VADOULOU

Well, we decided to go up to the site early last Monday to make sure that at least some of the artisans had come back from their holidays. We couldn’t get near the house for vans & wagons & had to park in the school yard! Thankfully the kids don’t go back until tomorrow.
When we got there all hell broke loose, but in a good sense.
One problem is that the 2 roof gable ends (pignons) can’t be finished until the stones are fully fitted & the stone can’t be finished until the lintels (linteaux) above the windows are fitted, & they weren’t there. All being well that’ll be done next week, because we’ve had a bit of rain recently.
The other problem is that the guttering has not been done as planned & needs redoing. Again this coming week we hope.
Other than that everyone was delighted to see us, wanting to know exactly where we want plugs, sockets, switches, lights, sanitary ware, kitchen appliances, sinks etc etc. We spent the morning there.
We also organised for the architects, returned from their holidays, to come up to the site on Tues to meet with us all. We spent most of the day with them going over what comes next. We had a phone call from the electrician Wed morning asking whether we could pop by just to clarify some more socket positions. It has been busy!
In addition we had the normal site meeting on Friday to recap & to plan for next week.
During the 3 week break the plaquist (internal walls & ceilings) had quietly gone as far as he could, because now all the electrics & some of the plumbing need to be fitted into the walls, so that they can be finished. The plaquist is going on holiday during Sept but I think that someone will be along to continue his work.
The internal walls are all done & we can now see the size of bathrooms, bedrooms etc. plus the cathedral ceiling is ready for the insulation to be fitted. Soon the spaces can be cleared for the underfloor heating pipes to be fitted & covered & on we go.
The architects are still working to the end of October for handover but think that there might be a “little” delay! We can’t wait to get in!
We’re absolutely thrilled with the stone cladding. We think that they’ve done a really great job.

Well firstly, it’s probably as well that the outside teams have been on holiday. Two photos of 45°c in the shade & 32.1°c in our bedroom at night. The heat has been brutal, but short lived. Back down to much more manageable temperatures today.

The guy building the interior walls has worked on & much of the inside looks more like a house. It has though raised a few issues which we need to discuss quickly with our architects, who are also back. The end of Oct. is suddenly looking very close!

Hopefully the work on the roof & the exterior facing walls will be pushed on quickly now. This coming week will be exciting & crucial for the finish date. Anyway, some more photos.

We just popped in this afternoon to wish bon weekend to the guy doing the plasterboard & we were very pleasantly surprised to find all the flat ceiling areas finished & to see the friends & family end of the house already partially defined.
It is looking so different already.

The other teams are still on holiday next week, but it should all be ready for the electrician & plumber to move in when they return the week after.
We are looking forward to the roof & the stone cladding being finished quickly once everyone is back on site.
It’s easy to see why they don’t work outside in August. It’s been over 30° all this week & expected to get close to 40° this weekend & into next week.
We’re even having some time inside after all the concerts over the last week or so.

We weren’t expecting to post anything this week, but when we went up on Friday evening we were very pleasantly surprised.
There’s been 1 artisan there this week quietly working away & he’s put up all the remaining ceiling fitments & most of the ceiling plasterboards. He’s been with this firm for 30 years & clearly knows what he’s doing.
He’s confident that he’ll finish the ceilings, put in place most of the insulation & start on the internal walls next week, with the help of an apprentice. Unlike the others he prefers to work in August & to go on holiday in September.
We’re delighted & that’s 1 week closer to the others being back on site. 1 week down & 2 to go!
All the internal doors are on site now as well.

Summer is finally here & it’s hot again.

It’s August & the French holiday month, but there were still lots of people working on site.
All the stone walls were up to the height needed to put in all the remaining windows, which was done on Weds. Work on all the stone facing was done to either avoid the sun, the rain or the cold wind.
The tilers on the roof have got it nearly done but the ends can’t be finished until the stone walls are up to the top of the gables. It wasn’t great being on the roof this week.
At least having all the windows & doors in made working inside easier. It has been cold here (for us in August. Scarborough spring weather for Yorkshire folk!)
The electrics are in & waiting for the plasterboard walls to be fixed, the fitments for the walls & ceilings are coming on, the plumber has started on the water piping & the fresh air system.
We had a site meeting on Thursday and almost everyone including the architects are now on holiday, but we’re expecting the wall & ceiling team to be back for the next 2 weeks. They should be able to make good progress as they will be the only ones on site.
All the photos are in date order to show the progress.

It’s also been Eté de Vaour since Tuesday & it’s got progressively colder. It finishes tonight & we’ve now put blankets on our bed! The forecast from Weds is for +30°c during the day & 25 at night. We don’t remember a summer nor an Eté de Vaour quite like this before.
No glorious sunsets from the field, full of food trucks from artisanal producers. We should be sitting by the vineyard Bar/hut selling local wines & beers, listening to the music & enjoying the food. The enjoyment bit is ok but the weather has certainly been chilly. We’ve had to hang on to food & glasses at times to prevent the gusts of wind sweeping them away. You can see by what we’re wearing how the weather has got colder. The first photo was taken at 11.27 coming out of the big top on the 1st evening after a great show. The 2nd on Weds with Lou in a fleece & the 3rd one on Saturday.
We’re hoping for shorts & tees again next week.