96th

I already have plans for my 96th birthday!- yup the cedar will need replacing in 60 years!

In for Christmas....................................

We obviously don't want to move in for christmas but we do want the outside water tight now before the bad weather comes!!!!!

The Renderers finished on Tuesday a huge relief as until it was finished we could not do any more on the exterior, and we can't pretend anymore, summer is gone and winter is well and truly on its way

( in fact we have up-graded the central heating system in the caravan, and have added a fan heater to our range of odd radiators and heaters and de humidifiers.)

 

 

Although they were terrible at communicating there comings and goings they have done a nice job with the render, and in particular the weather was perfect when they did the porch and it's dried out really slowly.

 

 

 

during the rain, Pete and Dave have continued putting the foil membrane on the walls and the laths for the plasterboards.

Pete has finished installing the Rega vent heat recoverey and ventilation system.

 

and has now started on the rest of the street!

 

 

The front arch

Cedar cladding going on the front today- Hooray

look at the cladding against the window frame- I love it!

Hope to finish this wall tomorrow! it's in the hands of mother nature!

...beside the seaside, beside the sea...........................

i do hope that your first thought was "wow look at all those nails in staight lines", I have been working with OCD Pete today and I never knew that hammering in nails required 2 tools a hammer and a spirit level!!!!

Three boys living on a building site, I am delighted that Pete got the washing machine fixed today!

Temazepam............................

Pete and I had lengthy discussions last night about the central heating systems and radiators and heat recovery systems andzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!

 

 

The Rega Vent pump and heat exchanger installed in the loft.

 

 

 

the forma for the second arch in place , the one on the front of the carport.

the first arch completed and still standing!

The plan is for the renderers to finish the job on Wednesday, perhaps I should take over their time management then they will stand a chance!

The laths are all on now ready for cladding.

....... but we have to wait for the renderers to finish then the order will go something like this, finish render, wait for render to dry, paint render 3 coats, put last coat on window frames by hand, cladding to go on.-  done! (just like that)

More child labour-Pete has got Finn splitting 900 raw plugs up, I am still recovering from the disappointing  sight of Pete walking into the caravan with a "Roses tin", that was not full of either chocolates or a cake!!!!

Mona Vale ....somewhere on the northern beaches

... just by chance we came across a fantastic vintage bus blind, wall hanging for the kitchen
( to remind us of our younger days )it's quite big so we hope we can fit it on a prominent wall, otherwise we will have to sell the house and build another just to fit this thing in!

 

The render has been completed on the front wall, with the large gable and the smaller gable having had the first coats.

the porch has had the window frames and door frame put in-I am really happy, cant waint to see it rendered.

indian summer!!- Pete has been keeping the wall damp to try and stop it drying out too quickly in the hot weather.

Pete has been putting the laths on the front of the house so we can get on with putting the cedar cladding on.

He has also made this forma, to form the arches on the carport, he will start the brick work tommorow.

 

We have sent off the emails to get the glass quotes, so far we have just had one reply- I think glass is quite overated!

 

Pete has ordered the heat recovery and ventiltion system and it should be delivered at the end of  this week.

endangered species....

...................shhh!, if you keep really still you may spot the rare lesser spotted renderer,  He finally turned up, now all we need to do is get him to stay past lunch time!

The mesh that is put around the windows to help prevent the render from cracking in the future.

first coat done-hooray

the scaffolding has been removed from around the porch.

I am threilled with the door frame now painted in french grey.

the spraying is going well, although Pete had to board up more windows as the farmers where combining!!!

the old front door from the bungalow!

these bags contain all the bits taken off the window for spraying, apparentley someone knows where they all go!

Pete has had a tough day getting the hole for the front door the correct shape!!!!!

.........messing about on the river..........................!

....really..... am I ever going to get out of this caravan!

the covent garden door frame has gone in today, ready for a spray of undercoat.

HOW TO MAKE SURE  YOUR KIDS REALLY WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.....get them sorting out rubble!!!, they have been helping me level of the ground in the carport, that will have a concrete floor laid at some stage.

HAS ANYONE SEEN OUR RENDERER??? apparentley he will be here in the morning, thing is... he has been saying that since last tuesday.
Pete hasn't started to render the house himself ..YET! this is just a patch (that will be covered with cedar) so that we can put our paint samples on.

.... and here you have slaked lime and mid slaked lime.

....and a closer look for all of you who have come and said "is that the undercoat" about the windows , your all probably now saying "is there a difference"- Yes there is!

Pete has just come in he has been spraying until late, and has been measuring up for the glass order. He has  got a hot water bottle for his knees! ahhhhhh! - don't be too sympathetic it won't have anything to do with the house build , I blame it on the canoeing!