Trev and Hil's New Build in Polemi

Trev's home in construction, updates regularly.

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Postby trevnhil » 05 Oct 2010 15:01

Hi Keith. Unfortunately, I don't know the land owners. Our plot is nearly at the end of a long Cul -de Sac, and the existing electricity supply is past our land, therefore we do not go that way.

We have found that dealing with some other land owners in our area of Polemi is far from easy.

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Postby Kent » 05 Oct 2010 17:32

Hi Trev

Looks good so far.
have you thought about using solar generated Electricity backed up by a Generator. I'm sure you can get grants for a good part of the cost on the Cell installed not sure that it would run to the batteries needed. just something to investigate if it doesn’t swing your way.

Devil is likely to know more about this
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Postby trevnhil » 05 Oct 2010 17:41

We did give it a brief thought, but the cost (even with grant) and the number of panels needed, put it off our drawing board.

We do use a lot of electricity even in the rental property that we are in now. With our FIL being almost self contained, both here and even more so in the new property, it is just like two households.

We will persevere and no doubt come through in the end. We could just do with someone bringing the 'End' a little closer. :wink:

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Postby anna » 05 Oct 2010 18:15

We both received a registered letter from the Electricity Authority requesting permission to erect a pole to supply power to the house behind us and our daughter as co-owner of our land also received a registered letter which we all three signed and returned to the Authority, in our case based in Nicosia.

Once the letters were received by the Electricity Board, the pole was erected very quickly, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long.

Regards, Anna.
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Postby trevnhil » 05 Oct 2010 18:28

Hi Anna. Many thanks for that information about the letters. That seems to be the next stage that our application has to go through. It is also good news to us that it did not take too long after permission had been received until the pole was up.

One question for you.... Was there a time limit mentioned on the letter whereby you had to have your reply sent in, or thenthey would perhaps carry on anyway.??

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Postby anna » 05 Oct 2010 20:20

I have found our letters, only in Greek I'm afraid, but have sent you a scanned copy of the letter, form and reverse of form and hopefully you can print it off and get someone to translate for you. I didn't actually see a cut-off date for replying, but it would be worth asking the Electricity Authority for their comments.

Sorry if the quality is poor, so fingers crossed you can open the emails.

Regards, Anna.
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Postby trevnhil » 05 Oct 2010 20:25

Hi Anna. Thanks for the copies. Yes we can just about read them after touching them up in Picasa.

We will be in touch with the board by phone tomorrow so we can ask our questions then.

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Postby trevnhil » 09 Oct 2010 17:42

Hi all.

I just thought that I would update this with the latest news. The electrician has been this last week and he is well on the way to having all the tubes and wires in the walls and the floor.

The bricklayers have nearly all the brickwork done, and quite a lot of the cement rendering has been done as well. All the full tiles have been laid on the roof now but I think there may still be a few cuts to put in. The flat roof has been felted which makes sense, as the water from two other roofs goes onto it.

We have had a site meeting today and we have chosen the outside marble cills to go under the windows. We have been told that the Aerated concrete for the floor will be laid in the middle of the week. then the plaster boarding will be able to be started. I assume they will do the ceilings first and then they will be doing the walls the following week.

I have added a few pictures today and the one below is of the two roofs.

Image

I had to smile today when we were at the site meeting with the 'travelling' manager or foreman. He was ill at the beginning of last week and was not able to visit the site. However he told me that he looked at the pictures on the Web album to see how things were progressing. :lol:

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Postby trevnhil » 10 Oct 2010 20:23

Just a very quick added post instead of editing yesterdays. I have just been looking back at the pictures on my computer, and so I can make the following statement

Today, on Sunday the 10th of October 2010, it is exactly two months since the first timber frame was erected.

Image



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Postby jimgward » 11 Oct 2010 13:00

I built my last house in the UK - a timber-frame construction.

We started just after New Year and finished just before Easter - 12 weeks!
I worked almost full-time on it, my brother and cousin worked full-time, along with 1 more. My teenage son (14) worked most weekends and some nights. The rest were squads brought in to do certain jobs, such as brickwork.

