Thursday, November 29, 2007

All done. Or are we?

Today was supposed to be the final day of having workmen invade the place. The new carpet and laminate floor have been completed and, as you can see, the place looks a whole lot better:

Household improvements 2007 Household improvements 2007

However, in true Sherlock fashion not everything is how it seems so as everybody who knows me thinks I'm a bit of a moaning git anyway I don't see why I should disappoint now :)

Not only did we have to prepare everything by removing and disposing of the old carpet, underlay and grips before Kingsley Carpets would start work (strange but sort of understandable with the new laws for business using Council tips) but we suddenly have to pay for a carpenter to shave some of the kitchen door off. Surely if they lay a floor and a door doesn't shut they should do the "2 minute job to sort it" rather us have to pay call out and labour IF we can get hold of somebody in the first place?

And then there's the finish. The carpet is great but if I had done the following Tamsyn would be telling everybody how bad I am at DIY! (I am of course useless at DIY which is why we saved up for professionals in the first place):

Household improvements 2007 Household improvements 2007 Household improvements 2007

I'd be interested in what people think of the final three pictures and what we should do about it, as Tamsyn says I shouldn't complain all the time...

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The end is nigh, and about bloody time.

At last we have nearly completed the 2007 phase of improving our house. What started as the central heating and replacement of knackered old conservatory has turned into a marathon of DIY as one job knackered something, that required more work, that knackered something else, which required more work. And so on, and so on.

Here's some pictures of the hallway and stair case after having been re-plastered, painted and now awaiting new floor for downstairs and new carpet for the stairs and landing.

Household improvements Household improvements Household improvements Household improvements

Once the floor/carpet is installed (tomorrow hopefully) we intend to rest, recover from our colds and tend to the dog (who had a stroke on Sunday and now walks - but not often - like she's pissed) in the hope that we all (dog included) recover in time for Christmas.