BEFORE AND AFTER....

Well after a weekend of cleaning and organising, the kitchen and bathroom are presentable....

I think the before and afters are self explanatory....

Still lots of things need finishing....

What do you think???

DAY 30....

37 days ago Alessandro and Stefano, my 2 trusty workmen, began work in our little flat. We had a really horrible bathroom and an out dated kitchen to renovate! Today was the 30th working day and also the day that they packed up ALL their tools and left!!

Here's what went on today in the mad rush to finish....

Stefano had to sort out the problem with the shower enclosure being too tall....


But after nearly all day in the bathroom he managed to install it and honestly now that the extra tiles are grouted and the other piece of glass is up it is hardly noticeable.

Salvatore went and picked up all the wood for the washing machine cupboard. Not sure when I'll be able to make it but I'd really like to do it asap as that will be the only storage in the bathroom at the moment.

In the kitchen it was go go go all day!!! The worktop arrived!! Poor guys that had to carry it up a lot of stairs, it was sooooo heavy! And it was soooo hot! It was great watching them install it. But OMG the "glue" that they used took my breath away!! As well as the 2 main pieces for the units, they had to make the breakfast bar thingy and the peninsula that divides the kitchen from the dining room. I am so happy with the end result!

Whilst the worktop guys were busy making my kitchen lovely, the 2 delivery guys turned up with the dishwasher and my new fridge (the right one this time!! - I checked it before they installed it!!). So at this point my little flat was rather crowded - me and 6 guys!! Luckily by lunchtime they had finished, leaving only Alessandro and Stefano!! So then it was a matter of attaching sink and tap (love it), the oven, cooker and touching up the plaster around the peninsula.

So here are a few pics of my nearly finished kitchen....




There are still lots of things that need doing or finishing. I'll try to do as much as I can before we go away on our summer holiday down south. But first the kitchen and bathroom need a really good clean (as does the rest of the flat) then I can start putting things away! I can't wait!

p.s. will take some pics of finished bathroom after cleaning it tomorrow!

DAY 29....

What a day!!!

Well lots got done today. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel! Almost!

First thing this morning the guy called to give me the price of the worktop which was actually less than I expected, although still alot of money! He also told me that it wouldn't be ready until Wednesday!!! Poop!

Then Salvatore realised that the fridge wasn't the one that we ordered!! Yesterday when it all arrived I was so busy looking at everything else that I didn't even notice! So after a small arguement on the phone, Raimondo (kitchen guy) agreed to change it. There is a cost involved and he's not sure when the new fridge will arrive. Double poop!!

After I went to pick up the wood and mdf that I ordered last week to make the washing machine cupboard frame and doors, guess what?! Not ready! Not even started! It was on their to-do-list for NEXT week! I really had to restrain myself from exploding in anger and frustration. Triple poop!!!

So even though I'm having a really poopy day things did progress here in my little flat. Alessandro finished all the electrical stuff - my blinds go up and down at the push of a button - the downlights are in and look great - and all the light switches and plugs are working. Stefano touched up the paint work in kitchen and bathroom, fixed the skirting boards, attached the shelf/ledge under the window in the bathroom, sealed the sink, loo and bidet with silicone and finished off a few other odd jobs.

Then just after lunch I got a call from the worktop guy - Worktops arriving tomorrow morning!! I have no idea what made him change his mind, I'm just really glad he did! Yeah!

Next a call from Raimondo - fridge and dishwasher arriving tomorrow morning too! Double yeah!!

To make things even better the man I nearly assaulted in the wood shop calls to tell me he personally has cut all my wood and mdf ! Triple yeah!!!

At this point I felt like dancing, all seemed to be working out well, then Alessandro called me into bathroom to show me that my gorgeous super shower enclosure didn't fit properly on the shower tray and that it is taller than the height of the tiles! Quick call to Sandro (bathroom shop guy) who assured me that it should definately fit. And yes, it DOES fit, they were putting it on wrong!! I wish they hadn't scared me like that! But the problem of the height remains! The only solution is add another row of tiles above the shower. I don't particulary like this solution but I think it's my only option! Compromises!

Sorry about this long boring post. I'll make up for it tomorrow with a whole lot of pics of my hopefully (almost) finished kitchen and bathroom!!!

DAY 28....

Kitchen day!

This morning it was a mad rush to get everything finished before the kitchen delivery. When they arrived Stefano was still on the ladder painting the ceiling!! This is what it looked like this morning....

And this is what it looked like 3 hours later....

Almost finished!! The dishwasher still hadn't arrived this morning so will be delivered on Friday. The 3 guys that delivered and installed the kitchen were great! Really fast, acurate, polite and funny, all qualities not normally associated with delivery guys! They do expect a tip! Not wanting to offend them I asked around before to see what is the "expected" tip for a kitchen delivery - around €50. Oh well, they deserved it!

After they left the "worktop guy" came and measured up and made a plywood pattern of the worktop! I was told this would be ready in about 3 days but he said it's more likely going to be Tuesday!!! I pleaded and begged that they do it sooner.... Friday would be perfect. That way on Saturday Alessandro could put in the oven, the sink etc... I've also asked him to give me a quote to make a breakfast bar or what ever they're called! Who knows how much a 130cm x 35cms piece of composite worktop could cost?!? Oh, plus 2 side panels each 35cms x 90something cms!?! Well, I'll know tomorrow when he calls!

On the other side of the flat in the bathroom Stefano "fought " all day with the bidet. Being a back to wall bidet he had trouble getting it right as all the pipes are hidden! It kept leaking but he couldn't tell from where. At one point I think he was ready to throw the bidet out the window! In the end he sorted it out!

There's still a long list of things to do in the next few days but at least all the major work is over and done with!!! I just have to do a major tidy up and clean! It's so disgustingly dirty!!!

p.s. before leaving Stefano rested the cooker on the kitchen cupboards and attached the gas as they've done every evening. I lit the gas so I could boil the water for some pasta but after awhile could smell gas!! Aaaah, so many problems with the gas!!! We ended out eating take away pizza!

DAY 27....

Tiling in the kitchen has finished!!

Apart from the grouting on the left side....

I really like the overall effect but.... once all the tiles were up we realised that 1 tile is a different colour!! See bottom right tile in the pic below.

It's not a big deal as it will behind the cupboards but that one tile is the sample tile that i brought home from the tile showroom. It's the colour that I chose. It's a more creamier white where as the ones that I have are a colder starker white. I don't know if this is good or bad yet. I guess we'll see tomorrow when the kitchen is installed!!

Stefano is in the bathroom as I type putting up the remaining tiles that I picked up this morning.

There are so many "little" things that need doing before tomorrow morning when the kitchen arrives. Alessandro has to finish doing the wiring, fix some of the plaster, put in the down lights, touch up some of the paint on the wall etc etc...

p.s. ONE MORE SLEEP....!!!