Rob's Renovation - Part 6

It felt good to contribute something towards the build, even if it was tiny, and rather than just picking up snippets of information of an evening when I get back from work about what they had done and what their plans were, it is very interesting and informative seeing it first hand.

We are at the stage now where the ground floor external walls have been built and I assisted building a partition wall to box us in to the rest of the house to try and avoid the dust going everywhere (no chance by the way). We blocked up a window and cut away an old floor, but what I mostly did was wheelbarrow to the skip what felt like 100 tons of hardcore from an old part of the building that had been demolished. I obviously didn’t want it to show how hard and how knackered I was in front of the builders, but as soon as they left I collapsed!

Now that I am a father myself you inevitably think about what your children are going to do when they grow up and the pressures that will be on them later in life. Most people encourage their children into further education and university, but working with the builders yesterday, the advert for vocational training is clear to see. The country as a whole needs hundreds of thousands of  properties built so there will be work for many, many years and for an apprentice working in a small team learning skills like brick laying or carpentry, the opportunities look fantastic, let alone the money I am paying them!

Yesterday was great fun, I got to use power tools, got my hands dirty and enjoyed the inevitable banter that I am sure most building sites have (character building apparently for the apprentices!) but the best bit, was obviously the visit to the café at lunch time. We went to a local café that is mostly frequented my builders. Even though I was covered in dirt and looked the part I think it was obvious to everyone that I stuck out like a sore thumb. I don’t think I should have asked if they had a copy of The Times rather than The Sun! The food was fantastic though and I even if they didn’t think it, I earn’t it I deserved that full english.

So, the plan now is to take a full week off of work to help the guys out. I may need to invest in a pair of gloves and a thick skin for the mickey taking, but if I get one of those breakfasts every day it will be well worth it. Don’t tell the wife though, I am supposed to be doing it to speed things up and save money.

This article is by Rob Kahl at Scott & Stapleton
http://www.leigh-on-sea.com/scott-stapleton.html