Things are finally really happening after 3 months of very little actual action. As I've mentioned, waiting isn't my forte.
I have done quite a bit myself - Had a tree surgeon in to remove a huge Holly tree & Pyracantha blocking the light in the front garden, drastically pruned the front garden to give the hedge & shrubs time to put on new growth, finally found gardeners to do the rampantly overgrown back garden, arranged for a tree man to remove trees in the back garden in September, moved the gas & electric meters to the outside wall, done a plan of the lights & sockets needed, made a lot of decisions about fixtures & fittings...
It's good to have a project at my age. A plan for the future. Something to keep the brain working. A future proofed house that is fit for me if I last another 10 or more years.
It is quite hard not being in control, having to adjust to lead times, the city council Planning delay till the end of September adding a whole month, professionals being on holiday & finishing off other work, problems with my neighbour dissenting to my plans causing extra cost & changes...Par for the course, but exacerbated by Covid & Brexit. Costs are rising daily.
A friend I took round yesterday was simply horrified at the scale of what I'm doing.
Arriving at the house to find H working on her own, stripping out lime plaster & lath & plaster walls, in a house filled with dust was really exciting! I do admire how she calmly gets on with a filthy job. Then two men stripping out a ceiling. It's so interesting seeing the bones of the house. Quite frightening too - it doesn't look particularly stable!
I'm hoping that now work has really started things will move on daily. I should have a meeting with the builder & architect this week to iron out any issues & make sure we all know how things will proceed. I need a good idea of the schedule & a realistic proposed end date.
Although I'm 76 & have chronic health conditions I am not a pushover. I know what I want & the standard of build I expect. I will notice if little things are wrong. I don't tend to loose my temper, stamp my feet, shout & yell. In a way that's unfortunate, because people who do tend to get what they want quicker. I try to treat people the way I want to be treated. I trust the people I'm employing.
I just have to hope that trust results in a home I will love.
When was the house built? It sounds older than I had imagined, with lime plaster & lath & plaster walls.
ReplyDeleteYou are so organised! Married to a retired architect, I tend to leave work needed to David. I'm not sure if I could organise all the alterations wanted myself. I can see how you made an excellent head teacher!
1930's. I'm probably too organised & just possibly too controlling! But I'm reliant on the 4 professionals doing their job. They are the ones with the expertise & skills. I just try to keep things moving forward & do the necessary research. The internet is a wonderful thing. I just want a home.
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