Week 83

The garden is almost done. Mark and Sam have finished off the back path and porch by pointing it all together. Amazing how much of a difference closing in those lines makes. The Contractor is due to return next week and fix the drive in the back amongst other things, so there's no point in …

Week 82

My last post turned into a bit of a rant, so with this one I'll do a complete 180 and focus on the really good changes in the build. One of my pieces of advice for anyone starting a project like this is to plan the kitchen and the fireplace first. There are soooo many …

Week 81

We've moved in! Practical completion kind of happened on its own between Tim and Alyson behind the scenes which was weird. I would have thought this momentous event certainly warranted a fanfare or fireworks, or at least a pause for thought. Instead, the only communication I had from Tim on Moving In Day was an …

Week 74

The final bills are rolling in, the site is gradually becoming clearer and clearer of rubbish each day, and we can just about make out the horizon. It's still a long way off, but we passed another milestone this week and I actually got in touch with Andy again about sorting out dates for the …

Week 73

As we lurch into another week of very little happening on remedial works compared with masses accomplished on the driveway, I'll start this post with a bit of a change in tone. The blog has gone from Public to Private to keep the project's chronological recordings from being used by lawyers, and since you've suffered …

Week 65

I had a minor surgical procedure a good few years ago which went all a bit pear-shaped in recovery. On speaking to the surgeon, who was a really nice chap despite my setback, it turned out that this particular complication was a one in a bijillion type of thing to happen. Really rare, definitely unexpected. …

Week 63

Post redirected, banks informed, car insurance changed, schools notified, meters read, cleaners booked, checkout from rental organised, and... off we go at long last. After two years of being away from St Anne's, we're finally moving in to the New House. What an adventure! What could possibly go wrong? We've moved twice already, so we're …

Week 62

Welcome to Week 62 in our 36 Week project.... It's all about finishing now. Lots of pressure to Buy Things like... doorbells. Have you ever given much thought to them? The button bit can be a nice design piece, and there are many many different types to choose from. But the ringer, chime, sounder, whatever …

Week 61

Clinton celebrated a penultimately significant birthday on the weekend by going back to school: blacksmithing school. He's always happiest when he's making and building and doing. So with some stout shoes and safety glasses, off he went to the Quinnells' at Fire and Iron to get stuck in to Make Stuff.  The course was about …

Week 60

Not long to go now. Three weeks until we move in.  There hasn't been a light bulb lit yet which is worrying, but they're all getting wired in at least. But the biggest thing this week was saying goodbye to the old garage. It put James out of a home and his new office is now …