Good evening Bloggets. Well, my head is done in… I’m so confused, in fact my con has never been so fused! Hub and I have spent so long over the past few days deciding where things will go in our new kitchen. I have had more men in my house today, smile… Well, what else is a girl to do?
We have floor tiles on the floor of our kitchen, well, Fiona, where else would one have floor tiles? See, I told you I was confused. Talk about double vision? We have double trouble. We learned not long after we moved here that the person before us, lay the floor tiles on top of other tiles. The man today said that if we lift the second lot of tiles up, we may find that the original floorboards come up and the whole floor basically gives in…. Well, I laughed and showed him our ceiling, oh what a mess that is? There are more cracks in that than the before facelift job of an old actress!
This job is daunting. I’m stressed and we are only on week one. It’s such a big job as in stupid shape of our kitchen. I tell you trying to design a room like this is so difficult, when I did my last extension on another house, remember I told you I drew the plans out on some graph paper? Oh, that was so funny, especially when I handed the builders the design and they asked who did them for me? Hahaha. I told them I did, and they were shocked, but I just don’t have the confidents to do that now days, I am slowly struggling to write my name. Today I was asked to sign a bit of paper, heck, seriously, what was that for again??? Em. I really don’t know, but the man was impressed as he said he has had sighted people who can’t write their name in the box and apparently, my name was right in the centre of where it should have been. It’s something I should practice, just a simple signature, as I am not at all comfortable about writing now not as I used to be. As far as graphs and designs, in my last extension, when I think back, it was a huge dining room, a shower room a study and a large bedroom, but they were simple rooms even the shower room was quite basic in comparison to a kitchen where we have to know about the cooker/oven where it’s going, what kind of oven and hob, the gap above the hob as sadly we have to have a gas hob because the electric hobs are almost all touch pads and I need dials. But me and gas, hmm. I don’t like gas at all. Hub says he prefers to cook on gas, em,, excuse me love, but how many times do you, cook? I can see myself going up in a blue flame… We have to fit in an integrated fridge, freezer, washing machine and dryer. In our kitchen, there are corners and pipe work that have to be made so cupboards go around them. And then we are wanting a pull-out basket cupboard so we can have our tins in and organise them in a better way. I wanted cupboards where the corners of the room, the cupboards kind of pull out and around not to waist space. Now, remembering all this and off to the show room to see what they make of us and just how they will describe things to us? Even walking around the show room, this may be fun, exciting, or a complete waist of time… Let’s see. We are off on our kitchen adventure. Stay tuned in later with what happened. X
Later is here.
Well, my kitchen? It’s a long story and already I’m sick of it. As you know we went to see the kitchen choices and it was going to be a little stressful as Hub and I were on our own. We had spent hours in our kitchen walking around, using the tactile tape measure trying to work out just where we wanted things as if you can imagine, to sit with a designer in an open plan shop/showroom would be daunting. Trying to imagine our kitchen with a decent set of units in was difficult for me. Because obviously, I have never seen this kitchen and I have no memory of it because of that reason.
I phoned first and told the person on the phone that Hub and I were blind and would it be Okay if they would be able to show us around? Oh yes, no problem. Well, we arrived early, the lovely lady met us at the door and we told her we had an appointment with the designer. Haha, that is a joke, but hey, more in a mo.
The man said our names and we smiled in his direction and the lady came to us and apologised. Well, what for? That was a good start, he said our names and walked off for us to follow him. Very helpful.
She guided us to the man. She was lovely. He was a total A.H if you must know. I didn’t like his attitude from the start. All the kitchens in that show room, guess how many he showed us? And only because we had to ask him to show us, we saw two. Well luckily, they were nice ones, and there was a choice of colour. One colour was very nice, sea blue, kind of a green blue. But I wanted to avoid colours as they go out of fashion. So, what colour did I go for? Cream, and I asked the man was it a dirty white colour, or real cream, a good question don’t you think? Well, he was miffed to think that his kitchens could possibly be dirty anything. Hahahahah. Well, Hub said I didn’t help as one kitchen we passed I turned to Hub and said it was really a cheap and nasty looking kitchen… But it was. I can’t even for a second imagine anyone giving it house room.
You know I said I didn’t want a shaker style kitchen?
Well
I chose a shaker style kitchen.
When I looked at them before they were wooden with awful round old fashioned wooden handles, we have chosen a high gloss cream kitchen and the handles I picked are called little Daisy. Apparently, all of the handles have old fashioned lady’s names.
When it came to the work tops, he couldn’t be bothered to get off his butt and show us around so he brought a few samples to us. And guess what? Only the four range so the most expensive range. By this point, we had been in the room for about an hour and forty minutes. I think he was tired, it had been a long day. I can empathise with that. We chose beautiful work tops, I described what I wanted and they are quartz, I think that is how you spell it. They are white with cream markings and darkish brown with a dark blue. He did describe that to us. You have upstands now in kitchens, this is where the worktops continue up the wall for the height of a wall tile. I then had to remind him he hadn’t shown us the sinks? Well, how was he going to bring a choice of those to us? Hahehehe. I suggested to Hub that I would go this time as we wanted stainless steel so not much for me to choose? There were four. One was very shallow, one deep one had a very flat steel drainer with no grooves at all and the other was just normal, not too deep not shallow and the grooves on the draining board were quite deep. Then for the taps. I didn’t like the swan kind, I picked a mixer tap that goes up straight and then just out. It was funny as I was feeling the range of taps, I found one and thought that looks odd? Just about to tell the (DESIGNER) how odd that looked when he smiled and said someone has obviously stolen that part. Hahaha. Where had I come to?
Oh my, there was what is called a tall range. To get your eggs from the fridge, you needed step ladders. Who would want a fridge like that?
I told him where I wanted our display units and what kind of corner pull out shelving/cupboards we wanted. Hub said he was going to keep quiet as had no confidents he could work out where what was going, but he did really well, remembering it all so well.
We had to decide which way the doors opened and where we want the fridge and freezer. I would like the cooker put in the middle of the wall at the moment it’s right to one side.
