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The new kitchen

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Of course, over winter I realised that her idea to paint the cupboards was just the thin end of the wedge. In agreeing, like a total rookie I had opened the door and allowed a foot in. Before long there were talks of re-tiling (I like the tiles). At this point its worth mentioning that this is a large kitchen, the size of most people's lounge, with half an acre of beautiful (and clearly expensive) black granite workspace, so it's a large project.

"I don't think painting the cupboard doors is a good idea - they're plastic coated," I said like a total idiot come February this year.

"How about new doors then?" she said.

"Expensive to replace all 20 of them ... as really there's only one that's damaged and delaminating because of the steam from the kettle" (or as Mrs chrismpw put it "is absolutely disgusting")

The dream developed and snowballed in Mrs Chrismpw's grey matter over the following weeks. I really should have distracted her from those tv makeover programmes where some designer comes in and turns a house upside down with a kitchen diner upstairs, in the space of an hour, while two failed arts students wear "I'm artsy" clothes as they simper and discuss design ideas with the householder. What these tv shows NEVER show my wife is the team of builders, plumbers, electricians, plasterers, decorators and the several months it takes this army to bring about the change. Nor the bill.

Before long I was told the ceiling would need redoing thanks to a slight bow from a (before we moved in) leaking shower (oh persuing and fixing historic leak and new shower tray in the ensuite that was 2019). Oh and a new solid oak floor - and WHY NOT EXTEND THE FLOOR INTO THE DINING AREA (this is the biggest room in the house - double length, linking the kitchen to our relatively small north facing lounge). Oh and the down lighters- they'll need changing. And obviously if I'm putting a new floor in the dining area the radiators will need replacing, that blocked off window should have a cabinet built into it and the whole room repainted. Oh and change the wall lights.

The idea was escalating faster than covid escaped Wutan.
 

chrismpw said:
"We* could just paint the cupboard doors" she said.

"I'm in the middle of rebuilding the decking"

Despite having no replacement in mind, she had asked me to tear the decking up in March to turn into raised beds, even though nobody has timber stocks and prices were sky high. When she'd finally made up her mind as to the exact type and colour of wood she wanted it was May. The Swedish wood finally turned up in August, we were told, via the blocked suez canal and we'd had 5 months of having to negotiate a quagmire and building site where the decking had been to access the back garden.

I managed to defer the kitchen project to "early next summer" ie 2022 - so that we could at least cook and wash up outside or eat salads.

*the word we is frequently misused when it comes to doing DIY- as "we have made a new bathroom." Its not "we" unless you want to include an unasked for and DIY incapable "foreman" as part of the labouring team.
Click to expand...
Forgive me, its 2023 next year. and 'Forewoman'. Have you ever considered developing a poorly back and then finding quotes from specialists in the tens of thousands? Gotta box clever, also did you recycle the old decking into the raised beds for veg and herbs and what not? Microwave the earth you transplant to kill insect eggs/larvae.
 
chrismpw said:
Of course, over winter I realised that her idea to paint the cupboards was just the thin end of the wedge. In agreeing, like a total rookie I had opened the door and allowed a foot in. Before long there were talks of re-tiling (I like the tiles). At this point its worth mentioning that this is a large kitchen, the size of most people's lounge, with half an acre of beautiful (and clearly expensive) black granite workspace, so it's a large project.

"I don't think painting the cupboard doors is a good idea - they're plastic coated," I said like a total idiot come February this year.

"How about new doors then?" she said.

"Expensive to replace all 20 of them ... as really there's only one that's damaged and delaminating because of the steam from the kettle" (or as Mrs chrismpw put it "is absolutely disgusting")

The dream developed and snowballed in Mrs Chrismpw's grey matter over the following weeks. I really should have distracted her from those tv makeover programmes where some designer comes in and turns a house upside down with a kitchen diner upstairs, in the space of an hour, while two failed arts students wear "I'm artsy" clothes as they simper and discuss design ideas with the householder. What these tv shows NEVER show my wife is the team of builders, plumbers, electricians, plasterers, decorators and the several months it takes this army to bring about the change. Nor the bill.

Before long I was told the ceiling would need redoing thanks to a slight bow from a (before we moved in) leaking shower (oh persuing and fixing historic leak and new shower tray in the ensuite that was 2019). Oh and a new solid oak floor - and WHY NOT EXTEND THE FLOOR INTO THE DINING AREA (this is the biggest room in the house - double length, linking the kitchen to our relatively small north facing lounge). Oh and the down lighters- they'll need changing. And obviously if I'm putting a new floor in the dining area the radiators will need replacing, that blocked off window should have a cabinet built into it and the whole room repainted. Oh and change the wall lights.

The idea was escalating faster than covid escaped Wutan.
Click to expand...
A little window into my life, I once had to deal with this, I asked for the kettle not to be left to blow steam up into the cupboards and into the gap behind them and the wall, I was ignored, I pleaded for the same, I was ignored, then I said it stops and it stops now. I was ignored....
So next time the kettle was boiled it went out of the window. Sometimes someone has to lose out significantly to get the message.
I currently live alone, in peace, and I dont consume caffeine anyhow...

Also, to associate, get some builder/joiner in and pay through the nose, have it the same as the cost of a holiday you then dont go on... "to lose out significantly to get the message".
 
Rita_Poon said:
Forgive me, its 2023 next year. and 'Forewoman'. Have you ever considered developing a poorly back and then finding quotes from specialists in the tens of thousands? Gotta box clever, also did you recycle the old decking into the raised beds for veg and herbs and what not? Microwave the earth you transplant to kill insect eggs/larvae.
Click to expand...
I said it last year ... 2021 ... so "early next year" would be 2022. I wasn't particularly clear, I admit.

I keep telling her what it would cost to replace me. I'm supposed to be retired ffs. Fortunately though, I enjoy a good project and working with my hands. The deal is she pays for all the materials and I provide the labour. I think she has the better part of this deal however it rarely manifests itself in any overt gratitude. Oh wait.... she makes a cup of tea occasionally.

Microwaving earth would kill the useful bacteria and fungi so essential in making soil healthy.... I'm not doing that!

Raised beds from decking placed at the farthest end of the back garden ... filled by 3 tonnes of loam she ordered, which had to be transported by wheelbarrow from the front of the house .... a round trip if about 100m.

Then it was all meshed out with a cage of chicken wire to keep pigeons off. It worked well until the protected beds were discovered this summer by moles ffs.
 

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