No more walls!

Yesterday we visited Almora for the first time since the asbestos removal. As expected, there's no more walls in the first three rooms! The hallway remains intact, as does the rest of the house, but the current bedrooms stands as a skeleton.

This is the view from one bedroom into the next. Even the fireplace has been stripped.

 In this photo you can see the damage from a fire. We reckon it was a bedroom fire decades and decades ago from a candle. I really love the history that has come along with this house.

We have an old corrugated iron roof here; we hope to have it cleaned up so that it doens't need to be replaced. The quality is apparently much better than modern manufactured roofs nowadays.

While I was taking these photos we had a restumping duo check out the current status of the house's foundation. Surprise, surprise it's completely shot. (Remember the warped hallway photo?) We were given a quote for the work which should take about 7-10 days. So in the next few weeks the house will be raised and levelled.

 

The laundry had a small amount of asbestos that had to be removed. The big sink was taken out too.

The handyman that completed a few jobs the other week replaced the powder room door. Painting it, and the front fence, will be a job for next weekend.

Now finally, some long awaited garden photos:

 

This is the view from the start of the garden right down to the garage (the grey building). The length of this area is approximately 20 metres. My current designs have it shortened to 10 metres, however this is likely to change. The garden is North-facing so it is very sunny.

 

We have a massive palm tree smack bang in the middle of those 20 metres. It is huge. When the garage is demolished to make access for big tools needed in the renovation we will have this tree reomoved - subject to council approval. Perhaps it will require a crane?!

 Look at this greenery! It is a mature garden, but it needs a lot of tending to for it to look neater. It was a jungle a few weeks ago, so it's a sure work-in-progress.

Thanks for checking back here! Stay tuned for the next project: restumping!

xo

Asbestos

Over the past few days Almora has been undertaking some construction work! Nothing in the way of major alterations as our plans have yet to be finalised. However, a handyman earlier in the week has done some touch-up jobs to the fence, doors, locks, etc.

But the biggest job happening right now is asbestos removal! Some samples from the walls tested positive for asbestos. So, the main rooms of the heritage part of the house, and the bathroom in the extension are currently in the removal process.

The house has been taped with "DANGER ASBESTOS" to prevent unauthorised persons apporaching the site in its hazardous state. The professionals must suit up and execute safe practices to remove the affected plaster in a manner that doesn't threaten exposed lungs.

This process has been going on since Thursday this past week. It is supposed to be finished next week, then we are getting a quote for re-stumping the house. I've aluded to this before - most of the house is on a lean. The piles have sunk to the ground, and this is a common attribute of old houses in the area because of the earth they are built on.

Due to the asbestos being removed at this stage as opposed to when the proper renovation begins, new jobs have come forward to possibly complete now. Remember, we plan to rent the house out whilst plans are made and council permission is obtained. The restumping is one potential job becuase the walls will need to be redone (ideally in level condition) after asbestos. Others include rewiring the house so that the electricity conforms to modern standards. The walls will be lined with sound-proofing insulation. And because of the current no-walls-situation, some features like skirting, architraves and ceiling roses may need to be replicated and replaced.

We haven't been inside so we don't know the full extent of everything just yet. But I know there's lots of painting coming my way! Enjoy your week.

xo