Oh my, to be able to have a cooker I can use? At last, also not to have to go to the garage outside to dry my clothes. Our dryer is in there and it’s awful we go out into the front of the garden to get to our garage. Same with the freezer, well the big freezer. It’s out there. Because our kitchen is tiny.
Gosh there will be so much work to do, Hub and I will be spending Easter weekend emptying cupboards drawers and so on. Where to put everything? Then there are our two huge wall units full of crystal, bar wear and china as well as my collections of salt and pepper sets and mugs.
I think I have about 47 salt and pepper sets. So, 94 altogether. We are going to have two broom cupboards. Oh, I can’t wait as now you should see our kitchen, it’s so bad, I’m ashamed of it. A lot of people come into our kitchen and say it’s nice, but I don’t think they look at the bottom end where the junk is because there are no cupboards to put things.
I hope my lovely joiner will do our floor, but the builder we had in the other day to see our window, said he fears the floor will all need redoing. Don’t ask… Dread dot com.
Since the kitchen order, we have been sent the plans. Of course, it’s all in pictures but there are a few words to show us how much everything is and what it is. I had to write to the (DESIGNER) because he left an important item out and he had the wrong colour worktops in the plan. He was is hopeless. I wish we could have had the lady. He doesn’t fill me with confidents. One good thing, I managed to get the dishwasher free. Hub was mortified, in fact his morti has never been so fied. As the dishwasher was already half price. Well, less for them to give me free, right?
I also learned today, a few days after we paid the deposit, that our kitchen will come when they say, not like the man said when we want it. And, the kitchen has to be in a week before the work tops will be fitted. So, how long without a kitchen?
It’s going to be a pain, as Hub and I can’t just pop in the car and go and get some convenient food. And Boy Wonder has said he is away with a friend for a couple of days at least when our kitchen is due…
Well, I, am trying to lose weight.
Everything is up in the air right now. There is so much to do. Painters, plumber’s electricians, joiners, fitters floor, and before all of that, a builder. WE are blocking in our back door and turning a window into a sliding door. So, bricks to build and bricks to knock out as well as moving radiators and lifting tiles and remember our tiles are double. The man before us put tiles on top of other tiles. Hence why the floor will probably need renewing. Oh, and there is my ceiling, remember the cracks? And the very odd things that the man before us put on it.
As for the colour of the walls? Not sure what colour I will go for. I did think about a pale blue. Then a strong cup of tea, with a tiny bit of milk. Smile. Or a dark mushroom colour.
Well we are in for a bumpy ride. It’s scary but seriously, I can’t wait until its finished because to have a cooker I just can’t work properly and cupboards that are fallen apart is awful. We are not going on holiday for the next few years so this is my Caribbean, my beautiful Italy and my seaside south of France holiday.
Another day
Today words fail me. So, what to write about? I guess keep it safe and tell you about my kitchen if you are not bored already.
Oh my, the drama in my life right now is unreal, but as for the kitchen? Well, my lovely joiner who I totally trust was, or is, going to do our ceiling by putting up plasterboards and covering up the vast damage. I didn’t even know just how bad our ceiling was this is the tragic thing. How would we know? We only knew about the ceiling in the living room because our Son told us there was a rusty mark and the next thing we knew, the water started to fall through from upstairs shower room.
Some stress and weeks later, we got is fixed kind of, yet another dodgy tradesman entered our life. Never mind that was that, we ended up resolving the situation costing more money than we should have paid because of how bad the plasterer left our room.
So, our joiner said to board it then plaster would be fine, the builder said no way it can just be boarded up because you would still be able to see the damage and there will be nothing to knock the boards into as the ceiling isn’t strong enough.
So, the builder’s proposal? To bring down our ceiling, oh my God.
I really hate this house. There isn’t a room where we haven’t had to do some work and in most rooms, loads of work. I truly wished we had not moved here. Having said that, I have met such nice people. My friend keeps trying to get me to move back to where we used to live, but no way, though Hub would move back there tomorrow.
So yesterday morning I got a call from the builder, he said that we are paying masses over the top for the kitchen. He said the kitchen shop over the road will do it cheaper. Talking thousands. Thousands? Well, long and short of it is, I just can’t trust his word on this. Firstly, where we are buying our kitchen from, they come ready made, the other place are flat pack. These wall cupboards are deeper big enough to get a dinner plate in. The place across the road you can’t get a 12 inch plate in the cupboards, apparently. Sales pitch? Possibly. I called our kitchen place and asked if there was a cooling off period? There is. So, our deposit we can get back. But do I want the kitchen from the other place? I know the builder has to purchase it, as they only sell to tradesmen. And they will sell it to him for less obviously and that is how he makes his money. The builder is really pushing a particular lady onto us from the kitchen place. He gave me her name. I called the place across the road and I was told that there wasn’t a lady with that name at their place but at the shop in town there was a sales person with that name. Hmm. And why has the builder not told me just to give anyone a call? Why this person only?
My last house, we were to get windows in. The builder told us that they were expensive but would last a lifetime, the other choice he does was for those who are doing up a house to sell fast and cheaply. So, we picked the expensive ones. The van pulled up, work started. I learned the van had the name of the cheap window company on but the builder charged us for the expensive ones. When I confronted him, he said to be honest they are much the same. This is after he spent weeks pushing the deer ones onto us a saying why? I just can’t stand it. The stress is immense. Do I let the joiner who I trust do the work that will cover damage but possibly the ceiling won’t take the stress of the wood being put onto it? And if the builder is right, will we still see the damage? Our joiner says no, you can’t see the damage because the boards are thick, going back to my problem, will the ceiling take the weight of the boards? As for price, there isn’t much in it between a new ceiling or boarded up.
All I wanted was a bloody new kitchen.
Fast forward some days. Gosh, Hub and I have been really stressed this week and so many times I have wanted to throw in the tea towel.