We moved in with no garden - mud - and only a hardcore driveway.
It was a very cold winter and gales blew the day we finished putting the plywood on the roof! A sleepless night....

All in all, it was an experience. Very stressful, which led in great part to the breakup of my marriage! When the cats away.....

Would I do it again?

Yes. I am in discussion with an architect to do so... but I will be doing very little as we will employing a firm to do it - as they own the land.

Weel-done Trev, I think you have large cajones doing this in Cyprus.
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Postby jimgward » 11 Oct 2010 13:03

One thing I don't get about Cypriot construction - among others - is the burying of plumbing and electrics in screed and behind solid walls - as well as no access to traps in showers etc.

Asking for trouble down the line... IMHO
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Postby trevnhil » 11 Oct 2010 13:13

Hi Maggie... and Jim.
Thanks for adding your experiences to the thread and also for the good wishes. You build was extremely quick Jim.

We have not got regrets about building, however we were sort of forced into it due to lack of a particular design resale.

Yes the pipes are in the concrete floor, but they are pipe in pipe. Theoretically at least if there is a problem then you are supposed to be able to change the inside pipe. The same goes for the wiring. They are all in round plastic conduits and should the need occur you should be able to pull a replacement wire through.

Yes there is stress, without a doubt. We are back from seeing the Electric board this morning and they have told us that we will definitely get our electricity connected. They are just not as definite when we ask them when???

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Postby trevnhil » 13 Oct 2010 09:27

I put some pictures on the web album yesterday. At first glance they look to be the same as the ones a few days ago. But the reason they are there is that the ridge and hips on one of the roofs has been put on and pointed. The final pointing has been done in red cement and I asked if it would be the same shade of red every day :D The reply was..... of course we measure the coloured powder exactly.... We are professionals.

The roof is certainly looking good now, there are even special tiles on the ends of the hips.

I was on site early this morning and as I left the wagons were arriving with the special insulating aerated concrete for the floor.

I think that tomorrow they will be starting the plasterboarding. The ceiling will be first and they will also be installing the insulation that I have imported from the UK. This is 150mm thick instead of the 50mm that would normally be used here. Before the outer walls can be boarded the insulation will have to be put in there. I have been today and ordered it but that is 50mm rock-wool.

I will be up there later taking some pictures to upload this evening.

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Postby trevnhil » 16 Oct 2010 17:40

Another momentous day for us today. The roof is finished. All the tiles are on and the ridge and the hips have all been pointed up in red cement. As I have posted on another topic, if it rains hard we will be off to see if it rains in.. :D

Just as the red cement show that the builders are paying attention to detail, so do the following two pictures ....

Image

Image

At first sight they may seem to show nothing but the timber frames. However I was there talking to the joiners today when they were working on these and other walls. If you look carefully you will see that some of the surfaces of the framework are a lighter colour than others. This is because they have checked the walls with a straight edge, and with an electric planer they have removed any proud or high points. Again, attention to detail.

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Postby trevnhil » 18 Oct 2010 19:35

Well we are now beginning to see rooms developing from the forest of timber....

Image

Also new things are happening or due to happen this week. As you can see from the picture the plaster-boarding of the walls has commenced, and you can see that the insulation and a vapour barrier have been installed. This is all in preparation for the plasterer arriving sometime this week.

The reveals (sides) of the window openings are being done and the marble cills will be on later this week. This means that the UPVC windows can be measured and manufacturing commenced..... As long as we pay the deposit of course. :lol:

So things are continuing to happen, and quite quickly as well.

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Postby trevnhil » 20 Oct 2010 16:49

Well mistakes do happen. Last night when I visited the site I was looking at the plasterboarding and how neatly the Carpenters had cut round the light switches.

However, I found one light switch that was inside a wardrobe. I can see how this came about as wardrobes are usually 60cm deep. Hilary wanted one of our wardrobes to be 80cm deep but this had not been noticed.

I spoke to the carpenters this morning and they said "no problem", we will take off the plasterboard and move it. This was a simplification of what had to be done, as the plastic conduits with the wires in had to be moved too, and they were concreted in the floor.

