Skylight and Bulkhead

Despite threatening rain, we got the skylight in on Saturday. Brian came up to help and the job was pretty well finished before lunch time. Tiles were cut and put in place and when the rain came later in the afternoon there were no drips on the floor.

 

I think Brian is having a "lightbulb" moment here after reading the instructions.

This sash is very heavy. The instructions show a very relaxed clean-cut young tradesman putting this in on his own. I don't think so!!

I have spent more time sanding and plastering the Gyprock joints in the pantry and we might get some paint on the walls next weekend.

The major visual change this week has been the Gyprock on the main bulkhead. This was a fairly easy job. It's so much easier dealing with small sheets.

The first bit going in under the bulkhead.

And the last bit for this weekend.

More Gyprock

We have had a very productive weekend. After deciding against using the very cheap ($100) Velux sky window for the kitchen due to space constraints we went for a Skydome similar to our existing skylight. With the hole in the roof and the skydome sitting in place it became obvious that the Velux had to come back into the plan as there was just not enough light. This meant cutting out two rafters and then boxing in to fit the sky window. A much longer process so it isn't finished yet. Enough was done to work out where the main Gyprock sheeting was going so on Sunday with Mark and Tony's help we got most of the new ceiling sheeted.

Prior to putting up the Gyprock it was necessary to put battens alongside each rafter to "true up" the ceiling line. Otherwise we would have had a very wavy ceiling.

With the scaffold propped over the stairs again we got the two sheets up in the highest part of the ceiling.

 

Looking good so far. Then it was on to the main ceiling, fitting insulation batts as we went.

 

Tony managed to turn insulation installation into performance art.

And that was the finish for the weekend. The blue sarking is where the sky window will be next weekend if the weather holds.

A Month Later

Progress has been slow of late with a few extraneous issues getting in the way and fiddly details to work out but at last Gyprock is going up.

 

Glenn and James have spent a fair time here and have created a maze of wiring but it is a very neat maze. 

The new "fuse"box in the pantry with a couple of wires. This is so much neater than the old box stuck on the wall, partly because this one is actually recessed into the wall and with its doors shut it looks great.

 Even in these conditions the 25th of April couldn't pass without a few biscuits.

When this sheet went up we started to see the shape of the finished product, something we had had to imagine up to this point. The new air conditioner will end up on this bulkhead.

Setting up the scaffold over the stairs was a delicate balancing act but was very secure when tied to the side wall. Probably not OH&S standard but it did the job well and much better than standing on a ladder and lifting a sheet of Gyprock. Trouble is, now that the wall on the left has been lined, there is nowhere to sit our supporting plank. We'll think of something.

Tony finally makes an appearance. Not his best side though. 

Some things are just too tricky for Ellie & I to do on our own.

Starting to look very neat. Those black rafters will be covered in soon and all will be white.

Note "Blog Central" through the door at the bottom of the stairs.

Another shot of the main kitchen. The space for the leadlight windows has been left over the beam in the foreground.