The main guy had told me that I had to chose whether I wanted to be "cemented in" or "cemented out" because once they had put down the agréage - aggregate? (the best translation I can think for that is "cement patching" - you know, what they put down to level the surface off), I had to leave it to set for about seven hours. At first I thought I might go in to Geneva for the day but in the end decided I would just stay home, so they cemented me upstairs with a baguette, a chunk of cheese (and a bottle of wine if I'm being perfectly honest) and that's where I stayed from noon to 7 p.m.!! It wasn't even that bad actually as my TV room is upstairs and I also had my sewing machine, computer and books so it was actually rather nice to have an excuse to do absolutely nothing for a few hours!
I sent my friend a photo of my living room and he said "damn, you could have set up camp at my place"! Nice timing dingbat! It would have been nice to see him but I wasn't going anywhere after mid-day was I! It turned out ok in the end, but my neighbour had told me that when they laid their new floor about 35 years ago they had to leave the cement to set for 48 hours so they ended up putting a ladder up against their external balcony and climbed in and out their bedroom window that way!!! I kinda hoped the products they would be using had improved since then and thankfully they have. Can you imagine me climbing in and out of my house over the bedroom balcony at my age!! That'd be a picture for Facebook!
So the workmen knocked off for the day at noon and the fitter called me this afternoon to confirm that he will be back to start laying the floor at 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Uurgghh! I'm really not a morning person, so I told him if I was still in my PJs to just let himself in (he burst out laughing so I guess the French might be starting to get my sense of humour)!
It's weird though because it's amazing how big downstairs looks with no furniture in it. And that, I think, is all the more reason not to put some of the stuff back once the new floor is down isn't it! A good time to declutter methinks. And, with all my stuff pulled out and stored, I don't think my place has ever been so clean, nor will it ever be again I suppose! That being said, I'll be glad when it's done and life can get back to normal - just in time to start thinking about decorating for Christmas eh!
Your floors will look lovely. I got paved out of my cul de sac last spring. I had to park a block away and walk through the park.
ReplyDeleteI ran out to buy a couple of things before he walled me in but he had left a pathway around the wall for me to get upstairs. I guess they know what they're doing don't they - or I suppose they only make that mistake once! And I know what you mean about not being able to get to your home in your car - a couple of times last year our village road was "closed off" because of cycle races and it really makes you think about where you should park!
DeleteWow, that floor looks wet! lol. This is when its as well you don't have a dog or a cat, I could just imagine all the paw prints across it here! We're decorating and my SIL came in the other day and said how much bigger our living room looked now its painted white, we said, its not the white thats making it look bigger its that all the furniture except the sofa is out of the room! He agreed that might be it lol. I can't wait to get back to normal so I'm assuming you feel much the same. Nice as it will be to have it done, its a trial getting it done isn't it. I constantly feel a fraud using my bus pass here, I always think its for old folks, I'm not old! Clearly I am! x
ReplyDeleteWhat with putting in my new heating system a couple of months ago and now this yep I'm getting tired of it and will be glad to get back to normal, although I genuinely hope to get rid of a lot of stuff when I start putting everything back. And send that bus pass back - tell 'em they must have made a mistake!
DeleteAs long as I had enough food, wine and a working bath I might have stayed upstairs for 48 hours just because!
ReplyDeleteA girl after my own heart!
DeleteThe type of flooring you're getting requires a fairly level floor. We sell a lot of it in big bags. You mix it in water and pour - gravity does the rest. What is interesting is how many people exclaim, "oh, but my floors are level..." and of course they're not. You will love your new floor when it's finished!
ReplyDeleteI liked my old floor (it kept the place really cool in summer) but as the kitchen floor had been spoiled by flooding it all had to go. It "looked" fairly level of course but I'm willing to believe it was anything but. And I know I'll love it when it's done. I'm curious to see how the "busy" flooring will work in the kitchen though. Did I do right or did I do wrong - I guess I'll know next week!
Delete`Of what is your floor made?
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure (typical woman, I just liked the look of it)! But I'm pretty sure it's some kind of vinyl (whatever they said I needed Dave agreed with them) as it needs to be hard-wearing and water resistant, especially in the kitchen. I just know I liked the pattern!!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing the new floor. Renovations can be very unsettling, I currently have a bath in the hall while hubby tiles the walls, it's the biggest thing but I've bumped into it do many times.
ReplyDeleteUurgggh I know. If you could see my upstairs (and the basement) …. but I guess you have to get on with it don't you. And you're lucky to have a husband that can do this kind of stuff. Mine couldn't so we've always had to pay. That has it's downsides of course, but also its advantages. Next spring I want to get both my bathrooms re-done (they desperately need it), but it depends on cost. So THEN I think the upstairs flooring will need redoing also! It's a never-ending Forth Bridge isn't it! Still, it will look nice when it's done!
DeleteI avoid our 'Seniors Lunch'. I tell them there must have been some mistake!!
ReplyDeleteOh I'm pretty sure I'll go as I always liked seniors! Not there yet though!
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