ESB Will Be Out Again

Peter called to the house and took out the mixer valve, he was meant to to put in an air release valve but he did not, should not be an issue.
I rang the ESB about the meter and they will send someone out during the week.
I decided to try and finish off as many of the lights as I could, also had to fill the large hole left when the lads moved the emergency light. It took me near 4 hours to fill the holes that needed filling and the others needed to be cut flat with a painters knife and then sanded.
The gypsum filler I got was much better than the polyfiller, finishes much better.

Papers For All

On the papers this morning, said I would get to Castlebar for quarter to six so got up at 4:50am but the papers were late and did not get in until 6.30am still I managed to get done and back into bed for 8:20am
Went to the house for 11am, the job I had done with the skimming the night before actually worked and it meant the 2 lights I had skimmed around looked spot on, I fired on a coat of paint and it did a great job.
I then decided to take this route with them all, there were 3 new holes to fill and 21 others to fill around. I spent the day at this.
Siobhan was over and painted the first coat of the kitchen, it looks well.
It took me until 5pm to get all the lights filled but they will need to be sanded and possibly a small skim put on some of them, at least it looks like an annoying task is coming to an end.

Great days work

I rang Peter the plumber first off, he said he would do the job on the mixer valve for me, Dad talked me out of doing it last night! Better off, I still decided to drain the system myself first.
I decided it was time to do some work on the front door, it had not been sealed so I got out my tin of sealer and gave it and the door frame a coat of sealer. There was also a gap at the bottom of the frame so I filled this with mastic.
The dehumidifier is working away full time, it is pulling out maybe 2 litres of water a day, once the heat goes on I am sure this will be a help.
I went to tubs and tile and got us our kitchen tiles, only 3 sq yards so it was relatively cheap. Main tiles are not in until Wednesday.
Siobhan and Dad came over, Dad had over with him the wet saw for the tiling, the radial arm saw and the double oven.
We got the oven in place for the lads to wire up.
I also started at the recess lights holes, still not happy with them so I decided to make up a light skim and plaster over it
Siobhan taped around the windows of the kitchen so that I could under coat them. We are aiming to begin painting the final coat tomorrow.
I also checked the main meter and sure enough there is only one, have to get onto them in the ESB to sort it out,

Doctors Visit

Off to the doc, throat and cough is no better and with training starting I need to get back to health

Water in the house

I rang Peter to get his lads to plum up the mains water. He did it so that meant we had water in the sinks, another mile stone!
I did not wait long, I took measurements off all the windows and went online for the prices.
I decided to take down all the glass blocks and get some advice.

Shaking Off The Flu

I got up this morning and headed off about 10am, it was badly cold. I inteneded to finish the glass blocks but when I discovered that the mortar had not dried and did not look like it would I decided against it.
So I then decided to starting sanding around window, doors, ceilings etc etc, pain of a job but it has to be done.
Siobhan was over and did a bit of painting, her mam & 2 sisters came for a guided tour so 3pm was not coming along too long.

Busy Day

Feeling a bit tired today, was home for 4am from Galway Dog races, great nite.
We went to Skye furniture first to get the bed and chest of drawers in the sale, 15% off.
Got to the house for 12, great sunny day. Intend to get the glass blocks built today, but I had 3 visitors which between them all took up near 2.5 hours!
Mick was over for a look at the house but as he said himself the details are on the blog so that is handy. That site for the LCD tv is www.Katronics.de

I had another Mick from across the road over and then Vinny and young Adam came over for a look. Siobhan got some tiles and testers for the kitchen. we had a few sarnies before we tried some tiles, it is hard to match up the kitchen, worktop, walls and black windows, still a great headache!

Actually for Marks sake I who said I put up the wrong name, meet him at the wedding last weekend and then again last nite in Galway, his name is Mark Jackson and he did or timber frame kit erecting!! Sorry Mark!!

I managed to get started on the glass blocks but it is a pain in the arse, had to leave each block lenght ways and width ways and then point between them, only managed 12 blocks, I know useless!!

So tomorrow I might get more done.!!

Plumber has all the house plumbed up for the water but has not connected it outside!!
Spark will be back Monday to finish off.
Geo Brian rang me and said that there was an issue with the pump but he will be back Tuesday.

It is funny now with the lights on in the house, you forget, so long used to having a lead and bulb that I forgot I had lights outside and in!!
Also the door bell works! It is a great buzz when you get to this stage.

Just Gone To The Dogs!!

Off to the dogs in Galway with the lads of Celtic B team, excellent nite, there was no house as you can imagine!
Brian was there alright and has a good bit done now. Plumber was there also

United On Box

Plumber turned up today, thank fup, not going to be ready for tomorrow, but they will be ready soon enought.
Brian was there working
Nick called over for a look at the house, changed a bit since he was last here!
United on the old TV so off to look at it!!

Paper Boy

I was doing papers this morning with Dad. I then went to Hursts to get the 40 glass blocks and 2 bags of adhesive, one burst in the boot!
Dad rang me, he was talking to Sean and he asked if we could move the 3 bales of blocks away from the front to allow him get in with the machine.
I got to the house and took in the glass blocks. Siobhan arrived for a while to do some cleaning up and to admire the kitchen ;)
I managed to get the 132 blocks moved out of the way.
Did sweet feck all after that.

Filling The Site

Sean rang me today, he has got his hands on a few loads of fill for our site. Great job, will help to rise the site.
I got tot he house to clean up the kitchen, Brian and John were there 2nd fixing the electric, manged to get our first lights on, great buzz.

Sore Head

Called in to see the lights but nothing turned on, not sure why.

