Archive for August, 2007
The lion, the witch but no wardrobe
So so sad. We have been trying hard to get storage built at number four but are failing miserably.
We have found lots of great tradesmen but cannot afford the prices quoted. Some are clearly reasonable for the quality offered but outside of our budget and others have clearly, mistakenly, believed that a large house equals large bank balance. Not in this equation I'm afraid.
Were we seeking solid wood I could understand that a 2.5m x 2mm run could cost 3k but it is only MDF and the materials could not cost more than 200 quid. Coupled with the fact that this is not to be painted by the maker but by me and it makes it look like a very bad deal indeed. Another chap suggested that this run would take three weeks to build - is he on a go slow before he even starts?
So what to do? Well I have decided in the short term we should buy something off the peg and wait for funds to magically appear for the real thing. With this in mind I went to a furniture outlet recommended by Alison Cork in her really useful column. Located in deepest darkest DeptfordI did not hold out much hope - and I was not disappointed. Really very depressing indeed - lots of DFS style items crammed into a warehouse manned by disaffected youths. Note to this store - you are not allowed to smoke in here anymore and hiding behind beds to do so does not change that fact. About to leave, I suddenly spotted a very nice wardrobe . Still too expensive but thought it might be worth a punt at a reduction and asked the feral lookingboy nearby what they could do. He returned to suggest that he put it through the till at the wrong price and then I bunged him a ” 50 quid drink”. Ah. Note to youth - this is theft not discount. No sale.
So off to Ikea today for some of their wobbly clothes rails.
The curse of the amateur underpinner
Having demolished the rear additions work has begun on the foundations. Although we have reached the very depths of despair re the 2m deep foundations we had sufficiently recovered to carry on. Well I am afraid that Sid and Kenneth would be turning in their graves now - carrying on isnot an option for now.
Some terrible fool has misguidedly tried their hand at underpinning a section of wallby the party wall line. They have in effect poured a lump of concrete, reinforced with steel bars along about half a meter and going down, who knows? Maybe to Australia. The most pitiful thing about this is that it would not have effected a repair or even stabilized a wall in any event as the concrete stops short of any wall or foundation. It is just a big useless lump that now requires serious time and labour to break out. All of which costs a lot. Of course.
Have to be grateful to our diligent builders who have brought this to our attention rather than merely covering it up, but could have done without this news today. It is wet, cold and we are all covered in thick ginger clay. Maybe I could sell it to the Sanctuary as a new beauty treatment, previously unknown beyond the far flung shores of Sarf East London, and finance the rest of the work?
A grey area
Some people only see things in black or white. I have always seen things in grey and now I have hair to match.
Thanks to my mother, I saw my first grey hair in my teens and have been colouring it in, with various degrees of success, ever since.
I sported a foul flat top at about 16, dyed a lovely combo of red and gold. Clearly very nasty indeedbut I though I was the epitome of aNorthernSoul Girl albeit born, and still living, in Essex. At least it covered the first few grey's. I quickly progressed to a perm on top and a few very yellow highlights which, for some reason, I felt looked better than a few grey strands. In hindsight I bore a striking resemblanceto the lead singer of Orange Juice ( a terribly fashionable band (then)for more youthful readers).
The short hair with light perm gave way to longer hair with Dynasty type proportions as the eighties wore on. I fondly imagined I looked glamorous and sophisticated beyond my 18 years but I was mistaken. The photographic evidence conclusively proves that I looked like a cut priceBonnie Tylertribute band member looking for a booking in a Southend night spot - TOTs anyone?
I think it was only in the early nineties when the bob had a revival that my hair came into it's own - for about two months. Downhill again thereafter until now, as I approach my fortieth year, I find myself at number four with hair to rival Cruella De Ville and not a puppy in sight. Having given up the whole thankless task of three weekly appointments to colour in the telltale white line I am now reaping the benefits of that decision. I may be 100 quid a month better off but my elder daughter is mortified and my younger delighted that I look like her favourite Grandmother.
The grey does have two fans though. The first our 74 year old carpenter who proclaimed it very nice and suited to a woman of my age ( guess who is sacked?) and the second who worksin a local DIY shop who has watched the descent into blizzard hair and said that not to tell anyone but that he has always found grey hair attractive - secretly of course, in the way that any shameful fancy should be kept. To those who would shun us grey haired people I have only two words - George Clooney.
All lit up like Blackpool illuminations
So our mate Alan schlepped back from his palatial second home in Cyprus ( the full monty; built upon the same budget that might buy a studio on Lordy Lane SE22 complete with underground parking for four motor's - how posh is that I ask?) to illuminate number four.
What a difference real lighting makes. We have become so used to temporary building lights that I had almost persuaded myself that I did not look too bad on six hours sleep a night and twenty cups of builders tea a day. Top tip is glaring temporary lighting removes most wrinkles and gives a smooth appearance to the skin that even Vaseline on a lens cannot hope to achieve.
Horrid shock then to return to reality this week and find that all rooms have lights and power. Particularly harrowing have been fully lit mirrors showing thefull toll this project has taken. I mayhave been well and truly filled with Restylane back in February but it is clear that the builders will need to chuck a bit ofsand and cement my way when the rendering begins.That aside the lighting is looking marvellous with a combination of pendants, downlighters and freestanding. I am especially fond of the bathroom mirror light which has a soft glow that both Joan Collins and I will find acceptable in terms of flattery to the less youthful mush - thank you Mr Starck. I only wish I had taken Joan's lead on the wig but that is another story…
Nerves of steel
or least a ceiling consisting almost entirely of it.
This week we have had the chimney breast removed and steels put in place to support the chimney breast above and the rather large large chimneys atop that. This has been a very big and costly job and had we known the extent of both we surely would not have touched it with a barge pole let alone a cheque book. The lesson here is not to take the design of others too seriously and look to yourself for the solution which best suits your purse and aspirations. We could have just had the chimney breast cut out part way, new lintel inserted and used the opening for a very swanky range and hood and still have been quid's in. Lesson to be learnt: linear kitchen good; money in thy purse better. It worked for Iago.
The final push
So we are now at second fixing stage and will soon have our bathrooms up and running. I am very excited to see these in place as most of the sanitaryware has been deposited around the rental house for the last five months. Have had to buy as and when we could to save cash and now we shall see the fruits of our thriftiness; or not as the case may be.
CB and I have spent the last week sanding - the job we said we would never do again. It was made marginally less repulsive by the new super duper dust free sanders we hired from www.floorsanderrental.co.uk in Forest Hill. They did just what they said they would on the packet. If you have to endure this most onerous of tasks then give them a call. Cautionary note - if your floor is covered in bitumen as ours were you will have a very hard time.
Several rooms are decorated and ready to go but we are having trouble finding someone to build storage as an affordable cost. At present the quotes would necessitate the sale of all our worldly goods and then we would have no need for storage at all. Any recommendations?
Finally to the persistent flytipper who is now just dumping straight onto the driveway - stop please.