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SuomiHave saved this post until the end of the week, as although we've been working since Tuesday on Stage 3, quite a lot of the work has been 'unseen' (mainly the electrics) - so, cannot show photos of any interest.
Anyway, David has done a great job of rationalising the electrics - although the barns had been recently rewired (2010), there had been various additions wired in after that and the ways in which these were brought back to the electrics boxes needed tidying up. Also, we are adding a number of sockets and lights. There have been issues like fitting the smoke alarms to conform to new Regulations, so that the alarms are now linked .... in one place this has been difficult, as it the supply needed to come out of the barn and into the house's main entrance hall/corridor - and the wall is over two feet thick ... so, this meant trying to find a channel used by the existing heating system and worming the electric cable along this:
Anyway, David has done a great job of rationalising the electrics - although the barns had been recently rewired (2010), there had been various additions wired in after that and the ways in which these were brought back to the electrics boxes needed tidying up. Also, we are adding a number of sockets and lights. There have been issues like fitting the smoke alarms to conform to new Regulations, so that the alarms are now linked .... in one place this has been difficult, as it the supply needed to come out of the barn and into the house's main entrance hall/corridor - and the wall is over two feet thick ... so, this meant trying to find a channel used by the existing heating system and worming the electric cable along this:
The main work has been to complete plaster-boarding all the wall framework, insulating as heavily as possible. The wiring for new sockets is finalised as part of this process ... and again, in some places, this has not been as simple as one might think ... because where we are using existing sockets, their wiring has been so tightly drawn that they cannot be moved to the front of the new insulation and boarding - so, David had a very cunning plan of building recesses:
This is the sort of thing that takes extra time, but is really worth the additional work. The large neon light fittings have been removed, ready to take the LED lighting that we will be using throughout the new rooms - to cut costs and be as 'environmentally friendly' as possible:
Gradually the plasterboard is put into place, with any cracks etc filled with mastic and made good ..... and by yesterday we have our new larder and entrance lobby area (overall an area of around 40 square metres) ready to paint with plasterboard undercoating, after final finishing and sanding. So then it will be ready to place the skirting boards and battens for shelving (in the larder) - brilliant!:
 The other door will lead from the sitting/dining room providing wide access through to the rest of the barn ... and what, with Phase 2, will become the corridor, bathroom and bedroom for guests with disabilities. | Today saw the delivery of the two French doors units - one will be lead from the sitting/dining room to the garden - as you see here on the left. The large window for the other wall was also delivered.  |
We were quite worried about these units - being the right measurements and of good quality (they are double-glazed, solid wood, with white undercoat finish in preparation for painting) ..... but they are really excellent, very solid and well-finished - hooray! ... as they are the single most expensive item in the building development!!
Well, next week will see the doors and window being fitted and the remaining flooring being laid - plus some painting; and we must put in a big wood order for the skirting boards. There is also a lot to do in the garden - harvesting some of the produce from the vegetable garden and also 'from the hedgerows' ... as the blackberry, damsons and sloes are waiting to be picked and bottled ..... and in the the next week I will try to get a new Category on this Blog set up - to tell a bit of the story of how the garden is coming along, and also some glimpses of the wildlife and the weather we have here.
Well, next week will see the doors and window being fitted and the remaining flooring being laid - plus some painting; and we must put in a big wood order for the skirting boards. There is also a lot to do in the garden - harvesting some of the produce from the vegetable garden and also 'from the hedgerows' ... as the blackberry, damsons and sloes are waiting to be picked and bottled ..... and in the the next week I will try to get a new Category on this Blog set up - to tell a bit of the story of how the garden is coming along, and also some glimpses of the wildlife and the weather we have here.
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