Our kitchen designer has been on holiday this week. But at last he has answered our email and now we can move forward. In the end, we have got a good deal I hope. We are getting a free dishwasher and the most exciting thing of all, oh I’m buzzing about this, I have always wanted one of these and now I’m getting one. WoopWhoop. It’s a plate warmer in a drawer. Well, the make we are looking at is not far shy of £500 but we have managed to sweet talk our designer and we are getting that for £240. It has a dial so we will be able to use it. I hope, we are going to look tomorrow. Boy Wonder was going to take us tonight when he got in from work, but our kitchen man isn’t free until tomorrow, and that is when our Son is off on his break. So Hub and I are off on an adventure with the little Fella and the wonderful Wagging one. Oh my, and guess what we have to pass to get to the kitchen shop? The pet shop. No doubt we will be dragged in there for a treat. Our Waggs loves it in there and when we go to the shops around there, even if we are not wanting to go there, Waggs won’t walk anywhere else until she has had her fix at the pet shop.
Now finding this kitchen shop is going to be a huge challenge. We haven’t done the route before, we know roughly the direction, and it’s across a carpark and passing loads of obstacles like parked shopping carts, walls and café tables and chairs as well as bins and so many people but I’m up for the challenge. I only hope to goodness we can get back in one piece, it will be so busy around there tomorrow.
Tuesday 19th of April 2017
Oh well, here we go. Feeling sick right now. All weekend we have been emptying our kitchen. Two large units full of crystal and china. Collectables and more. Up and down stairs trying to find space in one of the rooms if not three. Moving one unit into our sitting room and the other into our conservatory where we had a huge disaster, not our fault at all but the fault of another. One thing we asked help for which I really regret. Hub and I said we are better off on our own doing things. Putting items upstairs where we can remember where to find them again is a challenge. Remember we can’t just look and go to whatever?
Oh, the house is upside down. On top of that we are trying to sell some items and people, strangers have been coming to the house, something I’m not comfortable with.
We are absolutely exhausted. Now it’s out of our control. My house is all open to whoever. Our back gate is unlocked. Our garage door is open. Our back door open, and our builder already after only twenty minutes has disappeared. There is another man arrived, and he is in my garage but said he will be going soon. Where? How long for?
Last night when we went to bed I was saying to Hub I won’t even have a cup of tea. All day without food. It will do me good though as I have had an Easter egg this weekend that I shouldn’t have had.
Hub had to get up at six for a silly start to his working day it was just after the pumpkin hour and Boy Wonder came in the house shouting his mouth off about how he was going to make his bacon sandwich in the morning. Oh, my God. Give me strength. For five days we have hardly eaten anything not had time to stop he has been away for a break to Scotland since he has been back he has been for two meals out and he has the nerve to shout and go crazy like that? Obviously, tensions ran high and sadly doors got almost smashed off their hinges as a bad tempered young man took revenge out on the house and Hub wasn’t his best behaviour either as he shouted at BW to get out of our room. Well seriously, kids are so selfish. Not once has he thought about how difficult this whole thing is for us.
Now I have my little Waggatail squeaking her toy, trying to put it on my lap top for me to throw for her, our dogs lives have been disturbed too as they don’t like change and haven’t had the attention they deserve this weekend. They have worked as we have really tried to get what we need for our kitchen, thank God for them. But as far as a calm house? Nope, not this house, and I think we may be here for a while like this as the builder today told me that he would only be doing the window today, not touching the door or ceiling. For pity sake, what is wrong with these people? He told me last week he would take the ceiling down the same time as the window out and door out so to get rid of the rubbish all in one go. So, I don’t know what is being done today, all I know is I’m praying… Now, who to? Good question. This isn’t one for my angels. I’m thinking this is a one for the boss.
Oh, and my lovely joiner is coming today and our new gardener. Then there is a man coming to buy our bar stools. Oh, it’s all going on in the Fifi household. It’s not even nine in the morning, I’m starving. It’s psychological because I know I can’t get in there to do anything. I had it all planned. I was going to bring through some cottage cheese. Nice and easy, but our builder came too early. He was due at nine but came at eight fifteen. Oh well, let’s hope he will put in a full day? I wonder if he’s back yet?
I already forgot to tell him to take our blinds down. Oh heck. I just can’t remember everything. I was in there before and I was pointing to things as I was telling him what needed doing, or reminding him. He wasn’t sure where I meant so I had to point. Hopefully in the right direction. Seriously this blind thing is a pain. It’s going to be a long four weeks.
Next day
Good morning Bloggets. I’m up with the birds. Boy Wonder started work today at six a.m. He was on opening again. Hub left the house at twenty past six. My alarm went off at quarter past seven not that I slept, as I get churned up when I know Hub is travelling especially as yesterday he had a tough journey where the Little Fella had to work overtime, bless his paws he was amazing. I also had to be up early to clean our dog run again and sort more things out in the kitchen then at least try to make a cup of tea before I had to put away the water boiler again. Oh, I don’t like it at all. My house feels so unhomely. Everything is echoee. (English students, there is no such word as echoee.) It’s really disorienting when your footsteps echo and there is things all over the place that shouldn’t be there. I had a panic last night as couldn’t remember where the dog food was, but thankfully found it. It was where I left it but when you can’t see something, an inch, is as good as a miss!
I was mortified yesterday when one of the men, the person who came with the builder, you know, the builder who is meant to be doing our work? Well, who the guy was, I do not know but bless him he only was supposed to work until lunch time but stayed till three. Well he asked me had we just moved in? Oh heck, I was so ashamed. I mean, we have a cake tin in the office, a glass dish with a lid next to it with Easter cake in and cereal in the third bedroom as well as pans casserole dishes dinner sets and oven trays as well as all of our crystal and china just everywhere. We tried to keep it into piles, but our rooms are so small it’s impossible. Downstairs is much bigger and we have our two china units again out of the kitchen, one in the conservatory and it comes in two, so there is six feet of units in the middle of the floor and the other one is in the living room along with the vacuum because I don’t want the builders using it. Oh, and the speakers? The ones we had for sale on EBay? They sold straight away. Great, get them out of the house. As now they are in front of the window and they are huge. There are two tall speakers, one subwoofer and one centre thing. Whatever that means. I know the sound is great but it’s massive furniture, but we sold it so yep yep. And we got a great price on it. Only the guy who bought it though he is Polish, thankfully he’s not from Poland, but he may as well be, he lives four hours away and can’t collect until next Thursday. Hub told me I had to deal with him as he is working. I said I wasn’t happy with that, the man’s voice on the phone sounds really scary. And he is very demanding, rude actually, Hub said it’s just their way. Hahaha. Well, I know what he means as when I used to know Russian, people, they could be rather abrupt. I know when I had my eye injections, there was one lady who sometimes came and did my needles and she was terrifying. Her face was so scary and her voice so deep and serious some would say harsh. An yet she was the kindest most gentle lady in that hospital. I ended up loving her over the 16 years I travelled for eye treatment to Moscow!
