Another repair job...

After our trip to the shops in the morning the carpenter arrived to remove the joists of the extension so the masons can drive their kit into it and do the groundwork required. After lunch we went round the neighbours to help dismantle a greenhouse that abuts the gable wall of our house, where the masons will need access to put scaffolding up to repair the chimney (picture) and then to render the wall. Before the masons get to that stage, we also offered to help demolish a shed (also abutting) our house which is also in the way.

After several hours and much swearing (not from me) we took at the glass panels out, and took the greenhouse carefully to bits so it could be moved out of the way. About a third of the aluminium nuts and bolts that held it together had seized up, and so sheared off when we un did them, but they are easily replaced, and no glass was broken and no one was injured!

Today's blip is the eastern chimney stack of our house. Last year we had the western stack rebuilt, the flue lined and a new cowl put on top so we can actually use it with a pellet stove. This one is in an even worse state, isn't in use, and frankly I'd just tear it down, but the planners say we can't and it may end up being used to attach the TV antenna and dish, so we're having it rebuilt - hence the removal of the green house that was in the way...! It will be another €10k up in smoke, but ironically as it's only going to be decorative, there won't even be any smoke...!