Tuesday 6 December 2011

Help!

Will we ever be ready for Santa Claus? we have started on the long drawn process of renovating our stair case, in our wisdom 25 years ago we decided to artex the walls of our stair case, what can I say we were young and penniless and one drop length of wall paper took a whole roll so the cost of a half decent wall papered stairs was just out of our penny limit.

It has been the bain of our lives for at least 10 years, too thick to plaster over the top of and no matter what we tried it just wouldn’t budge.

This year was make or brake and we hired an industrial steamer an my Chris my better half plodded on with steamer and a long handled bladed scraper and bit by bit chipped away at it suffering some horrendous blistered and coming close to death by electrocution going straight through an electric cable.

well all that aside we as in the royal we got the artex off the walls then Friday the lads came in and made good our walls. We are still far from being done, the sanding of gloss paint work has begun and tonight Chris pulled up the carpets while I cleaned behind him, he did comment whilst taking up the carpet that they must have been giving the nails for nowt when I layed it because of the amount I'd hammered in (cheeky devil.)

So here is a couple of shots of the state of play that we are in, the first is of Chris peeping around the landing whilst pulling out the left over nails.

stairs2

As you can see we have smooth walls but there is 4 doors and frames to paint and a long landing barrier from where Chris is peeping right back to the bathroom, all the skirting boards including the ones that come down the staircase and then 2 doorways at the bottom of the stairs and only then can we start thinking of putting the paint on the walls, We have an electrician coming out on Wednesday to fit 2 new light and switches and a carpet fitter booked for the 16th eek!

stairs1

Jak Signature

15 comments:

Turtle In The Sand said...

You are certainly brave taking on this job during the holidays. I bet you will be finished in time for Christmas, won't you? **Linda

ursula Uphof said...

Lots of "hard labour", but I am sure it will be lovely when finished.

Maryann Laursen said...

Well this sounds exactly as something we would do here too ha ha ha ha. Still remember one year, where we started to pull down the livingroom on christmasday and just finished it in time for New Years eve he he he, but as it was the only time hubby was home long enough to finish it fast, this was the time for us to do it, and I´m sure, you´ll also be ready in time for christmas Jak. We people are sooo funny, that when we have to, wwe can doalmost anything, and sometimes we get all the most done, while we´re under a certain pressure like this ha ha ha, and Im sure, it´ll come to look absolutely awesome. Good luck with your new staircase for christmas hun.

ladyannehoward said...

Oh poor you, it sounds horrendous, I would have saved up and got someone to do it for me *laughing* you are both so brave and good. Well done for what you have achieved up to now and yes you can do it, believe in yourselves *smile*
Love ~ Lady Anne xx

Anonymous said...

Know how it feels to renovate been doing my Mum's house for over a year now, lead paint and all. Takes a long time but worth it in the end. Go over the top with Christmas decorations and no-one will notice if you do not have time. Good luck.

Dawn said...

You'll manage! leave the final gloss on the skitring until after the carpet fitter has been though!!!
Hugs
Dawn xx

Ruth said...

Jak, this is my job so I know exactly what you mean. The mess is horrendous and it takes ages to get it right - but I'm sure when it's done you'll be so pleased with it that you'll keep on going back to just stand and look (with a big smile) and ask yourself "Why did we wait so long?" All the best with the rest of it...Enjoy! Ruth x

ursula said...

I know one does what you can afford and then regret it afterwards. You have lived with it for a long time. It sounds like you work together as a team so all seems to be going well, but it takes so long, I know because I had to endure the same when my other half decided to do the bathroom, tiled the whole room, yikes. But it was a beautiful job in the end. So hang in there girl, it will be wonderful when it is done. Well done, Luv u Ursula XX

Tammy said...

Ugh, I don't envy you on this one! But when it is all done you will be so pleased then, you can come to my house and do mine!

sallysbitz2 said...

Crikey ..... it will look lush when its finished BUT before Christmas!!!!!!

You are brave & must have the patience of a saint x

hugs sally x
sallysbitz.blogspot.com

Sue said...

Ooh Jak,you do like sailing close to the wind chuck,lol.I am sure it will all be finished.
Hugs Sue xx

Jane said...

Beware, when we started to decorate our hall, stairs n' landing...we got carried away, & ended up doing almost the whole house!!! xx

TAM said...

Of course you'll be done in time - its setting the goal that keeps us going !!!
Know exactly how you feel have just finished our stairs and landings and although we didn't have to fetch artex off the walls there was a lot of filling and smoothing to do - ideally it could have done with the old plaster fetching off (most of it is the horsehair stuff)and redoing completely but the budget only stretches so far and as we have two flights of stairs it wasn't possible. However it looks lovely now - but as Jane has said that gets you looking at everything else - have given the bathroom a lick of paint and really must do something with the living room and dining room as early as possible next year - HELP !!!!

Mad Mary said...

Had artex in my old Flat Jak and it was still there when i moved out lol. There was no way i was going to attempt to take it off the wall. Chris has done an amazing job getting it off the staircase. Hope you show us your finished staircase as it will be amazing and yes it will be done in time for Christmas.

Mary xx

Marcea said...

looking good mrs ... will all be worth it when it is finished x