So, in the meanwhile, we have four speakers in our sitting room. My house is a tip. I hate it. My friend has her family coming to stay with her for a month whilst they get their kitchen fitted, gosh how lucky they are to have a comfortable home to go to. This is like living in a tent.
Well, my builder is here now, I opened the gate for him and unlocked the back door and he had to knock on the front door as he couldn’t open the back door. Hahaha I said to him a big strapping man like you can’t open an unlocked door? EEEEEE, I think I say too much. I give him a little talking to last night over the phone as I was not best impressed with his work, or lack of it yesterday. He told me he would be two days and he is now saying he may be finished by next Monday. So, let’s see how far he gets today and if I am not happy, I am not getting him to do the kitchen fitting. My Husband has wanted our trust worthy joiner from the start but this guy said he could fit the kitchen in four days and his price was of a similar one to our good guy but the electric work is cheaper but I’m now thinking I was stupid and should have gone with our joiner. Let’s see if my sharp stick worked?
Now it’s gone very quiet in there. I think the builder has left again. Leaving this new man who came today who has already claimed my two tall cupboards for his shed. He has his eye on the tiles too. The builder has his heart of claiming a very odd box on our ceiling.
Don’t ask.
I’m scared.
Knowing this house, there is probably an attempt of a sunken bath from upstairs. I can visualise our Sons bed falling through.
My poor little Waggatail will get cabin fever over the next couple of days. I may go to our Chinese tomorrow night, and give her some work. I think our ceiling is coming down tomorrow. You know, the ceiling that should have come down either yesterday or today? Our wall isn’t even knocked out where the new sliding door is going on Friday.
My kitchen designer phoned me today. Well the other day Hub and I went to see him sign papers and he was so much better. He showed us things this time like the splash back that goes behind the cooker and the extractor fan as well as the fridge and freezers. Oh, and the plate warmer. Our builder yesterday asked as I told him we need an independent plug for our warm draw, what’s a draw warmer? Well, I had to answer. A place to warm my drawers…. (Draws slang for underwear)
It was one of those cringing Fi moments. I have many. He didn’t laugh, I didn’t laugh. It went quiet. SO, I had to kind of break the ice and tell him it was a drawer that you pull out and can warm plates or keep things warm. He told me I was posh… I’m thinking, heck you are going to fit my kitchen and you don’t know what a plate warmer is?
Oh, I have just heard his voice, so one hour into my work starting for the day he is still there. His voice is almost like my Brother in laws. The other guy who is with him sounds like a squeaky puppet. I don’t care as long as my work gets done. One good thing they haven’t put a radio on thankfully. I can’t stand it when workmen do that then leave the house for hours with that blasting.
I wouldn’t say we are half way through yet. May be just a quarter. It’s going to be a long month!
(And later on)
Okay, I’m seriously going mad now. I’m in my lounge as there is nowhere else to go what is the point of housework when the house is upside down? There isn’t a square inch upstairs to dust, I can’t really iron as stupidly the basket is right at the back of the room with the most items in…
(That was a good plan, ten points to mwah!)
As for downstairs? Oh, my where to start this kitchen Diary? I guess at the start. Not of the day as this is the second Diary I have written for today. Our builders came at half eight. Boot up the butt yesterday evening and he brought his hammer so at least he worked. Now, it’s quarter to mid-day, he has just left but the other guy stayed. The other guy asked me to lock the back door so his tools wouldn’t go a miss. Haha hahaha. Stuff the thousands of pounds worth I have in the conservatory? Well, what a hoot? This guy was leaving for an hour. He would be back for another hour’s work. My builder, the hunky monkey couldn’t do any more, so left still my ceiling is up, but as I walked through the kitchen to lock the door with the man who would be, will be, back, I went to my back door, thankfully I asked if it had been blocked up yet? He said yes. So, don’t walk through there then Fifi? I turned to the right, oh my word. The rubble? Then the tools. And blocks of something. I asked him which way could I get out, he replied this way, that’s piggin helpful? He then asked how much sight I had? I said none at all. He replied gosh, you do amazing, heheheheeh. Oh, my Bloggets, if you could have seen me, no, I wasn’t doing well, there was nothing amazing about me. I followed his voice and thought if I bump into anything just go around it. Around I went found a blank wall, oh gosh, that wasn’t there before? Well, Okay, it was, but there were tall cupboards there before. So, I got to the door. The new opening, I put my foot forward. Em, where now I asked? He said just in here. This was ridiculous, let the blooming burglars have your tools, I’m going to break a leg?
Well I climbed. Yep, climbed. Over something like a wall of wood and bricks. Not a pretty sight. I stood in kind of shock or disbelief that I had just done that. He said it’s clear now. Oh, that’s nice!!!
I got to the outside door locked it and then had to find my way back. This is all new to me. Well, as I climbed back over the wall, rubbish tool boxes and drills, builders bags and cupboard doors, I got into my dirty kitchen. Oh gosh, my gardener is due. What if he sees me struggling to get to the back door to let this builder back in later? He will know then I can’t see. But having said that, I really can’t hide that forever.
So why am I going mad?
Because in my sitting room, it’s silent my Waggatail is asleep. I can still hear the banging of the builders and the drills are in the distance though they have gone. Perhaps it’s disturbed dead people who built this house? Maybe I have goasty builders? Well, if so, let’s hope they put more hours in and clean up after themselves?
