This time last year we were sunning ourselves in Picardy, courtesy of Eurocamp. This year we are going nowhere; instead I’m playing at being the foreman and chief coffee maker while we have our new kitchen fitted.
As you can see we now have some units, temporary worktops and a jigsaw pattern of tiles which has given me an overwhelming urge to play hopscotch. However, unlike Dorothy, I’m not allowed to follow the yellow brick road while the cement is drying.
There are certain things I have learned, as we are coming to the end of Week Four of Kitchengate.
Do not, under any circumstances, flick through kitchen magazines once your chosen units start to arrive. It does you no good to be hankering after lime-green splashbacks and white acrylic soft-touch cupboards when you’ve already chosen a classic maple wood with chrome handles.
Microwave meals are only fun for a week. Prepare for the coming of the kitchen by cooking and freezing ahead. Imagining you will be constantly barbecueing in May is a tad optimistic.
Bedtime reading will consist of instruction manuals for new appliances. Most of these seem chiefly concerned with health and safety matters. Ovens, apparently, are hot.
If you choose a cooker hood above a central island, think ahead about the height of your ceiling and the height of your husband’s head.
Dust gets everywhere and curtains are not an effective barrier.
Teenage boys are not woken by drilling and sawing at 8am, even if the work is occuring directly underneath their bedroom.
When the kitchen company tell you it will probably take five or six weeks to do the work, don’t laugh at such an absurd notion……
Trick is, when jobs like this have to be done, to go away to Picardy and leave the workmen to it. Or is that too risky?
Far too risky – they ask questions every few minutes: height of handles, positioning of sockets etc. I need to be there to crack the whip, though I have to say these chaps have been brilliant.
We did ours in winter, and we actually were able to barbecue quite regularly. The joys of being an Aussie in lovely Adelaide đ
It's all worth the pain and you'll be off to Picardy again in no time.
Have you etched anything rude in the cement yet? Then blamed someone else? Aww go on!!!! How often do you get this opportunity?
Cate – we seem to have had wind for weeks here which has made outdoor cooking most unpleasant đ
Madame SG – you're that naughty friend who always dares people to do things. I'm a good girl, me!
Well I am most suprised that Lincolnshire does not offer up BBQ weather every day in May. And… ovens are hot, would've thought it!
Anyway, looks very nearly done. I want a new kitchen! Actually scrub that I want a new house! *scuttles off to sulk*
I'm groaning in empathy. It just looks bloody, but no pain no gain as they say.
At least it sounds like you don't have a bunch of cowboys in there. đ
I remember having ours done a few years ago. It was 10 days of chaos!! I'm sure yours will be lovely once it's finished and you'll love it.
CJ xx
@Very Bored – Thankfully yesterday and today have been glorious so Dougie has donned his apron.
I still have the old units – shall I ship them over to Catalunya?
@Sarah – Things are moving forward today: as I speak the proper worktops are being fitted. The excitement is palpable.
Yes, these blokes are very good.
@CJ – Each day I feel more positive, though I have had a few wobbles when I've thought, what if I don't like it?!
If your workmen get the job done when they say they will, you are living a charmed life. It has never happened to me yet, and we are on house #3. The worst was when we were remodeling our kitchen in Phoenix. I took the children Back East for an extended month-long visit, expecting to return to a finished kitchen. Turns out the cabinets got delayed at the manufacturer and we returned a month later to pretty much the same situation we'd left. Bummer. But you'll see – it will all have been worth it when it's finished! What I'm seeing in the photos looks gorgeous!
I work with contractors in my day job and I have found that if I half any time estimates they give me, times them by this amount, divide by the number of hours they take for their tea breaks, scrub this number and just double the original number I'm usually 2 weeks short of how long they actually take.
MsCaroline – I think staying put and supervising seems to be working: so far it's all going to plan.
By the way, having problems commenting on your blog at the moment. Blogs with your type of comment system won't allow me in, unless you allow anonymous comments which I could then put my name to. This was happening with my own blog so I changed to a 'pop-out' comment system.
Steve – Seems a excellent system. On that reckoning, I should be done by Christmas.
I thought my bathroom would never be finished it is an endless time of banging your head against a wall. I completely relate to the magasine thing. I wanted to change my taps almost instantly and we constantly bruise our legs on teh bath taps because of the shape and size and placement. There should be a way to live your choice before deciding to buy!
Talk about words of wisdom! I am just now picking out my new kitchen but you are right once I've chosen the scheme I can't ogle other kitchens.It's like getting married to Diana and still lusting after Camilla or summat isn't it?
@kelloggsville – I've been a complete pain each evening after the men have gone, wittering to Dougie about my anxieties over the tiniest detail. His answer 'It will be fine' has not helped.
@Emma – haha, that's just it in a nutshell! You should hear me justifying our decision…"yes, well we decided not to be too 'now' as we wanted the kitchen to blend with the rest of the house and we'd hate for it too date too quickly…blah blah..
We just move house instead and buy a new one with a brand new kitchen.
I've done three massive re-habs (as they say over here) and each time, I swear it's the last. I have learned though, not to venture very far when the work is being done, as it's amazing how much delay there seems to be when the owner isn't there. Never seems to be the builder's fault either…
Pain in the behind now but think of each day as moving you forward to a lovely new room……how exciting!
Trish – thanks for the heads up about the comments. I actually have no idea how the comment system even works, since I don't actually use it except to respond. I shall fiddle around with it to make it more user-friendly!!
Flicking through magazines after your cabinetry arrives. Yes that was me during our remodel. Funny how after two years of research and happening on that one cabinet (that's just arrived) suddenly on that first on page of that magazine you discover your dream cabinets. Also Ours arrived with the waft or weft or whatftever all going the wrong way. Thank goodness they changed them, must have cost them all the profit!
@Troy – ingenious. Why didn't I think of that?
@Expat Mum – I do think it's helped I've been around most of the time. Decisions get made, I can point out things that need adjusting and, you're right, it keeps the momentum going.
@Libby – Yesterday things moved at quite a pace in a few short hours and I do feel now I can see the end in sight.
@MsCaroline – I gather it's been a problem for Blogger comments for a couple of weeks. Seems ok for me today.
@About last weekend – I think I saw some pics of your kitchen on your blog a few weeks ago – very stylish. I shan't look again as I'll start to worry.
I cannot believe that your kitchen is not finished yet… We have been having lovely BBQ weather here for weeks now, please feel free to pop by!
@Funky Wellies – We're nearly there but it's taken so long because there was such a lot of extra electrics and plumbing involved. This week the floor should get finished and the decorator starts Thursday to paint ceiling, walls etc. I reckon middle of next week we should be finished (crosses everything).