It looks like a home not a building site

I have been updating dad on how we are doing (we are a bit ahead of when you read this) and this week dad said, “It looks like a home not a building site,” and it does!

It feels a bit odd writing this blog, as for the first time I haven’t been part of the ‘doing’ really. I started my new job and love it, but if you know me, you will know if I say I will do something it has my total focus, I can’t half do a job. When I’m working, I’m working and the days fly by, I almost forget we are renovating. However, Ian has achieved huge amounts!

The heating went in just as planned and the house is now toasty warm, an absolute joy! The last job the plumber did was remove the bathroom radiator ready for the work to start there (probably in the New Year) and it was a stark reminder of where we have come from……

With the floorboards mainly back down (we are waiting for some more pipe lagging, so can’t put them all back yet) Ian starts on carpeting and it’s looking good! More boxes arrive and as I watch from the van I can’t remember what they are, it shows how quickly my brain switched focus! 

We are really short of storage space, so making the most of all opportunities without looking cluttered. A tricky balance as we like the feeling of space, but some creative thinking from Ian and we think it looks fab. You’ll get the real sense when the furniture finally arrives, but we’re happy. How you do this alone, I have no idea, but when I finish work, Ian is installing the final cupboard and as I squash all the boxes ready for recycling, the doors go on. Stomping on boxes is very satisfying, I must say.

Bed 2 really looks like a complete room now, just the doors to finish. That’s Ian’s next job, and I love them, a little quirky design choice makes the horrible old brown doors look great. They aren’t perfect, as we had to work with the ‘unusual’ fitting they did previously, but transformed, and much more ‘us’.

Ian’s also finished off the woodwork in the conservatory, oiling the wood and sealing in the gaps, but I forgot to take a photo and now it's really dark, so you'll have to wait for that one!

Over the weekend, I have a good clean up, more dust is extracted and I try to make space for the next delivery, this is going to be a big one, so we’re going to need a lot of space in the house and some of the bathroom fittings we’ll need in the New Year may well arrive this week too, so we need space in the garage as well. Quite a challenge when there isn’t lots to start with. This delivery is going to change things considerably and maybe, just maybe, we can be in for Christmas. It won’t be finished, but it may be habitable.

 It really is looking like a home, one that is being decorated, but a home not a building site.