This meme really strikes home.
We really are downsizing our home for the final time. While I will have more square footage than the lodge, Alan will have a lot less than his current house and we will be sharing. Hence this final move being quite possibly the last one we make together.
So it's important that we get it right.
After weeks of no floor, then a gradual infill of rubble floor, this week has seen Alan and the builders getting ready for the concrete to be laid. The bricks from the walls being taken down were mostly used to bring the level to the right height. Alan sunk the main pipes that will come from each bathroom into the floor and then all the gaps were filled with a top layer of sand, to protect the damp-proof membrane from puncture.
On top of all these layers the thick insulation boards were laid in place in the dining/kitchen/living room ready for the concrete to be poured. Our chief builder Paul could not resist a little tap dance to celebrate, now Alan just has to break it to him that this photo is going all around the world. 😄
It's all starting to come together nicely.
Nearly all the windows are now at their new sizes and with new concrete lintels. This will be my en-suite shower-room window.
Country Cook asked in the comment section the other day for floorplans, so she could visualise how we are changing the layout of the bungalow. Alan has all the 'proper' ones at the bungalow. But here are two of the basic ones I worked on while I was originally changing the layout. The original layout is on the left and our new one on the right.
I am a very visual person so I always look at floorplans of a property before understanding it or buying it. Hopefully these make sense to you.
I think that the best thing about this simplification, apart from it about to be the bungalow design that we have always wanted, is getting rid of the excess of doors that used to be there ... at least we managed to sell them all. 😄
Sue xx
After much thought, I concluded LB in the lounge must be Log Burner, not Large Box or Little Bear
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes you are completely right. ... although a little bear sat in the corner would be very cute. 🐻 😄
DeleteThat is a serious transformation! Am wondering if Alan will want to stop renovating houses once this is done as he is enjoying the process so much!
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering this myself just recently. 🤔
DeleteThank you Sue for publishing the floor plans, like you it’s the first thing I look at when I have any house details, you have done well to fit in two bathrooms and remove all those extra doors and corridors. I think having the hallway will be much nicer than an entrance straight into the living area and you should be able to keep very warm and cosy, maybe the door money should go towards starting a “chocolate ball fund”…….
ReplyDeleteCountry Cook
The 'door money' vanished along time ago, it went into the skip hire fund along with all the other sales we made. Although the thought of a chocolate ball fund sounds VERY appealing. :-)
DeleteThanks for sharing the floor plans-I am a visual learner and need to see to understand.The bungalow 3 doors up has gone up for sale today and I can’t wait to see the floor plans. We both have extended our bungalows so it will be good to see how different theirs is from ours. All the other neighbour want to know the price!! Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt's good when a nearby property goes up for sale and you can have a good look at the estate agents photos and the floor plans isn't it. From the front our current house and next doors look identical, but inside they are totally different, that was a real eye-opener.
DeleteIt's going to be a big change for Alan! But you've got your own spaces as well as the big living area. Is he planning on building a Proper Shed?
ReplyDeleteWe are planning a pocket door for the new downstairs shower room, and a sliding door, which will probably be left open all the time, between the utility room and the new extension. I thought they would make it easier to manage all the doors.
He seems quite happy to start having a sort through of his possessions at last. If he brings too much to the bungalow I will just pile everything up in his room!! Pocket doors can be a real space saver can't they.
DeleteFirstly, I must say I've had a belly laugh from the washing symbols in your last post ! ...lol...
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I am more than impressed with the progress on the bungalow. Thanks for showing us the floor plans, Sue, I must be the world's worst for not being able to visualise changes as big as the ones you and Alan have tackled. It will be fabulous!
Angie
It's very hard to imagine the layout from all the photos I share when they are so individual. Even the walk-through videos I'm putting on YouTube seem confusing with all the talk of walls coming down etc. so plans in black and white are much more helpful.
DeleteIt is all going to look wonderful and it is amazing how quick it has all been. Can't wait to see the fit out and decorations.
ReplyDeleteYes, we are currently three months in ... hasn't the time gone by quickly. It seems to be all coming together this week. We should have base floors in all the rooms by the end of next week. Next step, underfloor heating and solar panels.
DeleteIt's really taking shape now - so exciting.
ReplyDeleteJust seeing the base of a floor has made such a difference hasn't it. :-)
DeleteI’ve never heard of a pocket door as mentioned above. The building works are really moving on apace, I do admire anyone who enjoys all of that stuff - I’d be running a mile in the opposite direction 😀, mind you, because we’ve moved around a lot there’s been quite a few new kitchen and en suite installs at our various places 😀
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
Pocket doors are good, they slide into a gap built in the wall. But I do like a proper bathroom door with a hook on the back. 😀
DeleteI admire anyone who enjoys this sort of renovation too, but with a slight feeling that they are totally mad. I'll be running alongside you, maybe not for the full mile and sounding completely out of puff after two minutes though. 😄
Thanks for explaining about the Pocket door
Delete😘
🙂 xx
DeleteLast May we sold our place in Montana and bought in Southern Oregon. When we sold I told my wife I wanted a house with no projects so I could just relax, hunt and fish, and enjoy myself. What did we get?...a 2 story farmhouse, built in 1948, on 2 1/2 acres...and none of it had ever been updated, or even really taken care of. The baseline we have to start with is beautiful, but man oh man, the projects are never ending. We bought in June, started the remodel in July, and didn't get to live in the house until December. We're figuring 2-3 years to get things somewhat done.
ReplyDeleteWay back when I blogged a lot, then got away from it like many, but recently started in again. I've been looking for active folks, and here you are. I will add you to my favorites list and check back often.
Wow, I worked out that's at least a 14 hour drive apart, we are moving 5 minutes away from our current home. You win. 😄 Hopefully we will be in by December, and hopefully all finished.
DeleteWelcome to the gang, I've been blogging since 2008 in one format or another. I keep trying to stop, it never works. 🤔
I have some reservations about services underneath concrete floors - our first house had gas and water pipes under the concrete, and at one point we had a gas leak that had us worried that we might have to rip up the floor.
ReplyDeleteThis is why Alan is doing it himself, with double checking from the builders, plumbers etc. Alan is a fully qualified engineer. We have no gas to the property only electricity.
DeleteYou are turning everything around. I do have one question.... When you have guests for say an afternoon, where will they use the facilities? The only places I can see are ensuites in the bedrooms.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
They will be more than welcome to use either of the bathrooms. It's only family that visits, and occasionally stays over. 🙂
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