Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Limited progress on the lucarnes
I haven't made much progress on the dormer windows this week because I've been rushing around planning things, getting quotes, materials and tools along with entertaining the kids over the weekend.
Transport is my biggest issue at the moment. I used to have a Peugeot Boxer van which was fantastic. If you needed anything you just went to the builders merchants and chucked it in the back of the van. Unfortunately the van was sold, and now I have to ask friends for favours or get stuff delivered. For example I had to borrow a van to go and buy a concrete mixer. It just takes up a lot of your day.
I have put a tow-bar on the car, but as yet have not found a trailer at a good price, and anyway lots of stuff is too big for a trailer.
Obviously to save money on delivery it's better to order a lorry load of stuff, so I've been round to two local builders merchants get get quotes for all the materials to finish the windows and start replacing the concrete floor. The more you order the bigger the discount you get.
After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing I've ordered the oak beams (poutre en chene) for the window surrounds (450 euro per cubic meter) the window sills (appui de fenetre), polystyrene sheets for underfloor insulation, the plastic waterproof membrane, metal grill for the concrete (trellis soude) and various bits like soil pipes, lengths of wood, breeze blocks (parpaing) and cement. Hopefully enough to keep me going for a while.
As you can see below, I have put one window sill in place and started to knock out the red brick surrounds on the existing windows ready to replace them with the oak window frames.
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brittany
renovation
Limited progress on the lucarnes
