For me the week in November was all about painting. In a feeble attempt to save money I did decorating, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, a full week of roller and brush. I painted the ceilings in the kitchen, dining room, stair well and upstairs landing in Dulux Brilliant White. Then changed to White Mist and went back round again doing all the walls!
Allen, our kitchen designer, was also having fun with paint. Mary found a bendy spatula that was just the right shade for the kitchen units. It matches nicely with the Dulux colour Country Sky. Unfortunately normal emulsion is unsuitable for spraying, you need special paint with the right viscosity and added hardener and that changes the colour. Scanning the shiny-surfaced spatula didn't work and getting the dry paint to match the colour we want is an ongoing challenge. This is causing significant delays to the kitchen installation.
The doorway into our bedroom had a curious second lintel which, on the reverse side, was showing cracks. Removing the boxing revealed an oak lintel which we suspect was inserted when the middle and rear house where knocked into one. The builder declared the cracks to be of no consequence. We are going to leave the beam exposed rather than box it back in again.
There was damp at one end of the upstair corridor wall. Poking our heads up the loft hatch only gave a view along the front and middle roof spaces. The space above our bedroom was blocked off by what was once the back wall before the third dwelling was added on. The only way to see what was going on was to cut a hole in the ceiling. The roof space was dry and well insulated, the builder reckons the damp was condensation.
Slow progress in the under-stairs shower room. The walls are skimmed and painted. The last screed is down and the lino on top. Still to do are plumbing in the shower, sink, loo and towel rail.
Several people suggested using the space under the cellar stairs for wine storage. You spoke, we listened.
Next update in December.
