Nearly, Nearly There. #6
Well I suppose being 5 months late in a three months job could be worse. Like being 6 months late. We were originally promised in May that the project would be finished-cross my palm and hope to die-by 21 July. The day of the Move from the OM to the SHID. It may be more or less finished by Christmas-but I suspect the latter. At least we can live in it and do without the slap dash-sorry, pebbledash, aka rough casting until the New Year.

Which New Year?

Morning or Afternoon?

Labels: Building the extension. Wood burning stove, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 4:57 PM (2) comments

 
Getting Warm

We never thought we would actually ever have a wood burning stove after all the drama of non-ordering and endless faffing. But here it is. Lit two hours ago and the Old Bakery is once again smelling of newly baked bread*


* Actually that's the wife's bread making machine that's producing the aroma. But its HOT, man, HOT. Central Heating off throughout the ground floor

And unlike Town Mouse no need for the cling film.

The windows are open.

And being wood from the Old Manse from a long deceased Elm Tree its free as well.

Labels: Building the extension. Wood burning stove

  ¶ 8:06 PM (0) comments

 
WE have more extension

But Not Enough

Credit due: a lot of progress in the extension to the small house in Duns since we left for Norn Iron. And electrics going in to day. But,oops, sorry forgot to order the window-3 to 5 weeks with a following wind. And I think we have remembered about the bamboo flooring-not sure. Will check and get back to you. But we need it soon and certainly by Christmas. No problem.

If the worst comes to the worst I suppose hardy visitors could camp out. Roof over their heads, solid chipboard under foot, electric plugs and lights in situ. Who really needs a window to look out of in the winter? And with the tarpaulin across the gap the draught is manageable. Not snug, not warm but its only for the night, innit?

Labels: Building the extension. Wood burning stove, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 12:18 PM (0) comments

 
We have extension?

I am grateful to an agent from Fishwick Special Branch's cell in Duns for this image taken this afternoon of the extension at the small-house-in-Duns. In our absence in Norn Iron it is apparent that the roof is on and the chimney for the wood burning stove is in place. We now have to WAIT FOR A WINDOW-FOUR WEEKS FROM ORDERING TO DELIVERY-one might have thought that the window could well have been ordered, say, 4 weeks ago-but perhaps that is too much to expect.

I wonder how this compares with the extension on the Whiteadder as featured in Country Strife?

Labels: Building the extension. Wood burning stove, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 8:09 PM (1) comments

 
EXTENSON SMALL HOUSE IN DUNS. ALL SYSTEMS GO?

What a wonderful sight to see over the Very Berry Muesli (Thankyou Green Shop) The building of the extension at last under way. Stuff being painstakingly wheeled up the improvised ramp to the site on top of the old oven. And the sound of drilling is heard in the land. Moreover an apology. It was not the builders who filled up the summer house and buggered off-but the nice young joiners who futsh &bo. The did it, it seems, just as the builders were originally commissioning the site. I did wonder what the workmen were doing with splintered wood and plasterboard.

As for the wood burning stove, apparently last spare part is 'expected today'.

On the move?

And on a Bank Holiday as well

Labels: Building the extension. Wood burning stove, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 10:32 AM (0) comments

  Duns The Builders; read Dunces throughout?

Consider this:
Mid May Builders arrive on site and 'mobilise' This means turning two long ladders into ramps for moving stuff with wheelbarrows onto a slightly raised site. Gardener moves two recently planted apple trees to allow ramp to cross corner of garden. Cuts down a few shrubs Takes down large chunk of internal fencing.

Builders not seen for two weeks.

Late May Builders arrive and take down neighbours fence. Wrong fence. Neighbour peeved.

Three days later after several angry long distance phone calls (we were in France) Builders replace fence.Neighbour puzzled but mollified Builders not seen on external site since. Height of new extension remains at 0cm. (Mysteriously summer house full of builders debris. From what?)

Mid May discussion with Builder Highheidyin over wood burning stove. Kind we want in garden centre one mile away. Available immediately. Builder says he has own supplier in central Borders. Work to start immediately to allow us to move in on 21 July. Assured all internal works finished by end of June to allow decorator three working weeks to,er, decorate.

Mid July after many calls and many promises-Ins'allah, Manana, certain sure. Builder admitted that stove was ordered too late and had not turned up. Promised to start work Thursday.

Monday and decorator now working on what he could-Builder admitted by Thursday he meant 'Thursdayish'

Later: Builder on overseas holiday. Foreman took over.

Five days before move stove available. But chimney pipes not. Another outbreak of Thursdays. D day minus one: Stove arrived on site plus pipes. Fitters had no plans or instructions. Not sure where to put chimney piping. My suggestions impracticable because of limitations of human anatomy. Foreman claimed plans too vague.Architect shouted at him a bit.

After poring over plans fitters said that they needed more parts. Left.

Not seen since

We moved in on Monday. Stove out of box on hearth.Pipes in garden.

Today Architect e-mailed to suggest meeting at my convenience to discuss 'options for the stove. (? to have one or not?)

My convenience full of unpacked boxes. (No room in summer house)


To be continued and continued.

Bet your boots

Labels: Building the extension. Wood burning stove, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 6:32 PM (3) comments