Trev and Hil's New Build in Polemi

Trev's home in construction, updates regularly.

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Postby trevnhil » 24 Nov 2010 20:05

Well things are still coming along steadily. The tiling of the floors and the bathroom wall is 90% complete. I am collecting the last few tiles tomorrow so the tiling will be complete this week. I am getting more tiles because we are a few boxes short.
The tilers asked when they would be here and I told them they still had some tiling to do and all the grouting, floor and walls.... Oh no, they said. We don't do the grouting, the ladies do that. So we will have to see later who the ladies are that have the awful job of grouting to do.

Another milestone today. The external doors have all been put in, all six of them. To us (our choice) they look great. I know they won't be to everyones taste. (pics on the web forum).

This means that the bungalow should now be weatherproof. It is remarkable when we think back, that we have had only one or two days with a little rain since the project was started.

There is still a lot of work to do inside, and of course all the outside concreting etc has still to be done.

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Cheers. Trev..
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Postby anna » 24 Nov 2010 23:06

Your house is really looking great and hopefully the ladies' wages for the grouting is included in the estimate. Now the doors and windows are in, you probably have started mentally packing to put all your belongings into the rooms.

I know you have planned everything down to the last detail, but there is always something to think of at the last minute.

I don't know how secure everything is, but from our experience of being burgled, our windows were the sliding type that in the smaller areas actually lift up and out for clleaning and we didn't think about putting locks into the actual brickwork surrounding the frames.

After being burgled, we had an alarm system fitted which also helped us to keep down our house insurance premiums and I did then photograph every item of value just in case it happened again. I mean small items like jewellery, and anything liftable of value.

Many regards,

Anna.[/b]
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Postby trevnhil » 25 Nov 2010 13:40

Hi Anna. Thanks for the information and tip. Really short on time today so can only say that our windows are multi point locking and are tilt and turn. However at any place people can just break the glass.

Bye for now. Trev..
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Postby jagwheels » 25 Nov 2010 17:56

“To us (our choice) they look great. I know they won't be to everyones tasteâ€￾

I like them Trev but this looks like a low maintenance home which is very welcome the older we get

Incidentally the number of hits on this topic shows it is more popular than the forthcoming “Royal Weddingâ€￾ and we will all be following Your Big Day with much more interest :)

norv
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Postby trevnhil » 25 Nov 2010 18:18

I wonder if we will be watching the Royal wedding from there. I am not taking any bets.

We had a sort of site meeting this morning about the 'outside works'. It is just a matter of making sure what was decided..... is what gets done. :lol:
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Postby Derektee » 27 Nov 2010 00:19

Trev,

Well done on getting this far with the new bungalow. It is a long time since I logged on to CyprusLiving, too busy here running my new business, as I am self employed now. But one of the first things I thought I should check out was how you were doin... so I am well pleased for you that you finally got this project off the ground. You are evidently well pleased yourself with on site progress, and so you should be. Congratulations and best wishes for an early and successful completion. I looked at your pics with great interest as I have been involved with design and supervision of lots of timber frame homes here at home. All seems to be going very well there. Still never bought you that beer, you must be ready for it now!!!!

All the very best
Derek
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Postby Jim » 27 Nov 2010 06:36

Trev regarding that wedding wont you be watching that paint dry! much more fun. :D
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Postby trevnhil » 27 Nov 2010 08:43

Hi Derek nice to hear from you. I hope that your self employment proves profitable for you. Yes the build is going well, although obviously there are always some hiccups.

Jim. Just maybe I will be watching the grass grow. :lol: :lol:

Trev..
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Postby Jim » 27 Nov 2010 09:46

Not looking upwards I hope Trev!! :wink:
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Postby trevnhil » 27 Nov 2010 09:59

I hope not.... But you .... or I... Never know. :shock: :wink:

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Postby trevnhil » 28 Nov 2010 19:29

Well I almost had a day off today as we helped with the 'Paphos Half Marathon'

I say almost because I found a snag with one of the UPVC doors that were put in a few days ago. I will go in and see the company tomorrow and see what they say about it.
They have a good reputation, which they pride themselves upon. So hopefully things can be sorted out without much bother.