My builder came to talk with me he likes to do this, he really is nice, but as I told you before I had to have some words with him last night over the phone as I felt he was taken the Michael out of me with the little amount of work he did. So, after we had a chat about the kitchen plan and life, I have a knack of learning or finding or getting information out of people and today was no exception. The hunky builder told me he was doing this and that, so there was no need to have a conversation like that again. Hahahahhaahah. I told him as long as he works hard, I won’t be having that kind of conversation again. Cheeky chops.
Aftter what I have learned about this guy today, wow, what a story I could write? What a life? Just a fraction of it was the fact he has seven children. I asked him from the same woman? At that point if my Hub had been in the room, he would have died with shame. He answered yes, with a laugh. Then I asked him was he a Mormon? Again thankfully, he laughed. Heck, my mouth works before my brain tells me it’s not appropriate.
So now I wait for my builder’s helper to return. I’m left with my ghosts wearing hard hats and my Waggatail. See what tomorrow brings?
This really is going to be a long four weeks.
Another day
Oh, I’m drained. So, Hub has today and tomorrow off work to quotes support me. Well, alright he is company and he is now cleaning the kitchen where as I have done it all week. So, he is a help, but as for progressing in the kitchen? Hmm. Put it this way, the builder won’t be getting the job of our kitchen.
The guys who work for him are first class. But are so afraid of the boss, the builder, they won’t do anything without his permission. I wanted my wall light in our conservatory moved to the centre of the wall and the light switch in there moved near the new door where as it was next to the door that is now blocked in so moving the wall light to the left a few inches, may be ten? And the wall switch to the right about 36 inches, so because I’m talking old measurements, and everyone works now in stupid numbers of mm. I can say I wanted the wall light moving 254mm and the switch moving 36in, so in mm that is 914.
I hate working in millimetres, but that is how it’s done now days.
Well those jobs haven’t been done. Basically, my ceiling came down today, we are left with open rafters no lights no boards on the ceiling, but the wiring has been done for the lights. So, half eleven work over for the day. Our builder didn’t even turn up. Just the guys who work for him. Our builder is coming tomorrow to board up the ceiling. Then Monday coming to plaster it. Then it will have to be left two days and the electrician is coming back on Wednesday to give us lights. So, long and short of it, nothing up there tonight but bedroom floors. At least they haven’t fallen through. But the electrician has found faults with the electrics. Not surprised the guy who had this house before us was a bit of a D.I.Y man (Do It Yourself) we have a children’s program called Bob the builder, the guy who owned this house was called, or should have been called, Bodge the builder.
Whilst he was here today, the electrician, wouldn’t you have thought he would have done more work? The movement of what I wanted him to move wouldn’t or I wouldn’t have thought it would have taken more than an hour.
So, where are we now? Our builder told us two days start and finish this part and fitting the kitchen four days max. So, by next Wednesday, that will be nine days. As for fitting the kitchen? The guy today who is lovely, he is a joiner, must be a joiner thing, as our joiner is great and this guy seems genuine too. But he did act shocked when I told him that our kitchen is coming on the 18th of May, so he would need to be here for at least two days before to remove the old kitchen. Old one? He asked? Yes, it needs taking out before the new one in? I was shocked that he was so shocked. So, do they think Hub and I will remove the kitchen? The builder and I spoke about this as he said why not put it for sale? I don’t want to do that. I asked him would he take old away? He said yes, so as far as I’m concerned, they are removing old.
So, we have dust everywhere, no lights not that it bothers us two, but Boy Wonder? And our poor dogs, how do we get them through there at nights to let them out? It’s a very long way from our middle door from the hall to the kitchen then through the conservatory and back through again, now remember poor Wagga yesterday had to jump over the hole that is between the kitchen and conservatory. A hole with big spikey bits of wood sticking out and broken tiles and flooring. LF no trouble, he thought he was just going up a step he took it in his stride, Waggs on the other hand? Well, you would think I was asking her to jump over the highest hurdle and the widest fast flowing river, or over a burning flame!
So, no ceiling until tomorrow, no plastering till Monday. No lights until Wednesday. A mess until Wednesday. Wan a know the best bit?
They kind of swept up today, what with?
Our bloody brush we use that stays outside for the (Dog Run)
Nice.
I’m furious. Half eleven and it’s a day over. Not even seen our builder today. Well, he told us he could do our kitchen in four days. The joiner today said he thinks it will be done in three days. Sad thing is, firstly the nice joiner guy is on holiday when our kitchen is due so our builder is using another person. Secondly, will the four days turn out like the two days to do this work? This should have been two days, going to be nine, so will the four days for the kitchen turn into eighteen?
So now what? Well we, may have an answer.
Good morning Bloggets. How are you all today? Me? Thank you for asking. Smile!!! I’m doing better than yesterday I have had time to calm down. Today our builder is here, it’s eleven in the morning, he has been here just over two hours so possibly will have another hour to go before he has to move on to his next job. Or the pub.
The guys he has working for him are brilliant. But if he had worked too, the job would have been finished.
We learned yesterday that the joiner who is a hard worker, and seems to be honest, is on holiday when our kitchen is due. So, who would be doing our kitchen? God knows, not the builder though, as I think his role is to organise everyone together and that is a tough job I do know that. But because until today there has only been one person on the job, apart from three hours, it’s took longer than I hoped for. I mean as I said yesterday, overnight we had no ceiling up and we don’t have electrics until next Wednesday. In the kitchen that is.
Monday the plastering work starts. More mess which is to be expected. We did learn that a fancy ceiling light I had that was designed by the person who lived in our house before us, well, the switch had normal sticky tape keeping the very dangerous wires together and there was a kind of bread tie in there too.
My Husband wants our trusty joiner to do our kitchen. But, it’s whether he will be able to gather the people to do the work together? This builder seems to know and have available workers so then you have to ask who will be fitting our kitchen? If it was this joiner who has been doing all the work so far, from knocking out the window to breaking up part of our kitchen to putting the plaster boards up, smashing part of the floor and removing a radiator, then no trouble. I would stick to these guys. But it’s not going to be and what if it’s Jo Blogs from up the road? Who has only ever fitted two kitchens before ours? Our joiner is very experienced. We can trust him with our lives, he’s a great guy and one I can call a friend. But the builder said because he knows lots of people, he can get the kitchen done in half the time. Hmm. That is what he said though about the work he has or is, doing to prepare for the new kitchen.
