So its been a while since I’ve written anything about the new house and what we’ve decided and are arranging to get done. The hardest part has - of course - been making the decisions, closely followed by working out the best order to do things, complicated by the fact that you get different responses from different people to the best course of action. Still, all that’s behind us now: We’re moving to implementation at long last!!!
So the last few days have been both productive, and expensive. We’ve ordered sofas, ordered the wood flooring, and are now getting quotes in from electricians, plumbers and plasters for the various things we’re doing, notably moving a few radiators, refreshing a few to newer (hopefully more effective output) units, and installing one at last in the shower/utility room (which resembles an arctic wasteland first thing in the morning). We’re also getting quotes for a number of electrical jobs to move a few sockets up from skirting boards (which is a pain especially with plugs these days often quite difficult to insert into such), install some ceiling lights, as well as replace the heating timer and fuse-box with a safer consumer panel.
So, once the electrical and plumbing work is completed, we’ll then get a plasterer in to remove/skim-over the artex-like plaster effect in the kitchen/dining room, and remove ceiling coverings and so forth. After all of that, we then hope to get the new kitchen installed, followed by the recently ordered oak wood flooring. The constraints for how the kitchen can be laid out, plus the risk of damage to the wood flooring, means it makes no sense to have the kitchen installed last of all.
On the subject of workmen, we just had an interesting chat with the plumber quoting for said heating work. He made a point that they “of course send out written estimates, that’s the only way to do things”, or words to that effect (We’ve itemised what we want doing on a piece of paper, and the request for a written quote is very clear). With friends and family up here, we’ve sought recommendations, but few came with glowing recommendations often because they didn’t provide a written quote without pestering, or because they weren’t very punctual at turning up (even if they were good at what they did). Both of which - to me - are hallmarks of a professional. Watch this space anyway, if we find any we like, we’ll recommend them.
So, with luck all of the work should be done before the sofa’s turn up! We’re not in a hurry to get them because we simply don’t want them before the flooring is in. We’ve been told we can ‘reject’ the sofa delivery a few times, but may have to wait up to six more weeks for another sofa to arrive. That’s fine by us.
Hopefully, we should have everything done by early March. Having a specific list of things to do, that we’ve been able to start ticking off, has made getting this far much easier, as well as having lived in the house for a few months now. Here’s hoping that the various jobs will be done with minimal complications and we can start looking to entertain friends and family at last! 
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January 25th, 2006 at 10:31 am
I fear you’re being over optimistic to expect everything done by early March, Richard. If our experience is anything to go by, early autumn would be nearer the mark! I admit that since we live in a listed building there is more form filling but even when things get to the active stage, it’s amazing how often the suppliers manage to send the wrong part, or something that was in stock when you phoned is no longer available. Good luck with the works and try not to get too frustrated!