Wedding Day Off

At a wedding today, sparks meant to be there in house today to wire up and switch on the power.

Kitchen nears completion

Paul was there today to finish the kitchen but due to his motor breaking down he did not arrive until late and did not manage to finish it.,
I eventually got Siobhan out to the house and suprised her with the new kitchen.

A few pics of the kitchen, needs to be cleaned up and 2 doors are missing either side of the window.

kitchen goes in

Got up this morning early to get the Gas hob over for Paul, I suspected John had been there plastering as I smelt smoke, but biggest give away was the key in the back door!!!
I rang Peter about getting the water hooked up so that Brian could setup the heat pump. I then rang Brian2 to see if we were ready for kick off next Thursday. seems we still are.

Rang Paul to see if he got to the house ok, he did so I let him away with it. He told me he needed the dishwasher on site so that meant a 32 mile round trip home to get the dishwasher, then back over again with it,.
I arrived back at 8pm, Paul was still there and I was very suprised with the work he had done, had all the floor and wall units done, pelmit done, work top finished, doors hung, all in 10 hours! Unreal but hey he is the pro!!
I must say it is money well spent.

Spent a while talkin to a fellow boards and self builder Steven. Learned a bit more about air vents in our house, or lack of them!! My fault!

Brian the spark was still sick but intends to set us up on Saturday.

The next 2 weeks are vital, it could mean we have water, electric and heat in the house. Time will tell!
John had the wall plastered too so we wait 2 weeks, paint it and then put up the stairs, even though i think it maybe longer as I want to totally tile all upstairs first.

Getting kitchen to be installed

I contacted Regina In Alpha kitchens for a few numbers I managed to get a hold of Paul, rang him and he was free tomorrow, no price mentioned but I know it will cost us about 600 euro for the 3 days work.
So I have to get the plans to him for 9am.
I did not go near the house today as United were on the box and my dad is out and home so headed for the heat!

Paint - Plaster, Flu, kitchen!

Thomas rang me today, kitchen doors are ready and he reckons it will cost me 700 euro to get the kitchen installed. Now anticipated but I think I need to get it done.
Got a hold of John, he will be over this evening to check what has to be done.
Heat pump not due now until Thursday week.
Regina and Tommy arrived about 7 with the doors, one was damaged so they took it back. Doors look nice.
John called over about 8, was in the middle of painting, went through what had to be done, he hopes to tackle it before weekend.
I painted the 2nd coat of the main bedroom upstairs, a bit of touching up to do around edges, ceiling and sockets.
Headed off about 10, totally fupped now with this flu, might have to pay a visit to the doc.

Slowly Moving!

Arrived in at about 7, decided that I would seal the porcelain flooring, this is a tin of sealer which is applied with a cloth.
I am now seriously considering getting Thomas to install the kitchen, without dads help I will not be able to do it on my own.
Tried ringing John to get him to plaster inside the door but no dice.
Moved up to the front bedroom upstairs and painted the 2nd coat of the final coat. Want to start ticking off each room as regards painting now.

Short and sweet

Still freezing but sin e! , I was working at 5am this mornin, doing the papers for my dad, got absolutely drown wet but managed to wrap it up fairly rapid and got back into bed at 8am.
Did not raise my head until 12! Headed over and put up the plasterboard around the door. Said I would try and sand down the recess light holes. Then it was time for a clean up in the hall, brutal after all the sanding, planing etc.
I headed off again at 4.30, a big indian feed to look forward too!!

Door goes in!

I headed over about 9.30am, bleeding cold again today, Brendan will be over about 12. I decided to cut in the front bedroom upstairs, had to sand around the sockets also.
I got the door area ready and cleared up for Brendan and we set at it when he came. We had to make sure the hinges were ok, which they were.
The door needed planing on the top of and side but it closed a dream. We then had to take some off the bottom so that it would close ok.
We then put down the draft excluder and the lock and keeper, all in all it took us 3 hours, way more work to it than I expected but when you are a carpenter he made it look much easier!
There is 4 glass panels in the timber door frame, I do not yet have the double glazed glass so I had to cut out 4 panels of timber to pin them.

I have to cut out the plaseter board for it and put it up around the door and it will be ready for skimming, excellent, have to get onto John now.

Glass Walls

Not much done today with the house, I arrived on site about 6pm, the door issue is still bugging me, wheather or not to hang it myself or not, with Dad out for what now could be up to 5 weeks this really has messed things up, but I as long as he is ok and today op went well that is all that matters.
I had one glass block to put in, the reason I left one was to see how strong and solid the other were with this FIXIT adhesive. It was spot on.
I decided to pain the final coat in the back bedroom upstairs, Siobhan had the walls done but not the ceiling so I scooted around it with the roller and painted the ceiling and gave the walls their second coat.
During my work I had an idea about the door, a neighbour of ours had offered to do some work when I had fixed their PC one nite, so I rang him and he said he would be over in the morning.

Headed off about 9.30

Back to the soccer

Meet shane at TileSavers at 9am, there was no one there but we waited and they arrived about 5 past.
I had all the measurements worked out for the new order, decided to go with a different tile for the ensuite now and use the London Marfil in the two bathrooms when they come in.
So i left in the order and Shane rang me later on, the order was going to be 300 euro more now as the border tiles were dearer so we left it. Have to wait for the other tiles

Decided to go back training tonite, soccer at 10pm on the Astro so I decided to head home and get some dinner into me.

Tiling Mess

I did not do much today, had to go out to Shane with the cheque for the tiles. When i arrived out Shane said that the order on that tile only would not be in for 3 weeks, great not!
Have to rethink what we will do.
Home to work out measurements and ideas again!

