Sparky was back again, this time mainly to tackle our fuse box. The house is c. 1980 but the electrical system seems to have been c. 1960 – we are equipped with real wire fuses [no nails or paper clips,…

… the return of Sparky. Plaster drying nicely, our serenading electrician returned for his round #2. Our newly embedded cabling and pattress boxes got dressed in sockets and switches. This man is so precise; he first went around the area…

No huge visible change yesterday (day #11 , incidentally): the main work was a final skimming of plaster so its ready for painting – or it will be when the plaster has dried out properly. The main trenches in the…

This morning was quite busy once more with our jolly Plumbers Mates in to test their new underfloor pipework. A damn good idea before burying it in flooring compound, I thought. That meant them filing the system and then firing…

We will be having three large vertical radiators fitted: one in the dining area, one in the kitchen area and the third in the hallway, where it will replace two smaller conventional radiators. The two larger ones weigh 40kg so…

I frequently refer to plastering as what I consider to be the most skilful job in the building trade [and I just learnt that all my life I’ve been misspelling skilful with a double “L” – live and learn]. So,…

Our building site has been a bit crowded today. With all the services in the ceiling space now fitted and/or fixed, our Builder Men have been fixing the plasterboard for the new ceiling (which will NOT have bloody Artex on…

Builder Men had wanted to fix our new ceiling this morning. However, while the ceiling was down making all services readily accessible, I was keen to have our Plumber Men renew a few bath tub water supply joints. I had…

New week, new tradesman. Our electrician arrived at 08:45 on Monday to begin sorting out lights and power sockets. He’s a chirpy chappy. First he very sensibly revisited our requirements; the hiatus caused by lockdown dulls the memory, after all.…

We’re having the weekend to ourselves in the building site. Before our Men arrived last Monday to begin demolition, we needed to get our fridge to safety; somewhere it could still be used. Francine and I emptied it and managed…