Robs Renovation - The Somme or Glastonbury

October 4, 2015 by Rob Kahl

The Somme or Glastonbury

I thought it was about time that I updated you on progress (yes there has been some) on my renovation and extension works at home. The loft conversion is pretty much done. The stairs are in, the windows are in, the plaster board is up and the roof is finally water tight!

I must admit that it is looking fantastic and we are really pleased with it so far. We chose a larger window to the back and a bigger Velux window in the front and it has made a huge difference flooding the room with light. When they were building the room as well we managed to push the ceiling height up by a further 10cms and it just gives an overall more spacious feel. We can’t wait to get up there.

It may still be an awful long way off though! They have finished the majority of the external work which means that they have been able to take down the scaffolding at the back and side. This means that they are able to make a start on the ground floor extension which means digging the footings.

Unbelievably, they have done it all by hand! I thought they were going to bring in a mini digger and I even thought that I might be able to assist, but when I realised that it was all being done by hand a kept quiet. The machine they use is a man called Deano. A one man JCB who pretty much dug out all of the footings in one day. Together with his mate, getting rid of the waste and keeping him properly supplied with tea, I have never seen anything like it!

Once you start digging down (or they do) you start to realise how much clay is in our area. Thick, claggy, sticky clay which clings to your boots, stick to shovels and spades and wont easily come out of the wheelbarrow. It means that what could have been a relatively easy job takes twice as long and requires twice as much effort.

It has made it obvious that my offer of a bit of assistance is going to be pitiful. My office based hands are going to be ruined in a couple of hours and we are going to have to make sure that we arrange a slap up full english at the café (that is the only bit I’m looking forward to) and a bath and massage at the end of the day.

So to date everything is still going very well but now we are moving in to the second stage and extending the main house I think that the disruption, dirt and dust are really going to kick in and we are really going to realise that the builders are there rather than just being able to hear them above our heads.

This article is by Rob Kah at Scott & Stapleton

My wife has been brilliant throughout and a lot more relaxed than I thought she would be. I on the other hand am worried about the money constantly, the upheaval and dirt is driving me round the bend and don’t even talk to me about the stripes I used to have in my lawn! With the piles of dirt and general builders stuff all around the garden it looks like a scene from a hollywood movie after a meteor has hit.

I have to keep telling myself that it is only a few months pain for many happy years in the house once it has completed. If I tell myself about 20 times a day it makes it all a bit easier. Just!