First Fix Central Heating

The central heating boiler has been relocated on  the left hand gable kitchen wall, and the pipes for radiators connected and run up through the attic space

The mains gas pipe has been relocated into the old fireplace and this is where we will connect the gas cooker

French Doors

We intend to replace the current kitchen window with a set of French Doors, to give access to the patio area  and to let more light into the kitchen

Our choices are...Oak timber doors that need to be stained and treated to withstand the weather...
If we choose this style, we will need the builder to fit a lintel below present window frame and to add extra brickwork as these doors are only available in 2070 height - La Porte model..

or for UPVC oak style French doors with a window light above?  these can be manufactured in 2200 height which will fit to top of existing window space 

Garage Clearout

When we bought the cottage, we found years' worth of accumulated junk which needed to be cleared.
We contemplated hiring a skip, which meant carrying it down the driveway into a skip on main roadway at front of cottage...in itself no mean feat! However, found a contact actually on a Facebook page for local people advertising their services..and a couple of guys came as promised last Saturday morning...

These were bags of rubble we had removed from the house...old plaster from the walls etc...

and this the contents of the Garage before work started.....

and afterwards......

Water Meter -update

We now have the work completed, concrete has been laid and levelled.

Water Meter

We have decided to opt for a water meter, as at present our water consumption is quite low.

Contacted Northumbrian Water...a surveyor came to visit to locate the pipework at the premises, and gave me an order number.  5 weeks later, 2 workmen arrived and proceeded to cut into the concrete, fitted the meter, placed a bollard around the excavated area and left...

5 days later, further workmen came and refilled the hole with the waste rubble....

We now await the delivery of concrete to complete the job!

First Fix Electrics

Electricians on site today preparing walls for first fix of electric cables.
They are cutting chases into walls, although some walls will have back boxes for sockets placed into plasterboard walls

2 Window and Door companies visited to measure and quote for installing upvc windows, but as yet unsure of choice of style as 2 windows at front of cottage are currently huge picture windows.  As its a single storey dwelling, under building regulations we also need to provide fire escape access from 2 no bedrooms, so windows need to open out with large enough opening.

Choice is difficult....apart from style of windows...colour? oak both sides, oak outside, white inside, all white, all cream ??