Follow the Conversion of the Old Shop: 2017-04-09

The South Facing Gable

The second project this year is re-pointing - although we won't get through all of it so for now it means targetting the areas that need attention the most. If only we had known that the south facing gable needed re-pointing we would have had that done before they re-roofed the sitting roof. However, it wasn't to be and it wasn't until we had decided to install the ensuite as part of that phase, and had the builders break through the chimney breast in the rear bedroom to create the doorway, that the requirement became evident. One bleak night in early January 2016 when the rain was beating against the back of the house we were both wakened by a noise in the house. After a search downstairs it eventually became obvious that the noise was in the bedroom and it was water dripping down the chimney void, having been driven into the wall by the storm, revealing the need for the wall to be re-pointed. It's taken a while to get to it but finally the towels on the floor to dampen the noise of the dripping water have been removed and work has started.

Just when we thought we had taken back control of the courtyard and turned it into a peaceful flower filled oasis the builders are back!

However, they are quite neat so it hasn't quite gone back to the way it was when the major work was going on.

The scaffolders have built the tower to allow the workmen to get up to the gable.

View from the garden. th scaffolding will allow them to do the highest parts easily but the lower areas against the sitting room roof will have to be done off a tower from the ground given the angles.

It's slow, painstaking work, they have to remove all the old lime mortar and then replace it and make sure it dries evenly - otherwise it cracks!

Another collection of 'stuff' in the courtyard.................. so no cars in at the minute!

And yet more 'stuff' under the archway!

It might not be that obvious but pointing is complete - will get a better photo when the scaffolding comes down. However another level of scaffolding to go up so they can do the chimney before we get to that stage.

View from the scaffolding into the garden.

The scaffolding is down so we can see the results of the work -looking good.

Close up of the re-built chimney.

Job Done!!

Repointing the Front Elevation

So this is what the front of the house looks like now. It will take about 5 weeks but at that point I will take a similar photograph and you can judge for yourself whether the pointing work we are about to have done is worth it.

The first step is the scaffolding,now in place.

The old mortar has been raked out of the top half of the house - its a messy business!!

The stone looks cleaner already, the effect of the lime, and is now ready for the new lime 'putty'.

I doubt the house has looked this clean since 1867!

Up close at the top of the house as we took the opportunity to paint the windows when the scaffolding was up.

Close up of the header stones over the window, and of course the freshly painted window!

The great reveal - looks like a new house. Everyone has been very complimentary about the way the house looks now and what a good job Michael James has done in bringing it back to life. It's ready for the next 150 years!

The next phase will be the pointing of the walls in the Courtyard and then the garden. However we will be doing that ourselves so don't expect the same professional finish but 'watch this space'

Project Ensuite

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that we had a couple of projects planned for 2017.

Well the first one is underway and it is to build the ensuite shower room onto the bedroom at the back of the house. It's effectively in the sitting room on the top of the utility room. We had originally hoped to have that as a mezzanine reading platform BUT the thought of trying to get planning permission for an open platform with a library ladder up to it was not something we were prepared to fight our way through so change of plan.

The sitting room covered in blue plastic to save us having to move everyhting out...........

Day 1 - the scaffolding tower in the sitting room - built on a plywood base to save the wooden floor.

A very neat job by a very competent carpenter - and so we have a new wall in the sitting room

Day 2 the plasterboard fitted awaiting the plasterer.

Day 3 and the plasterer finishes the job - we just need to paint it now!

A very neat job with the odd splash of plaster on the existing walls but not too bad - just dusty!

The shower room. Looking into the ensuite from the bedroom, eventually this will be the view of the shower.

Inside the room looking under the eaves - this will be walled in to provide storage space.

This is what our lovely Roger Oates carpet on the stairs looks like during the week. Supposedly the 'dust sheets' protect it from dust but I still have to vacuum the carpet and wash it over every weekend to get rid of the dust!

Building the wall in the Ensuite above and below on either side of the eaves.

Looking in to the Ensuite you can see where the shower will be placed.

Next step in the walls above and below, with opening for access doors to storage area.

Cement board on the wall where the shower will be.

Next stage of the walls, now tiled!

Tiles grouted in grey............. great job for a sunday morning!

Ready for the Shower wall..................

Showerwall fitted (in Citrine)

M decided to fit the extractor fan and housing, very neat job.

Apparently the plasterer that did the scrape render on the external walls that we have now incorporated into the bathroom had never been asked to do this on an internal wall - it's usually used externally but works really well given the origins of these walls.