Monday 2 September 2013

house update

I thought you might like an update on the whole house falling down business.  Today is the start of the third week in what was originally a 2-week job before we found another wall falling down.  Of course, when the builders have finished, the plaster, electrician and plumber come in and my Uncle will carry on with the kitchen refit that was aborted in April...  I can almost taste the real food from a real oven...



We came back from our holiday to find that someone had stolen part of our house.  I took the picture in the dining room, looking into the kitchen.



On the left is the basement stairs, the right is the dining room.  Mr CA likes it like this, all open plan and wanted to keep it.  Unfortunately that would also mean keeping those steel pillars which are holding the rest of the house up.  I said no.  Understandably.



Last week they got working in earnest.  This is the dining room/cellar wall, the one they discovered was falling down whilst we were on holiday.



You can see the difference between old, Victorian bricks and modern ones.


Whilst trying to replace the lintel that ran across the doorways leading to the dining room and the cellar from the kitchen, the builders discovered that the lintel also holds up the doorways in my neighbour's house.  That is not normal at all.  A new plan had to be made and the cellar entrance is being bricked up and the doorway moving to the dining room. The kitchen is the smallest room in the house so that's actually quite good news.


This is what I came home to on Friday!  It's starting to look like a house again.  Despite the bare brick walls, the two remaining steel props, the plastic sheeting nailed to the ceiling and the brick dust everywhere.  I'll be glad when this is over.




15 comments:

pennydog said...

I'm so looking forward to you having a nicer house than when this whole thing started. following progress closely ;) I was telling my grandma your story yesterday as her ceiling randomly fell down in her living room.

Celtic Thistle said...

You will have almost rebuilt this house by the time you are finished :) Sounds like a surveyor needs a refresher course!

Samantha said...

You could just pretend the bare brick is a design feature ;)

JoJo said...

Unbelievable! What year was your house built? So you share walls with your neighbours? That's why the lintel extends to their doorways?

Sandra :) said...

My neighbours have been undergoing a 1st floor renovation since the beginning of July. They have 2 kids (12 & 13) - things have been totally upside down in that house since the beginning of July. She still doesn't have a fridge and stove, but they expect to get those back next week - after 9 or 10 weeks of being without. They had to move out for a few weeks, at the beginning of the summer, to his mom's house (which was NO picnic, lol). The kids didn't really get to do anything fun for summer, as the mom had to be home for the workers, and the dad was working. How they managed to keep their sanity during that time is beyond me - the fact that you can even post coherent sentences is equally beyond me - what a huge life interruption these type of repairs/remodels are! I hope everything goes smoothly and that things get back to normal for you SOON!

Anna said...

Patience...et bonne semaine !
Bises
Anna

Allie said...

Wow what a mess - I'm so very glad it's getting fixed and that it won't fall down on top of you!!!

Blue Moth said...

What a nightmare! Good luck with it all.

Nicky said...

Slow and steady wins the race right?! Good to see that progress is being made in your house...

Jane said...

I know there is still lots to do, but it's lovely seeing coming back together and looking more like a proper home again

Anonymous said...

It'll look great when it's all done Wendy - just keep that in mind when it all gets too much x

ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

SuperMomNoCape said...

I can just imagine the relief and joy you'll feel once it's all repaired and you can relax into your home again... especially knowing that the walls are now safe!!

Katherine said...

Yikes! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Seems like home renovations ALWAYS take longer and come with surprises. It's like Murphy's Law or something....

Hang in there, Wendy! Know that when it's all over, it will have been worth all the inconvenience and trouble you're currently going through.

Alison said...

Looking good so far, think how fab it will be once it is done!

Alison
x

Joy McD said...

Goodness me! How did I miss that post? I've gone back to it and now have "London Bridge" stuck in my head... You will be pleased when it is all over, won't you... ugh! xxx