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The results speak from themselves, wow!December 1st, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins 
After fourteen months of wooden floors carpets feel like true luxury! The carpets were fitted on Thursday,
kitchen finished on Friday (thanks Lee and Rob), house looking amazing Saturday! We are so
chuffed with the way the hole house looks! The cupboard in the living room has being transformed into a storage area for
DVDs, CDs and a drinks cabinet (although Trisha doesn't know yet).
The original plaster work (the shell shown on the left) has being restored and is looking a lot better than it was a few months ago. The lighting for the cupboard is triggered when the door is opened and closed and makes a really nice feature. 
The middle floor landing looks brilliant now the carpets have being laid and we have hang some prints on the walls. We have used themes in each area of the house the the landing is modern and abstract art, including Piet Mondrian and Mark Rothko. The Rothko prints look fabulous and really bring the spaces alive. 
Moving down from the middle floor the stairs have come to life with the new carpets and several people have commented on the window that is inset to the outer granite cob wall. Trisha has rubbed down all the banasters and used "Danish Oil" to finish them off. 
Although we haven't started decorating the ground floor, the kitchen has finally being finished although the panels had to be shipped over from Ireland overnight as they forgot to add them to the shipment with the doors for the boiler cupboard. All the electrics have being completed, including some spot-lights that are on wires that run the length of the kitchen. The fridge / freezer didn't turn up on Thursday, much to our dissappointment (empiredirect.com) and neither did the new drier, but after the frustration of the kitchen a few more days won't hurt. 
The fish have being moved to their new home in fireplace on the ground floor, which works really well, although the flash on the camera doesn't show the full effect. 
Beams!December 1st, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins I noticed when I was checking the web stastitics the other day that a number of people have found the blog on Google when searching for information on how to renovate beams. We asked a number of people about how to tackle the beams on the ground floor and most people said that you need to use walnut shells! We ended up using a wirebrush, sander, toothbrush and paint scrappers. It must of being the dustiest job in the wholeof the renovation, but both beams have come up really well. 
The beam across the front portion of the house shows what must have being a door lintel that was cut into the beam itself. It's a shame the beam was cut back, but we are really pleased the way it looks, although we couldn't do very much with the underside as it had being ripped back using an axe or something (you can see the damage on the top picture). 
We are so pleased with them I have uploaded some large images of the beams, the last picture shows the beam that is above the kitchen and was painted. Dining suite arrives as ground floor nears completion!November 18th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins That last four weeks have been really difficult with so much distruption with kitchen fitters, plumbers, electricians and builders working on the ground floor. We had been using the ground floor front room as a storage area throughout the renovation project and now its no longer there! Every space has been used for storage upstairs whilst the ground floor is been completed so we ahve had stuff in the hallways, spare room, entrance hall, just about anywhere you can image which has been a nightmare. Finally we seem to be getting to the end of it and the arrival of the dining suite really lifted us on Saturday. We have spent most of today preparing the walls for decorating and rubbing down the beams! 
The new sofa arrived as well, so the ground floor is really starting to take shape! The new storage cupboard has also had its second coat of primer and it starting to look really good. We wanted it to look as thou it was part of the house rather than an addition and thanks to Mark (our builder) it looks as thou its going to work. 
The space we have created downstairs really works well, with an open-plan living area that works as a sitting room / lounge, dining room, kitchen or kitchen / diner. I just love the space we have created! 
The kitchen fitter and plaster are coming tomorrow to finish of the kitchen and worktops and we are hoping to get the electrician back this week to install the lights and wall sockets as well. New furniture for lounge and ground floor sitting room due later this week and carpets next week. On target for completing everything for the end of the month, just in time to Christmas! We are so pleased with downstairs, the space it has created is fantastic and all the tradesmen have remarked on how well it works. Mark (our plumber) said it is looking great. Once its decorated it should look absolutely fantastic. We have picked the colours, in the photo above you'll see a test patch of "classic red" which is going to run the length of the room and we'll hang a couple of Mark Rothko's pictures. The opposite wall will be an off white and we have picked so really cool tiles for the kicthen, so come back and have a look in the next couple of weeks and I'll publish some updated pictures of the house as we near the end of what has been a fourteen month project, but well worth the effort! Kitchen progressing well and new flooring laid!November 13th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins The builders finally left site yesterday having finished all the work on the ground floor; the last job they had to do was lay the new tiled flooring right the way through. They have also built an integrated storage unit at the front of the house and a vastly improved step up to the back door. 
