Friday 26 October 2012

Updating the Electrics

As the paper stripping continues from the top floor down there has been an opportunity to update the house electrics, by this I mean making the lights on each of the three floors 2 way switching. When the house was rewired in the 1990`s the electricians at the time failed to make it 2 way switching, I can see reasons why, probably the time and cost of chasing cable into and through quite heavy duty walls and plaster.
But, here we are today in October 2012 and the house has to be a home with all the comforts we come to expect, this includes up-to-date compliant electrical services. So, as we are back to bare plaster ready for skimming, we took the opportunity to make the changes to 2 way switching and an additional pendant light on the second floor.
Fortunately in this modern world of ours we are blessed with SDS power tools and purpose made brick and mortar chiseling attachments which take very little time to cut 30mm wide cable runs into 20mm thick old plaster, this completed it was just a case of installing runs of 3 core and earth cable to convert the existing lights into 2 way switching. Another job completed ready for the plasterer to make good again.

cutting out the plaster

utilised original old conduit
found old wiring in conduit

Thursday 25 October 2012

Another Bedroom

As October marches on progress is being made on what will be Daels room, the paintwork on the door frames and high skirtings has been successfully removed using the tried and tested method of heat gun, followed by numerous electric sander tools designed for this task, funny how everyone seems to have their favourite tool for this operation, the results are again stunning and impressive. The colour of the skirting boards is again to be dark walnut varnish to keep the same theme throughout all the bedrooms, I`m not quite sure just yet what the door frames are going to be, so far they have been taken back to bare wood, perhaps gloss white? one thing for sure is the concensus that the newly stripped doors will be wood stain, it would seem criminal to paint over these beautifully restored pieces of wood.
The outstanding achievement in this room is most definitely the large Gothic window frame, Dael has painstakingly transformed a painted window frame to exposed bare wood, and is quite remarkable to say the least, this room now has a truly beautiful period piece of craftsmanship as a focal point.

Sunday 21 October 2012

The weather has been kind

We have just returned from our Autumn break with the batteries re-charged and ready to continue with the work (check out my other blog jolly sailor to see what we get up to) we are now half way through October with the weather still holding up with temperatures remaining in double figures, how long this will last we don`t know but as we press on with the renovation it is good that we  don`t have to have the heating switched on yet, particularly as 5 radiators have been removed to allow paper stripping, plastering and painting to continue.
Liam has been working well on his room and to date has stripped the skirting boards and door frames back to bare wood using a heat gun and numerous power sanding tools, this is not a quick job but requires many hours of determined effort. It is certainly worth the effort with excellent results that has changed the decision making from repainting in white to a natural wood finish, he has experimented with different shades of wood stain varnish and it looks as if the preferred colour is to be a dark walnut, looks very rich and warm, really impressive.
He has also given the new plaster a couple of coats of white emulsion undercoat and will certainly need a couple more! so, keep painting!! I`m not sure if the final colour scheme for the room has yet been decided? but it is suprising how much difference painted walls have made to the feel of the room,
Sunday was a beautiful blue sky sunny day with temperatures around 12C I went to the house early to do some electrical work before the others arrived and found the sun shining brightly through the window into Liams room, the room felt and had the smell of a newly build house, exactly what we are trying to achieve throughout the property.
 I will record this as an inspirational moment that gives a glimpse of how the finished project will be.