Light - Well almost!

God said let there be light and there was, sort of! The ESB rang me this morning
I arrived at the site about 7pm, still have this flu but will hammer ahead anyway. I decided to complete the glass blocks in the ensuite wall and then paint around the edges of our bedroom.
Took me 2 hours to rap it up!

Nothing done again

Dad in for his op today, should be off home today but they discovered someit when they were at him and said they needed him for more tests, it is not serious but he will be operated on Friday and will be out of action for up to 3 weeks.
He is not happy at all!! BUt what can be done
I had a busting migraine so did not get near the house, I rang ESB, still no cert, I got back onto the spark to send it in AGAIN!

Nothing done again

Dad in for his op today, should be off home today but they discovered someit when they were at him and said they needed him for more tests, it is not serious but he will be operated on Friday and will be out of action for up to 3 weeks.
He is not happy at all!! BUt what can be done
I had a busting migraine so did not get near the house, I rang ESB, still no cert, I got back onto the spark to send it in AGAIN!

Filling to hoooles

Still cannot brush off this cold, was over about 10am, freezing cold and fog so not very nice, had to call into see Dad, he is off to Dublin for his procedure.
I finished off putting on the trim on the timber ceiling.
I then moved into the sitting room and attempted to try and get the holes from the recess lights to look ok but this is harder than I expected!
Too me about 1hour to do the work, then I decided to move into the main bedroom and start installing the glass blocks in the wall, said I would do 6 blocks today and 6 again as they were been built one on top of the other.
Again took maybe an hour, have a rapid set glue which I used to set them, have to add a timber trim later on.
It was time to measure the 2 bathrooms and sun room for tiles and trim, have it all measured up so hopefully it will be spot on.
Went home about 2om as it was killing cold and my throat was at me,

Timber, painting etc

Woke about 9am, cold seems to be gettting worse but have to plod on or we will never get in!! Had to go to Dunnes Stores to get some hospital gear for dad. then into Heiton buckleys to get screws for the jams.
I also picked up the trims for the ceiling in the sun room.
HAd to head to Castlebar tool hire and got 3mm drill bit to drill the screws for the hinges.

I manged to get to the house about 12am, got my hands on a bottle of special mix for the cough...

With motivation levels at an all time low I started to sand the ceiling in the sun room, got the "mouse" sander, it looks better now. It was as well to paint around the edges before I starting putting on the edging,
Herself came over, also got the cold so it was not a great idea, She decided to start to undercoat the final room in the house. In fairness the house it moving along nicely, but it is a lot of small steps.

I moved into the sitting room and go my angle grinder to sand the recess light holes, this is really tunrining into a nightmare but hopefully it will be sorted.
Had Marie and Emmet out for a look and once they had gone I decided to start and put on the trim, herself headed off home to get the dinner.
Trim was easy enough to do, had a mitre box so that helped with the angles, I left about 3 small sections to do, each lenght is 8ft long (costs about 8 euro per lenght).
Headed about 6 thirty or so.

Door Frame goes in

Manged to make it to work but was not in great form, Dad and Damien decided to take on the door frame and door. First off we noticed that the door is Mahognay, not teak as I asked for but it is too late now, seems we may have to paint it!!
They had a real issue that it seemed the frame was off! ~So that was there biggest issue, when I got to the house they had the frame in, Dad was not in the fred west of humour, Beaumont rang and told him that there might be a bed for him on Sunday, but to ring at 1pm!! What sort of
health service have we got, they expect someone to drive for 4 hours, then to be told there is no bed!! Give us a break

We got the hinges cut out and the door up but then the 2 battery screw drivers we had ran out, then two of the screws in the hinges we cut not get out and they broke!!
Soo in the end the door was just put up and pinned in place. This is going to delay us again but what can be done. Dad hopes to be able to get back to it in a week.

Back to the IT

Back to work whipee! Not, talk about not wanting to be there, not that I really want to be there even when I am in full health!! I chased up the spark about the ESB, he said the cert is gone in! We will see,
I decided I would finish off the little bit of tiling inside the door in the utility room, the cracked tile inside the door also had to be replaced, I would have gone lu la if I left it!
I then also put down some of the tiles at the back of the utility room, area will never be seen but the heatpump and cylinder still need a levelish area!
Off home now to cough and splutter!!

Sick as parrot - Part 2

Off again today, still got the flu

Sick as Parrot

spent the day in bed sick, think I should have taken it handier than I did over the last few days!

On to the tiling

No feeling too good at all, really should be in my bed but the pressure is on (self inflicted some may say!!) but I want to get the tiling done in the utility room and the kitchen.
Damien was with me so we headed off about 10am. After the first 2 lines I soon realised that I was going to run out of rapid set so I went to TileSavers and got 4 bags, costs a bomb, 50 quid a bag!!
It took us near on 4 hours to do 4 lines, don't really know why but it was a killer to do!!
Moved onto the utility room and it too was a dog to tile, ended up using every single tile, also I cracked one tile inside the door with the diamond blade on the angle grinder so not impressed!!
Gerry and Emma were out and Larry and his dad called so that spent some time.

But it was great to get that done, at least we can now progress to installing the kitchen.

One thing that i was thinking of last nite was how much the self build completly consumes your thoughts and life, I even forgot to go to a funneral of a local man, something usuallly I would have done.
99% of things are put aside as you set targets on the house, it is gas really, something that self builder will understand.

Happy New Year To All

Happy new year folks, hope it is a happy and healthy one for you all.

Dying again today with the flu, but I had to pull more of the floor, we were due for dinner in Siobhans parents house at 2pm so I had 4 hours to do as much as I could
I managed to get 4 more lines done so 13 down, 4 to do!!! The floor is relatively level, but there are a few areas which need more adhesive but at least the back is broke on it!!