But they did it and you can see it in the collage picture below. It took about 15 minutes. The use of the chainsaw may look a little rough but it was needed to cut out the 3"x3" place for the switch box.


Image

So a problem that was there this morning has been corrected, and all is right with the world again..... until next time of course. :lol:
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Postby dawnett » 21 Oct 2010 17:53

Hi Trev

Your Bungalow is coming on lovely , The views are Breathtaking
Hope you will both be very happy there
I love looking at the photos

Dawn
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Postby trevnhil » 21 Oct 2010 18:08

Thanks for your comments Dawn. It is certainly coming along quite well. There are always going to be things that need a small adjustment, or I think "that is not how I would do it"

Already there are some things that I would change but can't, so it is no good worrying about them.

One thing I have learned..... Speak Up. By that I don't mean shout, but if a thought comes into your mind then talk about it with the men that are there. Maybe what I am thinking will be done. But there again maybe it won't and when it's not done as you would like it, then many times it is too late.

We are fortunate that we only live about a 5 min. car ride from the site, and I am there at least once every day. Goodness knows how people who are in the UK get one built exactly as they would like.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby dawnett » 21 Oct 2010 18:37

Hi Trev

I will pick your Brain's :lol: when we finaly decide to make the move over to cyprus
Weve had land in Kitti a few year's now and have always said that Timber frame would be what we would go with
Weve got freind's that have one and are extremley happy with their choice
cool in the summer and cosy and warm in the winter
who are your Builders ?
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Postby trevnhil » 21 Oct 2010 19:18

Hi Dawn.

I am not sure that mentioning the builders name / company is allowed on the forum. However I will send you his details in a PM.
We have known him for about 3 years now, and he certainly seems to build a good quality property.

I know two others in the Paphos area that have used him and also I am in contact with another of his customers in the Larnaca area.

One Rare thing perhaps for a builder here is that he requires no money up front, ie no deposit. He cleared the land and built a retaining wall and we paid straight after it was done. He made the concrete base complete with all the steelwork to the Architects satisfaction. When the shuttering was stripped and cleared away, we paid for that work as well.

This is the way we are still continuing, and at the end we will be holding a retained amount for 12 months.

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Postby trevnhil » 26 Oct 2010 18:36

Well this is supposedly the last week for the carpenters. They are expecting to be finished by the end of this week. At the moment they are still finishing the plaster-boarding. They are of course putting in the insulation in the ceilings that I got from the UK.

Here is a picture of it installed in the lounge ceiling before it is plaster-boarded.

Image

All houses here in Cyprus should be like this. Warm in winter, cool in summer.

The decorators have also been giving many coats of stain to the marine grade plywood fascia board. they are also coating the under boarding with a clear stain. It is looking good.
I have just put a few more pics in the album.

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Postby geoffm » 26 Oct 2010 22:49

Wow Trev.
Just looked at the latest pics, that roof line and sharp flat walls are looking really nice, it's been a long time but what a pad.
Every thing comes to those who wait and here comes yours.
May it continue.
Geoff and Brenda.
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Postby jagwheels » 27 Oct 2010 17:36

Trev your comment “and I am there at least once every dayâ€￾ has as you have experienced paid dividends. Living in a very old property myself & making improvements over the years bears that out when contractors are involved

One mistake I can see. No chimney for a Yule log fire to remind you of the old country at christmas :lol:

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Postby trevnhil » 27 Oct 2010 17:45

Norv you are certainly right about there being no Chimneys. However the construction of the framework means that a chimney could be done as an extra. There are two chimneys on the plans, however finances dictated that we do away with them and quite a number of other things as well.

Better to be living in a modest building than not be able to afford one at all. And don't forget there are always extras to any construction project.

We would like to have a gas log effect stove, but with a balanced flue. They are available here but at a fancy price. But we are still looking.

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Postby trevnhil » 30 Oct 2010 19:02

Well it is another Red letter day on the Calender today.

The construction of the bungalow is finished.

