Target for this year

As I write this blog post I am facing up to the fact that I am definitely not going to achieve everything I had hoped to before the winter snows come.

I had planned on being able to replace the entire roof but because the architect has been exceptionally slow, and the nice man at the Municipality went back on his verbal agreement he made with myself and E when we met him and I do not want to risk the wrath of the planning department (who could put all sorts of problems my way if they decide to be awkward) I am going to have to aim for a lower target.

Frustration

This is incredibly frustrating. Particularly the delays with the architect who, having promised to work to an urgent schedule, and deliver the project to the Municipality so that I could have time to complete the roof even if I didn't get the go ahead to jump the gun with the roof, has since I saw her disappeared nearly completely off the face of the earth, with minimal updates only when I have nagged and chased my contact. She seems to think that, now I've agreed to work only with her, she doesn't have to do any work and I will just wait; if she doesn't pull her finger out soon I will just arrange to meet a different architect.. but anyway... rant over.

I have been thinking this through a lot and, in consultation with E, have come up with the following list of things I would like to achieve this year before the snows come. I am planning on going over for a week to help and hopefully these would all be done that week.

1. Connect electricity and padlock supply
2. Connect water, including padlocked clock
3. Dismantle the chimney
4. Prop up the roof in as many places as possible (use wooden props?)
5. Remove loose tiles
6. Attach polythene over holes in roof

The thinking behind the priority is as follows.

I can't do any work there without water and electric being hooked up and, if I can get these done now then the larger project which will start next year when I arrive full time will be quicker to get going.

The Chimney which must come down

The chimney is really rickety and I am sure would not last the winter. Where a fall of tiles and roof timbers are not likely to cause much damage to the concrete slab of the floors, if a chimney were to go over then it could do damage and may even go through the floor.

The props are needed (as regular readers will know) as the beams have started to sag and in some places snap completely; if I am to have any chance of avoiding a complete catastrophe where the roof collapses completely and I lose all the tiles (which are currently about 85% salvageable) then I will need to give these beams a little encouragement to stay upright. E has a couple of metal Acro Props which she is kindly offering to lend, however I think I'll need more so I will probably have to make up a number of wood props.

One snapped beam

If I only achieve these four things then I think I will be much calmer. With the chimney not about to collapse, the props in place, and water and electric connected but secured, I can hope that I will return to a site ready to start work in earnest.

If I can get time I would also like to remove loose tiles around the major hole, which are going to come down at the first weight of snow, and try to ensure the remaining tiles are secured as best I can. I would then like to try and attach a polythene sheet over the hole to keep the worst of the snow out of the roof space.

Part of me wants to try and get time to just take the roof down in its entirety, and put plastic sheeting over the concrete slab. This would mean that all possibility of damage was removed, and I would have less to do next year. My only concern with this is if the council think I'm jumping the gun and ignoring their requirements (as mentioned above).

Anyway, these are my thoughts at the moment. At some point E will be having a word with Bekir for me, maybe even going to the Obshtina and trying a kind word with our friendly man at the Municipality to loosen their determination for the entire Project prior to salvage work being started. This may all change, if that does happen, and I may be facing a few weeks of work to remove and secure the roof.

We shall see.

A word of advice; everything takes longer than you think. EVERYTHING. