Craig confidently put a sign up outside this week.....House for Sale in 4 Weeks, added his mobile number, and we've already had a call from an interested party! Craig had begun stripping the front garden of rose bushes and awful grass (if it could have been called that!), and he's had a couple of people asking questions, and one person who was interested enough to have a guided tour, so we're hopeful there is interest!
The central heating is now complete and working beautifully. We've only had it on very low, so the whole place doesn't get too much of a shock...some plaster is probably still drying too, so it's gently as she goes!
The heating has brought a few other jobs to light. One of the beams under the kitchen floor broke under Steve the gas man, so needs replacing. Obviously this needs doing before the flooring can be sorted, so the large hardboard sheets waiting to go on the floor are still taking up space in the lounge. The gas fire couldn't be fitted because there needs to be a concrete base for it to sit on, so that is the next job. Then Steve can come back, fit the fire, and also fit the plumbing for the bathroom. We also need to sort the floor boards upstairs because they've all been distrurbed from the electrics and pipework, and some will need replacing completely.
Craig started on the garden, cause with Steve and his son working in the house with floorboards up everywhere, he couldn't really get on in there, and the weather has been quite dry. He's done well getting the most offending items out! The neighbour had a rotivator that he's going to let us use to flatten the lawn area before turfing part and pebbling part. Still no news on the dropped kerb, because the tree at the front has to be assessed. Could take weeks!
Meanwhile the painting continues, and I've managed to do a couple of hours this week to undercoat the lounge and kitchen doors, no mean feat as they are the type with lots of little glass panes that take ages to go round!
Plan this weekend is to get the bedrooms finished, ie last coat of colour on walls and gloss work done. We'll see!
Saturday, 24 March 2007
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Warmer conditions on the way!
I know the forecast is for the cold weather to return next week, but we'll be OK....the central heating man is there today fitting boiler and downstairs radiators, and will return on Monday to do upstairs! We mustn't get carried away with the warmth, after all, we don't want any plaster cracking, but it has got to help to make the place feel more homely!
Kev, you'll be pleased we reconsidered the positioning of the rad in the lounge, and it will now be on the back wall, not in the bay!
Craig has been lonely this week, been there on his own except Tuesday evening, when I continued priming the woodwork......takes about half an hour to do each side of a door!!
The kitchen is looking slick now, all white, and will just need a final coat. All the rooms now just need one more coat of colour once the heating is in to finish them. The hallway is having it's first coat of cream today (Yum!! :-) ), so it is coming on!
Kev, you'll be pleased we reconsidered the positioning of the rad in the lounge, and it will now be on the back wall, not in the bay!
Craig has been lonely this week, been there on his own except Tuesday evening, when I continued priming the woodwork......takes about half an hour to do each side of a door!!
The kitchen is looking slick now, all white, and will just need a final coat. All the rooms now just need one more coat of colour once the heating is in to finish them. The hallway is having it's first coat of cream today (Yum!! :-) ), so it is coming on!
Sunday, 11 March 2007
Half way!
We're 6 weeks into a 12 week (max) project, and we now feel like we're making progress.
With some brilliant help from Craig's brother and his wife, and myself having some time off this week, we've really moved on with the painting. Most of the upstairs is done bar the final coat (which we'll do after the central heating has been fitted). The small front bedroom and the back bedroom are buttermilk and the master bedroom is soft cream (B&Q paint!). The cream is continued in the hall, stairs and landing.
Downstairs, the kitchen and lounge have been white washed, and hopefully by the end of today we'll have the first colour coat on the lounge (nearly lichen). The kitchen is going to be plain white. Not sure on the bathroom colour yet. Most of the woodwork upstairs has had primer and undercoat, but downstairs hasn't really been touched yet, so plenty still to do (we'll be back round there in a bit!)
Starting to think about outside. off road parking would certainly help to sell the property as it is quite a busy road, and most of the neighbours have driveways. We've paid our £35 to Birmingham City Council for a kerb drop quote, so we'll see how extortionate they are! Think we'll have to plan the front garden as though it were going to be used for parking even if we can't get the kerb drop done in enough time. We'll have to see. Money is also tight, so need to make savings where we can!
Took a trip to Allied yesterday, and Craig was surprised how reasonable they were. Can have all 3 bedrooms and the stairs and landing done for around £650 (including underlay, grippers and fitting. Couldn't believe the quote of £100 just for gripper rods and door bars!!). Going to have wood/laminate flooring in the lounge and hallway, and Allied had some for about £7.99 m2. Craig had already bought the floor tiles for the kitchen and bathroom, and they came in under budget, and every time we can do that now, it goes towards that drop kerb!!
I'll upload some pictures later!
With some brilliant help from Craig's brother and his wife, and myself having some time off this week, we've really moved on with the painting. Most of the upstairs is done bar the final coat (which we'll do after the central heating has been fitted). The small front bedroom and the back bedroom are buttermilk and the master bedroom is soft cream (B&Q paint!). The cream is continued in the hall, stairs and landing.
Downstairs, the kitchen and lounge have been white washed, and hopefully by the end of today we'll have the first colour coat on the lounge (nearly lichen). The kitchen is going to be plain white. Not sure on the bathroom colour yet. Most of the woodwork upstairs has had primer and undercoat, but downstairs hasn't really been touched yet, so plenty still to do (we'll be back round there in a bit!)
Starting to think about outside. off road parking would certainly help to sell the property as it is quite a busy road, and most of the neighbours have driveways. We've paid our £35 to Birmingham City Council for a kerb drop quote, so we'll see how extortionate they are! Think we'll have to plan the front garden as though it were going to be used for parking even if we can't get the kerb drop done in enough time. We'll have to see. Money is also tight, so need to make savings where we can!
Took a trip to Allied yesterday, and Craig was surprised how reasonable they were. Can have all 3 bedrooms and the stairs and landing done for around £650 (including underlay, grippers and fitting. Couldn't believe the quote of £100 just for gripper rods and door bars!!). Going to have wood/laminate flooring in the lounge and hallway, and Allied had some for about £7.99 m2. Craig had already bought the floor tiles for the kitchen and bathroom, and they came in under budget, and every time we can do that now, it goes towards that drop kerb!!
I'll upload some pictures later!
Sunday, 4 March 2007
5 Weeks!
The Builders have left us at last!!
We now have a fully plastered house, although they were rushing a bit towards the end, so some neatening up to be done, however, it is looking like a proper house again now! The scaffolding has gone, and the newly painted exterior, clean windows and sparkling guttering can really be appreciated (yes, we know the colour isn't much different to what was there before, but it is cleaner!!!)
I've now got some time off work this week to help with the mammoth painting task. We have already begun priming the woodwork, but this will take a while to do, and we need to get the white wash emulsion on the walls to seal the plaster. We're trying to do this as quickly as possible so the central heating can be fitted, but don't want to have to paint behind radiators, be easier to paint before!!
Feels like we are still on target. The bathroom has been delivered, so just the kitchen to order, then the fitting to do, once the painting is complete! Simple!
Been discussing off road parking. The road is a bit of a nightmare in terms of cars, and many houses have a driveway, so we'll probably have to consider it. Have the kerb drop application sitting on the coffee table...guess we should fill it in. We'll have to do something with the front garden anyway, so spending the money on some kind of parking area will hopefully not be that much more!!
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