Floor Screed delayed.

The floor screed was due to be layed tomorrow - but the local suppliers are not open tomorrow because one of their drivers died yesterday. There were other suppliers - but they were too busy. It put things into context - at least we're still alive and the floor can wait another week if it has to. It's nice that a firm here will close out of respect when an employee dies.
We're in England for a few days from Friday - so I need to get in touch with the "screeder" when we get back and arrange for it to be done another day. It's a bit frustrating that he can't give me a definite date now - but like I said it's not a big problem compared to the death of a partner or parent.

Certified - at last!

We got the certificate of completion from the electrician yesterday - so we can now apply to the ESB (Elec Supply Board) to connect us up to the grid. The electrics aren't actually fully complete - just in a good enough state to connect. There are lights etc to fit still - but it means we can get the boiler powered up soon and get the house dried out fully before laying floors or painting.
Eircom also sent a couple of men today to put up a pole on the site - the first stage towards getting the phone line connected. As far as I know we won't be able to get broadband in the new house - too far out - so that is one thing I'll miss.
The floor screed is due to be laid on Thursday - day after tomorrow - so things are progressing OK now after a bit of a slow down in the past 2 weeks.
The tiler who we have been recommended has cancelled twice this week - but is due tomorrow to check it out. The staircase is ordered, the second fix joiner (doors - skirting ) is booked (date to be confirmed).
It all seems to be coming together now - after lots of chasing of people and messages left. Everyone here seems to be busy - working 6 or 7 days a week.

Design A Room

Design A Room

This web site lets you design the colour scheme of a room - it is provided by a supplier of kitchen cabinets and flooring - so is biased towards those two features.
It's slow - but good.

Where's the Electrician?!

The plumbers have been and gone - only aday later than they promised. The wet patches they assure me were only caused by small leaks from radiator valves.
Th electrician had promised to be ready to give me a certificate for the ESB last Monday - 8 days ago. He has not been back here for days now - the excuse is he's waiting for materials. It's no excuse really - he should have ordered them in time. He is supposed to be here today - at 2pm - so I'll wait and see what happens.
The floor screed man can't do the floor this week - but he has said he will do his best to get to me next week. It's only a days work - but he seems to be booked up.

Tried to get hold of the stair makers - but the phone is engaged all the time. I managed to get through yesterday and they promised to get back to me today - no sign of that so far today.
Ah well - it's a lovely day here and the grass and trees are green. There are lambs and calves and foals in the fields. A few extra days or weeks before we move in shouldn't be a problem.

Wet Wet Wet

There was a bit of a panic yesterday - the plumber was in finishing off the radiators and the heating pipes. When I went round after hey had gone home - there were damp patches on the ceilings in three of the rooms and the floor in one of the upstairs bedrooms was very wet. I rang the owner of the plumbing firm who came right round - it was about 8pm. He knew there had been a few leaks from radiators when they were pressure testing the system - but he hadn't seen all these damp patches. He agreed to check it all out in the morning. The final verdict was that it was just the water from the rads that had got in under the floor - he is sure no pipes are leaking.
The plumber has done his bit now - and the floor screed can be laid. The screeder is calling round on Monday to check things out again and see how much screed we need to order etc.
The electrician still hasn't finished - but has promised yet again to get it enough done by Monday evening so that I can apply for an electricity supply. He made that promise a week ago too - so I'll wait and see what happens on Monday.
The floor insulation has arrived - more money for Kingspan.

Irish Mirrors and Clocks

This company isn't too far from us - they make Mirrors with frames made from Slate - and also clocks made of slate. Looks nice - but it will be a few weeks before we are hanging mirrors though.

Reasons to be Cheerful

1. A lovely day here in the West of Ireland today
2. The plumber has almost finished - as he promised - ready for the floors to be screeded .
3. The electricain turned up yesterday and today for a few hours and made some progress. He's not as quick as I hoped - but is looking like he will be ready before the end of the week.
4. I finally made contact with the man who will be doing the floor screed - it took a few days to get hold of him. He won't be able to do it till at least the end of next week. He is calling round on Monday to finalise what is needed .
5. Have agreed with the man who did the main build of the house to come back and do the sewage and rainwater drainage and footpaths and the connection of the waste treatment plant. He will be ready in about 4 weeks to do that .
6 Spoke to a tiler who will be available in about 4 weeks - which should fit in with our plans. He has been recommended by a couple of people . He is calling round next week.
7. A local carpenter has also been recommended for the doors and skirting - his prices seem OK even though I haven't had any others yet. Need to book him soon.

Plumbing Progress

The plumber has been in today and yesterday - laying all the pipes for the heating and water. The radiators are all in place now and the boiler will be put in tomorrow (it's going outside). The oil pipe from the tank to the boiler has to be buried - a digger is coming tomorrow morning to do that. I will need to be on hand to do a bit f digging by hand near the walls. The electrician has promised to have the house ready for connecting by Monday next. Then we will have to wait for the ESB to do their bit - which could take weeks! .

Inside Plastering Finished

The plasterer finished the inside of the house last Friday - so now the electrician and plumber can come back to do the next stages. The electrician had two lads in the house on Saturday - fitting all the final bits of the sockets and the phone points and TV points and switches. The plumber has promised to be here on Tuesday (Monday is a bank Holiday) - to fit the radiators and oil boiler and the water pipes. As soon as he has done that - we will be getting the floor screed laid (concrete) . We will then have to wait a couple of weeks before any floor tiles can be laid. We could begin painting upstairs and then tiling and flooring upstairs too while we are waiting for the downstairs floor to set.
The drains/sewage pipes outside will also need sorting out in the next couple of weeks.
Before the plumber comes back on Tuesday we have a bit of clearing up to to - to sweep the floors and get rid of any rubble etc - so that will be a few more blisters on these hands that have hardly being used!