roberta's blog

hello again

Tuesday pm and 1 phone call later - the men will start tomorrow on the brickwork - however, it includes the internal brickwork as well, which I wasn't expecting.

Again three very nice men arrived at 8.30ish Wednesday, and having warned school I would be in slightly later as I needed to show the men some new cracks that I had discovered in the lounge, after deciding to rip the paper off the wall above the door! The project company is coming to see the new cracks today as well.

After showing them around I left with a heavy heart, I have to say, as I didn't really know what to expect. But I went back at lunch time to discover exterior brickwork mortar having been scraped away and these long drill-like metal bars put in. I have asked them to replace the top bedroom lintel as well while the scaffolding is up. So far, so good.

Wednesday evening and more pictures went to friend Chris's house along with a cup of tea and putting the world to rights!

Thursday morning - 7.40 and the vans arrived! I left them to it and went back after finishing at school. The stairs were covered with this sticky backed non-slip plastic stuff and wall paper was ripped off here and there and plaster was being replaced. Unfortunately a problem with the lintel - the brickwork above needs replacing and the mortar between that and the eaves needs repointing - all under MY costing unfortunately as the insurance insists it's wear and tear! I do still wonder if the subsidence has made it worse? Oh well!!

Again the men are very nice and seem to know exactly what they are doing. There is brick dust and plaster dust in the air and your mouth feels horrible as it settles on it. They think they might be finished tomorrow depending on how the lintel work goes.

Spent two hours looking at wallpaper books to no avail - everything seems to be huge florals and I'm not keen on huge florals!! Oh dear!

Then I had a phone call from a close friend - she had been involved in a car accident and could I fetch her from Stafford Hospital and stay with her over night.
She is ok, especially concerning what had happened; bruised and shocked. So Friday I got up BEFORE 7am - that is unheard of for me! But I had to get back home in time for men and to feed the cats and to make certain decisions concerning the lintel and brickwork and pointing under eaves. I have said yes. Also I had to empty under the stairs in order for the men to do the work in there - it's only very small in there but a lot gets packed in!

Work and then at lunchtime - popped in to see friend to discover that she and another friend were going to see the car - so I invited myself after going home to sort cats out and speak to men (Kevin is lead man). They will be back Monday to finish lintel work - it had needed 2 lintels rather than the one they had originally thought - I feel the cost going up and up! They will also have to replace the plaster board inside and then I have to decide about whether to leave that plain or have it artexed. I will think on as there is a small part elsewhere that needs artexing; I will talk about it then. If it costs too much it may be fine to leave in painted as curtains will be there - we'll see. Too much to think of at the moment.

Saw car and friend is very fortunate that no-one else was involved and other things but we will not dwell on that - she is ok and her daughter is spending the weekend with her, so that's good.

Weekend and I'm off to London to help Dawn move - will continue next week.

bye for now.