Regards. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 30 Nov 2010 19:40

trevnhil wrote:Well I almost had a day off today as we helped with the 'Paphos Half Marathon'

I say almost because I found a snag with one of the UPVC doors that were put in a few days ago. I will go in and see the company tomorrow and see what they say about it.
They have a good reputation, which they pride themselves upon. So hopefully things can be sorted out without much bother.

Regards. Trev..



Well, here is the latest in general and on the UPVC door mentioned above.

The door had a small fault on it and I went in to see the firm (Mardoor) on Monday morning. I took some photos in and they told me not to worry, they would sort it out.
True to their word they have collected the door today and it is off to the factory to be sort of 're-made' and will be back later in the week.

On the site, a digger is spreading the hardcore to raise the ground level ready for the stamped concrete, a little later. The shuttering men arrived this afternoon and they are putting the shuttering in position for the triangular wall, giving access to the back of the top are of the plot.

We have had a word with the digger driver (from Polemi) and he understands enough English to have a slow conversation with. He seems a grand guy, so we hope that the things which we want the man to do .... will indeed be done.

No fresh pics today, but no doubt I will have some later in the week.


Cheers. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 01 Dec 2010 19:25

My last post only yesterday said "no fresh pics". Well I have added plenty today because a lot has been happening. The concreting guys have been there on and off today. They finished the shuttering and the concrete mixer has delivered the concrete.

BUT.... Big problem.... The first proper accident has happened this afternoon. The concrete mixer has hit the corner of the roof, and done some damage. Fortunately no one was hurt and the damage can be repaired. The mixer had destroyed some of my guttering, and also some of the tiling on one corner. Luckily the wagon did not damage the fascia board, and so repairs should not be too costly or be a major job.

Another thing has occurred today. The(new) digger driver has managed to make a ramp down to the bottom field, and also clear the field itself. The clearing of this field was supposed to be done at the start of the project. However it is done now and this is the 'gigantic' area, that Hilary is going to have as a garden. :shock:
It certainly is a large area, and will take some upkeep..... maybe an orchard as well.
Pictures of all these happenings are now on the web album.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 02 Dec 2010 17:21

And today.....??? Well not a lot really, except that the filling that was spread yesterday is now leveled. I have put some more pictures on and it is all looking quite neat and tidy outside. No doubt at a tidy price as well. It still all has to be rolled with a vibrating roller.
I think that next stage will be to put the shuttering in for the stamped concrete. This consists of 10cm boards to obtain the correct thickness.

The 'concrete man said that it takes a number of day to do the whole area, and that there are expansion joints every so many metres.

One big question.... Will the fine and dry weather continue next week??

EDIT.....

AMAZING.... 16 WEEKS....


Image


Cheers. Trev..
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Postby dawnett » 04 Dec 2010 01:05

Hi Trev,
Your Bungalow is looking fantastic,
Dawn
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Postby trevnhil » 04 Dec 2010 05:16

Thanks Dawn, as well as the pictures being good for us to look back upon, the also record how it was built and what is where in the hidden places now. For instance the water pipes, gas pipes. cables etc.

We still continue to have little mishaps. Yesterday whilst the builders were digging down to find top of the septic tank, they 'nicked' the water pipe. Today they may cut it and put a coupling there.

The forecast for next week is for a little rain on Monday and then fine for the rest of the week. I am hoping that the concreting all round will be done then.

Thanks for your interest. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 04 Dec 2010 18:27

Well, how soon the weather forecast can change it's mind. It now says that there is a chance of rain almost all of next week, culminating in thunderstorms on Friday.

Well I learned at a site meeting today that the concrete will not be done this week as the man is not free until Thursday. He has a membrane to lay and the reinforcing to put in, and then I suppose it is all down to the weather.

So it seems to be 'wait and see'.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 05 Dec 2010 18:17

Hi all.

