© irene waters 2015
I’m not sure that strictly speaking renovation is restoration but once we had ripped the back of the house off we certainly had to restore it to a house with walls. We’d finished our time at the shop and at this point we had worked out that the hours we had worked both in Vanuatu and at the store, working on the assumption that a working day is 8 hours, we’d worked me, into my seventies and Roger into his eighties so we felt entitled despite our relatively young age to retire.
© irene waters 2015
Goal oriented people can’t retire we discovered so we set to being builder’s labourers for a builder friend who helped us renovate (restore) this little cottage on the river in Gloucester. We both went up to Taree and did the Owner/Builder course and Roger set himself up as the owner/builder on this project. (I was it for the house we built after this).
© irene waters 2015
Our first task was to remove the verandah and back walls of the house and pull out the interior. We were putting a huge verandah out the back with a large area underneath for entertaining.
© irene waters 2015
We used metal poles to avoid problems with termites. We added rooms and an enclosed verandah on the left side.
© irene waters 2015
Neither of us are good with heights so Rob enlisted the help of another mate for the high jobs.
© irene waters 2015
Carrying in the gyprock was hairy as it was a frosty winter morning and the ice made walking the plank slippery to say the least.
© irene waters 2015
It takes shape.
© irene waters 2015
Mungo and Jerry my two faithful companions at the time liked to help as I had the back-breaking task of nailing the flooring.
© irene waters 2015
We were so proud of our completed project and we had learnt so many tricks of the trade that we decided our next project would be to build a house from scratch — this time though we would not need a builder.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
In response to Thursday’s Special I really recommend Paula’s response to her guest challenger (who did a post on the restoration of Seaton Delaval Hall.) Fascinating and true restoration.
Paula posted about the Zagreb cathedral and included a youtube of organ playing in the most beautiful building so if you’ve time it is well worth a visit.
Renovation – restoration I think they might be interchangeable. This looks terrific and as a place I would happily call home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Paula. It was lovely when it was finished.
LikeLike
You have my deepest admiration, Irene. We watch all the TV series showcasing ‘do-er uppers’ (currently ‘Restoration’ is running on a Wednesday night) and I know that I could not live with the disorganisation and upheaval. Mick is decorating our kitchen right now and that’s enough mayhem for me! 🙂 And what a fine job you’ve done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jo. I have to admit though we didn’t live there whilst we did it – we couldn’t have as the entire interior we gutted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Thursday’s Special: Restoration (Response to Guest Challenge) | Lost in Translation
Pingback: Guest Challenge: Restoration | Lost in Translation
What a gorgeous home you built Irene. And you were more than entitled with all the hard work you put in before in Vanuatu. Goal orientated is right…and you went for it and still are, and I love that about you 😀 And I would love to sit on that veranda about now 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our land here went down to the river but we discovered that living near a park meant that we would have uninvited guests in our garden. A bit off putting for an Englishman when I had designed the house to be reminiscint (for him) of a goldfish bowl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Proud of you Irene. Whilst we have different stories to tell, it’s lovely to hear about another goal-oriented life-liver yet again achieving what everyone else says cannot be done. Kudos to you both.
SPIKE
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Spike. I think you know exactly what it is like. Cheers Irene
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great photos of your grand designs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Raewyn.
LikeLike
That project turned out beautiful. Walking the plank looked sketchy, especially on a wet and chilly day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It did turn out well. Luckily I didn’t have to do it but Roger was expected to and he found it hairy to say the least.
LikeLike
Beautiful job, Irene. But so much work and disruption..
LikeLiked by 1 person
We weren’t doing anything else and we lived next door while we were doing it so it was a lot of fun.
LikeLike