Bathrooms, paint and flooring...

In the last two weeks we have moved on again - although at times it seemed pretty slowly. We now are only a couple of weeks away from finishing.

The bathrooms are now all complete (except for the final sealing of shower screens and baths)

This is the ensuite coming together in stages..

with the shower tray in the wall and floor tiles have been laid...

the smaller tiles have also been set around the bath

We used a selection of different sized tiles - 600x600 on the floor, 600x450 on the walls.

With the wall tiles in place the basic and vanity unit, made by Danny, has been installed. It was very heavy so the wall has been reinforced to take the weight.

Next the shower screen has been fitted - although not yet sealed around the edges so we can't use it!

The girls bathroom has also now been finished, including the tiled bath panel.

Meanwhile, downstairs the cloakroom has taken shape.

We had to laugh when these tiles were put in. Claire had given Liz the wall measurement and somehow they got doubled - so we ended up with double the quantity. Thank you Liz at Blanchfords though s she took them back without any quibble.

The basin and toilet look good now they are in too.

The downstairs bathroom has turned into a lovely room. This is especially nice as we didn't spend much on it as we re-used the old bathroom suite from the original family bathroom. The tiles are from Minoli. We especially like the large floor tiles (although next time would choose a darker shade of grout!)

So, with bathrooms complete it was only the floors left, and that happened the same week...

the utility floor

the stone is a beautiful colour - we wanted something that wasn't too yellow in colour nor too cold - what we have is a great golden colour that has some great fossils and quartz lines embedded.

the kitchen

the hallway

more of the hallway

the front entrance

This is the view from the landing down to the entrance hall showing the beautiful opus pattern. We love it!

so, there you have it - the house is coming together. Alex is still busy painting - he's doing a great job - and most of the 'big jobs' are now complete.

Next week it's carpets and games room floor...

We're Getting Close to Finishing now...

We're Getting Close to Finishing now...

Yes, after almost one year we are almost there (with phase one anyway!). This last few weeks has seen lots of little things coming together.

The plumber, Brian, has finished the heating work and has tested the boiler and pipe work. He has fitted all the showers, basins and baths. The bathrooms look beautiful. (He does have a few more jobs to do - like connecting the sink, fridge and one toilet!)

The Plant Room plumbing

As well as building the house the Girls also had a lovely time playing on the mini digger... much to the horror of claire who was afraid they might knock the house down.

even Esme had a go...

Lucy practising her reversing...

Next update coming soon.

The Kitchen goes in at last...

At last the kitchen is being fitted.

Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th June 2015

Danny Pike hand built the kitchen in his workshop and now, after the stone floor has been laid, he has brought it to the house for installation. We had a few delays in the last two months - all started initially by the delay of the stone for the floor. This meant the tilers had gone off to do another job... then Danny got delayed so now is an exciting time as we are taking another step to getting finished.

This is how it looked before the kitchen arrived.

 and then all the bits of cabinet were brought in.

This is the island being installed.

And then the wall cabinets.

This is Danny in action. 

The island units are finished in oak

And the main wall units will have painted doors - once Claire finally chooses the colour that is!

The worktops are going to be templated by the guys from the marble workshop on Monday. Then we'll have a couple of weeks before the worktops can also be installed. Watch this space...

Stoves and Chimneys

There are now only 2 things finished in the house - the balcony and now the stoves.

Steve from Steve's Stoves (http://stevesstoves.co.uk/) came and fitted both stoves last week - one in the sitting room and one in the kitchen.

we have installed a Morso Badger in the Sitting room. (http://morso.co.uk/product/morso-3112/)

And a Morso 6143 (http://www.morstoves.co.uk/products/morso-6143) (I think they ran out of names!) in the kitchen.

We had two pieces of black granite made to fit as hearths in each room.

and the stoves sat nicely on top.

The Kitchen stove sits nicely in the corner of the room with the black stove pipe. (the shiny bits are temporary!).

Although it does look small in the room it will (hopefully) kick out enough heat.

Steve fitted all the chimneys using the ECO ICID twin walled flue pipe in black. 

Now claire is busy choosing colours for the rooms..

After all the hassles we seem to have encountered with the chimneys and fireplaces and stove fitters - remember the rip off we had from the guy at North Mill Stoves (I still can't believe the price he charged Justin for two bits of stove pipe through the roof.) Anyway, at least he now hopefully realises he will not be getting any repeat business or referrals from us or the builders - the stoves actually fit really well and look brilliant!

the kitchen stove in full swing...

and the sitting room stove (in mid summer)

Thank you Steve at Steve's Stoves!

The Kitchen Floor

The Kitchen Floor

The stone floor tiles were delivered to us a couple of weeks late at the end of April due to some of the original batch being broken. This would not have been a major problem except for the fact that Adrian the tiler had then moved on to a new job. So we had to wait. He eventually turned up on 18th May - almost 4 weeks later than planned.

the knock on from this is that the plumbers couldn't get finished, nor could alex the decorator. So things are a little behind whatever schedule we actually had!

But, that said the tilers have worked pretty quickly this week and we now have a tiled, but not yet grouted, kitchen floor.

The tiles came from Natural Stone Tiles in Abingdon and are Jerusalem Limestone.

We have laid the tiles in an Opus pattern consisting of 3 different size tiles - 90x60, 60, 60 and 30 x 30. 

And it looks pretty good so far!

Built in Wardrobes...

While waiting for the stone floors the carpenters have started on the wardrobes. Danny made the frames as he suggested they will look more like they had been crafted as opposed to the builders doing it!

Craig build the wardrobes into place and Alex is now well underway with painting them (as at 15th May).

this is the spare room with the loft access behind.

this is Lucy's room...

and this is Emma's room...

with shelves now added...

Danny also made the doors in his workshop so they all look pretty neat. We now just need to choose some handles for each one.