We were expecting three visits today :
someone from Northumbrian Water about providing a new supply,
John Young (groundworks) about building a new entrance,
and the roofers.
Kimmo and Matti busied themselves finishing off the windows in the house.
John started on the soffit at the gable end. He normally works with Tony,
but Tony is off skiing in the alps for two weeks, so he is on his own.
After finishing the windows on the house K&M started on the garage door and windows.
It was about the same time that the Northumbrian Water man arrived "To inspect the trench".
The trench had been dug, ductwork installed and backfilled weeks ago!
Fortunately I had taken a photograph before it was backfilled.
After several minutes searching through hundreds of photographs, in a dozen odd folders,
I found the photograph. This satisfied him, he will release the job.
Balfour Beatty will do the job in the next two weeks.
We asked about trying to get the road dug up at the same time as the Electricity Company
but there seemed little hope, and in any case Balfour Beatty will 'mole' under the road.
The roofers arrived just before lunchtime. Jess in charge assisted by David and Jason.
Both David and Jason have the backs out of their trousers, I would have thought their knees.
After a measure up Jess said the roof could not be tiled with the Velux windows positioned as they were.
I went in to tell Kimmo,who was having his lunch, the news. He was not surprised and said he guessed they wanted to tile
"At 32 instead of 35". I said finish your meal, and then come and talk.
In the meantime Jess had phoned Stephen, his boss at the office, but Stephen was in a meeting.
I was quite despondent thinking that the timber work around the Velux window openings would have to be altered.
Tomorrow was K&M's last day.
Anyway it transpired that Kimmo had been here before and built a 10cm margin in the window position.
So Jess & Co set to nailing battons. The sound of them and John hammering was music to my ears.
The guy walking down the roof is Jess.
The doors are heavy. Two grown men struggle with them. So K&M separated the door from the frame.
The frame is in place, the door is carried in.
This is all solid brass! It is just the garage door. There are a few spare keys.
We do not have this quality of door or door furniture anywhere in Brookside East let alone a garage.
In the meantime I went off to get
"9m of 25mm MDPE blue pipe, and a 25mm MDPE to 22mm copper STOPCOCK"
for the new water supply.
Crosslings (Plumbers Merchants) knew what I meant, I didn't. Plenty of blue pipe.
And do you need a Loo? Crosslings have plenty of them.