Woodstore

The old outside store is almost falling down and so it's carefully dismantled and is being rebuilt.  We will replace the rather unattractive tin roof with a cotswold stone one which is more in keeping and has the added benefit of providing better weather proofing.  The area between the store and the house will be a very sunny spot ideal for morning coffee or a glass of something chilled later in the day!

Progress....

So, now we have most of the planning permission the guys crack on - this will be the top floor bedroom in due course.  The insulation and insulated plaster board go in and then the room is plastered or skimmed (I get a bit lost with the technical terms) before a coat of white paint goes on.  It will still need to be painted once I chose a colour - suggestions anyone?

   

Hip Hip Hooray

The public consultation on the revised application closed yesterday and much to everyone's surprise, the consent to the application came through this morning.  Phew! After months of incompetence and very slow response, the local planning authority seem to have pulled their fingers out.  Much cause to celebrate......but still have the appeal to do now for the extension and the tie beam on the top floor, but at least now Johnny & the team can crack on with the rest of the house.

Gardening

While I'm having to contain myself and not do any gardening yet, the garden has become somewhat overgrown over the summer & so Brian uses his mini digger to remove all the weeds and self seeded flowers, bushes etc - it looks a whole lot better.  As the house is in an area of outstanding natural beauty, you have to get permission from the planning authority to remove any and all trees which is a bit of a pain.  Given my ongoing troubles with them, we'll leave that until the house is finished and then ask for permission to remove a couple of trees and tidy up the pine trees at the back of the garden

The Glass box

We're having major problems with the local planning authority who don't want me to put the glass extension on the back of the house.......so that will go to appeal once the initial planning permission comes through, but in the meantime, the builders lay the cement block that will form the floor in the "barn" which will form part of the glass box.  They're making the most of the glorious autumn we're having here and doing as much outdoor work as possible

New Floors!

After the pipes are laid, the guys screed them over on a Friday so it will dry over the weekend - I am visiting with some friends and we're told in no uncertain circumstances not to walk on the floors no matter how dry they seem, so I manage to take some photos hanging in the door, hence the odd angles....  but they look great and the house is now showing real progress.  My friends Jakki & Paddy saw it 6 months ago and can see significant differences which is a huge relief!

Pipes, pipes & more pipes

The team start laying the pipes for the underflow heating in the kitchen & the snug - around 500m of pipe in total!  My feet should be toastie warm under this lot.  I did wonder about telling them that some of the pipes weren't quite 100% straight.........but decided better not too!