The kitchen is also looking really good, although the fitter ran out of worktop and we are waiting for some additional doors to arrive before we can finally complete the kitchen this weekend! 
New kitchen starts to take shape ...November 7th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins The kitchen fitters started work this week, whilst the builders finish off the ground floor so things have got a little cramped downstairs, but work is progressing well. 
Work progressing well on ground floor!November 1st, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins 
The footings for the new re-enforced steel joist where excavated yesterday
exposing what looks like an old wall underneath the kitchen.
The builders have made good progress today and managed to clear all the rubble away and exposed the second beam that runs across what was the back room. 
Tomorrow the kitchen arrives and the fitter starts on Monday, so yet more tradesman
around the house. We went and bought the new door furniture from Dartington Steel Design
(see http://www.dartington.com/)
which do a fabulour range of high quality door furniture.
Our architect was keen to see the progress and I would like to take this chance to thank Jon Hills for all his help throughout the project (Jon Hills Architectural Design). I will post a full list of tradesman in the next few days and I think it's only fair they are recognised for their help they have given throughout the project. Without them we would not be able to realise our dreams of renovating the house to somewhere near to its former glory. Chaos reins as builders start last phase!October 30th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins This morning was chaos as the builders, electricians and plumbers descended upon us as the last major work gets underway. The plumbers and electricians are starting the first fix for the kitchen before it arrives on Friday whilst the builders started knocking down the main wall between what was the front room and kitchen (in the rear of the property). 
Now the wall has been removed the original beam has been exposed and you can see the original doorway cut into the beam which would suggest the ground floor was originally three seperate rooms, although we really aren't sure, but its blown DNP's theories in to smitherines!
Work starts on the ground floor tomorrow!October 29th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins The builders are back on site tomorrow removing the wall in the middle of the building to create an open plan kitchen, dining room and lounge. The next two weeks are going to be really exciting as this is the last major peace of building work to be done. Before we start the work I thought we'd show you the downstairs as it is now ... 
Living room almost complete!October 29th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins We have finally finished re-decorating the living room and renovating the timber cupboard which was previously painted and masked the craftmanship that lay beneath years of paint (including gold leaf)! 
Damp proofing, en-suite and master room completed!October 5th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins Last few weeks have being extremely hectic at work, but renovation works has progressed well. The master bedroom has now being completed (including en-suite) and look fabulous ... 
... and Trisha did the tiling herself, brilliant job! The dampproofing was completed and a new beam exposed in the kitchen, which was a bonus! 
Damp proofing work starts ...September 6th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins The plaster has been removed, exposing some of the original stonework along with some more recent masonary ... 
Planning / listed building conscent finally through ...September 1st, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins A big thanks to John Hills, our architect who has managed to get all the planning applications through for us. We finally received all the paperwork through so can start getting the various jobs underway. This includes:-
We have started on the top bedroom at last!July 24th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins We have at last started the top front bedroom, which seemed to have missed our best intensions despite it been our bedroom. At last we have a wardrobe to hang clothes in! We also discovered a leak in the roof and as part of the work had to replaster part of the bedroom. Whilst the plasterer was hacking off the old blown plasterwork we found part of the original medival "A Frame" and decided to leave it exposed, so we have another beam. What is amazing is that the whole property had been sterilised during renovations carried out during the '80s and we are finding more and more of the original 14th century fabric as we renovate each room. It is great fun and very rewarding to be able to restore what is left and show the original building some much deserved respect. 
Another Beam :-)July 10th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins During meetings with DNP we discovered the large boxed beam was an original timber beam as the Planning Officier thought it might be a steel. Thankfully this beam had not been hacked apart (as the one in the front room). 
Planning Permission PostedJuly 10th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins DNP have now posted notices about the planning application for the alterations downstairs and en-suite bathroom on the top floor. Structure Engineer had site visit with DNP Planning Officer about alterations and everything seems to be going well (touch wood)! 
Plans submitted!June 29th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins The plans have finally been submitted to the Dartmoor National Park and initial discussions are going well. John (our architect) has done a fantastic job! 
Bathroom taking shape ...June 29th, 2007Posted by Charlie Collins The bathroom is starting to really take shape now the tiles have been put up and the shower is working! At long last we can have a decent shower and be safe in teh fact the bath will not drop through into the kitchen below! 
New heating system installed and
June 3rd, 2007 |
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