Day 27

Curved cupboards doors and end panel to cupboard by gas hob now fitted and tiling at side of panel completed.Dishwasher now plumbed in and connected and working ! Floorboards in problem areas lifted ..appears that concrete still wet as underlay absorbing moisture causing floorboards to buckle up ! Will now have to leave for one week to dry out, so, dehumidifier now back in action ! Very frustrating as reluctant to clean cupboards in case of further mess and dust next week. Only consolation I can start to use cooker.

Day 26

Construction boss arrived this evening to survey problem with flooring ! Replacement dishwasher and missing door and pillars now received from B & Q.

Day 25 Kitchen

Workmen not due to return until Saturday 6th  November when hopefully all missing items have been delivered this week. Returned from 'shopping' trip today only to notice a potential 'BIG' problem with flooring, namely, the joins at several places are buckling up !

Day 24

Hive of activity today as five workmen buzzing around doing various jobs ! 'Chief' electrician connected 'new' fuse box and before leaving went around testing all appliances only to discover that dishwasher does not work. After checking electricity supply to dishwasher was OK, Martyn contacted B & Q and after another long wait to speak to someone in the order department, they are going to send us a replacement ! So, appliance disconnected and sitting in hallway awaiting collection ! Also awaiting delivery of under cabinet lights.Delivery of all missing and damaged 'bits' due in one weeks time !

Day 23

Electrician arrived at 11.30 am. Sockets and and ceiling lights connected.

Day 22

Work started at 9 am. Tall cabinet now sorted and doors closing correctly after worktop was removed and side shaved. Area above new door between hallway and kitchen papered and gaps around framed filled in. Door looking quite nice. Carpet in hall relaid. Quite a frustrating evening as 'pillars' for fixing curved doors still missing from delivery.

Day 21

A very long 12 hour day with workmen around. Lot of sawing and drilling. New door fitted and stained and also skirting boards cut to size, fitted and stained.Can see an end in sight !

Day 20

Martyn spent frustrating day on phone to B & Q re missing items from delivery whilst also trying to do his job
Was promised missing items will be sent in two days. Gaps and holes in wall plaster filled and more painting continued. Tiling around sink area completed.

Day 19

Delayed start today as workmen had to go elsewhere to sort out someone else's problem ! From 12.45 pm until 7.45 pm work continued on wall tiling, the colourful splashback  fitted and drawers under hob assembled and fitted. At end of day we were informed of some other problems, namely, that wrong size door for the floor cabinet next to oven unit,  was delivered ( 600 mm instead of 500 mm ) and one end panel missing.....very annoying ! This will now cause 'hold up ' to the tiling.

Day 18

Men decided to work today, Saturday, so had break from noise and dust and left Martyn at home whilst I went shopping. Returned late afternoon to discover hob installed and tiling of wall on left hand side now completed.
The dust is settling everywhere even though doors are kept shut !

Day 17

Yesterday's problem with pull out larder now corrected....only thing is there are 2 holes at outer corners of doors where hinges had to be removed. Oven unit fitted and yippee, washing machine connected, so Martyn spared the visit to the laundrette tomorrow morning !

Day 16

Powerful electrical saw in operation cutting worktop to fit on oven side of room. Tall cabinet now cut to fit space at end, by conservatory door. More cabinets assembled and fitted. After workmen left , noticed the 'pull out' larder cabinet assembled incorrectly ( ie shelves installed rather than pull out baskets !), hence door hinges in wrong places....oops !

Day 15

First problem encountered today ! Tall cabinet does not fit intended space. Construction boss did not accept my permission to cut unit until he had spoken to Martyn and gained  his permission ! More units assembled and fitted. Lots of drilling noises. Kitchen beginning to take shape.Workmen left at 7.30 pm. Hole for extractor fan drilled.

Day 14

Workmen arrived with copper and drain pipes. Today has been a very, very dusty day with more sanding down of walls. Undercoat applied to ceiling and walls. Sink unit and some of the base units assembled.

Day 13

More sanding down of walls and some electrical work carried out today. Exposed pipes above boiler 'boxed' in and undercoat applied. Lot of very fine dust everywhere !

Day 12

Floor leveling completed and 'new' flooring  laid. Lots more drilling / sawing and  sanding down going on today. New kitchen units and appliances delivered this afternoon.....now stacked up in living room and the  worktops propped up on stairs.Absolutely nowhere to sit comfortably in lounge, as sofas against each other at one end of room. Undercoat to some parts of walls...external wall not yet dried. Fan heater and dehumidifier in operation.

Day 11

3 workmen today. One sanding down walls, one cutting plywood to fit over old floorboards and the other man attending to the door frame. Cement mixer back in room ! Lots of drilling/sawing noises. Cement laid to level 'old' area of concrete floor. Base coat of paint to ceiling and walls in old utility area.

Day 10

Went to Jersey for 4 night break with nursing friends + partners ( Friday 8th -Tuesday 12th ),  so no work in kitchen until today. Copper pipes laid and new radiator connected.Plywood laid over old floorboards.

Day 8 and 9

Raining heavily this morning. Old door between hallway and kitchen removed and new frame installed. More plastering of walls and ceiling. Second filled skip removed

Day 7

Work started at 10 am as men went shopping for supplies this morning. More plastering  and new window sill put in.. Old radiator that was placed beside skip last night was whisked away on this red truck at 7.30 am. Just managed to see little man loading it as I opened bedroom curtain. Looked like same fellow who took cooker !

Day 6

Two workmen unable to travel to Wallington due to the Tube strike so new workman arrived to commence plastering of walls. Very messy job. Cement mixer in kitchen. More electric cables laid.

Day 5

Workmen arrived at 9 am with more plaster-boards..Lots of heavy drilling.Plasterboard fixed to ceiling and walls and trunking for light switches laid.

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Day 4

Woke up to no hot water or heating. Legs aching from running up and down stairs. Men arrived 8.40 am. Scaffolding men arrived at 10 am to remove scaffolding (for outside house painting ). Spent morning making umpteen cups of tea for thirsty workers. Lots of noisy drilling today and later chief electrician came to sort out hot water problem.Eventually solved at 10 pm, leaving us time just for dinner, bath and bed !