Renovation Underway- Summer 2017

Lounge now larger with wall removed

This is the front room looking out to the stair and current back door.  The area has been opened and walls removed.  The door you can see is new and will be an under stairs coat cupboard. On the back wall in line with the step will be a downstairs Loo as shown by the door and wooden plank.

In the Salon the fireplace surround has been removed and a gallows bracket installed to support the chimney as shown and a liner installed with a 7kW wood burning stove that I have tested here.

Removal of the walls have highlights the different floor and ceiling levels, so all the downstairs will have floor levelling compound spread before new flooring, like we have in the kitchen at Pinwood.

The discovery of differing ceiling levels has led to the decision to remove them all and have new ceilings installed and used for services.

This room will be the Family Bathroom, with "Jack & Jill" door entry from Chambre 3

Bathroom rotten flooring removed and marine plywood laid and removed wall

The bedroom floors There will be a Jack n Jill door into the bathroom in Bedroom 3, the main bedroom where the fireplace has been removed.

Where the new Chimney Stack is installed, is now between what will be Bedroom 1 and 2 and you can see the new floor in bed 2 and there will be a Partition between the two rooms here and the stack boxed in and hidden with built in wardrobe space.

Chambre 3 with door opening and chimney place removed

The Shower room with wall removed, rotten floor removed, levelled and new floor for Chambre 2

In the Bedroom 3 the fireplace has been removed and I repaired the floor with original floor boards from the bathroom where marine board has been laid.

I have laid a new pine floor in the smaller back bedroom where the boards were rotten and leveled the floor. 

Work in Progress

Since getting No 8, we have had the wall 'tied' to avoid any further cracks that resulted from the previous owner removing the end chimney and we have had all the old and broken radiators, piping, boiler and oil tank removed.

We have a new fosse septic installed, so that we could start our work on the rear garden, which is now taking shape and we plan to plant some soft fruits over the winter, as well as give the apple trees a prune.

The rear or the house has been refreshed and tidied with some shingle creating a patio area infront of the outbuilding.

Having secured No8 in 2013, we have proceeded to starting some small jobs to 'tidy up' the property and plan for the potential renovation work, when we can afford it.

We have removed the old Oil Tank from the rear outbuildings, the Boiler and the Central Heating System from the house.  The end wall has been secured with a metal cross support and the front elevation cracks were repaired, once a chimney stack lintel was installed by Aussourd Bros.

Shutters have been added to all the upstairs windows, for security and consistency and as shown here, we have painted the front to remove the old flaking red paint with something more neutral.  We used BEDEC Barn Paint, which is wonderful and we now plan to use BEDEC Masonry Paint this summer on the house.













We decided to install a new Fosse Septic and Reservoir in advance of any renovation work, so that we can use the garden and not have any plans subsequently disturbed. We have now tidied up the rear with a Gravel Patio Area, that eventually we will 

La Masion Grise

Be careful what you wish for....!!  It really can come true.

We start 2013 with a new future project and one we had dreamt of, but never thought would become a reality.

We share our driveway with No 8 and the family moved out in 2009, returning only occasionally.  By chance we discovered they might be considering selling and with the invaluable help of a local we put in a 'cheeky' offer at the end of October and they accepted!

The Notaire managed to prepare all the paperwork and just before the New Year we completed the purchase.  We start 2013 planning for the renovation on the house and will be able to use the barn for storage.  

In reality, the house will be secured and moth balled until we can afford to start the renovations, but we can start planning and dreaming again, as it might come true.

2012 Year Closes

2012 came to an end with rain and winds being the order of the day and the ground became very wet. It was this sort of weather that eventually resulted in us deciding to have the West Wall re-pointed.

Despite our walls being 0.75m thick the pressure of heavy wind and rain over many days results in water seeping inside, so we decide to get the mason, M. Aussourd back to help.

The work took 4 days and the end result is a clean and great looking wall. We decided to have Steve Walford make us 3 large brackets to support the growing Wisteria along three strands of chain.  Hopefully, the effect will develop during 2013 as the plant grows and flowers.