I just wanted to post a 'thanks' on here. Although the person concerned will probably never read CL.
His name is Stamatis (sp) and he is the latest digger driver to be working on our plot of land. Although he only speaks a small amount of English it seems that we are able to successfully communicate with him. A week or two age I asked him to complete various tasks with his digger and he has complete this afternoon exactly what we asked him to do.

We asked him to make an earth ramp into the lower field, and to clear the field of all vegetation.

We asked him to fill in a ramp to the area to the back of our bungalow and to clear the vegetation from there as well.

And finally we asked him to use some of the spare soil / filling to rebuild some of our low land to the boundary.

All the jobs have been completed successfully. Thank you Stamatis.

I have just put three pics on for now but will put on more tomorrow when I can take them in the light.

Regards. Trev..
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Postby Mike P » 08 Dec 2010 17:34

Hi Trev

Just wanted to let you know, that I have just sat and looked through
every single one of your 507 pix.

The words 'Amazing, Fantastic, and Incredible' spring to mind.

You should be very proud of this project.

I hope everything goes well for you, all the way through to completion.

Good luck mate.
A truly stunning project.

Mike
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Postby trevnhil » 08 Dec 2010 17:43

Thank you Mike. It is of course interesting to us, and something to look back upon. I sometimes think (and have said before) that the pics may become a little boring for the average viewer.

Today the joiner has started to do the cabinets for all the rooms, and of course true to style we have had a change of mind in one area. He will find the note in the morning.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby Macattack » 08 Dec 2010 20:41

Hi Trevor,

Don't ever think that your pictures are boring to others. As you know, we live in Scotland, but look forward to the updates, and can't wait to see the finished house. (Externally and internally)

We appreciate how exciting this project is for you, and to have designed and built you own home is a fantastic achievement.

Keep these pictures coming. :D
Ian

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Postby jagwheels » 09 Dec 2010 13:52

Agree with Ian, never boring (number of views proves that) & in fact have learnt a very useful tip from Trev

Photograph changes to your existing property for future reference

norv
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Postby trevnhil » 11 Dec 2010 12:11

Again, thanks for your comments. And Milo.... we only have 2,450 so just about the same. In fact we have a long running boundary 'dispute' that is about 2 years old. it is not a dispute really as the measurements have been taken by the satellite system, twice.

When we bought the plot we were told and assumed that the boundaries were the hedges. But measurements show that one boundary is in the next field. Our topographer measured everything and put the marker pegs in, and then the Land office did the same. The measurements were spot on.
But we cannot use or claim this 'extra' strip of land until it is on the Land office computers. It is not on the system yet and it is almost 15 months since the last measuring was done.

Well what about the weather. It has changed with a vengeance. This is the first proper rain that has fallen on our plot and the bungalow since it was started in July. Waterlogged a little?? yes. But not as bad as I imagined it may be. The lane to our pot has a couple of hundred yards of unpaved area. this is certainly very muddy and slippy, but by no means impassable,thank goodness. And the plot of land itself.... Well you certainly would not go strolling round off the hardcore areas.

The painters are inside out bungalow today and the joiner is back on Monday. The concreting of the outside areas is down for Monday as well, but I really hope that they don't try to do it with the weather forecast being so bad.

Some new pics are on the Abum, but they are just rainy day pics :)

Trev..
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Stamatis....

Postby plumber53 » 11 Dec 2010 22:01

Hi Trev,

Glad to see that you found the local digger driver (Stamatis) in Polemi.
We had a lot done on our plot also and always found him very reliable and he also supplied our aggregates and stone.
We also had the pleasure of meeting his lovely family over a few coffee's,cakes and his brothers home made fire water ( Think it was supposed to be Zivvinia) strait from a barrel on the back of his truck.
So be warned if you get the invite :D
Glad you are finaly getting sorted out as we chatted a few years back when you were passing and at that time you were having problems with your old plot etc so hopefully all's well that ends well.

Neil.
as one door opens another slams in your face (Spike)
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Postby trevnhil » 11 Dec 2010 22:15

Hi Neil. Yes I found Stamatis to be a great guy. he also speaks a fair bit of English so that helps. I was able to tell him exactly what we wanted doing with his digger...... And that is what he did. This has not been our usual experience with some of the trades here. We have not had an invite round for drinks yet but I feel that we may need his services again in the future.

