We've got the builders in.

We decided on our return to the UK that we'd stay in our former family home until the time comes for us to downsize and possible do away with stairs and a garden.

We love living in Malvern and our location is perfect, we looked around at other properties and even put an offer in one one place, but then we looked a the costs of solicitors, removal firms, stamp duty, estate agent fees plus all the work we'd want to do to personalise the new place. So we decided to stay put.

We had a new kitchen fitted last year, the guttering, drain pipes and fascias have all been replaced. We've done a couple of other repairs and we're having a single story extension built.

Before

After

Back in 2005 we converted the garage to a dining room and converted the loft to make an extra 2 bedrooms. But we've never had enough downstairs space. The conservatory was off the lounge and as the garden is North facing, it never got any sun and was too cold in the winter to use, so it's come down, a new room is off the dining room and outside the lounge doors (which are being replaced also) there will be a covered seating area.

We found these builders at a trade stand at The 3 Counties Autumn Fair in 2022. We paid £500 for plans and drawings up front and the rest is due upon completion around 4 weeks after the build starts.

Before

View from inside

View from outside

The work started while we were away, we came home to this 3 days after the work started.

We then went away for another two days and came home to this:

This was Monday.

This was Tuesday - one week on.

The work went really quickly after that, with two fitters, two plasterers and 2 electricians and on day 13 they were gone. I made the payment over the phone at 4pm, all the rubbish tidied and the skip was collected on the Monday morning.

Now the hard work begins. The plaster and the floor is still drying. Peter is in the middle of laying a new patio. The lawn has dried up a little, then it's painting, tiling the floor and moving the furniture in.

I received no compensation for the post, just want to sign post you to Dunraven for a job well done.

Week 10 2023 Project 365 and One Daily Positive

Lots of coffee shop visits, dog walks and time with friends. The double yellow lines have been painted. We still having one parking space outside our house, but there's a battle in the mornings with parents and staff. At the moment, we're parking there over night to save a space for various builders vans, skips etc.

The snow this week looks beautiful, not really settling, but the extra water in the back garden has turned it into a quagmire and Bob isn't liking all the paw cleaning when he comes in.

64 Sunday Off to the coffee shop with Bob, we were out for two hours, home to read while Peter made dinner then I spent the afternoon and early evening in my craft room and Peter went to the pub to watch the football. Day ended with a hot bath and an early night. Head hurting.

65 Monday Managed to get to midday before I had to come home and sleep for the rest of the day.

66 Tuesday Off to the post office after work and stopped for a coffee and read. Peter met me after work with Bob and we walked home via a coffee stop. In the evening I argued with the over locker and lost.

67 Wednesday Woke to snow, it wasn't settling, but it looks so pretty. I can't see the Malvern Hills at the moment due to the snow, I'll try and grab a photo if I can. Popped round to the neighbours and finally won the battle with the over locker. We sorted some finances out and spent hours on the phone to banks, tax office etc.

Look at the state of our garden! The 2 sheds on the left will be coming down soon.

68 Thursday Awake at 5am, snowing quite heavily, took Bob out for an hours walk in the fresh snow. Left early for work to ensure I got in on time, arrived to discover school closed and message had been sent while I was on route. Moved the furniture in the dining room to the other side to allow access for new build, had hospital appointment mid afternoon, raining by then. Evening spent in my craft room shouting at the over locker.

69 Friday Home from work and straight out with Bob and we walked home via a coffee stop. Builders have finished, tidied up and left site, payment made. I finished my easter gifts ready for delivery tomorrow.

We've got to wait for the floor and plaster to dry before we can use the room and need to relay the patio.

70 Saturday Early morning visit to mums with her Mothers Day gift then onto Grandchild then friends, before arriving in Monmouth where I'm staying the night.

On the blog this week:

What I wore to the Theatre

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Post Comment Love 10th-12th March 2023

Welcome back to #pocolo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

I've managed to catch up with everyones blog posts now I've got a new laptop.

I've spent a bit of time this week sorting through my summer wardrobe getting ready for our trip to Dubai over Easter.

I struggle with winter clothes I always feel so bulky with layers on, but my job in a school means every lesson change I'm walking outside from one block to another and often leave my coat behind. I'm on the hunt for a warm and fully waterproof coat, preferably a long one. I'm quite fussy as I want to buy once and wear for a long time.

The building work on the new extension is almost complete. Plasterers are in today. When it's finished we just need to paint and lay flooring.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

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