Here we go again.

Is it good sign when you see this van?

Not if it's parked outside our site, because before too long you get one of these.

which leads to this.

Which in turn should hopefully see the end to the basement leak. But to be honest I'm not sure yet as they poured that much water in the hole they found that it'll be coming out for weeks.

How's your memory?

Take a good look. A really good look.

 Now please help me find my lighting cables.

Add bricklaying to my CV

My skill base is increasing.

It's a step, if hadn't worked it out.

Is anyone still there?

and do you still care?

It's been a while, but things have progressed.

The timber cladding has moved on a little. OK the photo looks pretty much the same as the last one I showed you. Hopefully the roof cladding will go on next week, but I guess you've heard me say that before.

Next week should also see the gable trimmed.

Other progress has seen the plastering start.

with our bedroom

the landing bookcase

our en suite

and we've started to paint some of the rooms

and bought the bathroom tiles

(but more of this later)

Alex has picked his room colours

and so has Ellie

The attic is nearing completion

and the plant room is slowly filling up.

So you can see we've got lots of good news, but there's also bad news.

We had a tiler, who struggled to tile. So we had to get rid of him.

And we still have a

leaking

basement

Scaffolds down!

Well, half of it is. And the first section of timber cladding is on.

Forget the basement and carry on

With water coming into the basement there was nothing we could do but carry on with works above ground.

So it was on with installing the membrane and room edges, ready to take the

underfloor heating pipes

and then the screed. We now finally have the floor up to the correct level

after months of struggling with large first steps and impossible thresholds.

Here's manifold 1 for those of you who like this sort of thing. and if you do you'll love next week as 2 more will be installed.

We've also had our first intruder on site. The evidence is there for all to see.

It's been nearly 3 weeks . . . . .

. . . . and things have moved on

a little.

We have put some battens up for the plasterboard. (it's taking a lot longer than I thought)

We've started to install the ventilation system (It too is taking longer than we thought)

The first fix electrics are in

and the floor insulation is in 

ready for the heating and hot water installation. (and the windows are protected for tomorrows underfloor heating and screed)

We've even marked out the kitchen units.

It's all looking good apart from . . . . . .

a little problem . . . .

in  . .

the . . .

basement.

We'd assummed this was the last of the winters rain drying out. It had been sat under the piles of ground floor (blue) insulation for months so it seemed a fair assumption.

But todays rain revealed this

which became this within an hour

So now it's back to the groundworks contractors to sort it out, but I don't think they're capable.

We'll have to wait and see.