It’s funny to see how the builder is in front of my Hub and my Son. He is so friendly to me and so hostile to the boys. I want to trust this guy, he is nice, just so far, this job has took so long and to be in such a mess all this time is driving me crazy. Having said that my friend’s daughter is out of her house for a month to get her kitchen done.
Right now, Boy Wonder is being wonderful and has gone with Hub to our electric shop to change the date on the kitchen equipment to be delivered earlier. I chose the Beko cheap washing machine and dryer. They are the cheapest, but reasons to pick them?
1. They both matched. It’s surprising just how many washing machines don’t match the dryers even though they are the same make.
2. The price is great. Now if they break after three years, then buy another two. Then after three more years, you may come close to the next available machines. In other words, you can buy these machines twice and not pay as much as the other brand, which was Miele. So, why only the choice of two brands? Because Beko and Miele, are the only ones we found that were blind friendly. They had proper stick out buttons and dials we can work with. The other machines were all LED digital displays. Flat panels to select your wash/dry and all sorts of visual stuff going on.
For two Beko machines it was £600 and for one Miele only, so just the washer, it was more than both of the above washing machine and dryer.
The Beko is good as far as it holds a lot of clothes and gives them a good spin but it lasts for ages whereas the Miele is much faster so for a good wash, the Beko is on for two and a half hours in comparison to the Miele which lasts one hour and five minutes.
But Miele is more than £650 just for the Washing machine alone whereas the Beko for both washer and dryer are total £600.
Our cooker, we went for a 90mm range cooker. Gas on the hob and oven electric. It’s a five burner with a wok burner in the middle. Two ovens and a grill underneath. It’s chunky and of course we needed to buy separately a splash back to go behind
Confused? Me to. My head is all over the place. A bit like our builder! ! !
I wonder where he is now?
It’s really going to be a long four weeks.
I’m so fed up you have no idea. Today I feel so let down by people. Give me animals any day. Humans make me sick. I won’t bore you with too much detail but my builder turned up today to tell me he had a bad back. Yeah right. This is why he came in his work van with his joiner at nine in the morning? He has my email and mobile number. All weekend living as if we are in a shabby caravan, using the basic of kitchen tools. Learning a few things that have been done in our kitchen that worried me. Apart from the sliding door being put on so it slopes, not too much of a fault by the fitter, it’s the fault of our walls. The lovely expensive skirting board along the conservatory floor / wall, was all off. Not sure why at this point. There was no need to remove it from the wall that wasn’t interrupted.
We couldn’t find it anywhere. Our lovely friend came who is also our joiner, well, he’s other people’s joiner too, but he couldn’t find it and it was him who noticed that the door was not quite right, it was me who asked our Son what colour the handle was on it and he told me white, though I ordered silver to match the other one.
Our joiner was asked if he wanted our job and thank God, he said yes. I haven’t told the builder yet, but will when he is finished the job he wants paying for the one he has half done. So, from last Wednesday until now Thursday without lights in our kitchen. Good job we don’t need them, but our Son does? Two days’ work by Thursday will be ten.
We got a painter through our joiner. He seems Okay so far, so next job is to buy the paint as he wanted to make a start on Sunday I think he said. Our joiner is due back on Thursday with his electrician who will be doing our kitchen. The electrician has worked for me before and he is a good guy.
I just feel like I can’t do anything around the house, I can’t exactly be creative in the kitchen. The conservatory is a real mess I mean filthy. And at the weekend I found yet more McDonalds cartons and cups one full of coffee or some kind of fluid.
All together I found three cups, two trays. Two empty chip cartons and one huge paper bag full of food. They go to the toilet too without flushing. Pure gross.
We have our rooms upstairs full of stuff. Just stuff from our kitchen. Remember we had two huge china cabinets and two tall cupboards. It all had to go somewhere. So, no room tidy apart from Boy Wonders I guess. I wouldn’t dare put anything in there. Smile. So, what to do? I tidied one of my bedroom drawers. Oh, my goodness. I took a large plastic bag of rubbish things like creams that I really don’t know what they are. I got them for Christmas’s and birthdays but a tube is a tube. And old make up.
I was psychologically ready for today, yesterday I made a huge shepherd’s pie so the boys would have dinner tonight that just needed warming up and I made a massive portion of pasta with tuna for our Son for his lunch yesterday and today as I thought the kitchen would be impossible to get near to cook. Well now what?
This really is going to be a long month one wish I hope will be finished with these builders by Thursday then never again will I need to see them.
Wednesday
My Builders came at nine. It’s now ten and they have just pulled away. I seriously think I have shot myself in the foot today. They arrived an hour ago. They just come in, so I went out the back to see them. They said they were here. Really? Well, thank goodness, it’s them and not burglars? I mean, I heard their van. I heard their tools and voices talking about measurements. So, I’m blind, but not stupid. I know you are there, you clowns. I then stupidly joked and said, well, you could put your radio on and leave, now couldn’t you? They have not turned a radio on all the times they have been here.
Two minutes later?
You’ve guessed it. A radio has been turned on. Hahahahaha. Best bit, they were singing to the songs. Oh my.
The little joiner has a very high voice, he’s tiny and the very tall hunky monkey of a builder has the deepest voice, so, you can imagine. But then the song Only the lonely came on and when the drum beat, so did the hammers…. I’m not kidding, in time to the beat, the hammers were going. That’s fine, it’s called progression. But, how many times does one need to bash a nail? Hahaha. And then shock horror. The builder used the toilet and. Wait for this. Only went and blooming flushed the toilet after him? Oh, we are really getting somewhere today.
How do I know it’s ten? Because the news has just come on.
So now we are on count down until the big telling him he hasn’t got the job of my kitchen. It’s a real shame because he has got a nice side to him. Honest. He has. Just the one side though!
