January 13th (Sun.)

Danny boy came around with the builder as planned. He was a spritely guy, easy going and luckily not too set in his ways to take in my at times rather unusual ideas for the interior.
On the journey I’d mentioned to Yasumi that he may be surprised at what I’d like him to do. Sure enough, where as, to an English builder ripping out the false ceiling to expose the original real beams above would almost be ‘modus operandi’ he was rather taken aback and asked did we actually plan to see the beams and suggested he could box them in if we liked.

Beams lying above existing false ceiling

He said we’d have to box in the purlins because there just isn’t the depth to inset
panels between them and I admit to being very pleased with myself since at that point I convinced him it wasn’t a problem by showing him the detailing I’d done.
After that things proceeded smoothly enough with nothing I proposed infeasible and a few new innovations brought in to ease the redecoration.
He’ll provide us with a breakdown quote for our consideration. Danny boy told him I aim to do as much as I can myself but nevertheless the builder generously answered my questions that were obviously asked in order to do stuff myself. Such as, ‘So how do you go about knocking out a wall like this?’ I kind of cringed when I asked that one !

With the last post on the far end of the fence set in place in concrete and feeling fine after my prolonged cold et al. it was an easy and enjoyable job to finish up the fence at last, connecting it up to the retaining wall with horizontal slats and putting in the last curvy profile panel next to the gate. I kept dropping the screwdriver in the numbing cold and the odd light snowflake drifted past. Time to remove myself indoors.

 

 

The fence finished all the way to the retaining wall

 

The gate with it’s curvaceous abutting panel in place

And that is precisely the plan. From here until mid March, I’ll be set up indoors,
working on the interior and occasionally continuing fabricating the main gates in the relative comfort of the workshop.
Come snow, come ice! Do your worst !