As you can see from the pictures on the web album, it has been built, and the outside has been rendered. The walls and ceilings inside are all plasterboarded and are being prepared for the painter. The ceilings are all filled with insulation and it is also in the outer walls. The windows have been ordered and will be another good couple of weeks.

Today the scaffold has been dismantled and taken away. Tomorrow they are going to clear the site of the debris and waste.
The lack of scaffold is a bit of a pain really, as I have to put gutters round now, and I will have to use a ladder.

Now comes the 'Nitty Gritty'...... What do we want done outside..... And is it included in the price that we have, or is it an extra.

One major item of course is the drainage system for the toilet water and the grey water. This means a septic tank and of course we want plastic manholes and 4" pipes so that the chance of a blockage is minimised.

Yes we have had some Hiccups during the build, and there continue to be things that surprise me.

But when you look back or think back to when the first frame went up, it was on the 10th of August. That is not even three months ago. It is a pretty good achievement, for all concerned. Thanks are due to all those that have been involved up to now

Trev.. n Hil...
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Postby Radio » 01 Nov 2010 15:42

Hi Trev,

You must be pleased; remarkable achievement in such a short time.

Slightly confused over you statement about tank & pipes; wasn't the basic pipework put in at the base construction stage ?.
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Postby Biddy » 01 Nov 2010 15:52

It is wonderful watching this progress - imagine waking up to the views every day. I wish you many happy years there.
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Postby trevnhil » 01 Nov 2010 15:59

Hi Roger.
Yes the pipework is in the base for the toilet waste, and it is 4"or 110mm. The pipework is also in the base for the waste from the washing machine, dishwasher, 3 washbasins and 2 showers and a bath.

All these need to be brought from the side of the concrete base onto a series of Plastic manholes and then into the septic tank.

Also, I am preparing to put large gutters around the property and of course the water from these will go down rainwater drainpipes. BUT..... in Cyprus that seems to be the end of things. They just let the water cascade out next to the building. I am having 5 bottle trays or gulley's and a few metres of pipework to take the water away from the building.

We will try and sort it all out tomorrow but no doubt things will be missed or forgotten.

Thanks Biddy for your good wishes. I must admit that the view was one of the things 'going' for the plot when we bought it. Also no one can build in front of us and block the view. What looks like another plot below ours is actually OUR lower piece of land. And the plot just further away than that is perhaps about 20 foot lower again and behind mature trees.

However we no doubt still have some hurdles to jump over, perhaps the biggest one being the supply of electricity.

Regards. Trev..
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Postby Radio » 01 Nov 2010 19:44

Hi Trev,

Is 4" sufficient for paper ?.

Are you going to utilise rainwater from the guttering for the garden ?.

I empathise with the electricity business, it's my major stumbling block.
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Postby trevnhil » 01 Nov 2010 19:54

Yes 4" is big enough for paper, and It really is 110mm. The toilet tissue will go down smaller piping with no problems, it is when it gets to the 'Cypriot' Manholes that problems usually occur. The usual Cypriot manholes are built of brick and have rough cement benching around the pipes. I have even seen the outlets higher than the inlets.

We are not particularly collecting the rainwater but we may do once we get sorted out.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 04 Nov 2010 10:13

Well here is the latest news this week. We ordered the UPVC windows about 10 days ago on a Monday morning. The firm came out and measured for the windows only (no floor level) and we decided upon the opening lights.

One week later I said the the plasterer painter that it would be another week or two before they were fixed. Lo and behold on the Monday teatime I had a call to say that they would fix all the windows the following day ie last Tuesday. They came about 9-00am and they were all fixed before lunchtime. BUT... without any glass in. :)

However yesterday when I went to the site before lunchtime all the glass was in the windows and the frames had been sealed to the rendering outside.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the firm were able to measure for the exterior and patio doors, because the floor levels had been drawn with the aid of a laser level.

So in a couple of weeks the door frames will be here, but perhaps all the floor tiling will not be done... :cry:

The window / door company very kindly came up with a very good offer. They say that they will 'dry' fix the outer doors, so that the building will be weather tight. They will then come back when needed and remove the doors and frames and then fix them permanently when the doorsteps are done.

