Cleanup before the workers begin...Weird

This is really weird having to clean up before the builders arrive on Monday.  We had a request from Urs (the architect) to make sue that the place is tidy before the builders arrive.  This is amazing as any building site that I have ever been associated with has been a tip.

We had two main tasks today.  The first to clear the dead grape vines off the roof of the garage, along with most of the supporting wire frames (A new roof will be laid over the current one).  The second task was to remove the last of the wood from the drive way.  You catch a glimpse of this in video blog number 1.

The weather was fine in the morning but clouded over and steady rain started to fall.  This happened just as we had completed the roof work.  The resulting green debris filled the trailer.  We headed off to the village green container and unloaded the material.

We had a BBQ lunch under the pergola (due to the rain), and Reggie then went shopping.  This left Raphael and myself to load the remaining wood onto the trailer, and offload it at the village wood shed.

This task completed meant that all is in readiness for the arrival on Monday of the....

An April Update - Impending launch

As you are all aware, the demolition component (well our part in it) was completed in the last blog entry.   Since then, the Architect Urs, and his assistant Andi have been inviting many different firms along to quote on the work to be completed.  On arrival back from a trip to Australia on April 21st, Reggie and myself had another meeting to review the first offers.  We were not surprised that the quotes ran over our budget, but that means we go back now and ask them to improve their bids.

Thursday April 30th saw Reggie, Andi and myself meeting at a large bathroom company SABAG AG.  This was a fun morning, where we chose toilets, shower fittings, sinks, taps and a few other items.  We were surprised that a large company could not offer better prices over the same product on the internet.  We feel that there will be some tears soon (for them, not us).  

On leaving SABAG we priced up a very expensive toilet for our bathroom on the net, and it came in a third cheaper .  

Today we met with our electrician for the first time to discuss the location of electrical sockets, lights etc.  This was interesting, and we started at our home looking at the plans before going to the farm to finalise ideas.  Of course, as soon as he had left we remembered that we had not discussed extractor fans in each bathroom, and the finer detail in the kitchen.  We had the impression that we had to make all of the decisions, and received few if no ideas from the electrician.

Monday is May 4th, and is the day the real work begins at the house.  The builder will start his work on that day.  We will be keeping the blog as up to date as possible. Reggie and myself are getting very excited, and all we can do now is keep meeting with the architect, and ensure that the bidding process works for both them and us.

Demolishion Complete - Well almost

Another day of humping and carrying.  Those hefty beams in the living room had to be lifted and cut up.  Not a task for the feint hearted.  Levering them out of their homes proved to be quite a tough task.  Other tasks needed attention too.  Removing the bundles of firewood from the first floor attic was a heavy and long winded task.  We first had to throw them out of the attic hatch, to be then be carried to the barn, to be then hoisted and stacked.

The ceilings in the kitchen, room to back garden and downstairs toilet were removed. (A filthy job). This task was followed by removed the skirting tiles from the corridor and downstairs bathroom.  I am so happy to be putting the jack-hammer away for a while.

The final tasks included firing up the chainsaw to cut up those beams, hoiking them through the window ready for stacking, and a final clean up.

We managed this although feeling totally weary.  Reggie was a super worker again today, and Raphael was there to make up the numbers.

We are happy to have concluded our demolishion duties.  The next movement in the house will be at the end of April when the pros take over and start creating our dream home.

The task list is greatly reduced

Wow.  What a day of demolition progress.  As soon as Simon arrived we loaded up yet another trailer load of wood (remind me never to live in Sweden), and offloaded that at geminde wood store.  We then proceeded to work from the top of the house down, completing rooms as we went.  We started in the upstairs bathroom, which needed tiles and the ceiling frame removing.  My theory of tiles still holds true (look at the last post).  We took it in turns with the jack hammer, as this really does cause pain and discomfort after a few minutes.  We had quite some debris to remove from upstairs, but with a new skip in place we proceeded to remove this with the aid of a wheelbarrow and brute strength.  By lunchtime we had completed most of the upstairs tasks including sweeping which is a good sign.  After a sandwich lunch (which proved a challenge to consume) we started on cleaning up the downstairs rooms.  Debris found its way to the skip.  We then started to remove the floorboards from the lounge room.  A new concrete slab will be poured in here, and we where interested to find out what lay beneath.  Once a few boards were removed it became apparent that a cinder floor with what can only described as railway sleeper sized beam lay beneath.  These beams are in excellent condition, (I say are, because they are still in place).  We removed over half the floor and then decided to load the trailer again just to create a day of equilibrium. After a quick shower, we headed off to the village restaurant for a Cordon Bleau.  It is always nice to order it with friends, as Reggie gets to say `We have Cordon Bleau, and England have Gordon Brown`.  On that happy note, thanks to Simon, Reggie and Raphael.  The end to the demolition is in sight.

Does this stuff grow on trees? er.....

If any of you have had the pleasure or misfortune to visit our current home, you will realise that we live in a place which to all intense and purposes is modeled on a Swiss Chalet.  that is to say lots of pine ceilings.  Now in its defense it is a lovely home, but I am just getting a little tired of humping this stuff around.  I would like to say that the stuff you see in the photos is the last of it, but I am frightened that another room will appear resembling some lost sauna.  

I managed a couple of hours tonight of wood moving, but finished with some jack hammer therapy.  I have a theory about tiled walls.  It goes something like this.  If you want them to stick on the wall they develop a conspiracy against you and join forces with gravity to end up with the noticeable bulge before falling off, but if on the other hand you want to remove them, then they stick like s***t to the proverbial blanket.  Never mind super Simon is coming on Saturday, and he loves a challenge.

A day for loading and unloading

Not an exciting day today, but at least if feels like spring.  Today started with the emptying of all of the wood out of the cow stall into the trailer for offloading at the village wood hut.  It will be burnt on August 1st.  This task took a couple of hours.  I then decided to tackle the remaining wooden ceilings, in the guest room and downstairs bathroom.  These came down quite easily, but once again this wood will now need to be loaded and shifted.

The skip is ready to be taken away as it is full, and I think one more should see us through.  We will order it this week, for next Saturday.  Simon will be over to help.  The last remaining large task is the removal of the wooden floor and joists in the lounge room.  

It is time to give the architect a call to discuss which firms we will use.  

Must go now.  Off to IKEA now to help load furniture on my trailer for a friend (Ramona).  Well hey, I an experienced loader and unloader.

So where have you been?

Ok OK, I know it would appear that we have been a bit slack of late, but that is far from the truth.  After the tremendous Saturday a couple of weeks ago, the physical activity has been rudely interrupted by a week of work in the UK While I have been away, we have taken delivery of more kitchen appliances.  Reggie has been working incredibly hard, and now the only remaining items of any size to purchase for the kitchen, is the sink and the induction cook top.

On my trip to England I picked up the dishwasher (a sexy two drawer model) and a lawn mower.  Why do you need a lawnmower and dishwasher from England I hear you ask.  Well the answer is price and availability.

Tonight we attacked the house again.  Finally removing the last of the false ceiling in the soon to be lounge room, along with the door frame.  As if we were not dirty and dusty enough, we started to remove the ceiling in the kitchen.  This will be a a two hour job which can only be described as being totally filthy.  

The coming Saturday will be wood removal.  We have received permission from the Geminde chief to dump our timber at a location so that it can be used for the August 1st bonfire to celebrate Swiss National day.  

Well off to the shower and then bed.