End of year

Last day of year, little did I expect to be still working on the house on this date, honestly thought we would be in for Xmas but Cest la Vie!
I layed out the floor and left a 130mm stip under the units to ensure that I would end up correctly at the dining room door. I also have a decent size finishing tile which in important.
The tiles are been laid in a brick effect with a 300mm * 600mm tile

Disaster strikes

Trying to fix the disaster, no shops open until 10am, managed to get a hold of 3 bags of self leveling cement so that was grand and with the other 2 bags which had we manged to get
the kitchen and utility room leveled.
So sin é, time will tell, off out with the lads tonite so it cud be a late start tomorrow!!

Back to the grind

TOday we decided to start tiling the kitchen floor, it has been a while since I tiled, hope I still remember what I am doing!! Damien was with me so that was handy, we swept up and measured up but soon quickly realised that things were not good.
The first line I thought I might pull but then after 2 lines things were not looking good, some parts of the floor were level but too much was way off. Shane came with other adhesive and put the 5ft level, the decision was then made to take up the tiles, wash them and level the floor!!
A nightmare to say the least but it has to be done to make things look the part!

Tiling the house

I decided that I needed to hit the hoose today, I intended to start tiling but realised that I needed to re paint the ceiling, clean the windows and scrape the floor!! Before I knew it the day was near gone so I started to hide the pin nails in the timber ceiling in the sun room and fill them with wood filler.

Its Xmas time

XMAS off - Well I had to take the 2nd half of 23rd and the 24th off as I a was totally fubar, passed out and 17 hours later awoke from a serious sleep.
I have been told that it was due to the last 7 months of work. Hard to know!

Xmas shopping - cleaning kitchen

I was off today, killed with a flu, did not sleep well at all,

Told Shane I would meet him at 10 to collect the tiles, we dropped them off at the house, place is a tip but I had to head off as I had no xmas shopping done at all.

So I shopped for about 3 hours, also got spacers and trowels, sponges for the tiling.

Took a lot at the mosaic tiles in Tile Warehouse but 85 euro per sq yard, fup that!!

I got back to the house at about 3, I decided to start the clear the kitchen and prepare it for tiling, also have to work out the layout of the tiles, with spacings and make sure I end with a decent size tile at the end.

Off to Dublin

Off to Dublin with my dad to Beaumont, day procedure, well that is what I thought it was until all it turned out to be was a check up!! A chance to experience paying more money to the NRA toll bridges, journey cost me 8 euro sixty on tolls, a fupping joke on top of the car taX i pay.
Up and down in the one day so wrecked tired. Collecting the tiles tomorrow. Door cannot now be delivered until after xmas, not to worry!!!

Door picked up, horrah!!

the door saga is nearing an end, I think!! It was picked up this morning in Sheffield so we are expecting delivery on Thursday or Friday.
Dad was over for a while doing some of the architrave. Shane ordered the porcelain tile, so we will collect on Thursday.
United were on the box so I retired for tonite!! I have not done a tap in 3 days, must be a record for me!!

Door drama ending??????

The door saga has come to an end, then again maybe I should not count the chickens but, I sealed the deal on the door at distinctivedoors in the uk and it will be picked up tomorrow, not sure when we will get it,
Shane went to look at the tiles to see if the porcelain we wanted were 25 euro as we were told in the shop but he was right, they weren't!
So we have decided to go with a cheaper version, 30 euro per sq yard, lovely rectangular tile.
I did not do any work on the house as I was out at his house.

Hangover has a head

No hoose today, nursing a catastrophic hangover, not used to drinking with all the house work! We finished up at 7am this morning, the party was still going on when we left!

Xmas party time

Xmas party tonite, I know I am going to be wrecked as I was out of the cot at 7.15am, Sean rang me to see what time I am over at. Arrived before 8 and Micheal was there ready with the digger, also 3 sparks working away.
Lovely morning, fresh but no rain. Have to get down 4" of sand down on the pipes, then a covering of soil. I decided to fix the leaking tap at the back, hissing water out, replaced the ring and connection.

I moved inside and worked on doing the ceiling, dad was over also so we both worked away on it, sparks did all the recess lights, emergency lights and sockets. Cert also sent in so that is great, time will tell!!
I headed off at 4pm to get the auld fake tan done!!!

Work meeting, bla bla bla

Had to be at work for 7,30am so wrecked when I got the site, herself is in Dublin at their xmas party so I was in no rush home!
I got about 1/2 of the ceiling boarded, I want to get it done before the recess lights are installed. The sparks are in in the morning, the digger is also there to work to commence early!!

Timber the ceiling

No sparks today either, seems the lights were not delivered! Great.I started to sand some of the ceilings but the dust was a killer so I left it and started to put the tongued and grooved timber on the sun room ceiling.
Only did 2 lines, very hard on my own!

Oh sparky where art thou

No sign of sparks, meant to be here today, must not have got the lights. The door saga still goes on. Dublin door store now seems unsuitable so we are waiting back on the lads from Monivea.
I also have contacted the UK to see if we can get the door on its own and quicker.
Dad and Damien were over, they rehung the sitting + bedroom doors and returned the floor insulation and got the tongued and grooved ceiling boards.
United were on the box so I headed off home.

Another day off ish!

Damien was over with me today, spent a couple of phone calls onto work again today!
We started to put more 4" solids on their flat. Took 8 blocks to get the .8 of a meter of dept for the geo. Was freezing cold so took our time!!
The moved the big stack of timber to the gable. Dad was over. So it is great to get the back of the house cleared.
The guys in Monivea will do the door for 1k, but cannot tell me when it would be ready, not what I want to hear. Thanks T for ur efforts.

