Backed up by rubble

February 10th, 2007

Non stop dust and rubble

We moved into our new house. Four humans, (debatable) and three cats about one month before christmas, the dust is just beginning to settle.

It’s one of those things you don’t realise until you’re actually through the door how much work needs to be done.

So we got the downstairs carpets out, and bought a load of laminate, were assured that it’s an easy click and lock system.

Indeed it might be in a perfectly rendered room 12ft by12ft, no corners and a level floor, but I think these rooms only exist in the sales catalogue and promotional materials.

Nothing is easy

Not in my world. Anyway, after initial success with the downstairs rooms,

I began to get a bit of a handy Andy thing going on. A word of warning, never presume the fates won’t turn against you. So finish the skirting boards, tidy up the paint work and we can chill.

So up the stairs

Bolstered by the look and reasonably good finish downstairs I hit the first bedroom to be done with renewed gusto.

So it was a two day makeover, had managed to get rid of the boy for the weekend and was to surprise him with a stylish new room on his return. The scene here was taken after a substantial time clearing debris.

All going well

Compared to the downstairs rooms with its knooks and crannies this was going to be a breeze.

And indeed it was until I struck the pipe, and had to frantically tear up floorboards I had just secured from squeaking. Even as the hiss told me of my strike, inside I was laughing and thinking what a fool you must be to put a nail through a water pipe.

I was a little annoyed that I as I was stripping off my t-shirt to try and contain the geser didn’t get a shot of the water hitting the ceiling. Full speed downstairs, mind racing, where’s the stop cock..? In the corner behind loads of furniture. Just like a guy on pcp I flung the offending book shelves out of the way and made a dive for the tap.

The fix

Was thinking about the possible costs likely to be incurred by such misadventure whilst heading to the diy shop, hoping that I could perhaps buy some self sealing resin or some such wonder substance.

What I ended up with was this, and more work. Had to cut the hole out of the pipe, fit this thing on to one end (I forget what it is called) and gently ease in the other. Then I had to cut out a space under it so that it would lie flush. Should have done these things the other way around.

So that is it really, to cut a long story short, we went all out for it Jo and I over the next day and a half, and although not 100% finished, the room had become habitable.

No pic at the mo will find it later

Entry Filed under: personal