A few more pictures with windows added today.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby Anne&Mike » 04 Nov 2010 10:43

wow Trev it's looking fabulous and such a nice location, how I envy you and Hilary.

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Postby trevnhil » 07 Nov 2010 20:40

The location is nice Anne, and thank you for your comments.

In the last few days the levels for the outside areas have been agreed.... eventually :)

Image

The joiner has been to measure up for the internal doors and cupboards. This will include two kitchens, the vanity units for the bathrooms and also the wardrobes.

The floor tilers have just begun their work, and they have done a long line of tiles down the hall into the lounge.

So things are still progressing well, and later this week we have to go yet again to see what progress has been made at the Electricity offices, with regard to the poles and wires.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby anna » 07 Nov 2010 22:17

I just paid a virtual visit to your house and look forward to seeing the tiles you mentioned.

The Electricity Board hopefully will have some good news for you all, so fingers crossed for a successful outcome. Press upon them the fact that time flies and you can't wait for ever, so please can they give you a definite date.

In the old days people would take them a couple of live chickens, but I don't think they'd appreciate that in their office.

My husband told me that when he was 12 years old, he went for an exam to attend the Nicosia Technical School, armed with two live ones his mother had given him. As part of the test included speaking English, he failed as he didn't know any then. Not only did the teacher say he'd failed, but he kept the chickens - much to his mother's disgust.

Many regards,

Anna.
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Postby trevnhil » 07 Nov 2010 22:28

Ha ha Anna. I can't imagine going in with chickens now. We have done the gifts bit with other departments AFTER they have produced 'the goods' so to speak. We have also taken Christmas cards to those that we know in the Land registry. The way thing are at the land registry we may well still be visiting at Christmas time again this year. We have been there regularly over the last three years.

We are SLOWLY moving forward with many things, but the Electricity is the most difficult.

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Postby trevnhil » 10 Nov 2010 20:19

Well after all the frantic activity during the last few months there were no builders there today. One of the reasons is that the guys who have been preparing for the decorators have finished and have left the site.

The others who started the tiling are not there as there is no water available. This is due to the failure of a water pump in Polemi. We have been told that replacement parts are coming from Nicosia, but we have no idea when things will be back to normal.

One person has been working on the site today and that is .... ME. I have been putting up the guttering, but still I have a long way to go to get all round the bungalow. In fact I still have quite a bit of guttering to buy yet. But no need to rush..... Siga, Siga, this is Cyprus.

Just one picture been added today.

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Postby jimgward » 10 Nov 2010 22:35

Trevthe drilling. I presume that's a borehole for water? I presume they struck it? What depth?

Cheers

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Postby Jim » 11 Nov 2010 06:07

Maybe the septic tank going in Jim?
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Postby trevnhil » 11 Nov 2010 08:00

Jim W.... No it's not a bore hole for water. But almost as the other Jim says. It is the soak-away hole for the water from the septic tank. The septic tank will be next to it.

Cheers. Trev..

Off to see the Leccy board
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Postby geoffm » 11 Nov 2010 11:27

Thanks for that last post Trev, my N.D.nabour had a hole like that drilled(18 metres deep) and I always wondered what it was for, now I know.
Place is really marching on, looking better all the time.
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Postby trevnhil » 16 Nov 2010 18:46

Hi all.

A very good friend of mine phoned me today to ask if there was any problems with the build, as no pictures had been put on the web album since the 10th of this month. There is no problem with the builders, but there has been a problem with a water pump in Polemi. It broke down and they had to send away for parts to repair it. We were without water on the site for about 4 days, but we regained the supply late on Thursday.
The tilers returned on Monday and as you can see they are now galloping ahead with the tiling. The drainage system was also started today and as you will see from the pictures we are having plastic manholes which should mean that there will be no blockages in the system.