I am sorry that I cannot put a face to your name but you have obviously met me in the past.

We have looked at many many plots of land around Polemi. If we had known at the time all the planning problems with our present plot, then we never would have bought it.
But the main reason to buy it was the views and no neighbours. Also no on can build and block our views, as can be seen from some of the pictures today. The land in front is about 25 foot lower than our building.

We are making good progress, but still no sign of electric poles!!!

Regards. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 14 Dec 2010 18:05

Hi all. Here's the next update, but it really is slowly slowly. The stamped concrete which was due to be started yesterday, (Monday) has not been started at all due to the weather. I had a phone call about it this morning to explain that they could not do the job because of the storms. Apparently even windy weather would mean it was stopped.

Inside the bungalow has seen some activity, but unfortunately not continuously. The painters came on Saturday and got a couple of coats on most ceilings. The joiners were there on Monday but are absent today. However I do expect them back tomorrow.

More and more decisions need to be made. We need to choose the worktops for the kitchens and the vanity units. We are having Melamine tops, but need the proper timber mitre joint where the tops meet at right angles. We have a choice of pattern and also thickness..... as I said decisions, decisions.

We went to the Electricity board this morning and asked how our application was coming along. Apparently the next step is to ask Paphos district council to sign the documents to allow poles to our plot. This means that the poles will be on other plot owners land. They have had the chance to say yes themselves to the poles. The fact that the electricity board are going to the council seems to say that they did not get a 'Yes' vote from everyone, or even perhaps anyone.!! We have to see the council next week.

I have put a few more internal pics on the Web album.

Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 17 Dec 2010 21:14

No more pictures at the moment and progress is a little slow. However the Joiner has put the internal doors on and is continuing with the cupboards. We have decided on the worktops for the kitchens and bathroom vanity units and for the last couple of days we have been trying to find some door handles that we liked, and could afford. We had difficulty with this until I asked a Cypriot friend on Thursday night. He told us about a ' Handle shop' only a couple of hundred yard from Paps at Chloraka. We have been there this afternoon and bought enough for all 12 doors.

I also called today at the land office to ask what was happening about the boundary dispute. They said that the work was finished (only 18 months) and I have to see someone next week. Hopefully I will be told that the 'extra' land is ours. :)
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Postby trevnhil » 21 Dec 2010 22:27

Well this really is Cyprus. The boundaries of our land which were 'Finished' on Friday, were NOT finished when we called on Monday. There was talk of things 'going to court' !!!??? This really is unbelievable. it is over 18 months now since we had the boundaries pegged out by a topographer who we paid for. When these pegs did not correspond to the hedges, the Land office were called in, again at our expense to double check things. They came in September of 2009 and confirmed the same satellite readings to within one centimetre.

So how can there be any doubt about the boundary. All that needs to be done is for the lines to be entered on the computer...... If indeed they are not there already, because bear in mind that the two sets of topographers must have got the data from somewhere.

The electricity supply Saga seems to be gathering speed. We went to the Paphos district offices on Monday and they said they had sent a letter to Polemi for a signature. We called at the Polemi offices today and took the signed letter back to Paphos. This now goes back to the Electric board and we will see how things are in the New Year.

On site the decorators are continuing inside, but there is still no sign of the 'stamped concrete guys'. Again, maybe they will wait until the New Year now.

Just a few more pictures added today.

Regards. Trev..
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Postby Macattack » 21 Dec 2010 22:34

The stress must be horrendous Trevor.

Have a Malt Whisky or two, and nothing will be a problem.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you both, and just think, in 2011 you will be in your beautiful home.
Ian

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Postby trevnhil » 21 Dec 2010 22:52

Hi Ian. The stress is just about medium probably. I would have a whiskEy :wink: or two, but you never said which bar your account was at. :lol: :lol:

Just PM me the details. :wink: :wink:

Thanks for the Best wishes for Christmas.... All the very best to you and your Family, and indeed all those who read this thread where ever they may be.

