By now you will appreciate that what has been achieved so far has been done without any external support from banks, building societies or loan sharks - well...
The only person keeping this thing moving is Russ, our builder.
Back in June he restarted work and said he would hold off sending an invoice until the end of August by which time the self-build mortgage should have kicked in. It didn't and it hasn't. More on that debacle later.
So, we get to the end of August and we talk about the bill but nothing appears.
September rolls on and - nothing appears!
OK, I know I will have to pay a substantial sum in the near future but tools would have been downed months ago had it not been for the gererosity, understanding and just plain superhero-ness of Russ. I am in his debt in more ways than one.
Yesterday, I got a text from him to say the roofline was ready. I've had a bit of a crap week not least because of wrestling with pen-pushers who see no urgency that a £60k bill is heading my way and I'm still on a bit of a downer.
But then I go to site and see what Russ had achieved.
The 7 degree slope of the walls have pockets for the roof purlins which will be installed in a couple of weeks. You might also note the white, double integral sparrow box on the first picture. This was a condition of planning but one I was glad to embrace. Photo 3 shows another planning condition: the integrated bat box. When the roof is in place (and before the scaffolding is dropped) I want to put a swift box just below the eaves. Anything to help these magnificent birds.
All the pleasure of seeing the shape of the house doesn't take away the grief caused by the mortgage situation. A fortnight ago the solicitor forwarded all the documents to the building society for them only to respond that they didn't know there was to be a remediation strategy and they would have to refer it back to the valuer!
FFS! This was part of the paperwork submitted over eighteen months ago to the intermediary. Another case of them not doing their job correctly!
But now, feeling a bit cheered by the sight of the house, I can face the next week in the hope that we will get some money, we can pay Russ and get moving with the roof and windows.
Hope springs eternal!
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