My Son has gone to work today but won’t be here at lunch time to save me with a cup of something. He has travelled a long way to work today. He has been asked to look after a store a drive away. It took him forty minutes to get there today. I think the traffic was bad. So, he isn’t home at lunch time, so if, I stress if. My guys are still here. My Waggatail will have crossed legs as my boy normally let’s her out in the dog run, if they are still here by half one, I will have to go around the side of the house and just hope there are no obstacles.
Oh, I hope they are all done today and all that is left is the electrician to do our lights tomorrow? I have a feeling he may do another couple of jobs, only thing is, he hasn’t given me a quote for that so will have to go out for some money tonight. Or tell them to come back when I get some cash.
Well, he’s not back yet. I hate this. My gates and doors are all open. I guess the radio is on so sounds like people are here?
My long month is coming to an end!
The Long month continues and get’s worse
Well here we are. Last day of my building work… The rest of Chapter two, to be continued when my next lot of guys come in to remove the rest of the kitchen and fit the new.
After today I can relax. Well for two out of four of my next group of people. As for the joiner and electrician, I know and they have worked with me before. My joiner is our friend and a very trust worthy person. The electrician also has done work for us before and he is fine. As for the painter and builder? Yes, I said that B word, as he will be doing something I think plastering. I don’t know what they are like but our friend Mr. Joiner has recommended them so hopefully?
Oh, wait until I tell you about yesterday? Well, our guys came, yes, two men. And one of them, shock horror, was the builder. He actually put in a six-hour shift. He arrived at nine. Left at ten, but returned at quarter to eleven. Then stayed till four in the afternoon. Oh heck.
I said to him as he left, he would need a lay down when he got home as he isn’t used to working a full day? Hahahaaha. He did laugh.
Thankfully.
But he’s not come back today.
And it’s his last day. Honest. Well, that is what they have said.
The joiner is here as always, he is a good guy, and the electrician Now, he seems OK as long as you don’t mind him chewing gum in your face with his mouth wide open. Haha. Gross.
As for my builder? Must be on a sicky because of yesterday’s hours.
Now today I have to pay him the second amount of the money. Friends are saying don’t pay him until they look what it’s like? Nice, friends. Where are you today?
I think what they do is very good, just getting them to do it is not quite so good.
And the mess? Oh my, and to think I have more plastering to do in a couple of weeks. I’m not sure how I am going to clean the conservatory seriously it’s in a real mess. Everything is going to have to be scrubbed. And how? There is so much in there. My joiner is making us a new glass unit. No, that sounds wrong. He is a joiner, making glass? Nope. It’s wood, but for our glasses. And not the ones we wear, as we don’t wear any.
I wish!
Well, yesterday. Hmm. I have to say, not sure if it’s the dust getting to my brain, as it’s definitely got to my breathing with my asthma, but I had to smile to myself. Part of me, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, will miss my builder and his little side kick of a joiner.
I said to my friend for this next part, I should put a certificate on it. I will try to keep it as clean as possible as my mini Bloggets shouldn’t know naughty words. All I can say is, it’s a good job I’m a girl of the world.
As my builder was up on his ladder thing. He turned to the little guy and said.
“Mate. Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”” Well at this part, I gasped and closed the second door between us. Making it more difficult to hear them. I say more difficult, as really, I have lived here a while now and still struggle with the accent.
“Yeah, but I may have to black your eyes afterwards.”” Replied little joiner man.
“Mhumhhhhmmmuuuhmmm.mumblemumble.””
As the deep sounding builder asked. I couldn’t hear didn’t want to but then the very high pitched speaking joiner piped up.
“Yu whah?
Must bih, feeders.
Dih, Mr. Floppy pop out?””
Oh Gosh. Em. Well. What can I say? Feeders? Lady parts? And as for Mr. Floppy? We won’t even try to translate that.
TMI
And the language? So many naughty words. They had the radio on so they probably thought I couldn’t hear. I just wondered, what do posh people with loads of money do in these situations? I know most will leave their houses and go to their country retreat, or book into a 5-star hotel for the night. But then they come home, no way they will get out buckets, mops and cloths? I guess Molly Maids will come in handy? I mean is it really possible to make such a mess? I guess I’m becoming too anal. Hub has been telling me off it’s OK for him, in a warm office with lovely ladies bringing him hot cups of tea? All I get is cuddles from Waggatail who has been so very good. She is on my feet as we chat. She will be so happy when this is all over.
Yesterday, it was like a comedy scetch. The builders phone went. The little guy answered it. This is how it went.
“El O
Whah?
Ah canit eer yuh
Urgh
Tatah then.”
In other words, hello, I can’t hear you. Oh, goodbye then… Haha, good old English accents.
Big hunkey monkey of a builder replied. Ew wah?
(Who was it?)
“Ih wuh yuh Mother….
(It was your ) and we all recognised a word stuck on the end?
Wah
Dih shuh wan?
(What did she want)
Then I know you have the picture, so I shall not write how they pronounced it, but tell you. His Mum called him, she was travelling down the motorway, with her caravan… And couldn’t get any signal, so decided to call her Son, to see if her phone worked. Hahahahhahahah.
Well drills are drilling, metal is getting chucked about and loud voices continue, but I have my earphones on to try not to hear any more worrying things, like yesterday again. “Ouchya, that hurt”
“Try putting your figure there?”
No, I’m not doing that, said the little high pitched man. Go on, the builder repeated. Put you finger in there? The little guy said it’s not a nice game this, I don’t like it… It’s like Russian Roulette. Hahahahah.
Moments later? How much can change.
Well I’m not laughing now. Oh, my God. Something huge has just happened. I’m so annoyed. Furious. Devastated.
Conclusion
Eleven days later for a job that was totake two days.
OK Bloggets. Here I am. What happened yesterday? Well, my builder didn’t turn up. It was to be their last day. The joiner came. So, I guess what there was to do, he could have done it, he did most of the work anyway. The electrician came. They were here by nine in the morning. My new ceiling remember was put up the day before with the plastering. All new. Well, the electrician couldn’t get the lights to work
In the ceiling.