Regards. Trev..
Last edited by trevnhil on 23 Dec 2010 12:47, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Derektee » 22 Dec 2010 23:27

Looking Good Trev,

I know there are many hiccups and headaches along the way, but Happy Christmas and best wishes for a successful completion and many happy new years to enjoy.
And go easy on the malt (perhaps some day I'll introduce you to some real malt whiskey, with an E).

Just realised that sounds illegal?

All the Best

Derek
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Postby trevnhil » 23 Dec 2010 08:47

Thanks for the good wishes Derek. We'll be in there some day, and surely it will be next year.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby pip » 23 Dec 2010 10:15

This has been my favourite thread of the year, i have loved watching the progress of your build. Yes there will be more highs and lows but all will get sorted eventually. Best wishes for 2011.

Ps may i join the whiskey party? I will personally go to the Bushmills distillery and bring the bottle!
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Postby trevnhil » 23 Dec 2010 12:57

Hi Pip. I am glad that you and others have / are enjoying the pictures. I have put the E in the whiskey :wink: and you can join the party if there is one.

The up to date story is..... A phone call about the stamped concrete confirmed that it will be the new year before it is done. The joiner has now installed the inside window bottoms so now the angles on the window reveals can be finished. The joiner informed me yesterday that the handles I have bought are not right for our door locks. So this morning I have had to return them, and get some separate handles and escutcheons. This was an extra €48 but at least the handle shop took the first one back.

The decorators are still working in the house but the joiner has finished for Christmas and will not be back until Monday.

Regards to all. Trev..
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Postby codwolf » 24 Dec 2010 04:23

well done Trev a very enjoyable thread always look forward to a good read and look at the photos , wishing you and Hil a very merry chrismas and a happy many years to come in your new build
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Postby trevnhil » 03 Jan 2011 19:14

Thank you Tim for your good wishes.

Well it was only to be expected that over the Christmas and New year period very little would be done. However now that we are in January 2011 things are gathering a little pace again. The joiner has nearly finished and only has a few days work left.
This morning when I went to the site the 'stamped concrete' men were working hard. I was concerned when I saw the cement mixer wagon down the side of the bungalow. If you remember the last one demolished some guttering and roof tiles. However this time the wagon had only reversed as far as it was safe to do so and the ready mixed concrete was put into place by barrows.
I personally thought it was a little foolish to concrete today, because of the weather forecast.
However up to now we have had no rain up here and the concrete has been covered. They have also put a pipe under the rain water outlet so that any rain water from the gutters would not spoil the job.
Pictures are on the Picasa web album, and if you look closely enough you can see what the pattern is.!!!
I have had a phone call from the electrician and he is coming next week to finish everything off.
I have notified the Heating plumber that he can put the radiators and towel rails in position.
After the inside work is finished then the decorators will be back to put the final coat all round.
Outside when the concrete is finished then the outside of the bungalow can be decorated.

All that remains then is to get the electricity supply to the plot..... Here we are still struggling somewhat. We understand that all the permissions for the poles and wires to the plot have been granted. But we have to check on that tomorrow (Tuesday). To us it is then just a matter of actually getting the Electricity board to actually put the pole and wires in position and connect us to the mains network.

But..... as most people will know, it never seems to be that simple.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 07 Jan 2011 19:12

Hi all.
Well I thought I would bring this thread up to date. We went to see the Electricity board on Tuesday, and they told us that all papers should be in place by Friday and that we could call in to pay for the supply being brought to our plot. So, today we have been to pay and they told us that files are still being worked upon and that we should call later on next week. Siga Siga !!

As regulars will know we are having stamped concrete around the Bungalow. This has been done today and it seems to be a very professional job.

I have had a call from the rep: of the concreting company and also from our site manager, both asking if there was any rain damage to the stamped surface. Fortunately I was able to tell them that there has been NO rain here.

And I know from what I have been told that the surface now will be hard enough to withstand any rain.

