Do Up Diary #29 Getting up to first floor level

So me, Missy & Mr M are about half way through the build process at our home Moregeous Mansions, a period Manchester property near the city which was in a whole heap of crumbling trouble but which we’re restoring and rebuilding back to it’s former glory. The collapsing oldest part of the house, which was a stables in the golden olden days)was taken down brick by brick and in it’s place is being built a new extension housing a spectacular kitchen and utility on the ground floor, then two beds and a bathroom on the first floor. Missy’s just taking a break from official Site Gaffer duties above and looking over her shoulder towards the her new domain. For the first time this weekend, as I quietly explored when no-one was there, it felt like a house was coming together rather than simply a building site. Below is the view as you come round the front of the main house into the garden, where the neighbouring student house once looked straight in, it’s now almost hidden.

Looking from the front wall back to the house, I can now get a proper sense of how the new build balances out the property, with the lower garage shape echoing that of the main house and the stepped back adjoining ‘West Wing’ section in the middle. I love it. I can’t quite believe how much design work internally there will be but I love it. The old chimney we’ve lowered is currently having the upper most black and yellow brickwork built back at a more manageable level and the pots popped back on. I say popped like it’s nothing but boy, those things weight a tonne so all credit to the brickies. I couldn’t resist getting up on the scaffold to have a look yesterday. Mr M & I singlehandedly ensured M&S’s Autumn profits by buying up a winter’s supply of thermals /posh Rosie cashmere (the latter me not him, obv) and quite wonderful they are too as the weather turns and the nights draw in. I suspect it’ll be another winter without heating here as there’s so much else to do. Dunkerley’s delivered the last lot of steel beams, which are slowly being hoisted into place. This below is the view from the scaffolding at first floor level down into what will be the kitchen. The first section of timber is in on the far side of the picture which will form the new bathroom floor. The OSB/ timber wall you can see underneath will be the opening into the main house dining room. These angles are great if you love property and the nuts and bolts of how things happen, it fascinates me. The first floor brick work will sit on that steel and five huge bifold doors will sit under it. Over in the garage,  his man cave,  my painting & restoration workshop, the rear pike grey blockwork wall is done and the roof is ready to be battened, membraned & insulated to make it watertight, warm but breathable. The internal reclaimed brick wall can be seen below, I’m SO glad I asked for this as an extra instead of blockwork. I read a daft quote in the Sunday Times Home section this weekend that brickwork is, quote, ‘so over’. How can brick work, so timeless, classic and authentic be ‘over’. Fads may come and go but some things stay gorgeous forever. As more steel and timber goes in today and the chimney rises again, I’m organising roofing materials and sorting reclaimed slate for covering the 100msq new roofing. That’s going to be a very painful cheque to write.

I instructed Missy to charm the roofers when they came to measure up so let’s see if she’s worth all those Iams when they come back with a price midweek eh? 😉