My Pad

Week 64 – 04.11.07

Hi All,

Hope you've all had a good week. I've had a pretty good one, things are starting to stir again.....thank GOD!

Anyhow, we've just got back from the house after spending an afternoon experimenting with different cameras and lenses. Not quite there yet, but have managed to put together some quite good 360º tours for you to look at. The light wasn't too good as we've had thick fog all day and it was starting to get a bit dark so we packed up whilst the going was good.

Mark has finished the cladding on the Balcony side now (west elevation) and next week he is going to lay the joists and decking. Allan and I collected the ballustrade yesterday and that will be welded in position week after next.

I'm hoping that we will have electricians and plumbers back on site in the next couple of weeks, fingers crossed.

Below you should see a few links to some quicktime movies. Hopefully you have the correct plugin to view them. You will probably see a black box for a while, be patient, it may take a while to load. You can point your curser on the image and click and drag to speed up and change direction.

H A P P Y V I E W I N G..........X.

Download CosyFire.mov

Download DiningArea.mov

Download Kitchen.mov

Download entrancehall.mov

Download MasterBedroom.mov

Week 7,027! well....it feels like it!

Hi Guys,

I know many of you are getting frustrated...... taking the time and trouble to visit my blog to find there's NOTHING NEW.

Well, watch this space.

Allan has gone into 360º panoramic photography. We have spent the entire day today testing his new lenses and software. A few blips here and there! BUT......next weekend we will take some shots at the house and you will be able to take a tour.....hopefully!

Week 54 / 20.08.08

click here to view this weeks photos

See Week 49&50 for update

Week 51 / 06.08.08

click here to view this weeks photos

See Week 49&50 for update

Week 49&50 / 23rd July-3rd Aug

click here to view this weeks photos
About Time......I here you all muttering! Yes, guys sorry it's been so long. Been busy busy bee, house sitting, looking after Monty the dog (gorgeous), cats Smudgy and Midnight (gorgeous) and the wabbit Snowflake (kinda OK, who kept trying to make a run for it when feeding and cleaning out) Not to mention trying to do a bit of work in between site visits and answering umpteen questions fired at me almost daily......not used to being quite so answerable!

So, here we are, actually now in week 54/55. Things have been moving at such a fast pace I'm almost in a dreamlike trance most of the time.....mental exhaustion I think! Mace are still fantastic, been absolutely brilliant, couldn't have wished for anyone better, a real dream come true.

Upstairs, the plastering and stud partitioning is nearly finished. The stairs, fingers crossed, should be arriving tomorrow (actually today cos I've just spotted the time 12:30am) one week early....thanks Tony.x. Next week stud partitioning to ground floor and perhaps some plastering, it seems that everytime I visit another wall hs disapeared to be replaced with a nice new one. Gaz and Gerald have been busy this week re-pinning the sofffits, the external cladding is due to start next week (which will be week 56 I think).

The target date for handover is 29th September and subject to BDA making an awaited appearance next week (finishing touches to first fix plumbing and electrics is needed so Mace can crack on with putting in new celings to ground floor) we look to be on schedule.

Well, I've put 3 lots of photos up for you.....one big blast all at once!

Keep the feedback and comments rolling in.

Speak soon
Luv Clare.x.

Week 48 - 16.07.07

click here to view this weeks photos
Well, what can I say.......I am almost lost for words and it's very hard not to get emotional.......happy, excited, a dreamy unrealness! MACE have just completed their second week on site and they have been absolutely fabulous.

Those of you who know me, know why the project came to a stand still in February. For those of you who don't, Black Cat went into liquidation, enough said!

Anyhow, I feel like I have a guardian angel. Andrew Birse of BDA Management came into Blue Moon..... http://www.blue-moon.co.uk for some business cards (and a new logo!) Next thing I know he's lined me up with MACE and a fantastic team of guys and they are brilliant. Never seen so many people on site, never seen so much done in such a short space of time. Thank you Andrew.

MACE are going to do all the structural building/refurbishment and BDA are contracted for the M & E. BDA are yet to start, but I think they will be on site in the next week or two.

I will take some mug shots of the team(s) soon and post them up, if they're not camera shy! Meanwhile, you can check MACE out at: http://www.macecontracts.co.uk(always one for a 'plug') BDA don't have a website at the moment......we haven't built it yet!

I took this weeks pictures with my mobile phone camera, I do have other shots for last week but they are on my camera which I left at Alison and Norman's house last weekend. They are sending it back to me so I will upload them at a later date.

See you next week.x.

Week 47 - 09.07.07

Week 23 - 15.01.07

click here to view this weeks photos
We have felt.....we have slates!
YES.....we have a roof!

Well, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, finally it looks like a house again!

I'm a bit late posting this report up.....it's half way through week 24 now, so I will do another update this coming weekend. There might be a bit more to report by then, lots going on behind the scenes!.......watch this space!

See you all soon
.xx.

Week 22 - 08.01.07

click here to view this weeks photos
Probably the best week so far!

Charles, Paul and guys have really pushed the boat out his week. We have come on in leaps and bounds since Charles took over the project last week. Pretty much all soffits and fascias are in place, the roofers are starting on Monday and estimate to take about two and a half weeks. Yippeee......hopefully we can start drying out in February (if all goes to plan!) There were eight people on site one day (2 of them scaffolding guys) I have to say I was impressed......perhaps for the first time! Still no sight or sound of David!

This coming week....... I hope to see a glazing sample, trying to decide on colour of solar glazing, brown or blue? I think it will be blue since Norman came up with a good point that brown or grey always makes even a nice'ish day look dull, something I wouldn't have thought of! Clive (structural engineer/designer) is coming to visit to take a look at the framework, the main concern being where the steel has missed the padstone. The steel company have welded an extra support on, lets hope its approved!

Well, must dash, got things to do and people to see. Thanks for taking the time to visit, see you all next week

Bye for now.x.

I forgot to mention, there were a couple of issues with building control, they came and inspected on Wednesday and came back Friday to check all had been done. It was primarily about the 'birdmouth' joints where the rafters meet the wall plate, the gaps had been packed with plastic and Margaret (building Inspector) wanted them changed and to be packed with the old slates, she came back Friday and has scheduled another visit for Monday. We also had a bit of a carfuffle re the Velux windows, a discrepency between the plans and interpretation!

Week 21 - 01.01.07

click here to view this weeks photos

Hi All,

Henry and Charles were back on site Wednesday (3rd) and they had a bit of a clear up both inside and out. Unforntunately I went up to the house over the weekend to meet my friends Natalie & Rob with Katie and Chloe (see picture), Rob hadn't seen the house since the day after the storm (he helped me move my bed and some other belongings to the office) since Friday, more ceilings have collapsed, the living room, my bedroom and more in the bathroom......I guess another clear up will pursue today!

Paul (rafter man) and his helper were back on site Thursday and Friday and managed to get a few more rafters done with the help of Charles and Henry. The rafters are supposed to be finished this week together with fascias and soffits I believe, ready for the roofers to come next week, I think.

A few more pics for you, but I'm afraid they're all looking a bit samey. I will try and load some 'Quicktime' movies up for you to look at.

See you next week

Clare.x.