So, what did he do? chiselled away at my new ceiling, pulling down loads more rubbish. Five holes later, he couldn’t decide what the trouble was with the lights. He said they were working when he left them a week ago, he was going to have to leave them until Tuesday now. I said no way, we have had no kitchen lights for eight days. He said well, with respect love, you and your Husband don’t exactly need lights?
Oh, don’t even get angry for me. Bloggets I got angry enough for all of us. Well, I told him firstly, my Son can see perfectly, our dogs can see, when the lights work to let them out at nights. They have to walk along a long kitchen without lights. If my Son wants to make a cup of tea or even get a drink of water, he has had to do it in the dark. Okay, so Hub and I don’t need them, does that make it Okay? Does that mean that we are happy the fact we can’t seem to need lights? Should the whole world live without any lights in their houses?
It was just after mid-day. The joiner came in my living room, closed both doors between me and the electrician. Even walked across the other side of the living room. I mean… It was like the secret service.
He whispered
“Between me and you Fiona. The builder is going crazy. The electrician said he tested it all on Wednesday last week and everything was OK. He is blaming us for hammering the wires when we put the boards up to do the work.
The electrician has done a few jobs for the builder of late that the builder has had to finish. To be honest Fiona.
(That would be a first)
I don’t think we will use them again.””
Me. I don’t give a stuff about the politics of this I had a good ceiling. Now it’s getting pulled down again and who is responsible I don’t care, it’s up to the builder to sort it out. Not my fault that he employs bad electricians.”
The electrician said he was going home. I said. No, you’re not. You are staying here until we have lights. He said, I quote.
“Sorry love, I have another job to go to!”
You can stay here I said until we have lights, it’s bad enough that now we are almost back to square one with our ceiling. He had the cheek to then say. I will give you a quote for the electric work for the kitchen fit. I gasped. The joiner said we will sort it all out when we fit the kitchen. I replied. Kitchen? Kitchen? Em. No, if you think you lot are getting this job, you can go and swivel.
The joiner then started packing up. He then got on the phone to the builder going outside to talk. The electrician then told me he could get a friend of his to come and try to get my electric working. I said no, you can get your friend to go to the job you were going to go to and stay here.
The joiner came in and said the builder would be here on Tuesday to finish the plastering and filling in the wholes. I just told him if he wants his money, he will be here tomorrow, which is today.
Six hours later, three hours after the joiner scurried off, the lights work. Now, are they safe? Bare in mind, our last lights were tied together with a bread tie and normal parcel tape. No wonder our switches got hot?
Well, today our, joiner friend came with his electrician and plumber. What a nice group of people. Especially our joiner and it was like a safe place. A feeling that we are being rescued. As for our builder? Hmm. He hasn’t arrived yet. It’s ten past three. I doubt he will come today, let’s see. If he doesn’t. I’m going to tell him not to bother. I really will have had enough. I have had enough. When the electrician left yesterday, oh boy, you should have seen the state of the floor?
They know we can’t see and we have two dogs. My Son was on a day off work. He came in among the mess after being out all day. He said. Mum. Careful there is such a mess in there. Then he hugged me and left for the day and most of the night, only coming home for bed.
I just stood there. In total disbelief. He brought his gf to the house, even though she has been in bed for two days with a really bad stomach infection. Thanks for that? She also saw the mess. I have been asking my Son to come with me for paint and flooring for a week now. So yesterday he had the day off. So, will you take me? No. He did offer to take me, when the workmen were here. I said I can’t leave them. Why not? I said I don’t want to leave the men in my house when I am not here and they ask questions all the time.
Everything has to be when he is ready, stuff what is going on in others life. He told me I have the full house to walk around. So why am I sitting on the sofa all the time? I said, because I have to stay here for the men to ask questions and to stay with Wagga who isn’t enjoying all the goings on. Also, there isn’t a room upstairs without loads of stuff on the floor. And, how exciting, walking up and down the stairs? He can be so selfish, something he has never been and wasn’t brought up like that. But if my Mums house was in such a state, no way I would walk out the house and leave her like that, now every day I have cleaned it up, he has been at work so hasn’t seen it like as bad, but yesterday he had all day. And he had a good day, enjoying every moment of it. So, I just hope I don’t get the stomach bug, and God help me but I won’t be asking him to do one more thing. What is wrong with kids these days? My friends who have daughters some help their parents, but, at a price. Normally girls can be bought, as for boys? Hmm. And that makes me proud, but I wish he would be a bit more thoughtful.
For him to climb over the mess to load the washing machine with his clothes, then just go out? I was shocked. No way he has mine or his Father’s genes in him as far as that is concerned. His father would have stayed and cleaned up the mess so I believe he was, I say was, an angel sent to me. Somehow along the way, the dark angel has corrupted him.
conclusion? Hmm. I wish we had never started. If you are thinking about getting a new kitchen, think twice then think again. It’s the heart of your home. It’s something you use every day more than once. But all of your house is upside down because of one room.
Ask yourself, can you modernise your old kitchen? Ours was beyond modernisation, but I wish I had stuck to the old horrid thing. So, what if, it was a pain with our cooker. We should have got a gas hob fitted. As for the cupboards? I just should have put up with them. Okay, none of them closed properly and they had a kind of paper rather than wood, it was all coming off. And the extractor fan wasn’t even connected to the blooming outside wall. But, I should have lived with it. Smile. Now in a month, I may be saying differently, when my kitchen is fitted. But boy, this has been hell.
Since I have started to write this, the men have come. Drilling again into our ceiling. Hub is working from home he went into the kitchen to talk with them. Oh my. Their backsides spoke more than their mouths.
They sound full of hell. It’s time to say bye to them though. We have a huge gap in our new sliding door between the wall and door. Going around feeling everything is a total pain. As for the ceiling? We just have to hope. At least when our kitchen gets fitted we will have a good person doing it so he is honest enough to tell us if something isn’t right also he won’t leave us with a rubbish ending.
I hope that when our kitchen is delivered, it all comes perfect but I bet we have doors damaged or missing parts?
Right, now I’m going to face them. I have to give them the news about the next stage. Wish me luck?
It’s been a long month
© Fiona Cummings 2017
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