Week 12 - Up on the Roof

During week 11 it unfortunately rained Monday through Wednesday so not a lot could be done.  We finally got some sunny or at least dry weather this week and the builders were able to work on the new roof.  They've put up the majority of the roof beams.  Early next week we will be picking out our new roof tiles.

Before I get to the photos of the new roof beams, we had an unexpected turn of events this week.  Richard came home from work on Thursday and went in to the kitchen to find that a section of the ceiling had fallen down!  We apparently had a slow dripping leak in the shower and the plasterboard had been absorbing the water as best as it could but it just couldn't take anymore.  Thankfully this happened when no one was in the kitchen and it's happened now when things are being replaced anyway.  Also, we are fortunate that the floor boards have not rotted so we are still able to carry on using the bathroom now that the tiles have had some sealant put on them to stop any further leaks.

And now the photos taken today.

Looking up at the roof beams above the back bedroom

The weather forecast for this coming week isn't looking too good, tomorrow is supposed to be the only dry day.  Let's hope the forecast is wrong and they can continue to get a lot more done this week. 

Week 10

Amidst our sorrow the work on the house carried on.  The bricklayers have now finished the external brickwork and the house is ready for the roof work to start next week. 

I noticed some cats this week who apparently think our extension is their new jungle gym.  It looks like there about to have a fight, but they eventually just went their separate ways. 

Here are some pictures taken today.  They have even laid the bricks for our new porch.

They needed to cut a section out of our soil pipe (not a job I'd want to do!) so that a new steel beam could be put in the wall.  It really made us laugh at how it's been put back together.  It's only temporary since that pipe will be coming down and a new one put in a different place, but they put it back together with duct tape!  Or gaffer tape as it's also called here.  The fix-all, every house should have a ready supply of duct tape.

And finally, here is an updated photo of the back of the house

The progress on the house has been bittersweet this week.  We're really looking forward to it's completion, but Mum was also really looking forward to it.  She was so helpful, always willing to give us her opinion and advise. The rest of the project is not going to be the same without her.  I know that she will still see it completed though, she will be smiling down from Heaven. 

Week 8 -- Potentially halfway there!

Well it's the end of week 8 now and that could mean that we are at our halfway point!  Richard's Uncle John, who is so very kindly overseeing the project for us, has told us that if the weather is good this coming week, they could finish building all the walls.  Then we think the next step would be to start on the roof.  

At the beginning of the week it was kind of hard to see what was going on up on the first floor but by Friday it was plain to see that our new upstairs rooms were being built.  These pictures were taken today.

We currently can't get outside from our back doors because of scaffolding, so it took a lot of bravery from me to take the next set of pictures of the back of the house and I was laughed at lovingly by Richard.  I was afraid of stepping onto the bricks and over the gap into the side extension because I was scared of slipping.  However I managed to face my fears and then could have a good look around at the back of the house! 

We're really pleased with the progress.  Time to start researching new kitchen appliances!