It’s been a windows kinda weekend: Cat is stripping paint, sanding, oiling, sealing and painting the timber and metal frames; Glynn is back to repair the study window and finish off the sitting room window; and Lee has returned to remove the remaining leaded lights and to measure up. Both Glynn and Lee have given… Continue reading Windows windows windows
Category: Zanna’s Bedroom
Almost a whole floor!
Dan’s masterpiece is nearing completion so we almost have a whole floor. No more balancing on loose boards and joists! He has moved on to the bathroom floor today as this is all he can do on Zanna’s floor for now. The end section will be completed later, when Dan works on the landing floor,… Continue reading Almost a whole floor!
A work of art
Dan’s masterpiece of a floor is taking shape and it’s a work of art. He is being very patient, but he did say he’s gone a bit ‘elm blind’ today! It’s a slow process to get the boards in the right place, like a complicated jigsaw puzzle where the picture is missing. Elm has a… Continue reading A work of art
Storm Francis hits
Storm Francis had been raging all night and by the time we were awake it had ripped most of the sheeting off the sides of the scaffolding so the rain was being blown straight in. The new attic floor was soaking and it was pouring through to the floors below. Our freshly cleaned flagstone floor… Continue reading Storm Francis hits
The return of the dust monster
The orange dust monster is back, cutting stone up on the scaffolding ready to repair the gable end wall. Our stunning new old oak window looking, well, stunning. Lucy pointed this out at the weekend, this is the middle lintel above the sitting room window (all the windows have three lintels to span the wide… Continue reading The return of the dust monster
Three sisters
We had help this weekend from our older sister, Lucy (also our historical oracle), who came over to help out with the house. Some tasty food was consumed and Prosecco drunk to celebrate seeing each other again. Lucy was tasked with sanding the study window to begin with. Our socially distancing masks are a bit… Continue reading Three sisters
We need more acid, man
Today the specialist floor cleaners begin on the flagstone floor in the sitting room. A day we have been looking forward to. We cannot wait to see how the flagstones look underneath the red compound that is stuck all over them. This floor was hidden under a thick layer of concrete for decades, Cat spent… Continue reading We need more acid, man
Before & after
These before photos were taken on one of our viewings before we bought the house, 4 years ago in August 2016. The transformations are astonishing! Dining room, looking through to the kitchen with the larder on the left. Landing looking from Zanna’s bedroom to the stairs. The now infamous broken tie beam was boxed in.… Continue reading Before & after
A very messy process…
Tom is fast becoming an expert at fitting these steel bars (commonly known as ‘Helibars’). This is a process for ‘stitching’ cracks in old masonry that is recognised and approved by conservation officers as it minimises any damage to the original fabric of the building. The steel bars get hidden between the stones, like an… Continue reading A very messy process…
Magnificent cutting machines
It was a very noisy morning with these two. Tom cutting stone and Dan cutting steel. Very cool toys though, I want one. Tom is filling in the gaps in the stonework today (he has run out of steel bars for now). All the fiddly little bits that need attention. This is the chimney breast… Continue reading Magnificent cutting machines