Where be dem Windows?
As the title suggests, the windows and doors are needed to make the house completely weatherproof. Meanwhile, the wind is whistling through, which is good in its own way, as it allows everything to dry out.
So, the project manager has been chasing them up - and along the way, asked what colour I want for the shutters. I'm going for Atlantic Blue, a sort of vibrant mid / dark blue that is quite often seen on the island. This should tie in nicely with the almost black frames and the paintwork mentioned last week on the blog, also as seen on outside renders the I have posted previously.
Other works inside the house have continued where possible... the trunking for the electrics have been put in, going under the floor... it looks messy-bad, but of course it will all be covered by the screed and then the tiles:
The trunking is laid out to the kitchen power points - the electrical cable will be threaded through later. The concrete render to the walls here will be done when all the trunking and sockets are chased into the block-work.
A slightly sun kissed image shows the plumbing for the kitchen sink, and lots of trunking going to a large wall switch and the outside lights (far right). The clods of cement are just to keep the trunking in place until the floor is poured.
Upstairs on the mezzanine, power is also trunked in for the studio equipment and for lighting. Although the photo below shows the end of the mezzanine where I'd planned to put the guest loo. Why has it got six power sockets? Not shown on plan.... confused... a bit...
If this is where the guest loo is going then the power sockets are pretty redundant... I'm a bit confused :) Difficult to tell with so little reference... I'm sure all will become clear eventually :)
Also work has been done on the window sills since the exterior render has been done. I must say, they look rather nice:
I'm really impressed with the crispness of the finish. This is the bathroom window and will be fitted with frosted glass (or blinds if the window turns up plain glass!) and will be fitted with storm shutters.
So, that's about it for the build this week. Lots has been going on, but as often the case, there is not a great deal to show for it... all the small steps though add up to a large result.
Only a couple of weeks to Christmas and then things will shut down for the extended festivities for a couple of weeks... so let's hope that progress is good up until then, and that afterwards the big accelerator is stomped on loudly, because...
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Last week saw me take a big leap and book my one way ticket to Faial. A momentous moment, and of course surprisingly cheap. So early March will see me making my way out to the house... only the house will not be ready.
So, I have booked up until the end of March in the Proteus, where I stayed last summer. It is literally 100m to the house, so I can be there on a daily basis to check on the finishes. I'm not going to hang about and get in the way though - I believe the trades will be best left to do what they do professionally, without me breathing down their necks.
My project manager has asked that the container with all the goods to fit is there by the end of February. Inside the container will be most of the light fittings (apart from recessed down-lighters), and the water heaters for the plumber and electrician, as well as all the white goods for the kitchen fitters.
So, I'm waiting on an updated schedule for the container, and an updated price, since the last quote I got was back last year... and I've added a few items since.
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Purchases: Final Stages.
Sofa:
Unfortunately, it looks as though the yellow sofa has gone bye-byes - - I was quoted a delivery time of 10-12 weeks. Really I should have checked this earlier, and time has just run away with me. Sofology have been brilliant, so this is not at all their fault, but totally down to me.
So, I'm on the hunt again, which is incredibly difficult to find something that is in stock. I've found a nice item at Ikea - not quite the Italian Job, but practical and saves me a thousand pounds... in black. But black will go OK. I have some nice bright scatter cushions to lighten things up. We'll see....
Dining Table and Benches:
I think I'm going to buy something over on the island... last summer, whilst on the island, I saw some good contenders at a fair price. Again, anything especially nice here in the UK is made to order and can't be ready in time for the container. I'm still looking though, but I have very firm ideas of what I'm after.
White Goods:
I'm still waiting on the bloody cooker hood from Samsung. I have it on good authority that it will be with me on Monday. If not, it will be cancelled and I'll buy from a more reliable supplier; after all I did order it on the 3rd of November. Jeez.
Lights:
This week the breakfast-bar light turned up on my doorstep - literally. I asked for it leaving in the shed, but got a nice photo of it, showing it was left on my doorstep. Sweet. Fortunately, I arrived home from work and it was still there. It cost a bob or two.
Super Simples - I had to get this LED light from Germany where they have taste.
Tomorrow should see a delivery of the rest of the lights... some fancy red cable for pendants, some bulb holders and roses, another exterior light and a wall sconce for the guest loo (if the go ahead is given and I'm not breaking any planning rules).
Apart from a stash of LED Bulbs yet to buy from Megaman, it's all good. Finished.
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The Brain Zone:
This week has seen me book my one-way ticket, try to firm-up the container and most significantly put my retirement notice in at work. Now, this is one of life's milestones. Time for an EPIC song me-thinks: Note the lyrics....
As an aside I saw YES live, back in the day... amazing, truly brilliant musicians. Got to love Rick on the keyboards.
Working at the university has not been a high-pressure job; but of late, it has become "lobotomy by attrition". The job has been dumbed down for good reason - to get rid of the old dinosaurs. Mission accomplished with me. I quit...Byeeeee
It is a big leap, realising that you are going to leave all your work-mates forever and become somewhat poorer in the back-pocket region. Having said that, being retired in the Azores has its benefits: Which sort of makes me need another song of reasonably epic proportions...
I've tried my hardest to budget for my new lifestyle on Faial, and it looks good, of course as long as the pound continues to be worth something post Brexit. If not, well, I'll be doing a lot of fishing for food, growing plenty on that acre of land and making craft items to sell. Oh, and then there's the studio...
"Aumentar o volume e me dar um baixo gordo" LOL.
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Next Up: A week before Christmas and...