One slight downside of the day is that the previous rain has made the ground very soft and it has been churned up somewhat by the heavy cement mixing lorry. Fortunately it is nothing that cannot be put right again.

So I have added some more pictures to the Web album to bring it right up to date.

Here are some pictures of the finished drive and Patio...

Image

Image

Image

It looks really good now

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby geoffm » 07 Jan 2011 20:08

Hi.Trev.
Thank you for these updates(you little hero) how you find the time to do this while building your place is amazing.
Your certainly lucky with the rain, we've been out a lot today but by the level of the pool we've had a packet at sometime.
Now off to see the pics.
Thank again mate, may your luck continue.
Geoff.
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Postby clajon2 » 09 Jan 2011 11:29

Hi trev,
Hope your house is almost finished, it looks great, can i ask u which builder you used and an approximate price, we are looking at doing the same with some land we have in amargeti, we are living in Australia at the mo and would love some info of a good builder to use, did u have any major problems with them, any help would be appreciated as it's really hard knowing where to start from over here and what sort of prices the builders are charging so we know we aren't getting ripped off.
Thanks and well done claire & john
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Postby Christine&Donald » 10 Jan 2011 22:22

Hi House seems to becoming on well. I think that I might just come and stay for a while sometime this year. Have you thought about taking in holiday makers. I would of course have to bring my hubby and son. I promise that they wouldn't be a bother. Hope that this would be ok with you and your lovely wife.

Christine xx
Be happy and keep smiling.......
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Postby jimgward » 10 Jan 2011 23:01

Christine&Donald wrote:Hi House seems to becoming on well. I think that I might just come and stay for a while sometime this year. Have you thought about taking in holiday makers. I would of course have to bring my hubby and son. I promise that they wouldn't be a bother. Hope that this would be ok with you and your lovely wife.

Christine xx


OK, before the calendar fills, can I get 2 weeks, preferably not August?

Thanks

Jim W
When I die, I hope to pass away quietly in my sleep, like my Grandfather did....... not screaming like the passengers in his car......."
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Postby trevnhil » 11 Jan 2011 09:23

Good morning all.

I am sorry for seemingly neglecting this thread for the last few days, it would seem that I missed a notification that it had new comments.

Let me try to make amends. :D

To Geoff. Yes time is a bit short sometimes, what with unlocking at 7-00 and locking up at the end of the day and Hospital appointments and buying things to go in the house etc etc etc. :lol:

To Maggie. As long as it shines on me as well. :wink:

To Claire and John. I will send you an Email later (today hopefully) as I don't want to be advertising on the Forum.

To Christine and Donald... You know you are always welcome, but we don't have an Idea yet when we are likely to have electricity. Some say 2 months some say 6 months. :shock:

And finally Jim W..... I think the two weeks you want are taken. :lol: :lol: SORRY... :? 8)

As to what is happening on the site..... The electrician is there finishing the sockets, lights etc.

The Stamped concrete was finished yesterday..... we at least the concreting was. In a few days time they will hose off the grey covering and it will (hopefully0 be a red colour underneath. They then seal it all with a coat of sealer / varnish.

The radiators are due to be fixed later this week and then the decorators will come back to put the finishing coat on the internal walls and ceilings.

Next week the outside walls should be decorated as well.

Also the Joiner has work still to do and the plumber has the hot water system to do and the sinks and basins to fix.

A lot of work to do and we have been told it will be finished by the end of the month.

Regards to all. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 11 Jan 2011 10:37

Hi Claire and John.
I sent an email using the email button on your post. However it came back as undelivered. So I have sent a PM. I hope you get that. If there are still problems just email ME from my email button.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby Jim » 16 Jan 2011 14:17

All members Trev should have an active email address while members of CL..these are part of the terms of membership..

Just so as we all know.


House is looking good.
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Postby trevnhil » 16 Jan 2011 16:51

I suppose that people sometime change their Email and forget to alter it in the profile.

