T + 12 days

Nearly two weeks after the move and there are signs of things getting finished off here and there.

We have unpacked and returned 80% of the house moving boxes.  The tricky ones are saved to last and mainly hidden in the cellar.

Yesterday the handrails for the stairs were fitted so the stairs are basically finished now.

There is still no final front door, but this should come on Thursday next week (...).  Outside there is plenty still to be done but a lot will have to wait until April.  The risk of frost has to be gone so that the exterior plastering can be done; then the drive way and path can be laid, etc.

Today they are smashing down the little trees in the corner of the field just across the stream.  I haven't seen the results yet, but apparently it is quite dramatic.

Just after the removal men had left

T - 2 days ...

As of end of Tuesday (12. Feb) we have:

• some kitchen
• no front door
• no car port
• no driveway
• no front path

There is (as was promised) plenty of activity on site and it is starting to look like we will be able to move in to something habitable on Saturday.


The lobby is nearly done and the kitchen seems to be about half way through.  The stairs are nearly done and the fire is working fine.  We just need some doors in the cellar, the big lights and the bits and bobs listed above.  And the door bells. And the letter box.

Acceptance review for roof (left to right: Site manager, architect, roofer)

Kitchen taking shape

Staircase with steel baluster plates attached (pending hand rails)

Preparation work for front path - pavement and boundary markers removed!

Inner court and stone wall looking down from roof

T - 8 days ...

As of end of Thursday (6. Feb) we have:

• no kitchen
• no front door
• no satellite dish
• no car port
• no driveway
• no front path 

but the sliding doors are done now and the contract has been placed for the driveway, front path, etc.

We still need doors in the cellar and a few other things, but there is progress.  Today the joiners are working on the cloakroom.

Fire place being commissioned yesterday

T - 10 days ...

At the end of Wednesday (5. Feb) we have:

• no kitchen (except the island, which is lined up like a sideboard in two pieces)
• 3 sliding doors still missing on the ground floor and all doors in the cellar are also missing
• no front door
• no satellite dish
• no car port
• no driveway
• no front path

but we do now have:

• the library
• our dressing room
• many window sills
• rack mounted and cabled patch panel

Tomorrow is the official first lighting of the fire, with the architect, fire place builder, us, mulled wine and brownies.

Looking north along the library

East side of library

Rack with patch-panel mounted at the top and router still boxed below

T - 2 weeks ...

Since last week there has been some progress.  Going in to Monday morning (3. Feb) we have:

• no kitchen
• some library
• three doors
• no front door
• no satellite dish
• no patch panel (but we do have a smart rack for the patch panel to sit in)
• no car port
• no driveway
• no front path

...

Also, after a bit of team work for the last few days, we have completed laying the laminate floor in the cellar (3 rooms, hallway and under the stairs; around 85 qm).  No skirting boards, but still it looks pretty good.

Inside the entrance way the joiners have stored stuff where they need to build later

Guest bathroom with Great Wall of Roßdorf through the window

Front steps have been installed - 1 * 1500 kg and 1 * 500 kg

One of the main bathrooms; toilet seat left up, of course

Laminate floor being prepared on new laminate floor in table-tennis room