Time for doors!

So I am getting closer to moving in although the tiling did take a bit longer than expected. I am actually really pleased with the finished floors, I have never tiled floors before - or anything else for that matter. So it is one step closer to moving in.

The only brick doorway I could save

There has been a lot of progress with the plastering the last big room is complete and I will be starting on the front of the house next week. It was funny I walked out the front of the house the other day when I was walking Enzo and this girl asked me if I lived there - obviously I said yes and she said ‘what an ugly house!’. I was a little bit offended but then I actually sat back and had a look and it is about time I sorted the front out.

Finished bedroom floor

I have to get permission to close the sidewalk for a week or so whilst I plaster the front - I am hoping to start mid next week. 

Rebuilding my garden wall

I also started to rebuild the garden wall as it was half falling down, I decided to add an extra six feet on top of the wall as the house next door is ugly to say the least. It will add a lot more privacy to my garden.

Concreting the floors

So whilst all the plastering has been going on I decided it was about time to put some door on my place. How hard could it be I thought? well it turned out to be very difficult. First of all I had to decide on the type of doors  - metal... wood... glass... etc. Doors can make a huge difference to the appearance of the house so I wanted to make the right choice. 

First door frame up

Now not only was it the style but the fact that every single door way in my house is not a standard size the cost would be prohibitive as they would have to be custom made. I put a couple doors on the pool house a couple of months ago but I didnt really like them, they were cheap but they are very thin and lightweight.

First door hung - will look better when stained

Soooo there was only one option left - to make the doors myself. I decided to use 2 inch pine for the doors - I want heavy weight solid doors so decided to give it a go on my apartment first and I am pretty pleased with the results.

Next double door to be hung

Ok I know they dont look great at the moment but they will look a lot better when I stain them to look like dark wood. I am also thinking about cutting a hole in them and maybe adda window or two but will decide that later on.

Starting the floors

I have been slacking a lot on my blog lately so here is where I am at... The plastering is STILL going on - the amount of cement I have used is unbelievable, I reckon it will be close to 1000 bags once the walls are complete. 

The end of the plastering is near though, they are on the last big room downstairs which leaves only the front and sides of the building and a couple of bathrooms upstairs and it will be done.

Completed balcony

The walls without a doubt have been the biggest job - the time it has taken has thrown me off schedule by about 2 months! The guys are getting on well though - I reckon one more month and they will be complete. I have got one of them rebuilding the garden wall down one side of the house and making it higher as it is not the most pleasant view at the moment.

Finishing touches

I have been working so hard on getting my area ready. All the plumbing is complete and the cistern is now fully operational. It has been filling up for three days and is still not full so I am hoping that means I will not run out lol

Cistern complete!

For me to move in obviously I want running water but I cannot have that until I install the pressure tank - it should be soon though as I am building an outbuilding in the garden to house the tanks and pumps next week.

Almost ready for the roof over the balcony

I have also tried my hand at tiling the floors in my place. It was a bit of a slow start but I got the hang of it and now I just have two rooms left in my place. A friend from Australia is visiting at the moment so I managed to convince her that helping me tile floors is more fun than laying on the beach! Not quite sure how that happened.

Starting to tile my apartment

This next week I am hoping to have my place almost ready to move in. I went to the electricity company today to get a meter installed so I can finally connect up my panel. So after I finish the floors I just need to add doors, windows and paint and it will pretty much be ready. Its starting to get exciting now!

Tahnee helping with the tiles