I've just put up some photographs of the front courtyard and driveway and then of the kitchen. The paving was dead easy, actually relaxing to watch as the bricks were laid in a pattern, like a jig-saw. 

The kitchen on the other hand I now remember as a nightmare. For example, 3 electricians: the first just didn't turn up one day half-way through the project and didn't return calls; pretty quick to give me a bill though when he found out he'd been replaced..then found a another who made an absolute mess installing just 4 downlights with loose wires. He also got lost driving to the house and wanted to charge me for that time taken. Got rid of him..by this time it was 2 weeks before Christmas so nobody really wanted to know me. Finally found one who would finish the work, to be exact: fit the oven and hob (wiring already behind the wall) and tidy up the loose wiring. The bill? $1000 thank you very much..so close to Christmas it was either that or live in the mess for more weeks. Think the total for all the 3 together was something horrible, close to $3000 - but when you're in a hole it's true about money pits. 

Tarket flooring was put in after a sanded concrete base was laid - wonderful stuff, doesn't show any dents and is warm to the touch. 6 extra double power points were put in which sounds a lot but given the appliances we've all got used to it's only just enough. Bosch oven and ceramic hob: the hob is the best I've seen not quite as good as gas but very very fast..add the dishwasher, the Cruncher (aka Insikerator that could probably munch a tree) and a heated towel rail..and that's about it. The laundry flows off the kitchen so put a new tub in there and an extractor for the dryer..then put a washbasin in the loo which is off the laundry in turn. Cannot understand how any builder can put a toilet in with no washbasin. Beats me...

The modernised kitchen when first finished. Classic black and white are the obvious choice to me as it doesn't really date. I wanted to get a linear look, hence the black kickboard to compliment the black work surface, then the wooden capping to define the cupboard tops. Drawers were used rather than cupboards for bases as they are easier to use but also add to the linear look. French iron knobs replaced the chrome that were first supplied. The wiring work was huge as the old kitchen had only 2 lights and 2 powerpoints

Whilst the kitchen was being revamped I used the opportunity to wire through the ceiling to an internal light switch. The wiring then goes outside the house and under the terrace and comes up the other side of the retaining wall. My intention is to put in garden lighting, all controlled from inside the house.

The courtyard and the driveway...

The garden terrace and retaining wall. VERY solid consruction and given I'd dug down to soil level on a sloping surface it also doubles as a support structure for the fences either side (it actually has 'wings' either end). The steps are to come later when the budget allows but started with sinking sleepers into river stones which will act as a border between the terrace and the wall

And the retaining wall..I placed piping under the terrace so that electrical wiring could be fitted for use at a later stage for garden floodlights. The wiring was all done at a later stage and onloy tookm one hour to feed through the pipe. If nothing else I learned how to plan for fiuture needs with such events..

The hard work begins and the money pit opens..

The house when purchased was very dated by my tastes, with brown stain doors and woodwork. The window frames were a matching brown; the entire house was covered in flock/embossed wallpaper. Unfortunately I don't have photographs. What followed was a period of sealing then painting all woodwork white - it took a year and numerous coats - then removed the awful single lights in each room. All the lights were slap-bang in the middle of each ceiling and each room had only one powerpoint each. So the house was rewired after the wallpaper was taken off and extra powerpoints added to each room. 

Dichroic (Halogen) downlights were added (the preferred type then as they give a light nearest to natural daylight) and a light sensor placed in the main room. For some reason no light switch is by the entrance door, so now the lights come on as soon as the door is opened. I've found that adding dimmer switches to be very effective as it allows a softer ambiance at night, when table lamps are also in use. Once finished all the rooms were painted with the exception of the living/hall areas and the main bedroom. I used wallpaper from Osborne and Little (living room etc) and Laura Ashley for the main bedroom. My choice to do this was to fit in with the Mews-style townhouse that's often seen in England, (which is where I'm from) and I'm familiar with London-style houses. At night the living rooms have a wonderful warm glow that works well in both Summer and Winter. All the windows and frames were replaced with tinted glass and aluminium frames that were colour co-ordinated with the new exterior colour for the house. I chose to go with Alto paints - their pigments and colour range are wonderful and I'm still enjoying the changing shades the house shows in different lights. 

Once the windows were in the exterior painting started; quite a job as all the exterior woodwork had to be sanded back and because of the height, scaffolding was necessary for access as well as Health and Safety of the painters. Just after this, a terrace was laid to the rear of the property - again colour-matching Italian tiles were used. Following that a retaining wall was put in. The garden slopes upwards at the back so rather than ignore that I decided to make it a feature by adding steps in a half-moon shape that curve and lead up to a small hexagonal deck. And the work goes on....the driveway was uneven and the front courtyard was a horror, so brick tiles were laid on the driveway and in the front courtyard, with a similar edging design to try and link the two. Both these areas needed a new coarse base etc. Following this, the old deck was ripped out and a new timber deck went in with a 'floating' step design. I used a wood called Vitex which is a New Guinea hardwood (ecologically sourced) which has a lovely honey colour and finish; the same was used on the small deck at the rear of the garden. Putting all this in print makes me realise all of the work that was done, albeit over a year to 14 months. 

I can remember the concrete going down for the rear terrace and the mess it made, then the tile-layers who being Greek thought they didn't need any shade - they lasted 20 minutes. It's good but I hadn't factored in how tiles compared to grass reflect heat. The terrace now is a sun-trap which for me is good for breakfast but after mid-morning..phew! Now, onto those photographs..

Some pictures from when I first owned the house. The blue paint markers show how the drains were laid - had to make sure they were in good condition before I paved. Had them all checked with CCTV to ensure no blockages etc

 water.

I finally found a few pictures of the house when I first owned it..I'll follow up with the first of the work to make it look more presentable...

Well..as this is designed to show a progress for my current home. It's healthy to go back over what I've done - the expense, irritiations, the mess and the disruptions - as it's easy to forget what's been done as it was completed over a period of a year or two. The result is not some superb mansion that will draw the 'oos' and 'aahs' from people, more a reflection of a place which has a wonderful atmosphere to me and one which I'll miss if I ever move..there again..I created what there is now and can do so again. Sooo..over the nest few days/weeks I'll dig out some old photographs and publish...