Grade II New Build With Basement

The stairs are now almost complete; after much deliberation over the design options and relative costs, we decided on painted pine, open treads, with simple spindles, and a white oak handrail, which will match the doors and skirting boards. The side carved detailing was a nice surprise! Fitting has taken almost five days, and then the stairs have been immediately covered up awaiting the plastering of the stairwell walls, for a snug, neat fit.

A summer storm provided a brief scare, when one day Alan came home in a downpour to discover a pond at the bottom of the basement steps, with just a few cms to go before it flooded into the basement! With no electrics still, thanks to Atlantic, which has failed to install an electric meter, we have no submersible pump and therefore any rain just sits…and rises.  Fortunately, George raced over in time, with a temporary, external pump, saving the day: it has since been in regular use.

In the interim, the kitchen company, Harvey Jones, has visited to check the site preparation for the kitchen, which is being installed after the Bank Holiday. Their pointed comments about the dampness of the house, due to plastering still being in progress, were taken on board by George, our site manager, and he has promised to complete the painting of the kitchen/dining area and seal it off, to avoid the new kitchen expanding in the moist conditions of the rest of the house.

The whole issue of schedules is a major concern. When the Architects agreed to S&W’s time extension, back in May, they promised us that this would mean that there would not be a mad rush at the end, when painters would be decorating, whilst skirting board was being fitted, and plastering still being completed...  Despite the extra time and the promises, this is exactly what has transpired !  Words were exchanged, and we are now pleased to have the experienced Richard Seckington from S&W overseeing the end of the project, and have even had a client meeting!

Other progress includes the rendering of the dormer windows, which is much preferable to the lead, which  the Conservation Officer originally requested.

The formal garden area outside the back door is completed, just awaiting a top layer of gravel.

And finally, the balustrade is beginning to take shape; we now have some prongs, which have been carefully inserted through the basement damp-proof membrane.