While the scaffolding has been up the Stuff Doer has taken advantage and started replacing the cement pointing (ribbon pointing) on the front stonework. The pointing, although not in good shape and wasn’t on our priority list but cement mortar does the stone no good. Also working at height on a ladder on a very […]

In for a penny… As you’ll have seen, the scaffolding is up. The chimneys are straight and the back half of the roof is on. Now scaffolding has been a little bit of a problem (it’s also quite expensive) so whilst it’s up we’d best make the most of it. We wanted the cement render […]

The full flue liner article starts here and the video is on this page Please leave comments or questions below. Note: I’m currently looking in to, what problems might be caused by not sealing the top of the liner to the plate. So keep checking back, leave a comment below (wordpress should be able to email you when […]

Our walls in the Whitby cottage are around 2 foot  thick, constructed of sandstone bound with mud (clay, earth and chopped vegetation). On the outside they have been ribon pointed with cement mortar which will, eventually, be chased out and replaced with more appropriate lime mortar. Internally from what we can see, they were pointed with lime […]

We encountered a big problem with scaffolding that needed a small solution. The full saga is detailed on this post about our scaffolding license woes.  We eventual convinced “the man” from the council to let us errect a skinny scaffold or 2 board scaffold.  It’s the only sensible way we could get the access and saftey […]

See the “ONE Year On” progress report video here. We’ve had lots of interest in our little cottage project, both on here and people physically walking past the cottage and being given a tour. So, one year on , here’s an update on our progress so far.  We’re hopeful to have a further video of […]

That’s one big job for the Whitby Cottage restoration done. The new timber beam and column to support the bathroom is now installed.  As usual I didn’t go for the easy option.  I felled the tree, hand hewed it to a beam and a column, and now it’s fitted ready for me to start rebuilding the floors above. […]

The last room of the Whitby Cottage to get stripped back is the Kitchen. Being up there on my own means the kitchen is virtually redundant.  As long as I’ve got running water somewhere, kettle and microwave, I’m OK.  It was time for the last few discoveries. Unlike an onion, the room gets bigger as […]

A bit of background:  The Whitby Cottage renovation /restoration needs a new beam to support the bathroom floor, (read Whitby Cottage Floor in Need of Support), how it’s lasted as long as it has with a cast iron bath in up there I don’t know.  The plan to make new, additional beam with a column in […]

(All the details for for the chimney rebuilding are here on the main iDoDtuff site) The second of the top floor double bedrooms will be cosy. We are erecting a stud wall to form a passage to the master bedroom. It will easily fit a double bed but we want to make it as large […]