Patience is a virtue

So I have engaged an architect, someone who has been recommended to me highly by someone I feel confident of and I'd had some quick communication while I was still in Bulgaria with specific questions regarding collection of water off the roof so I arrived in England feeling pretty confident. She was aware of the rush, had the phone number for a direct contact to the head of the local planning department, and we had established contact through her translator.

What could go wrong.

As I sit here typing this, three weeks after getting back, I can tell you. I have had very sporadic communications from her, and have had to fall back on asking my good local Bulgarian friend to ring her to find out just what is going on. It turns out she has had some issues with staff and has not been able to make any start at all on the plans; she hasn't even managed to phone the head of planning.

*impatient face*

I have told her that if I do not get the roof plans in the next two weeks then I will just decide to start without them and will ask the experts (supplied by E, and very gratefully received) to decide how they are going to do it and order the materials for me.

I have had a promise that she'll start work on the project next week so fingers crossed this ultimatum will not be needed.

This does highlight one potential problem which is, if you are trying to achieve anything remotely prepare to require a LOT of patience.

The good thing about my situation is the only pressure I have really is the roof. As the following photographs indicate this is deteriorating rapidly and I am certain that it will not last another winter. I am not in a hurry at all to start the rest of the work; my plan to drive out in March next year means I have six months to get approval for the rest of my plans.

The roof beam, taken at the first viewing

And the same beam, 2 months later, snapped

Anyway, I tell myself this every day but it does not help and I am very frustrated, more with the lack of communication than anything.

The building season will start again in September and the roof will take about six weeks to tear down and replace so my deadline to start is about mid-late September because the snows will definitely be coming in towards the end of November.

I am going to be in Bulgaria for the first week to ten days of the work, which will be my last visit before driving over next year with my parents. I cannot say how much I am looking forward to both these things happening. E has helped here as well, by talking to friends and finding the son of one who is going to be there for the duration to act as a chauffeur (should it be required) for the builders, to keep a daily eye on progress and also to labour for me. This will take a lot of the pressure off the remote-building process and, frankly, I doubt I'd be happy to do any work without someone who I trusted being there.

Patience is, most definitely, a virtue. The problem is I am not sure I possess much, if any.