One or two new pics are on the album, but they may be a bit boring because one room of tiles looks very much like any other one. :lol:

Another thing that has happened today is that we met with an official at the electric board. The letters are going out to adjacent plot owners to ask for permission to erect poles on the edge of their land. After a certain number of days we should know what the replies are...... yes..... no..... or just no replies.!!! :(

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby Macattack » 16 Nov 2010 21:45

Don't ever worry about pics being boring Trevor, because they are not.

It must be about the most exciting thing one can do, building a house to one's own specification.

The pics are a fantastic record, and priceless to you, but also very interesting to us.

Keep posting until everything is complete.

:D
Ian

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there - place; their - possessive; they're - they are
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Postby trevnhil » 16 Nov 2010 21:57

Thanks for the comments Ian. Thing don't change very much inside the house from week to week. You are right that we will have a good record of what has happened. It has already proved useful, and the gas pipes were boarded in the wall. I looked on my pics to see where to bash the holes at :lol:

We are currently waiting for the exterior doors to be fitted which should not be too long away now.

I am putting up our own gutters day by day, but I am in no rush at all.

As everyone can see the builders are now starting to do the outside work. One of the major items will be the stamped concrete. But this has still not been sorted out financially at the moment.

There are still a number of what I call hiccups happening. One thing went wrong today and I have a meeting there at 7-00 in the morning. But I think on the whole things are coming along nicely.

Regards. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 16 Nov 2010 22:12

Thanks Maggie. :D

Trev..
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Postby anna » 16 Nov 2010 22:42

Trev hopefully the letters will be sent out registered post which means the recipients can't say they haven't received them. In our case, our daughter was living in the UK when our neighbour needed a pole to be erected and that went registered as well as ours in the village here.

You must be feeling really impatient to get everything done before it gets cold so you can settle in and enjoy your home.

Once the tiles go down, it brings it that much nearer to being finished.

Many regards, Anna.
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Postby trevnhil » 17 Nov 2010 04:24

Certainly there is a little impatience about. But we are probably looking a a few months yet for it to be ready to move into. But the electricity seems to be the biggest obstacle.

But the speed at which it has come along really is marvelous. When we think back to when the very first piece of framework was erected, it was only done on the 10th of August. That is only 3 Months and one week ago.

Another bonus is that we have had practically no rain in that period of time, so non of the timber has been 'wet through', with the problems that that can bring.

But sometimes the problems that do arise can bring a little sleeplessness, as you can see from my posting time. :roll:

Trev..
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Postby anna » 17 Nov 2010 20:10

I hope you take a nap (or several) during the day so your stress level drops as this can increase your blood pressure, but it won't be long now before your house is finished - then what will you do to pass the time.

There are so many nitty gritty items that you don't think of prior to the actual building, but you will probably find it will all slot into place eventually.

Many regards and take every stage in your stride as you press on.

Regards and best wishes,

Anna.
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Postby trevnhil » 17 Nov 2010 23:28

Thanks for your good wishes Anna. We have just got back from a stress relieving evening at Fyti.

Tomorrow morning all three of us have been summoned to see the electricity board to sign some papers. We will have to see what it is all about in the morning.

It is hard to see how there can be so much delay in getting the supply of electricity. I could understand it 3 or 4 years ago but there is a lot less building going in at the moment.

Best wishes. Trev..
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Postby anna » 18 Nov 2010 00:23

At least the Electricity Board have actually got something tangible which they are preenting for your signature, so here's hoping the letters have been signed and agreed from your neighbours.

A positive step in the right direction. Just make sure you have every piece of paperwork with you - even if you think it's frivolous, but they seem to want the ins and outs of a cat's ass every time officialdom comes down to the actual signing procedure.

Is your electrician going to be present at the meeting as the plans have to be just so - speaking from memory of our connection back in the early nineties.

I am keeping everything crossed for you all tomorrow.

Good night, get a decent night's sleep.

Anna.
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Postby trevnhil » 18 Nov 2010 07:51

Hi Anna. Thanks for being positive, and yes I slept OK last night. But I do know from earlier this week that they have yet to send the letters out.

Siga siga.... This is Cyprus.

Cheers. Trev..
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