Well quite a bit has been going on this last few days. Not all of it good. We went to the Electricity board on Friday and they had lost our file. However it was found after about 45 minute. They said that by next Tuesday they will have the 'Terms' ready for us to accept. This means that it is time for us to pay them. It may be best not to quote the actual cost of the electricity.... But it is about 40% more than the estimate that we were given when we first applied. Unbelievable !!!!

The stamped concrete has been finished. They washed it all off on Saturday and then applied a varnish type sealer. The joiner is almost finished with both the wardrobes and the kitchens (two) And of course the vanity units and the Laundry room cupboards and tops.

The central heating man was on site last Thursday and all the radiators and towel rails are in position. The washbasins and the two sinks have also been fixed.

Another job that was done last week was the drilling of large holes through the outer walls for the extractor fans to use. One of them was 5" and the other one was 6".

At the moment the decorators are here daily to put the final coats on the walls and the ceilings.


We have been told that next week the decorators who are doing the outside will be here. They are putting on a coat of 'superplast' before they do the three coats of exterior paint.

I still have to put the downspouts in position, but there is little point in doing that before the outside is decorated.

One other job that possibly needs doing is making an attempt to stabilize the banking that is above our driveway. I really am undecided what to do with it. A concrete wall is of course the best solution, but we have no money left for that option. See what you think in pics 602 and 604. We did think of putting some sort of panel there, such as the shuttering panels. But they are black and probably not cheap.

I have put some more pictures on the web album, I hope that you enjoy a (partial) tour of our house.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby trevnhil » 16 Jan 2011 19:33

Here I again replying to my own post. :roll:

Actually it is a different theme so I decide on a separate post instead of adding to my last one.

It is about Insurance for our property. I have got quotes from a number of companies but was unable to get one with Landslip and subsidence. I also found that a number of companies here i Cyprus said that no matter what I put down as the 'Rebuild' cost, I would only get about €1,000 maximum for a total loss and rebuild. That is ridiculous.

The Bungalow is 185 sq mt covered area. That means that with a total loss the maximum pay out would be €185,000. Our costs for building are far above that, without any doubt at all, and we have no gold plated taps etc.

So we asked for a quote from Intasure. There first quote from my information to them was for around €900. However i noticed that they had our bungalow listed as a log cabin. I got back in touch with them and they said anything o a concrete slab / base was classed as a log cabin.
However once we had straightened that misnomer out the quote came down to around the €400 mark. So yesterday I decided to Insure with them. The quote came down to around €350 when they realised that the property I was insuring would be my Main / only home. They though because I had a different address now, than the bungalow, then it would be a 'second home'.
Like everybody else we hope that we never have to claim on the insurance, but it is there if we need it.

Cheers. Trev..
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Postby jimgward » 16 Jan 2011 22:36

Trevor, why not either cut back to a gentle slope, using a digger..... Or cut back, put in wire baskets and fill with rubble gathered from the area... Then plant over with trailing plants?
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Postby trevnhil » 16 Jan 2011 22:48

Hi Jim. Thanks for your suggestions. I will assume you have seen the pictures. However I cannot cut back to a more gentle slope, because the bank is not on my land. my land stops at the edge of the large sunken gutter at the bottom of the bank.

But your idea of filling with rubble (locally gathered) is worth thinking about. We had thought of buying gravel or pebbles to fill it with, up to the level of the drive. Two problems crop up. Pebbles are dear, and whatever we used could be mixed with soil if the bank falls a bit.

We will give it a fair bit more thought. :)

Trev..
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Postby anna » 17 Jan 2011 22:57

We used to collect pebbles and larger stones from the beach on the approach road to Faros Lighthouse, just outside Larnaca. The kids used to help fill the buckets and we made a small rockery just outside our gates.

Mind you, don't know if it was strictly legal as there was a lot of fuss when sand was collected from a Paphos beach by the then Bishop (now the Archbishop) for building a hotel I believe.

The stones we collected were beautiful - maybe from the continuous washing from the sea.

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Postby trevnhil » 18 Jan 2011 08:31

Hi Maggie. Thanks for your Ideas. We are certainly interested in giving your plant a good home. We will be in touch about collecting it from you in the next wekk or two.

Thanks again. Trev..
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