When Damien and Dad had headed off home I started to sand the filler in the recess light holes. I hindsight I think I did it arse about face, I think I should have not put in as much filler.

Noreen, Mam and the kids were over, liked the colors we have painted.

Day of work

Day off today, well off IT!!
Arrived over about 9am, bleeding cold as hell, the old brass liathroid of a monkey comes to mind!!!
Task today was to get the manhole built and to get the timber stack moved to the gable but like everything else it did not go to plan!!!
I started to clear the ground around the manifold but struck gold straight away, only joking, it was rock, but luckily with a bit of huffin and puffin I got rid soon enough.
Herself arrived over then and I got her a mix of paint. Decided to start painting the sun room with a creme color.

Dad also arrived and we did a mix of cement and sand and gravel for the base. Poured it in and managed to get a line of 3 blocks all around.

Nothin done

Was late enough over, it was 2.30am last nite when we left Tom and Siobhan after seeing naked camera in the TF so I was lacking enthusism!!!
I decided to start filling the holes of the recess lights and around the sockets and lights.
Headed off about 3.30 as United were on the bosca

Freeze the arse of ya

Arrrived over about 9am, again very cold. I decided I needed to get the whole of the back of the house tidied up and done. Started with the scaffolding, some of it was still up around the sun room so got it took down.
Started to stack it all then, was all over the house. Was strange weather, by lunch I was down to a tee-shirt, but within an hour back up to 3 layers!!!

Dad was over, we decided we would sort of the bags of rubbish at the back of the house and move it to the stack of rubbish. Then we started on the pile of cardboard, stick and slates.

Siobhan was over and gave the room upstairs a paint of creme and gave the sitting room another coat.

Got dark about 5pm so we moved inside. Dad headed off and I started to cut in around the sitting room and main bedroom.

Kitchen carcasses all arrived today, house is now packed!!

Another one bites the dust

We took a go at hanging the doors in the closet, what a pain in the ass, took us the guts of 2 hours to hang!! Enough was enough, off home for food!

Hang then doors

Dining room doors to hang, it seems double doors are bit harder to hang, nothing seems at all, put pain in the tits!

Not too well

busted tired and a banging headache so decided to head off home.

Night Off

United on the box so nothing done, rang about the door, will be ready!! ya ya ya

Hanging the doors

Kept at the doors upstairs, bedroom and wardrobe hung. Herself was over and starting painting the bedroom upstairs with the final coats of colored paint, it shapes the room well.

Timber arrives

Timber flooring due in at 10am, so was over for 9am. The stink out of the sealer would kill a man. I had to open up all doors and windows.
49 packs of semi solid flooring arrived, 3 rolls of underlay and about 30 minutes later we had it in, stacked in the hall.

I said I would move 20 packs upstairs.

Then did a bit of filling around the windows.

Guess what, NO Door

Fabulous morning, really sunny which is an encouragement! I decided that I should fill in around the geothermal pipes with sand to protect and to stop people from noising and potential damage.
I first rang warning tape over the whole area so if a digger decided to move and not realise the pipes were there they would be warned!
I presume 2 hours would be enough to cover the whole area with a lock of sand but it took me 8 hours of barrowing! I was in bits after wards, Dad arrived over and we buried the return and flow
from inside the house for the geo in the ground with sand, Brian has to return and lower the mainifold for the pipes also.

We decided to move inside to start some painting. Siobhan had already started on the sitting room and we decided to paint the 2 walls either side of the fire place with "Toasted Almond" and then the rest of the room with a cream.
When we had done the walls we started on the cream but quickly realised it was looking kak, we then tried another lighter creme but again we were not happy.

I left herself to it and i started firing on sealant on the doors, the skink was a killer and I could taste it on the way home!! We'll have every druggie around the house sniffing the stuff!!

Door

This door story is going to drive me mental. Rang them this morning, "Oh it will be ready, tell ur dad to come up" So excellent, dad arrived
up at about 5pm. Headed up and they said to go to MMH and pick out the locks and come back in 1.5 hours. We had a coffee and headed back to collect our door.

But fup me, when we arrived they were only cutting the door!! I nearly collapsed!! So we left, I will deliver it tomororow he said, ummm!!!

Collector

Brian was there with the collector loop for the geo.
We started at doors upstairs, 2 bedrooms hung and the hotpress.

Work For Dad

Was working for Dad this morning so up at 5.30am, papers were late so it meant I did not finish until 11am, so had a bit of breakfast and we agreed it was time to get the paint.
I went to the house, the electricians were there, wiring up the sockets and ceiling rose and bathroom lights.

Day Off

I got up about 9 and headed to the house to close up all the windows and to see the floor, sound a bit mad!!
I headed off home and I had to work with my car, there was a leak coming into the back seat for some reason. So I had to fix it, turned out to be 3 leaks, don't know how the hell these happend but I managed to seal 2, the 3rd I could not manage!

We took Man, Dad and Damien and Mar for food and took the evening off!

Couple of Pics of screeding now done and Geo area

Loads of work

On site for before eight, another wonderfully pissy day, up to our neck in shite!
Damien and Iano were with me and they wheeled their wheel barrows and filled the first room. Gerry arrived about 8.30 with some foddder and I contiued with the lads outside to get the percolation area marked out. We then tried to fit in the 280 sq meters, I can see where Sean was getting frustrated!!!
Eventually I managed to fit it, with almost an acre of a site how it was hard is hard to explain but with the biggest part to the front of the house it was a proper pain!!

