All finished!

I didn't want to post photos earlier because I wanted to wait until our furniture had arrived before posting the finished pictures.... so without further ado, here's the completed room:

and outside the patio is all grouted, and the paths round the front and side all done. 

 

Really pleased with how well this turned out - when they first started digging out, they discovered the raft foundations for next door's house under our original raised patio area... hence the little row of raised slabs on the new bit to cover it again!  You can see all the turf is up ready for the sand base and the artificial grass to be laid this week, can't wait :-)

We both can't believe how perfect everything is, well worth the 10 year wait lol.

Almost there!

Well the builders have had another good week, and we are right on schedule to finish next week.  Here's this week's photos:

the inside is all plastered :)  

and the patio is coming along nicely too....

Can't wait for it to be finished, it's exactly as I pictured it in my head before we even got the plans drawn up.  I am one happy bunny :)

3 weeks on.....

... and our extension is built!  The roof just needs cementing but it's on and the velux windows are in.

The builders have had to wait for the electrician, plumber and window supplier to do their bits before they can carry on with the inside.  We have cables and should have pipework for radiators this weekend.  Window being fitted and patio door moved middle of next week.  In the meantime, the retaining wall is built (just the copings to go on when they arrive) and the patio has been started.  And the huge pile of mud that was on the grass has been either used to back fill the wall, or dumped.

Another week of good progress!

Retreat LOs

It's been a manic few of weeks since we all met up, but I've finally got round to finishing the LOs I did at the Crumblies' retreat. I always take sketches with me so I can concentrate on chatting as well as scrapping!

This is the October week 2 challenge on UKScrappers - the criteria was to use 3 photos, handmade embellishments, a folk song title and to use city photos.  Didn't have any city photos with me so couldn't do that bit.  Big thanks to Kay for the cotton bud sticks so I could make the little flags, and to Sal for drawing me some clouds :)  I used a sketch from sketchsupport for this one and it's papers from a Total Papercrafts kit from last year (!).

I did another LO using the lush MME Follow Your Heart range and a sketch from the Sketch Savvy blog that I found on pinterest.  The boys are so pleased with their new bikes....

Next is a DLO again based on a sketch from sketchsupport (they have really nice DLO ones!), this time with photos from our trip to The Lost Gardens of Heligan while we were on holiday.  Loved the papers but have to admit I wondered what on earth I would do with the kit having 2 boys who are not in the least bit pink!  But these photos work well with them I think.

I used another DLO sketch from sketchsupport, this time using photos from our trip to Avebury Manor and papers from another Total Papercrafts kit (yes, I have a bit of a backlog!!).  I had only done the basics while away, so I have finished it to fit in with the UKScrappers October week 5 challenge.  The criteria was to scrap something new, no pink or blue, small embellishments and 2 of something.  The boys loved it there as you can touch everything, and sit on the furniture etc - as the journalling says, a new experience for a NT place.

I've still quite a few LOs that I have started but not got very far - need to crack on with those as I also have a backlog of kits.....

Extension update

Well the bricks didn't arrive until 4pm on Wednesday, so obviously that affected progress this week.  The builders still kept busy though, put the foundations in for the new retaining wall and started building it.  On Thursday they were really cooking on gas and had another person on site to help get as much bricklaying as possible done.  They really went for it, and made up the lost days.  Here's where the build is up to...

all ready for the roof to go on next week.  They said if the weather is kind, we should be watertight by the middle of next week :)

We've found the artificial grass we want, it's so lifelike I don't think you'd be able to tell it wasn't real.  Just a real pain that we have found Homebase is one of the few places that act as an agent for the supplier and typically they had a 15% discount weekend.... last weekend!  Hope they have another one soon as it's a pretty big order and worth waiting for.   I hope it's not too long a wait as I have no patience, and it takes 2-3 weeks for delivery according to the website.  I'd love it all to be finished in time for Christmas!

A week on.....

Just a quick post to share photos of the progress on the extension.  Work has slowed on the building side as the bricks for next part of the walls haven't arrived yet :(  Due next week and I hope it's Monday so the builders can crack on.  In the meantime they have lifted the rest of the patio, added the drainage pipes for the gullies and put the hardcore down.

Bless our little walls all covered in hessian - but the first frosts are here and they need a bit of protection. 

And finally as promised, here is a photo of Liam dressed as a Fletcher for the medieval day his year had at school on Tuesday.  He did lots of research as homework and thoroughly enjoyed the day :)

Work begins

After what felt like a very slow process to get to this point after getting plans drawn then passed by planning and building control, our extension build has begun!  The builders are lovely and very hard working, so here's hoping for a couple of weeks dry weather to get the outside finished.

Before photo:

Work started on Wednesday and they are all dug out and ready to start cementing the raft on Monday :)
I'm ignoring the mess of everything....

The builders said the boys could sit on the mini digger if they wanted to... they didn't need asking twice!

We are going to take photos each Saturday so we can see the progress being made.  Builder's schedule of works says it will be finished in 5 weeks as long as there are no big surprises or lots of bad weather.  Can't wait!!