Tag: steps

Conservatory Rebuild – Day 34


Day 34 and a bonus day. We had 3 tradesmen working today which was a pleasant surprise since this is Saturday.

Richard, the painter, turned up to add a second coat to the walls and perimeter ceiling and to put a finish coat to the hidey / slidey door. He was also able to put a top coat on the pre-finished skirting boards.

George, plastics and glass, arrived to put the finishing touches to the partition wall glazing. He also installed finishing trim along the top edge of the perimeter ceiling as well as the interior trims to hide the last pieces of the roof framing metalwork.

Conservatory - Partition wall glazing fitted and trimmed
Conservatory – Partition wall glazing fitted and trimmed

The partition wall glazing is also double glazed !!! Unexpected, but this will help keep the washing machine noise out of the living space.

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Conservatory – Apex and tie-bar trimming is now fitted

Externally he has now finished off the guttering …

Conservatory - New guttering and existing house guttering are now finished.
Conservatory – New guttering and existing house guttering are now finished.

Looks much better than the temporary fix ….

Conservatory - Wall art ? Box gutter and house guttering. Temporary solution.
Conservatory – Wall art ? Box gutter and house guttering. Temporary solution.

The ever-present Craig, master of all trades was here to build the steps leading to the utility room door and provide the alternative access to the decking.

Conservatory - Steps to utility room door and alternative access to the decking.
Conservatory – Steps to utility room door and alternative access to the decking.

We are still awaiting the radiator for the living space. It transpires that despite our choosing the radiator 2 – 3 weeks ago, it isn’t a stock item but is only available by special order. Has it been ordered ? You guess.

So the project is almost complete. Just the steps and the side access paving to be made good. The radiator and skirting to be fitted in the living space, door furniture to be fitted to the hidey /slidey door and then there are a couple of niggley items to do with the finish of the plaster work.

It seems to have been a long journey.

Conservatory Rebuild – Day 33


Today was a smiley day. Lots of progress, both inside and out.

Outside first, the decking has been completed . . .

Conservatory - We have decking, we have steps.
Conservatory – We have decking, we have steps.

and we have steps.

Conservatory - We have decking, access from the utility room end. we just have to have the steps built to join with this.
Conservatory – We have decking, access from the utility room end. we just have to have the steps built to join with this.

Edges have been faced off so we shouldn’t lose any grandchildren underneath. Once the utility room steps are built we will have access to the decking from each end.

Conservatory - Another decking view
Conservatory – Another decking view

As a precursor to the inside works, we now have a tumble dryer vent installed.

Conservatory - Tumble dryer vent installed.
Conservatory – Tumble dryer vent installed.

And so to why this is a smiley day… after six weeks without a washing machine on hand, we finally have a fully functional utility room.

Conservatory - Big smile on Gerrys face. We now have a functioning utility room.
Conservatory – Big smile on Gerry’s face. We now have a functioning utility room.

So, a nice new work top and cupboards. Machines lifted in, from their temporary home in the garage, and plumbed in. This moment has been a long time coming and, to Gerry, is probably more important than actually finishing the whole project. Friends and family have stepped forward and offered laundry facilities but it is something that Gerry has found particularly trying.

Had the plumbers turned to earlier we could have made temporary use of our machines while other works were proceeding. But hey, water under the bridge and all that.

Conservatory - Hidey / Slidey (Pocket Door) can be closed now.
Conservatory – Hidey / Slidey (Pocket Door) can be closed now.

With the completion of the tiling, the hidey / slidey door can be closed. Still has to have the door furniture fitted. And there is another smiley moment. Although I tried to get the furniture from our local DIY stores, both B & Q and Wickes failed to come up with the goods.

So I had to resort to the interweb. And what a service I received. I placed the order on Thursday afternoon and the door furniture arrived, by FedEx, by noon the following day.

Also, almost completed was the skirting boards ….

Conservatory - Skirting boards installed.
Conservatory – Skirting boards installed.

I say “almost completed” as the final piece of skirting cannot be installed until the plumber comes and installs the radiator. Getting a plumber here for any great period of time has been a major trial. So much so that the plumbers are now referred to as “The Scarlett Pimpernel”.

“They seek him here, They seek him there, They seek that elusive plumber everywhere”

Our particular pimpernel is more elusive than Sir Percy Blakeney, hero of the Baroness Orczy novel. The installation of the radiator is the last major item for the inside and is a major frustration for all parties involved in this project.

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