The I had to get my mate John Grady to get 3" land drainage pipe for the percolation area.

About 11am and 3 hours after the screed arrived I started to screed. Damo and Iano had 1/2 the back room done which for lads who never did screeding they did very well.

Dad was late again and arrived by 11.30, at this stage we had the back room almost completed and Gerry had filled the sitting room, Ian & John were starting the sitting room and progress was rapid.

Dad and John continued with the sitting room and myself and damien pulled the backroom and back section of the hall.
We had a cuppa and decided to fire up as much as we could upstairs before it dried. The stairs was pulled out then and we started to wheel in the screed. In that time the pile had hardened so fair play to Sean he got the digger and moved it about the loosen it.
Then it was all hands on deck and we fired more screed upstairs so that Ian and Damien could continue to pull the rooms.

In the mess we managed to bury a platic float in the hall floor, a momento!

Sean, myself and Dad then managed to pull the hall floor and marry in the closet, sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and sitting room.
All done downstairs, great relief, the decision was made to push to get upstairs done, so we got 5 buckets and 2 upstairs, one on the ladder and 3 outside. The push was amazing, and within an hour we had too much upstairs!! FOur of us pulled a bedroom, hotpress and landing in 30 minutes and then back downstairs to pull up the screed guides and fill it in.
Antoher 10 buckts and we had all screeds up and all floors floated. So that was it!!

An amazing days work which has pulled the who house so much.

I had rang Brian Feeney my spark to fo the 2nd fit as u need cert to get your ESB connected. Will be this day week before he can come.

Kitchens, layouts + drink

Ordered the screed for tomorrow, Gerry will be there also.
We ordered the kitchen today from Alpha Kitchens in Claremorris. Got a great deal, 3 weeks until delivery.
Sean rang me, he was trying to fit in the areas for the Geothermal. We need to get an area of 280 sq meters into the site, so it was 10*28, 8*35 or what ever, Sean just could not fit it in, so after spending 30 minutes on the phone we decided to give up and leave it for me to look after tomorrow.
Wonderful so on top of a days work at screeding, I now have a days work of laying out the geothermal and organising the percolation area!

My mate Larry was home from UK for weekend with Karen his fiancee. So we meet up in Peggys, there was about 20 of us, I stayed on the dry as that was the last thing I needed for screeding!!
We headed off about 1am, 6 hours of sleep.

Digging is back

Digger on site for the ducting for the ESB and phone. Great to get it done.
Dad was with him and they decided to have a look at the water piping, big issue potential here but I will ring P Joyce to see the setup first.

Sean rang me and wants to put in the tank tomorrow, "while we are here", great blue arse fly syndromw! Rang Westport Concrete and got the figure eight tank for €680.

The beam for the mantlepiece is nearly ready.

Skye rang and want a date for the furniture, I said leave it until 30th of Nov, me arse we will be ready but just to keep them quite.

Ducting + Service

Dad and Damien were over and ran the pipe through the ducting for the ESB.
Still no sign of the guttering or answering the phone.
I had to service Siobhans car, had to be done as over the limit well.

Door Part2

I called into DOnnellans again about the door, was talking to John, he seems to think that this design will work very well and to give him a buzz on Friday.
I decided to paint the hall kitchen and sitting room walls which were plastered crap, my mate Colins dad told me to as it will either hide of bring out the flaws.
It actually looks alright!

Busy out

Rang Ray in the flooring company to get the timber, not in stock, will ring him next week.
Rang Eamon in NorthWest Guttering to finish off the job, will do it Wednesday.

I got a hold of company in the UK to do the door, it is now a square design with a gothic inset, shipping is the issue here now.

Dad and Damo were over, the cleared up the whole of the outside, rubble gone and all scaffolding and timber, great job.
They also moved all the stuff from the rooms which need to be screeded and into the screeded rooms,

Weather is windy and wet, late when I got to the site and went home, these dark wet nights are not great!!

Sore legs, head, bones!!

Today is off, tired and sore, great to be off, myself and herself went to the Tavern for a feed.

Screeding Begins

I picked the lads up about 8am, we stopped at a filling station and got some breakfast, was inside and Roadstone rang me, they were onsite, 40 minutes early, wonderful, also the fact that dad was running almost 2 hours late meant we were on our todd on this one!
I ordered 6 cubic metres to cover the sunroom, dining room, kitchen, utility and bathroom. At 104 euro per cubic meter then this stuff had to go in!

We wheeled in barrows like Molly Malones on speed and filled the sunroom and dining room, myself and Damien 2 then got our 2"*1" screeds in. You have to level this off the sole plate and then diagonal level them also.
I have a 5ft level so this makes life easy.
Dad arrived over so we got on our knees and worked away. Also managed to get 15 buckets up stairs but lost about 3 barrows as we had to go to my mates anniversary mass.

We meet up with the lads afterwards and we headed into Westport for the night.

Door Disaster

Arrived in Claremorris to view the door at 8.30am, suprised suprise the door is not ready and no sign of Finbar who makes the door, due in a 9.30am, not impressed.
They now claim that since we only have a height of 82" in the door opening that we cannot have that shape of a gothic door and that a square on will have to go in, why in the fuk they could not have figured out this back in June is beyond me!

I went onto boards.ie and posted the question if they are raving and onto another few places, placed a few calls and it seems these guys may not be raving. SO back to sq one!

Pain in my head again so went home to bed and get ready for tomorrow, Gerry has had to work also so we are one down, I asked Damien if he could get anyone so he managed to get his mate Damien 2 and that was great.

