Guy Ashley
Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2010
- Messages
- 662
Just occasionally in this recession hit sector that a lot of us FOG members struggle along in at the moment, there comes a little ray of sunshine, or in this case for me a total sunburst!! ;D
About 18 months ago I did some oak windows and doors for a local postman who was very happy with both the work and the price.
About three weeks ago, he rang me and said he had passed my name on to someone on his round who wanted "a couple of windows" making. I duly thanked him for the referral and hoped the call would come.
Sure enough it did and my new client invited me over to assess the scope of the work required, and here is the project.
[attachthumb=#]
The "couple of windows" has actually turned out to be a complete total refurbishment of a Grade II listed cottage consisting of 18 sets of casement windows, a set of French Doors, two stable doors and an Oak entrance door.
Then there is a new roof to be cut in on the extension and repair to the existing frame once the cement asbestos boards are removed and the old thatch under that is ripped out.
Internally a staircase needs modifying, a new kitchen required, reclaimed oak doors to be made, oak skirtings throughout, etc, etc.
All those days when I have thought about jacking it in have thankfully become a distant memory.
So this project is going to take months, I will be making all the windows and doors in my workshop, fitting them on site, cutting in the roof on site for the re establishment of Norfolk reed thatch, and doing a lot of 2nd fix (trim [big grin]) and working alongside a few other old trades, stone mason, thatcher as well as the despised breed "plasterers".
One issue that will be constant throughout this project is the input of English Heritage who can be a real PITA, and refuse to allow you do work if it is not in keeping with how it would have originally been. Interpretation and Negotiation will be the skills required here!!
So I thought this may be a project that would be of interest to fellow FOG members and I would post a lot of photo's of the work in progress.
However I am concious that there is a lot of the work that may not be of interest so if there are any particular aspects that are let me know either via the thread as it progresses or via a PM.
About 18 months ago I did some oak windows and doors for a local postman who was very happy with both the work and the price.
About three weeks ago, he rang me and said he had passed my name on to someone on his round who wanted "a couple of windows" making. I duly thanked him for the referral and hoped the call would come.
Sure enough it did and my new client invited me over to assess the scope of the work required, and here is the project.
[attachthumb=#]
The "couple of windows" has actually turned out to be a complete total refurbishment of a Grade II listed cottage consisting of 18 sets of casement windows, a set of French Doors, two stable doors and an Oak entrance door.
Then there is a new roof to be cut in on the extension and repair to the existing frame once the cement asbestos boards are removed and the old thatch under that is ripped out.
Internally a staircase needs modifying, a new kitchen required, reclaimed oak doors to be made, oak skirtings throughout, etc, etc.
All those days when I have thought about jacking it in have thankfully become a distant memory.
So this project is going to take months, I will be making all the windows and doors in my workshop, fitting them on site, cutting in the roof on site for the re establishment of Norfolk reed thatch, and doing a lot of 2nd fix (trim [big grin]) and working alongside a few other old trades, stone mason, thatcher as well as the despised breed "plasterers".
One issue that will be constant throughout this project is the input of English Heritage who can be a real PITA, and refuse to allow you do work if it is not in keeping with how it would have originally been. Interpretation and Negotiation will be the skills required here!!
So I thought this may be a project that would be of interest to fellow FOG members and I would post a lot of photo's of the work in progress.
However I am concious that there is a lot of the work that may not be of interest so if there are any particular aspects that are let me know either via the thread as it progresses or via a PM.
