Konkos, Pt. 2

Laying down cement in the garage was a two-part process, given that the rear-end was to be elevated and converted into a laundry room. First step, a single layer of the grey stuff from back to front:

It was then given a couple of days to harden before cordoning off the inside with bricks. After filling up the space with some filler material, back came the cement truck for another round:

There were some things to consider before and during the whole process. First off, plastic membrane was fitted on the walls given that the cement (and eventually the tiles) were going to go above the tar line. This wasn't an issue for the laundry room since there is a second, higher tar line which was going to be left exposed. Second, the top layer of bricks would have to subsequently be sawed off to align with the level of the cement. And third, we could finally add steps leading to and from the garage:

We still need to add a step or two to lead into the laundry. This will be done after the tiles and gypsum wall are done, so that the steps are aligned with the sliding pocket door.

Still a lot of work to be done here, but at least no more intrusive thoughts of concrete lovers.

Hello again.

An Impulse Buy

 

This was the outdoor area on the first floor leading up to the roof when we bought the place. Aside from the added row of limestone which we did on the wall, there wasn't really much to do with it. Railing for the stairs, obviously, and we are planning to install a secondary washing machine for bulky items (sheets, duvets, etc.) under the stairs. We then intend to close it off with some aluminum, although we're still discussing that bit.

The grey floor is liquid membrane that was done by the sellers when they were still renovating the house themselves, so it is still relatively recent. Contractors that came by praised the work, so we weren't really concerned about it.

But then, when the indoor tiles arrived, well, that triggered something. A sudden sense of desire to do outside with tiles as well. And if we were going to do it, it had to be done during that one/two-week window where the tilers were still upstairs. Damn it, I am not an impulse-buy sort of guy.

Luckily, the suppliers had our choice of tiles in stock (the same tiles we'd be using for the backyard and the front porch), so within a few days they arrived and work continued seamlessly upstairs from inside to outside.

Still incapable of taking a final picture that doesn't show dust or rubble.

Those two thin pipes that are side by side along the bottom step? The water supply and drain pipes for the secondary washing machine under the stairs. The stairs themselves will be tiled before railings are installed, with the bottom step to be extended to cover those pipes.

We're still a long way away from doing any of that. We've moved downstairs now.

"Parquet", Pt. 1

To date, apart from maybe the first phase of wall sanding, there wasn’t really work done that had to do with aesthetics. So, you can imagine the jittery feeling I had on the morning we received the first batch of tiles onsite. To see the first physical tangible product which you ordered finally enter the front door meant that the next big chapter was on the horizon. 

And the tiles upstairs didn’t remain stuffed into a corner for long. Within around a week the first floor (sans bathrooms) was done in mahogany, parquet-style tiles.

Still too dusty for a decent picture though.

The tiles were laid in staggered rows utilising a 15cm difference between them, with 2mm spacers and dark brown grouting. I'm mentioning this as these are the kinds of things that need to be discussed with your tiler when you have parquet-style tiles.

Something that is (apparently, at least according to our tiler) unconventional is our choice of laying tiles down along as opposed to across. So, for example, when you walk up the stairs, you will find the tiles lined up vertically (like in the above picture), not horizontally. The same will be adopted in the ground floor, i.e. immediately upon entering through the front door. In terms of functionality it doesn't make a difference, it's purely a matter of personal choice. 

For the first time since signing the contract last October, things are starting to take some shape.

A Cover-Up Story

One of the many anxiety-inducing things on my mind was the possibility of stepping on and breaking a bare PVC pipe, especially on the ground floor. Most of the first floor pipes had been covered up, but for weeks we had workers sifting through the ones downstairs, where eventually one in the garage had to be replaced.

 

Thankfully, we have now reached the next big phase of the project – the laying of tiles. First step: bringing in the sand* on top of which the cement for the tiles will be plastered. Feeling like Joseph Portelli for a day, I had the road closed, blocked off by a small crane and a cement truck, and in came the sand, through both floors, raked in evenly throughout the rooms and corridors. 

My imposter syndrome kept telling me I was wrong for doing this, even though I had the permits.

When ready, the backyard and the garage went through the same. All of it was then hosed with water to solidify it, and just like that, no more exposed electricity or drainage pipes.

I hope I never see what's underneath ever again.

Next step here: A dash of KONKOS

*I know it’s not the traditional “sand” that comes to mind, again it’s one of those terms I don’t know how to properly translate. Everyone keeps interchanging the words “ramel”, “torba”, and “terrapien” and challenging my sanity.