Hi Bill (BillN)

Morning Herman

we are now pre occupied with work on our house in SW France - it's a big old stone place, (was a couple of barns and cow sheds) - about 150 to 200 years old, but I'm not sure anyone really knows the age as it was part of a very rural agricultural hamlet - almost everything to do - started with the upstairs - and built 4 bedrooms plus en suites - plus a new staircase up, and plumbing, electrics and drainage

Lots to do - total insulation - a couple of heating systems - wood burning stove driving a few radiators in half the house, (the winter end), plus a wood pellet burner in the other half, (the summer end) - we try to only use part of the place in the winter, (it can be/is very cold), but when the warm weather arrives visitors start to appear - also looking at some solar panels to supplement the system

- then I have to start on "the barns" - which I need for my Bikes and a few oldish cars that I have

we bought the place over 20 years ago and have used it for the summers - but now we are here permanently we need more "creature" comforts.

Not had much time to "press the button" and take images

Cheers
 
G' afternoon Bill ! Thanks for your reply. Do you have a water supply system from your own?
Anyway, you got internet access ! Would be nice to post images taken from your house, to show us what you're talking about.
 
I've been thinking about you, as well, Bill. That project sounds both exciting and BIG! I can't help but think of the book by Peter Mayles, My Year in Provence.

I sure hope your documenting the before and afters...and the ongoing. People who haven't seen it as is, will never believe it afterwards if you don't have the pictures to prove it. Just think of all those portraits you can capture of the tradespeople working hard on the plumbing.;)

Once things are finished, perhaps you'll host a photography workshop. We can get Enrique to come from Spain and a few others, as well. If I'd thought about this, I could have arranged for Overseas Delivery on my Volvo and zipped down to see you.:tongue:

Seriously, I am glad to hear from you and would love to see a photo "blog" thread if you're up for it or at least pictures from here as you can embed from Flickr.
 
Thanks

tradesmen - it's just me, (I'm great with a sweeping brush), plus a friend who fortunately is an expert, (he is doing most of the work - we started last September) - we draft an electrician in "as and when" - which has been quite a lot as there was/is lots of electrickery to sort out and extend.

the end of the week could be a "testing" time when we turn the water on and test the drainage to the 4 new en suite shower rooms etc.,

I'll try to find a few photos and post them
 
Wow, Bill, that is a lot of work for just the two of you. When we attacked our little house here (it was a dump), my husband (a carpenter) did a lot of the work but we also had some friends who helped. In addition, we needed to hire some guys, too, including an electrician to tie in all the wiring to a new "box". Of course, we'd just had a bouncing baby after buying it and were living with my mother...so it behooved us to be able to live in the house ASAP. It still took a very long time, to gut it and more.

I'm glad you have separate areas where you can live without being in the midst of the rebuilding.

Please, pace yourself!
 
I hate doing plumber work. I just don't know how to fix some things so I have to learn as I go. They charge about 125 and hour around here. So I generally try to muddle through problems myself with a trip to the hardware store. Good luck Bill.
 
Hi Bill,

what a huge project!
I can imagine that the local 'Bricolage' will roll out the red carpet when they see your car....:rolleyes:
Ten years ago I had to paint all windows and blinds and beforehand to sand. Due to the warm weather I missed the ear protection and since then I have a slight tinnitus.....

So be careful.........

Cheers
Bernd
 
OK a few photos

Work started in earnest in October – as I said one (expert) man and a dog, (me), plus an electrician as required, (a young guy with a “masters” in electronics with computer control things – but with the unemployment in France all he can get is this type of work).

The house is really two “buildings” separated by a wall which is over 2 feet think, (0.8 metre)., and connected by one door downstairs – but not connected at all upstairs.
Originally the house had two staircases, a big one to get to 4 rooms upstairs and a small one to get to our bedroom and bathroom.

First job was to remove the 2 staircases and build another in the centre of the house, so the we could connect the “upstairs” by knocking a “doorway” through the 2 foot wall. Next step was to knock the walls down in the 4 upstairs original bedrooms and build three new bedrooms with 3 ensuite shower rooms/toilets. We have just about finished this stage and here are the photos.

The results for removing the upstairs walls




New bedrooms being put up – the guy is the electrician


New staircase in


Connection “door” between the upstairs



One of new bedrooms – just about finished



One of new shower rooms



Plumbing for upstairs bedrooms




now I need a drink, (or two or three)
 
It's going to be lovely, just keep telling yourself that :) It's been almost two years since we first started renovating our little casa in Spain. We have rewired, replastered, replaced the bathrooms and kitchen, tiled the patios repainted the outside, replaced windows, blinds etc. etc. We ordered some new interior doors around Easter last year and after a lot of kerfuffle with the August holiday, Saint's days etc. they are just now arriving and await fitting (so John our builder tells me :rolleyes:) Be thankful you don't live in "manana" land :D
 
hi Christina

it is always a lot more difficult if you are not around to "supervise" the work - we had the same "delay" problems when we lived in the UK - the "pool", for example took the "locals" two years to build

- we would hope to get all the upstairs finished within the next month - three beds and en suites will be finished this week, (my weekend ends on a Sunday), - today it is the last of the plumbing, connecting and testing the electrics plus finishing the wood floor in the 3 bedrooms - plus finishing all the painting "undercoat" - which I hate - painting that is!

Next week - finish the downstairs loo - and start on the "winter end" bedroom and bathroom - first - extra roof insulation and foil backed plaster board ceilings to reflect the heat back in summer and down in winter - plus half of this part of the house is "open to the roof" without a roof cavity - so needs good insulation.

During the month following - make one "winter end" bedroom into connected "dressing room" - complete all wood flooring upstairs - insulate north facing bedroom walls - put in small window for a little more light for my upstairs study area - and sort electrics in that end.........

All the upstairs should then be finished before the "hoards" - (son, daughter and their other "halves") - arrive for a weeks Easter holiday.

Then onto the downstairs
 
I'll tell you Bill, I need to get you over here and have you oversee my husband. I'm still waiting for a bunch of building projects to be finished. It seems to me that you're doing very well.

I hope all the plumbing works beautifully! Looking forward more photos when you have the time.:th_salute:
 
Bill;
This is totally just too much work for an old codger like yourself. Where do you have the energy. Just looking at the photos make
me tired beyond belief. But I am so glad you are doing this and keep yourself active. Wish there was some way to help ya.

I'll tip a glass for you, your home, family and health.

Cheers,
Pete

ps. I didn't even slam you like normal :tongue: must be I'm getting older and wiser!
 
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