La Petite Touche

The Renovations to the Residence

Renovations Phase 2 - March 2012

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Week 18. March is now upon us and in the first full week of the month all of the plasterboarding is now complete. There now remains the work of taping and sealing in all the rooms and the ceiling of the winter salon, which is to be finished in traditional lime based plaster, in between the exposed beams.

We also had a meeting with the carroleur (tiler) to discuss how the "special effects" we want are to be accomplished. The most complex is the curved stairs in the great room, only 2 steps up from the lower level, but not easy to do a curve with "straight" tiles! The outcome seems to be some more work for the "gros-oeuvre" as the top step "wall" has been made too high by 5cm.

Great Room Little Window

Week 19. The weather has been really spring like (until Saturday when it turned colder and rained).

Three plasterers arrived on Monday, spent the day taping and sealing but have not been seen since. (However they did say, before they left, that they wouldn't be back until next week.) So the winter Salon still waits for its ceiling to be done.

However there were other bits of progress. The screed for the second upstairs shower was laid by the plumber. On Tuesday a meeting with the Menuisier (Joiner) took place to discuss the design of the glass partition between the great room and the first floor landing. On Wednesday, since the weather has now improved, the Masons returned, and have prepared the bases for the door steps, removed from the Great Room the "offending" concrete top step mentioned last week and made a start on the enduit (render). The window surrounds on the end wall (done by hand rather than by machine) are now covered. Whilst not actually holding breath it is expected that next week, assuming the [rendering] machine is available and the weather co-operates, further rendering will be done.

Great Room Little Window
Great Room Little Window

Week 20. After a cooler and wet weekend the warm weather returned. Temperatures up to 20 deg C have been the norm so it seems that at least here Spring has sprung early.

After a slow start to the week things have, visually at least, progressed a lot this week.

The enduit machine, repaired, duly arrived on Tuesday, after the masons had spent Monday putting the pierre apparente on the front by hand. We're not sure however whether this was because the machine was broken or because they were showing a young apprentice how it's done without a machine! But it is true to say that things progress much more with the technology working! By the end of the week the front wall, the end wall (grand pignon) and one side of the great room are complete, leaving only two walls yet to be done.

Internally the plasterers have continued "taping and sealing", which takes place in two phases. The great room and the winter salon are finished, including the lime plaster on the ceiling, and the kitchen, utility and downstairs shower room are almost complete. Upstairs things are in a similar situation; just a few bits remain to be finished off.

Outside the base for the Spa has been laid. So in the next few weeks the Spa can be moved from its temperary resting place in the hangar to its planned location.

Great Room Little Window
Great Room Little Window
Great Room Little Window

Week 21. The dry weather returned. Last weekend's rain was the only rain in March; this week the sunshine and blue sky re-established itself. It is not often that we actively hope for rain!

Further visual and physical progress this week. The enduit to the outside is now complete and the doors, windows and doorsteps have all been finished, the latter with "terre cuit" [red] tiles that were recovered from the old granary [loft]. They look really good.

Inside the plasterers completed their work and the heating engineer fitted and tested the pipework for the downstairs underfloor heating. The great room looks like an indoor swimming pool, albeit very shallow!

Upstairs the shower trays and bath have been fitted ready for the tilers to do their work.

Also the electrician and plumber [the same person] has fitted the water manifold in the utility room and "found" the missing wires in the loft. The cable has also been laid in the conduit from the front gates to the house.

Great Room Little Window
Great Room Little Window
Great Room Little Window