WEEK 13

Another good week and one of much activity. Jeremy and Phil put the oil tank in position last weekend and earlier this week connected the oil line up ready to connect to the Aga. A second oil line will need to go in for the boiler at a later date. The photo on the left shows a good view of the side of the house, the garage base and what will be hard standing at the rear. To the right of the photo the water from round the house drains into a small burn which eventually connects to the burn the other side of Old Pines. It already has Heathers,
Ferns and Iris growing along its edges and my idea is to make a feature of this. The ground to the rear of the house will need levelling off. It needs building up and then there shall be a bank up to the higher level which we shall leave wild.

My favourite spot, is up the path to the right of the oil tank. Here there is a natural pond where Herons (amongst other birds) have been seen. I would love to have a rustic bench up there so I can get away from it all and find time on my own. Maybe read and generally contemplate life!


The inside of the house is coming on fast. Upstairs is almost completely plaster boarded and Jeremy is getting it done quite quickly. As Ken was heard to say "it won't be long before they will be producing dust for Scotland" Drylining is not the best job - but has to be done. Interestingly it seems to be the norm up here - something to do with the weather and plaster taking a long time to dry out.

Phil has finished putting in the bathroom and has today started putting the wet room shower tray in and started on the wet room sanitary ware.

Still no sign of the brick layers and Aga have put the delivery/installation date back until the end of September as they don,t feel it is wise to put it in before the block work is up. A bit depressing but we are still determined to be in for Christmas.
Heres to another week of waiting!

WEEK 12

No photos this week I am afraid. Getting lazy - not there is much of interest to show. Phil and Jeremy have had a very busy week together and got a lot done. They have laid the floor slab for the garage ready for the bricklayers (when they appear), laid a slab for the oil tank and got that in position, it is now ready to have the oil pipes connected up - which is on schedule for this week as the Aga is being installed the first week in September, they build it on site and ensure it is working before they leave. So we need an oil supply and temporary electric supply in place before they come.

To get the oil tank in position yet more gravel had to be imported to fill the area at the back which Phil did using the big digger. He was lucky not to get it stuck again!

Jeremy has become a dab hand at laying insulation and being a bit younger than Phil is finding it easier getting between the rafters. Phil has plasterboarded the bathroom and most of the sanitary ware is installed in this room. They have started plaster boarding the spare bedrooms.
Jeremy is 'worth his weight in gold'. The money we will be paying him we have already saved in not needing outside labour. The carpenters wanted over £2000 to do the palsterboarding! Phil could not have managed this on his own as a lot of it needs 4 hands!.

I had another trip to Inverness with Imogen and sorted out more of the fixtures and fittings which was nice. Whilst she was getting her legs waxed Yasmin and I had a great time in Wicks and Magnet. The log burning stove is now ordered and due for delivery this week.
The third stage is due for delivery on Thursday - this includes doors, staircase and all the finishing touches. I am hoping they can get the stairs in soon as I have not yet pucked up enough courage toclimb the ladder so have not seen upstairs. Kenny is due in again this week to finish the electric wiring, - He is holding up the palsterboarding!

The weather has been very kind to us - very little rain and warm sunny days. It did rain quite hard this morning but the pots needed a drink.

Heres to the next post - lets hope there is more constructive news.

WEEK 11

Here are the team hard at work. Jeremy has been a great find and a success. He is a hard worker - quick to learn and a very nice person as well. William loves him and has also spent a lot of time helping.

With the help of Jeremy, Phil has made great progress this week including tidying the site. They have moved a lot of materials making it easier to work. The garage is now ready for the floor slab to go down which they plan to do this coming week. Inside all the insulation upstairs has been fitted ready for plaster boarding. Whilst the weather is good working on the outside is a priority - getting as much done as possible.

I had a long conversation with Mark - our brick layer - earlier this week and he assured me that we are on his schedule. He has a job to finish in Banavie and then a bungalow to do at Onich after which his team will start here. Weather permitting this should be in a couple of weeks but could be earlier if they those jobs go well. The carpenters popped in today and as soon as the window arrives they are ready to come in replace that - Dave and Vic have been very helpfull.

Tomorrow we have another load of gravel arriving to fill in the gulley round the back and to bridge beside the garage. This needs draining as there is a water course running this way and then into a drainage burn which eventually runs off across Old Pines land.

They can then lay the slab for the oil tank and get that in place ready to be connected up for the Aga and the boiler.

WEEK 10

We had a brick layer on site! For just two days anyway. Kens parents have been up and Graham being in the trade set too and sorted out the blockwork for the foundations of the garage. We tried to get him to stay but like all the brickies up here he is commited to other jobs.

The local team we had got to do the work turned up Saturday morning and left again with some vague excuses as to why they couldn't start. Mark reckons he won't be able to get here until the end of the month and then has no promises. As they all know each other it is very difficult getting some one else as they don't want to take each others jobs. I suppose we will get it done in the end or maybe we will have to clad the walls in wood!

Phil has been doing well and despite the frustration and despair has been battling on. I mogen came up with a bright idea and we now have Jeremy from New Zealand helping him on site. Having put the applicaton on the Gumtree website last Thursday by Friday had had half a dozen replies. Jeremy was the first, sounded nice, had good references and could start straight away. He is 26yrs old, travelling Europe and has just ended a few days touring Scotland with his parents who are dong a six week tour of Europe. He has accomodation in the Cabin with our other hired help and seems to be fitting in well. He helped Phil clear/tidy the site today and they are sorting things out ready to get on with some more jobs. It has certainly given Phil some more enthusiasm who is also enjoying having a helping hand.

Last Wednesday Phil and I went to Inverness on the hunt for materials. We found a stone outlet who deal in stone of all sorts mainly to the trade. We have sorted out some superb Travertine tiles which they had sourced from Turkey at a very good price. It was fun chosing the tiles individually that we need and they have put them aside until we can collect them. (Means hiring a van). We shall have to treat them but I have all the instructions and it doesn't sound difficult and a small price to pay to get a bargain. We also chose a peice of black chinese slate for the hearth. We probably saved ourselves about £500 in one store.

Well heres to another productive week and maybe some progress in getting Mark or someone on site.

Week 9

Despair!
We have had a very frustrating time and are extremely fed up with the brick layers who are continually letting us down. They are tied up on another job for a local builder and have no idea when they will be free. We are now paying weekly for the scaffold and for the fork lift, which of course they need, and it is costing us money! However - weather permitting - Mark has said he would be able to come this weekend to do 2 days work and is hoping to bring 5 other guys with him. Keep you fingures crossed for us

The saga of the window has been resolved and after a visit from John (Skye Homes) and a lot of measuring it has been decided that the window is the wrong size and has to be remade. We have been told that should be 2 - 3 weeks.

Phil has been working very hard inside and at this rate we shall be moving in with no blockwork!
Kens parents are staying with Ken and Imogen for a few days, having arrived yesterday and Graham being a brick layer is at present helping Phil start the garage blockwork - They are getting on very well and hope to have the base done before Pam and Graham go back to Devon on Sunday.

We have also put an advert on the Gumtree for a labourer (with accomodation) and hope to get things moving that way. Phil says with help he can do the blockwork himself.

Today we have just had our first tea and cake in the house. I was presented with my birthday cake up there, we had a little party and it hopefully will be the first of many more in our new home.