Kitchen Designs

It has become abundantly clear that the current kitchen design won't work. The (I thought) very clever idea to build a staggered stud wall between the kitchen and cloakroom looked really good on the plans (see here) but on the ground it doesn't work as well.

This is mainly to do with the toilet and the amount of space you need in front of it to errrr do your business! I remember having a similar problem before when we installed a small cloakroom under the stairs in our last house. The conversations that follow are quite formulaic in their style.

It involves a succession of people (always seems to be blokes) who stand in front of (or sit on) a real or pretend toilet and work out if there is enough headroom if fitting under the stairs or leg room if you are trying to position door as close to the toilet as you can get away with. Nearly everyone get's involved in the discussion even if they are somebody unknown who has just delivered a load of plasterboard to the house. After plenty of sitting and standing the usual toilet humour (sic) starts along the lines of

"Well mate I am sure it is ok for you but as a larger gentlemen I would stand further away"

and

"Have you considered where to put the newspaper rack"?

……and so on. I am sure you get the idea!

Anyway the long and short of this analysis is that the door needs to be further away from the toilet and slightly wider. This means that the "kink" shown in the plans on the stud wall ends up being a reasonably deep recess which in a kitchen of this size just doesn't work at all as the space is completely wasted. As a result it compromises the rest of the kitchen.

The only thing to do is to have a straight stud wall and design the kitchen to that. I shall go back round the house this morning to measure yet again (how many times have I done this?) and then I can do another kitchen design. Whilst the kitchen will be one of the last things to be completed I suspect I need to order it before Christmas to stand any chance at all of hitting the deadlines.

Oh Look - A Garden

Here are two photographs of the garden and they both go to show how much of it has been cleared. I am not sure if the pick was actually used or whether it was just left lying around for the benefit of the pictures.

We don't want to clear too much more as it is providing some good screening. Another couple of days should see the rest of the rubbish cleared and most of the remaining ground cover.

And a nice pose from the best qualified garden clearer ever (probably!).

Shower head position

I have been asked where I want the thermostat and taps to be placed in relation to the shower head. It is pretty obvious (to me anyway) that the shower head should be in the middle of the bath which means the taps should be to the right. Assuming that it cannot be connected from either side.

I don't really understand the point of this design. Why isn't the connector to the shower head on top of the unit and why it is not in the middle. There must be some clever design factor that is beyond me.

Windows Invoice

The invoices, bills and demands for payment are coming in a little faster now and I have just received the final invoice for the new windows and doors; a total of £3470.00. This is £261.00 below the revised budget and £30.00 less than the original estimate and included more windows than original anticipated. They have done a fantastic job and I am very pleased with the whole effect.

If you need some double glazing contact Geoff at Warmlite and tell him you read about them on this blog. I don't get anything as a result but you never know – it may just assist in the negotiations next time.

The reduction in VAT has made a small but very welcome reduction to the bill.

Thank you Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling but I really must tell you that I would have spent the money anyway.

Bathroom Order

I have finally ordered what I think will be everything not purchased so far for the new upstairs bathroom and the cloakroom. This order includes all the waste, wall hangers, panels, taps and so on. Everything. Everything that is until I am told what I have forgotten! Doubtless the plumber will take great delight in telling me.

The total amount spent on all of these bits and pieces is £683.66 which is considerably less than £3000 in the budget. This seems like good news but the budget also included estimates for the stud work, plastering and fitting etc which has now been moved to another line item. As I mentioned in an earlier post it is difficult to truly know how the budget is doing line by line but overall I think we are just about there.

Yet more pictures

Now the bathroom window is in the light in the new upstairs bathroom is fantastic. This first picture is taken from the landing into the bathroom. The only part of the bathroom that has not had plasterboard (suitable for bathrooms of course) is the bit you can see. The ceiling is up and I am really pleased with how good it all looks.

These next two pictures are of the front bedroom. The ceiling is up in here as well and all the thermaboard and plasterboard has been attached to the walls.

My daughter (who visited the house this morning with me) accepts that whilst everywhere else is still "horrible" the bedroom looks pretty good. High praise indeed.

Bathroom Window

The ultra thin render based wall has been replaced with a bright and shiny new window. I think it's look pretty good but it is even better from the inside.

More pictures to come and then it's time for kitchen design. I have the exact measurements now the stud work is in so design and ordering is next weeks priority.