We've got balls

One of the recent queries from Neil the project manager was whether we want oak balls on top of the newel posts on the landings and gallery.  We've said yes.  Fortunately we've had loads of photos of the barn sent here in the past few weeks that have helped us decide things like this.  We had some from Shaki, some from Neil and about 60 from our son David who took them with his i-phone then couldn't download them onto his laptop, so he ended up sending each photo in a separate email straight from his i-phone!

It's good that a variety of people have taken photos for us 'cause they each see it differently and take ones from alternative angles.  The inside is progressing well now, with the staircase and gallery just about finished (apart from the balls) and the floor finishings starting to be laid.  The floor tiling in the utility is done, and next week they will be laying the limestone floor in the hall/dining room and kitchen, and maybe hanging the internal doors.

The big step forward this week was getting approval from Anglian Water to our pipework and taps so that they can now connect the water supply - almost a year after we paid nearly £1500 for the privilege.  It seems like the water aithorities make it really hard for anyone who proposes rainwater harvesting/water recycling to get approval.  Of course, that will be nothing to do with the fact that it means you'll be buying less water off them, will it?

The sewer connection was also completed a few months ago, so we're now able to conclude what it's cost us to connect to electricty, water and sewerage, all three of which are in the road immediately adjacent to the barn - and it's a staggering £11,400!!  Just as well we challenged the first electricity connection estimate and managed to get them to reduce it by almost £4000.  And we've still got Calor gas bottles to buy and a phone connection to do, but we guess they won't be astronomical bills like the big three.

Plastered

No sooner had I posted the last blog yesterday with the photos from Easter (OK, I started it over a week ago then didn't get round to finishing it until last night), than we get some new ones that we requested from Neil showing the inside with most of the plastering completed.

It's exciting.  They give us a better idea on room layouts, and we can even see that the kitchen fitting is well under way - there's boxes with labels like 'Refrigerator' and 'Microwave Oven' written on them, so even the appliances have arrived.  But of course I can't post any kitchen pictures on the blog - Misan has to be the first to see her new kitchen!

My two favourite photos are ones from the landings, showing the gallery, exposed trusses and fireplace.  We're really starting to get a feel for how the interior's going to look.  The good news is the rooms look light (although the photos are obviously taken on a sunny day).  Whether we'll fit all of our furniture in (including the antique Chinese furniture that we've bought in Hong Kong) is another matter.  Might be like when we moved in to the rented house in Whitnash - an emergency garage sale as we move in.

We have a new Arts Consultant

Easter's been and gone - my, how time flies when you're busy.  We had a lovely break in Vietnam, and our Project Manager went off for a week's holiday himself.

But work continues on the barn.  Before he went away, Neil sent us a few photos of the progress on the interior.  By the time he'd sent them on Maunday Thursday, we were already in Hanoi.  Then he phoned us on Good Friday and we were in a beach bar in Halong Bay.  We'd just met an English guy who lives in Stockholm and was on holiday with some giggly Vietnamese ladies who were all intrigued by my beautiful wife and wanted their photo with her.  So we were in the the process of emailing it from my Blackberry via UK and Sweden back to the guy who was standing next to me in Halong Bay when Neil phoned and wanted to discuss the width of the driveway.  Isn't modern technology amazing!

Things are going on well on the inside now.  The interior is almost fully plastered, and they're fitting the kitchen this week.  Misan is frustrated - she wants to instruct Neil to lock it up once the kitchen's in as she wants to be first to see it!

They're also doing the landscaping and driveway this week.  We've had some long emails and phone calls with Neil to try and agree details, and we think we've managed it, although we'll leave some things 'till later like a (possible) pond and (maybe) a sliding gate.

Good news on the services front, too.  The electricity is finally live, and the sewers are connected.  Just waiting for final approval of the plumbing installation now by Anglian Water, then the water supply will be linked up, too.  That has been a real nightmare for Neil, as he's had to source taps that are WRAS approved, not an easy process (he's even been calling manufacturers in China to ensure he proposes approvable products).  Apparently WRAS is a mandatory scheme that has been around for 5 years or so but not all authorities enforce it and even suppliers and manufacturers aren't fully aware of it's implications.  Of course, our water authority had to insist on us complying with it, hence the headaches for Neil!

And the news from Hong Kong is that Misan has a job!  She's the Visual Arts Technician at the local college.  That's it, she'll be able to choose the barn decorations with confidence now!