3, 2, 1…. Paint
Armed only with our trusty toolboxes, paint brushes, sandpaper and a ticking clock in the last three weeks we have begun to turn the “site” into a habitable home.
Painting, that and sanding, sweeping and hovering is pretty much what we’ve been doing since the builders had their last cup of tea, sent in the final invoices and moved off site. Whilst it’s been great over the past few weeks watching the progress (… well having to pay up being the only downside :)) reaching the climax of the first phase of work though it’s been anticipated it’s actual arrival has been quite daunting. Now the major works have been completed the hard work in my mind starts. It’s become less about practicality and functional change and more about preference and creative tastes areas being a practical logical person I’m naturally less keen about and as if that wasn’t hard enough the balance of work has moved from having contractors doing things to it being us doing more…
The clock is also running out as our time lodging with the in laws runs out! – My sister in law and her family are swapping lives and places with us as the remodelling of their do-er upper begins at the start of May…so we simply must be out!
Things we’ve learnt….
- We don’t like DIY. Neither of us.
- Painting is boring, messy, tiring and did I mention boring.
- Things just take longer….and it’s hard to see the end point when the race is so long!
- I have also become obsessed with local “swap and sell” sites. Everything is on there and its been a god send whilst money is tight!
- Radiators are heavy. Get two people to move them and be prepared to get wet!
Teaching an old house new tricks... 