Nearing completion

We have just got back from a week in France having inspected the work carried out to our little house. Last time we saw it was last July when it didn’t have a roof on. So with so much work completed it was amazing to see the transformation. There are now three bedrooms, a bathroom and an en-suite shower room. All the first fix electrics and plumbing work is complete together with the plaster boarding work.

Some of the exposed stonework has been pointed and both the new window openings formed. Although alot had been done there remained second fixes to the electrics and joinery works the fitting of the bathroom equipment, tiling and floor finishes as well as the last major structural alterations of forming two external door openings and the fitting of the kitchen.

It has became evident but to no great surprise that we aren't going to be able to finish the work within our budget. Unfortunately having to fit an entire new roof and renewing the whole of the first floor coupled with a poor exchange rate has taken its toll on the bank account. We always set out on this project with a budget “set in concrete” so we agreed with our builders to finish off the first floor works and all the second fixes including the staircase together with the plumbing, hot and cold water and heating services. 

A temporary kitchen will be fitted so we will be able to use the house from the end of June. The remaining work will be carried out by ourselves which will be the tiling work to the ground floor, remainder of the pointing work to the ground floor and painting throughout. We shall take the flat pack kitchen over to France ourselves build it up and pay the builder to fit it, hopefully towards the end of the year. The installation of the doors will be done next year.

We don’t see this as a set back but as an opportunity to do a few things ourselves, something that we have not been able to do so far. This will also save us a bit of money and help with overall costs.