Progress with the Architect

Wow what a day.

I am just sat back at my friends house and I am exhausted! I slept through last night like an log and woke up before any alarm went off but in time for a welcome shower and to leave at around 8.30am for the 2.5 hour drive to Chaz's school and onwards from there to see Veselka.

Banichka; breakfast of champions

We stopped for Banichkas (cheese wrapped in a savoury pastry; awesome) and fuel and by the time we'd done this the satnav was saying "you will not be there until midday" but with my usual driving style I managed to shave thirty minutes off that and we got to Chaz's about 11.30.

We went in for a cuppa and to look around his school, which is very impressive; I particularly like the amazing and airy stairway which puts mine to shame - not that I am jealous at all. Honest. He is hoping to open as a hotel around new year and good luck to him and his is what I say.

A long and straight Roman Road on the way

After that we went, via giving a lift, to Veselka's office and were greeted and sat down with her nephew acting as translator.

To cut a long (and probably to you, boring) story short this is the outcome.

Veselka is going to do two separate "projects". First of all she is going to start the plan and project for the roof as this does not require any additional approval from any government authority. Once this is done (which should take a month or so) I will be able to get building authority from the Obshtina and start work on the roof. One other thing is I will need to get what is to all intents and purposes a Building Inspector to double check the completed work is up to standard; we can use the friendly man at the Obshtina for this purpose. What this means in a short sentence is (other than I could have had this already had the plan been started when I took Veselka on, but then maybe I wouldn't have got the materials to the school as the new road is not fully commissioned) when I get over next March and start work I can do the roof immediately with no delays. That wasn't a short sentence but never mind. And of course it could all change again.

At the same time as Veselka is doing this first project she will be starting the other process, the additional one which we had hinted at when my friend went to EVN (the electricity people). We need (wait for this) to apply to the central government Education Department for Permission to apply for permission to change the use of the building.

Yes. Permission is required before you can ask for permission.

You have to have permission to ask for PERMISSION?!

Right.

Anyway, this isn't the end of the world; she says she will apply for this and the law is that they must respond within a month; she also said "but they normally just extend it" so it could take about 6 weeks for this first permission to come back. Once that has been received she will put the rest of the plan together (7 stages apparently including "insulation", "power", "water" and other elements and then THIS will be put back to the Obshtina (who will have been told - hopefully, by the Department of Education that they are OK with this school being re-purposed) and then my second permission for building will be received. Apparently there is a chance that this will be received by March and so when I arrive I will be able to crack right on with the other renovations too.

I was given the contract today and have taken it away to read over the next week. I am back to Veselka next Monday to sign the contract, pay 50% of the fee up front, and also give her Power of Attorney so she can process all the paperwork for the permission for permission (called PUP apparently).

What a load of hassle.

Veselka at one point said "I like you, but you make my life difficult with this project" haha. My happiness is that I know what is happening, I have a contract to sign (which has time limits in it) and there seems to be progress.

Anyway, this is a really long post but I wanted to explain in detail, particularly after my update yesterday where I was quite concerned about all this.

The beautiful sun set on the way home

I'm sat with a whisky (yep, Bunnahabhain) and will be hitting the sack very shortly as early tomorrow I am off to go and collect Bekir and Sally to go and start real work for the first time on the school!! VERY excited indeed.

I'll update again tomorrow evening, thanks for reading.