Flange trouble

Well, it was fun while it lasted, but we arrived home this evening to find that the whole electrical side of the central heating system had been deactivated, and therefore the heating was too. They'd better get that up and running again -- properly -- pronto. Still, at least the bit of heat we got has taken the chill out of the house, and the insulation is holding its own.

I'm fairly sure it's unrelated that the gas sub-contractors were out again:

In fact it's not really apropos of anything, I was just impressed with the level of focus on this 2.8-second exposure taken with no tripod.

Anyhoo, the foreman arrived in just before 8 this morning, full of the usual Monday vigour and laying out his plans for having the whole job finished by the end of the week. The same plans we've been listening to since August, basically. The painter was in tow, and he made a start on the outside of the house, doing the windowsills. He's due to be here all week and will hopefully stick to it this time.

The big issue today concerned the cooker hood I mentioned on Saturday. We were able to pick up a venting kit easily enough -- that's really just a length of flexi-hose with an external vent on the end. The problem is that the hose and the hole in the wall are 125mm, while the chimney on the hood itself is 150mm. For such a situation, the manual suggests we use the "reduction flange" which comes with the hood. Except nobody remembers seeing that. The rate at which the builders have been throwing stuff out recently means the chances are it went into a skip several weeks ago. We searched the house this evening and there's no sign, so we'll have to order a new one, which we'll be lucky to have by the end of the week. And then we have to put the whole thing together. It really shouldn't have been this difficult.

There may be another appliance-related horror on the horizon. After much pleading, the plumber finally hooked up our washing machine:

But there's no drier next to it. I measured the gap, and the machine, and I reckon there's about 2mm of tolerance. Already I can hear someone telling us tomorrow that it won't fit.

Meanwhile, we have initiated Operation Reclaim The House, whereby we start occupying selected rooms in the hope that the workmen will take the hint and get the hell out. We started last night by manoeuvring our fridge and freezer into their respective alcoves:

And yes, that's the kettle there as well. When the foreman arrived this morning we were provocatively standing in the kitchen drinking coffee in an act of intense defiance.

Operation Reclaim The House will be stepped up over the course of the week. And we have further plans...

Oh yes.