Friends @ home

Rang about the door, seems it is ready, the lads asked me to call up and pick the locks in the morning. Excellent.
Our friends Tom and Tracey are home from France with their 2 kids, great to see them and their lovely kids, Sammy and Gabrielle. Mattie and Bridie gave us great hospitality.
Headed off to the soccer at 10am in the pissing rain, need to get some sort of soccer under my belt!

Night Off

United V lille, night off!

Painting again

Arrived at about 9pm, did a bucket of painting.

Pic of landing

Slow Day

We got home about 2am so not feeling the Fred west, we got over about 1pm with great intentions but -10% of motivation. Dad was over also, we put down the planks for the screeding next weekend. Keep the molly malones off the UFH.
We also took down the scaffolding from the front of the house, still a load of rubble out the front but will have to wait!

Scaffolding off

Arrived over at ten, got another 8 buckets of sand and got a screed mix together, I started the to finished the bathroom when I spotted movement outside, it was Vinny and his brother in law down for another load of scaffolding, gas men on a Sunday and no mass to go to!!

Off to Des Bishop tonite so once the screed was all gone I headed off home for dinner in Mam and Dads, only managed the wardrobe.
Out for a few pints with the brother in laws, good old night.

Hand Screeding + painting

I was working with Dad this morning, his first day back at work after been off for 3, so to take the pressure off and to try and repay the many hours of work he has done it was the least I could have done. So out of the cot for 5.30am!!
We got the papers out and then I had a cup of tea at home, Vinny rang me and said he was on his way down for a load of scaffolding, put a stop to my screeding and also the fact that it was pissing it down did not bode to well!
I got him with the 4 wheel drive to collect 12 bags of cement for me.
We put on the old wellies and glad rags and after 2 hours of rain and huffing and puffing and a bit of a laugh we got it filled. It is a great sight to see the scaffolding heading off!

Siobhan and Marie (her mam) arrived out to go painting, they set to and did get work.

I took a fit and decided to do a mix a load of screed. Great intentions and the minute I started the dry mix the arse feel out of the sky and I got drowned!
I mixed 8 buckets of sand and 3.5 buckets of cement to make it good and strong since there is only a 1" (25mm) of screed upstairs. The dry mix needed to be turned 3 times so as to get a good consistency.
It is a long time since I hand mixed concrete and it was a killer on the arms but with the hawling of it upstairs made it even more fun!!!
I managed to get about 3/4 of the main bathroom done upstairs, I expected 11 buckets of screed to chew up the floor space but far from it, this is going to be fun!!

UFH all done

I arrived on site after work, Dad and Damo were there and they had completed the UFH so it was great to get it finished! I headed off home, have a bit of a pain in my head the last few days, work in mental busy so wore out!
Still the door is not ready, what these guys are at god knows!!

Screeding Called Off

Brian was there when I arrived to the site about 8pm, he ran the piping outside, unusual as I have not seen a flexible copper piping before.
I then cut the insulation for the utility room, I rang Corcorans and Roadstone to get a delivery of screed but no dice, it seems that they do not work on the Saturday of a Bank Holiday, bit peed off with this but still loads to do anyway!!
Probably no harm as Dad is still unwell and Damien is off to Birmingham so there would have only been 2 of us.

More piping!

I rang Brian, he hopes to call down to put in the pipes, we hope to start screeding on Saturday so I need it down and UFH completed to do so.
I completed the zone in the kitchen and left the pipe loose to finish the utility room.

Down to one zone

Evenings are dark and not much motivation to work but it has to be done!! Got the UFH down in the hall, all that is left now is the final zone in the kitchen and Utility room

Another late arrival!

Arrived about 8pm, got down the insulation in the hall and the front and tried to cut out the bottom of the stairs to put down the insulation but a bit difficult on my own.

Zapping the Zones

Another day more pipe, getting to the end of it and the move towards screeding is pushed on. Dad was over and Siobhan was upstairs painting, getting used to it now at this stage!!

Myself and dad setout the sitting room, 2 separate zones with 2 different widths of separation between them so we had to make sure we got it right.

Next in line was the bathroom with the tight loops and missing sections for toilet and handbasin and that room was pulled in, another issue with the bathroom is that is shares a zone with the back of the hall.
So once we had that down it was a matter of measuring off the to-scale drawings and fitting the pipes in the hall, again different separation and back to the manifold.

Then onto the kitchen, there were gaps left for the island and kitchen units, another zone was to cover the top of the kitchen and looped into the utility room.
It has to be left until Brian Cooley from Climate Control arrives to install the feed and return pipes for the Geothermal collector bed.

UFH

Arrived ocver for eight, lovely day so I started to clear some of the rubble stone outside, a lot of stone scattered so to avoid someone breaking their necks so
an hour later there was a bit of a front to it!!

I started the UFH in the sun room , this is a different design compared to the rest of the house. The other rooms are similar to a kettle with the "U" loops
The sunroom is more circular, what you do is go around in loops and go to the middle, make a U bend then loop back around again back the same path again.
What this allows you to do is squeeze much more pipe into a smaller area, and seen that there are 3 external walls it needs this coverage.

I managed to loop in the sun room and dining room and headed off for the dinner!

Stone Masons Gone

Stone masons finsihed now, great to get it all done!

I started the UFH downstairs, started with the back bedroom and got it down, less zones to do now and definately getting quicker at this, great for the knees!!
Still it is all progress.
I also had to break out the sole plate and soap bars out between the dining room and kitchen to allow the UFH pipes through. Seems like a simple job but more of a pain
in the arse!

Pics of the stone now with the scaffolding gone. Door needs to be put in though

Nothing Done

Late at work did not manage to get any work done, only another 2 weeks of this ahead, systems will be out the door then!

