when I have felt contempt for Politics & Politicians. Once when Mrs Thatcher was prime Minister & now. I could barely tolerate listening to that arrogant & patronising voice or watch the way she told us all what was best for us. Self belief is good, but not to that extent - you have to be capable of listening to wise council from others.

The current incumbent of Downing Street takes that to another level. Boris covers lies, indecision, procrastination & personal ambition with bluff, bonhomie & bluster. I can't bear listening to him either, but for different reasons. He never says anything I can believe in. Truth is completely alien to him. Everything is self serving. He has no idea or experience of the havoc he wreaks in the lives of others. But worse, I don't believe he cares. 

So the word contempt is not too strong for my feelings towards this government. 

Why now? Because of the current debacle regarding Covid in the Cabinet. Boris & Rishi believed they could con us into believing they didn't need to isolate because they were taking part in research. They obviously don't believe the electorate has a brain cell between them. But we do. We know when we are being shamelessly conned. So they had to backtrack, one of their many U turns over the last 16 months. Decision making really isn't their strong point. Unless it's in their own self interest. Now we are meant to believe they were only considering the research evasion ploy.

What's worse? The fact that these are our elected representatives? Or, the fact that they really think they can get away with these games with peoples lives? I really hope the electorate wakes up before it's too late.

I know what I think. 

Upbringing & Gardening

We are all conditioned by our upbringing. We inherit traits & genes. We are born with a blueprint from our anticedents. Our personality results from nature & nurture.

At 76 I think I know myself fairly well - good & bad traits. I can accept who I am, but I can, & have, modified my behaviour as the years have passed. Experience has led to subtle shifts in the central traits.

The thing is, some patterns are so deeply ingrained that I haven't achieved much modification. I still hear my inner, mothers voice telling me that I need to work harder, do better, be conscientious, succeed at everything, put everyone else first...I now know these are not messages beneficial to my well being. But I can't shake them off. They were learned too well - too early - too regularly.

So, this week I ended up almost unable to walk. Each weight bearing step was very painful. The combination of Fibromyalgia & Osteoarthritis finally won. I spent hours & weeks working on the front garden of my new house pruning shrubs which were completely overgrown. Long leggy growth with all the foliage on top & nothing below. Dense bushes burying completely dead, old shrubs. It resembled the Prince fighting his way through to Sleeping Beauty, (that is what my garden is). But I am no young, handsome prince. I am too old for this sort of hard physical work.

The thing is there is a time pressure. It's already rather late to be doing this. It's best done in Spring or immediately after flowering. But it needs to be done so that it will look better next year. I don't need a highly qualified landscape gardener. I need a young, fit person with a bit of common sense who will do what I tell them. If they have got some knowledge & aptitude that would be good though. 

How do you find someone like this? If you know, please tell me. Both I & my garden will be very grateful.

Neighbours

I have a huge amount of work to do on the garden of the house I have bought. I suspect it will be several years before I get it under control. Nothing much has been done for years. But the good thing is that although I can do very little towards the refurbishment of the house itself & the building of the extension, I do know how to prune shrubs & perennials.

Just as well, because most of the hedges, shrubs & trees need regenerating. They are mostly either very old wood, or all the new growth is at the top of very long, leggy branches. Drastic measures are called for, resulting in masses of stuff to get rid of. One brown bin a fortnight just isn't enough. The shredder I've ordered won't arrive for weeks, because there has been a run on them & now there is a shortage.

But the bonus of all this very hard work, sore muscles & exhaustion, is that I already know the two families opposite & the neighbours on either side of me from working in the front garden. The three families seem really friendly. It will be so nice to have children & teenagers, not to mention their parents as neighbours.

The neighbour in the semi I am joined to seems very anxious about my refurbishment & extension programme. I have tried to inform & reassure her that nothing I am planning should have a detrimental effect on her. But workmen being there for months is bound to have an impact on weekdays between  8am & 4pm, so I am sympathetic. I am trying to be considerate. I don't want ill feeling before I have even moved in.

Lots of people don't like change. Better the "devil you know", even if he didn't do anything in the house & garden, than someone new who wants to bring the house into the 21st century & make a garden you can actually use. I get that - really I do. Workmen will be noisy & disruptive. But at the end of it all the house & garden will be so much better. Loved & cared for.

I would have thought that would be better than an extremely unkempt house & overgrown garden full of weeds & ivy. My house is a Cinderella - I just want to awaken her to her full potential. That's why I have a team of 4 to help me achieve that. I can't do it alone.

Architect - Structural Engineer - Party Wall Surveyor - Builder - The Dream Team

Today is a very special day. Oliver, my architect, & I have agreed the final plans. So he has sent them to the other members of the team so they can do their jobs. He has also sent them to the Council Planning department, although I don't need permission to go ahead. I just need to comply with building regulations.

When I started all of this I didn't think I needed an architect - I knew what I wanted to do. I thought all I needed was a builder & maybe a structural engineer for the RSJ's to support the walls. How innocent & naive, not to mention over confident! Oliver has moved my thinking on light years.

The extension I am building is something that is more in keeping with the 21st century, using modern materials & techniques. We are being true to the original 1930's house, just bringing it up to modern standards, & also true to today. We aren't creating a pastiche extension mimicking the 30's. It is more risky. There is a big difference between a 2 dimensional plan & a 3 dimensional building. I hope I love the real thing as much as the plan!

We are trying to be as environmentally aware as possible. So stuff will be recycled. We will use eco friendly materials as much as possible. The house will be well insulated to save energy.

It has taken 6 weeks to get to this stage. Several different options to consider. But it has been time well spent. What I have ended up with is so much better than what I started out to do. 

The time hasn't been wasted at my house though. Trees which blocked light at the front of the house have been cut down & I am working on the long overdue pruning of shrubs. Further necessary tree work will take place in the autumn. The gas & electricty companies have finally given me dates for moving the very old meters from inside a tiny cupboard under the stairs to outside the same wall. My lovely builder Richard has started stripping out the interior.

It is all really exciting.When I am faced with the reality of the house as it is, stripped out, I just have to keep the vision in mind. The brickwork revealed in the bathroom is shockingly bad! There is thick lime plaster & lath & plaster walls. It will get worse before it gets better. I can't wait till everyone is working on site.

Will take photos - Or possibly a video.