Year Zero
So here is the kitchen in typical use, about the time during second lockdown when we were originally having virtual consultations with various kitchen shops.
Day Zero
Here’s the kitchen after 2 days of frantically rearranging the house to move everything out of the kitchen. It doesn’t know what’s about to hit it.
Day One
Today the installers came in to rip everything out. They needed to be reasonably careful as some of the units will be moved into the studio to give more storage, workspace and to hold a sink (which the installers will also need to run pipes for). Here’s what it looked like when they went home.
Day Two
Today the installers came back to finish the plumbing for the new sink in the the studio, and to install it and the reused kitchen units. They’re also adding a new plywood worksurface. Meanwhile, the electrician turned up to make a start and cut lots of holes in the ceiling to run wires and fix lights.
Day 3
Today the builders turned up to relocate and block doorways and build a couple of steps. This was the noisiest and messiest of days so far. And the electricians turned up to finish their work, but the builders wouldn’t let them in. Still they’ve done a good job.
Day 4 & 5
The weekend. No tradesmen, just piles of rubbish. We sorted the kitchen rubbish from the builder’s rubbish, like half-eaten pizza and casually discarded cans and bottles.
Week 2
Slacking a bit this week – didn’t take daily photos because we didn’t have lights and it was dark by the time the tradesmen had finshed for the day. But the electrician came in on Monday and drilled holes, threaded wires, cut cable runs, and installed conduits. Didn’t really look all that much different. Then the plasterer came in for 3 days and plastered everything. Nice.
Week 3
Not much changed this week either. The plaster was drying. The kitchen units were delivered first thing on Thursday, and the flooring came along late morning. Also the decorators came in Thurday and Friday and painted everything white.
Week 4, Monday – Wednesday
The installers came back on Monday and started fitting. It’s starting to look like a kitchen again. Still no lights, though, likewise Tuesday. Wednesday was chaos. First of all the electricians turned up, then the fitters, and then the plumbers, so now we have working lights, oven and fridge-freezer. It’s too dusty to start using them though. One expense you never consider when planning building work is all the tea, milk and biscuits it takes to keep tradesmen running.
Thursday
Today they laid the new flooring. It looks very nice. Hope they put some sealant round the edges, though.
Friday
Today the last missing parts are delivered, so they fitted the sink, the new drawer and cupboard fronts and trims, plumbed in the washing machine, and boxed in the radiator pipes and installed skirting.
Saturday
He came back today to install the water filter and finish of the flooring. We also learned how he lost his fingers… He’s clearly overcome that handicap as he’s done a great job. He’s got to come back to fit a door on the understairs cupboard and a couple of other minor things, but it’s basically all done now! Just need to clean and dust everything and we can move back in!
