This weekend we turned our attentions to the downstairs.  The kitchen was first to be removed, including all of the tiles (which were floor to ceiling).  Once the main stop cock was exposed, we removed the pipe and installed a stand pipe – at least we now have water in the property – even if it is in a bucket!  The stop cock in this cottage controls the water to the cottage next door, so we haven’t had any water for the past couple of weeks.  The boiler was fairly easily removed as is this hooked onto the wall.  The gas to the property is now turned off and the gas pipe coming into the cottage has been capped off.  The last job in the kitchen was to take down the ceiling (revealing some bright yellow ceiling joists).

The kitchen units were a mixture of old and new units and went on a bonfire.  Too expensive to use up valuable “skip space” and there is surprisingly little ash left. The wall tiles were ceiling to floor and a hideous 1970’s patterned tile.  These had been painted over in cream with random red and blue tiles mixed in.  This wasn’t much of an improvement!

All of the pipework was removed and the wiring also came out without too much trouble.  So all in all, this is pretty much stripped bare.

The kitchen as it was

The kitchen as it was

Halfway to removing the kitchen

Halfway to removing the kitchen

Sink and boiler now gone

Sink and boiler now gone

The kitchen ceiling now removed to reveal brigh yellow joists

The kitchen ceiling now removed to reveal bright yellow joists