The "Before" Photos

It's Mar 2014


and we're here taking photos, a crucial part of the project.

When the going gets tough, I can look back and see how far I've come (hopefully) and be encouraged to continue.  My friends and other interested parties also need to see what a nutcase/hero I am for taking this project on.  How will they be impressed if I can't show what a state it was in to begin with?

The front - ahh, look - the sun shines on the righteous (& the unrighteous but who's to say?).  It's not a good photo and that's because of THAT HEDGE and a very narrow opening to the drive and I'm not that tall.  THAT HEDGE is for the chop and soon!





The front entrance, with the key-safe with no code and a dinky letter box, with no key... This is the front extension, the main entrance and it houses the boiler plus washing machine connections.  Not the best route into a des res.





The side view with a random path going out to the main road.  Was this the original way onto the property?  Currently the path makes no sense except to get to a drain cover.



Here's the back, what looks like the original front door & porch. We can open the inner door but not the outer ones. That sticky-out bit is the back extension, the one with no support across the opening... The back garden is south-facing, perfect for my dream veranda.

Going inside, the bungalow is what it is, something decorated and furnished some time ago to provide a long-lasting and comfortable home for an elderly couple and eventually just a widower.  It served it's purpose well but now it needs re-imagining.




The kitchen. This is the best shot we've got but you can see the original set of cupboards and a working sink. A working sink together with a working bathroom is something that is required to get a mortgage.






The lounge or is it the living room?  I'm never sure which is posh and, if so, whether I'm posh enough to use that word.  I'll probably flip between the 2 and may even use "sitting room".  I'd be surprised if it ever becomes a drawing room oor parlour tho.

We have a stone fireplace, with a calor gas fire, plus a ceiling light fitting that is just the right height for P to walk into, every time! Oh, and that carpet! Is this the right time to confess that it's not dissimilar to one we chose for our first ever house? In my defense, it was 30 years ago.

The patio doors (no patio) in the extended part of the lounge let in lots of light and give the best view to the South. There's a side window to the East not shown in the photos

The main bedroom, on the south side at the back of the house, with those views. Fitted wardrobes whose time is limited and more carpet...





The spare bedroom, more fitted wardrobes and some very 80s curtains.

There's some sign of damp under the window.  That's either a drainage problem at the base of the north wall or more likely a problem with the window.  All the windows are just secondary glazed so we're planning new double glazing throughout.  That will probably sort out this damp problem.



The loo - the smallest room.  Now I like a separate loo from the bathroom but there's hardly enough room to open the door and get in, never mind space for a hand basin which I'd consider essential now.  The first 3 places we lived in managed without but, now I think about it - euw!

It appears to be a hardboard wall between the loo and the bathroom.  Yes, a hardboard wall!  I think that might be coming down...

What to say about the bathroom?  Who doesn't like an avocado suite?  When this country has obliterated all coloured sanitary-ware, I'm convinced that we'll get bored of white and yearn for yesteryear's colours: avocado, primrose yellow & champagne. We will be going for white, btw.  Who are we to buck the trend?




That's enough photos for now.  I've got a few more and they'll appear when I want to do a "before & after" thing.

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