Painting

I continued on with the painting upstairs, landing all undercoated now.

More Painting

Catherine arrived out with Siobhan to do some painting, I am sanding the walls in the big room and putting paper on the windows to avoid splashing!

Rang about door, give him a ring tomorrow to see if they have finished!

Plumber, we are not sure if he has finished or not, stuff is gone but he has a few things to do.

Plumber arrives, stone nearly finished

7pm when I arrived, plumber had pipe runs down, going to make laying the insulation harder,great!!
I started to give the bedroom, bathroom and landing a 2nd coat, got 2 buckets of cheapo emulsion in Albany in Claremorris for 39 euro.
Going to need a hell of a lot more that 2 buckets!!!
Rang Sean, he hopes to finish off the roof by end of week, stone masons hopefully finished Tuesday.

Getting Sean diggerman/neighbour to move in and dig the trench for the ESB piping is going to be another issue! Getting ESB into the house will be the stumbling block I forsee.
Again door is not ready, joiner also makes coffins and he keeps going on with this crap he will be making one for himself ;)

Out Of Paint

We both were on site today, Dad is still sick so he is going to take it easy. I had to measure each of the door opes so that a door schedule could be done up, a 3 week wait time of the doors, skirting, architrave.
I finished off the insulation on the dining room and moved into the sitting room, more angles again with the bay windown and semi circular hearth! Also had to chisel out four 4" solid blocks which were over hanging for the soleplate.

Herself ran out of paint about 5 but started to clean the windows in the sun room, great to get the cleaning done, pain in the arse job.

Downstair insulation & Painting

Siobhan came over today to get stuck into the painting, she got the front bedroom finished and started the toilet, we realised that she would not have a lot of paint left for tomorrow!
I started outside, cleared up the waste stone that the stone masons had left around, I then tidied up the scaffolding.
I had blocks to clear up also so that i could order sand.
I then moved inside and decided to put down the radon barrier on the dining room and sun room, each joint has to be taped and all this is very time consuming.
Rang Alpha kitchens and asked them to call so that we could measure up.
I got the radon down and then put down some of the 70mm sheets of XtraTherm insulation. 46 sheets to put down and tape, hours of fun especially around the bay windows!!
Pulled ship about 8, I got a couple of 40ft flexs to make up a few light in CT Electric, gas really that 100m of flex, 4 bulb holders, 4 bulbs and 4 plugs was 16 euro, cheap I thought!

De Vinci @ Work!

Peter the plumber called tonite about 10pm, just to go through what he had to do. I will be watching these guys like a hawk as the first fix they did was nothing
short of shabby and shite! We had to go back over it and lag the pipes and put in wedges to keep the wastes in place!
I started the painting, strange now to start this, way back I would have thought we would be nearly finished at this stage but there is still a hell of a lot needed to be done.

Sanding the walls!

I started to fix the issues with the plaster, got a hold of a smooth sand paper and sanded away, the upstairs to be fair is not to bad, donwstairs is brutal!
Dad and Damien were over all day and took down the scaffolding on the gable and back of house, another step forward!

Soccer Match

I did no work on the house today, Ireland were playing the Swiss, we drew and are out of World Cup!
The stone masons were there today, they are doing well, as long as the weather sticks!
Dad was over for a while to put the radon barrier down before the plumbers arrive.
Speaking of, they were due Monday, yesterday and today but hey no joy, shock horror!!

Door saga continues, rang them today, "it will be ready Friday", where have i heard this before!!

More pics of the UFH

Oh plumber where arth thou

Today was a day for trying to get hold of the plumber, must have made 10 calls, twat won't answer either! This guy is beginning to push me now but if you blow your top then they can fup up the work!
Dad was there today, he put down the radon barrier in the toilet downstairs and cleaned it out.
We went upstairs and finished off the main bedroom, wardrobe and ensuite with the piping, was late when I pulled out of the house but at least it is done now. The reel is a life saver!

Pics of UFH

Off To the city!

We headed off to Dublin to meet with Jonny and to get the voucher and to pick out our timber flooring.
Luckily I had measured it last nite, 145 sq yards, got the 12mm semi solid for 3300 all in, delighted to get it sorted!
Dad was on site with Damien and they started the main room and cleared it out.
No masons today, as the say "the rain in Spain fell mainly in Ireland" today!

Sore Work!!

Pulled onto site @ about 9,30am. Legs are busted with the bending down! Very windy and cold and does nothing to motivate me!
I managed to finish the bathroom, pain in the arse with all the small loops and trying to keep the spacing between 6".
Siobhan arrived with some fodder and she started to clean the windows, a big job that you don't really add into your schedule!!
I managed to get the back room also piped, I had a method and it started to work.
Dad arrived over and we completed the backroom, great days work.

When I got home I got the plans out and worked out the sq yardage for the floors.

UFH Begins

Was out last nite so with a trobbing head I did not make it until 3.30pm!! Dad, Damien and John were there!
The compelted the battens in the wardrobe and had insulated same and the ensuite, another job done!!
The lads pulled out and I worked on, well I watched the Ireland Cyprus match and then worked!!!
Brian from Climate control gave me a reel for the pipe and a gun for the clips, very handy, after much head scratching and after installing the manifold I began the landing.

I had a semi circular pipe bender head which was great for stopping the pipe from kinking. Worked away until 12am and my stomach started screaming at me!!

Pic Of final fireplace.

More Furniture!

We headed to the N17 to look at furniture, have a couple of beds which we liked,still no table or suite of furniture to beat Skye or Carrowkeel.
Dad was over doing the insulation on the floors.