Progress photos on latest refurbishments

A few pictures of where we are on the two rooms we are refurbishing. As usual, being married to a builder means I’m the one who has to wait ... the client who is paying with late penalty clauses always comes first! To be fair to MTM, the reason we’re still living on a building site this time isn’t all down to his busy work schedule. We got messed around timings wise by our favourite plasterer. He is always in demand and then he decided he was going on holiday (how very dare he?!)

A space saving new staircase has been installed in the spare bedroom which goes up into the loft area which will be my new craft room. There was a big cheer when this bit was finished; it was a bit touch and go whether we would achieve the necessary head clearance height required by Building Regulations. A whole 50mm to spare, what were we worried about, yea of little faith?

MTM’s  joiners were very busy working on a school over the summer. With the kids due back in early September, he couldn’t spare anyone over the summer, this was the first opportunity to get them. There are still some bits and pieces to finish like the bannister and trim to the edge of the staircase opening and covers for inspection holes in the eaves but we are now in a position to book the electrician and plumber for their second fix operations. 

As you can see, I have already started decorating, putting a single mist coat over the bare plaster in the craft room. I used some leftover Calico emulsion from when we did the utility area but I ran out (I thought I just had enough, I would never make a good estimator). I’ve got some white emulsion now to finish it but doesn’t matter that it’ll be bicoloured as the gable ends are going to be wallpapered.

I was a bit miffed that we had to cover up the lovely old Victorian wall and beams that were there before.

MTM insisted it had to be insulated and dry lined. This is a solid wall, once we start heating the room, it would get condensation and mould would quickly grow. You have to form a cavity to remove the cold bridge.  I had to agree although I would enjoy looking at it, long term it would be no good working up there in winter in the freezing cold with teeth chattering. Also, it’s necessary for Building Regulations approval. We have found some wallpaper which looks like old brickwork so hopefully when it’s decorated it will look almost as good.

The light provided by the Velux windows in the craft room provide a really good light. I always struggle to find somewhere indoors where I can crochet with black yarn as the light needs to be really good for my middle aged eyes to cope; I’m looking forward to positioning some comfy seating right under one of them. 

Looking through the staircase to the door to the landing and stairs down to the ground floor.

When we lifted the carpet on the landing at the top of staircase to the ground floor, we found the edges of the stairs have been painted green in the distant past and then, when the stringer was repainted more recently, there’s a line of white gloss on top of that. I’m thinking it’s probably like that all the way down. For the time being, the carpet is staying down as I’ve got quite enough to handle redecorating the two rooms for the time being. However my brain is buzzing with ideas of how to make a feature out of it in the future. 

This is a newly formed opening to what will be the ensuite shower room.

Here’s what it looked like when the brickwork was removed to form the walk through.  Goodness that generated a lot of mess!

We haven’t started the ensuite bathroom yet, although the electricity cable has been first fixed in readiness. As you can see, it’s just going into what used to be a small built in wardrobe for the other bedroom on the other side of the wall. MTM currently uses that room as his office. The wardrobe area will be enlarged to make room for the ensuite by taking a bit of space from the other room. Initially we were planning on doing it at the same time as the spare room but when we decided to go up and convert the loft, that took the budget plus we need to move MTM out but he still needed somewhere to work. 

The division MTM manages for his employer has expanded under his expertise and it’s got to the stage where his operation turns over £3m from our spare bedroom. They’ve decided (to our great relief) to rent some offices locally for him to run his commercial building contracts from. That was all supposed to happen in May but fell through. Alternative offices have been found and he’ll be moving in there soon but I’ve had enough disruption for now so I want to get these two rooms sorted before we start knocking about another so that will be put on hold as a future project. Guests will be able to use the main bathroom in the meantime.

All my yarn and other craft supplies along with some furniture from the spare bedroom. are being stored in a rented lock up. I’m desperate to get my yarn back in particular, as well as save that monthly expense so I need to get on. I’ve waffled enough for now, me and the decorating gear will be busy for the rest of this week.