2010 News

Our Home - 2010 News

Two big projects this year:

1. Photo Voltaic Panels

2. Jonathon's bedroom

Having um'd and ah'd for quite a while we ended up having both done at the same time so September and October (and the first half of November) were busy months at our house.

So first ... having PV (Photo Voltaic) panels fitted - similar to solar but work on daylight rather than sunshine. Chelsfield Solar were in and out in a day so no photos of them actually being fitted (I was at work and Jonathon was working away) but this is what our south facing roof looks like now.

You can see that they are neat and tidy but they are not what I'd call pretty! However, they've been generating power since the day they were fitted so hopefully they'll save us money on our electric bills, help us reduce our carbon footprint and generally help with our Green status!

Our second project was Jonathon's bedroom. You might remember that we gave it a coat of paint and had some wardrobes and shelving made a few years ago. The end result is shown in the photo below left. That was a quick fix to get rid of the pink colour but this time is the real thing. This is the last room in the house to be revamped completely so we are hoping that, once this room's done, we are down to regular decorating and maintenance but nothing more "major" to do (famous last words).

It took quite a while to pluck up the courage to move everything out of Jonathon's room (he's a collector!) but eventually we got it done. We managed to find a new home for the carpet (or at least most of it) and Terry and crew moved in.

You can't tell from the photos but the walls were "textured". We're always nervous of textured walls because you're never quite sure what the texture is hiding. So, time to get rid of it and start all over again.

First step was getting Patrick to change the door round so it opened the other way. The plan is to have new shelving made right along the wall on the right hand side as you walk through the door. Hopefully this will give Jonathon enough storage / display space to save having things all over the floor!

starting 4

The radiator under the window was taken out quite a while ago so there's been a patch of non-blue wall since then. It'll be nice to have that sorted out as part of this exercise.

Some of the electric plugs in this room haven't been considered (by us) as safe for quite a while so that'll be addressed at the same time.

As we were having the walls taken back to brick / lath we decided to have the ceiling done as well as that was also "textured". Terry put our mind at rest as he was going along because, for once, nothing untoward came to light as the plaster was being ripped off.

Don't know if you can see it in the photo on the right but there is a brick arch and a wooden joist (I think that's what it's called). These are above the bay window in the front sitting room but Terry told us it was all "sound" so that was a relief.

Terry and co then went on holiday for a week - the PV team did their stuff during that week so we didn't feel too neglected!

When they came back, they pulled the rest of the room apart (the slats from the ceiling will make good sticks for the fires downstairs - we have closed stoves so it's safe) ...

And then .... they started to put it back together with lots of insulation where needed and then the plasterboard went on.

It was now time for us to go on holiday and leave them to it. Hopefully while we are away, Mike the plasterer will do his stuff so Terry and crew can start painting and we can arrange carpet and curtains to be delivered when we get back .....

The plastering was indeed done by the time we get back and it was as smooth as silk - beautiful work by Mick.

Skirting, picture rail and coving was next and it was all starting to come together. Apparently the curve of the bay made installing the skirting and the coving "interesting".

coving

Then the painting started - we had decided on Bronze Red by The Little Greene for one wall and Dulux Ivory for the other three walls and the ceiling.

Finally the radiator went back in and the room could be warmed up again!

The man who did the coving confirmed that nothing was "true" in our house with different measurements between the ceiling and the window frame in the bay. No surprise there and he did a really good job despite all that!

A big day when the carpet went in - it actually started looking like a room again. The carpet is from The Saville Collection by Associated Weavers and the colour is "Classic Red".

The furniture was moved back in the curtains and blind fitted. The material is Colombo Cord - Malabar Colour #1

This is what it looks like now it's finished. Very different from when we started!

That's it for 2010.

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Our Home - 2010 News
Two big projects this year: 1. Photo Voltaic Panels 2. Jonathon's bedroom Having um'd and ah'd for quite a while we ended up having both done at the same time so September and October (and the first half of November) were busy months at our house.
So first ... having PV (Photo Voltaic) panels fitted - similar to solar but work on daylight rather than sunshine. Chelsfield Solar were in and out in a day so no photos of them actually being fitted (I was at work and Jonathon was working away) but this is what our south facing roof looks like now. You can see that they are neat and tidy but they are not what I'd call pretty! However, they've been generating power since the day they were fitted so hopefully they'll save us money on our electric bills, help us reduce our carbon footprint and generally help with our Green status!
Our second project was Jonathon's bedroom. You might remember that we gave it a coat of paint and had some wardrobes and shelving made a few years ago. The end result is shown in the photo below left. That was a quick fix to get rid of the pink colour but this time is the real thing. This is the last room in the house to be revamped completely so we are hoping that, once this room's done, we are down to regular decorating and maintenance but nothing more "major" to do (famous last words).
	It took quite a while to pluck up the courage to move everything out of Jonathon's room (he's a collector!) but eventually we got it done. We managed to find a new home for the carpet (or at least most of it) and Terry and crew moved in.
You can't tell from the photos but the walls were "textured". We're always nervous of textured walls because you're never quite sure what the texture is hiding. So, time to get rid of it and start all over again. First step was getting Patrick to change the door round so it opened the other way. The plan is to have new shelving made right along the wall on the right hand side as you walk through the door. Hopefully this will give Jonathon enough storage / display space to save having things all over the floor!
	The radiator under the window was taken out quite a while ago so there's been a patch of non-blue wall since then. It'll be nice to have that sorted out as part of this exercise.
Some of the electric plugs in this room haven't been considered (by us) as safe for quite a while so that'll be addressed at the same time.
		As we were having the walls taken back to brick / lath we decided to have the ceiling done as well as that was also "textured". Terry put our mind at rest as he was going along because, for once, nothing untoward came to light as the plaster was being ripped off.
	Don't know if you can see it in the photo on the right but there is a brick arch and a wooden joist (I think that's what it's called). These are above the bay window in the front sitting room but Terry told us it was all "sound" so that was a relief.
Terry and co then went on holiday for a week - the PV team did their stuff during that week so we didn't feel too neglected! When they came back, they pulled the rest of the room apart (the slats from the ceiling will make good sticks for the fires downstairs - we have closed stoves so it's safe) ...
	And then .... they started to put it back together with lots of insulation where needed and then the plasterboard went on.
It was now time for us to go on holiday and leave them to it. Hopefully while we are away, Mike the plasterer will do his stuff so Terry and crew can start painting and we can arrange carpet and curtains to be delivered when we get back .....
The plastering was indeed done by the time we get back and it was as smooth as silk - beautiful work by Mick. Skirting, picture rail and coving was next and it was all starting to come together. Apparently the curve of the bay made installing the skirting and the coving "interesting".
	Then the painting started - we had decided on Bronze Red by The Little Greene for one wall and Dulux Ivory for the other three walls and the ceiling.
		Finally the radiator went back in and the room could be warmed up again!
The man who did the coving confirmed that nothing was "true" in our house with different measurements between the ceiling and the window frame in the bay. No surprise there and he did a really good job despite all that!		A big day when the carpet went in - it actually started looking like a room again. The carpet is from The Saville Collection by Associated Weavers and the colour is "Classic Red".
	The furniture was moved back in the curtains and blind fitted. The material is Colombo Cord - Malabar Colour #1

This is what it looks like now it's finished. Very different from when we started!
That's it for 2010.
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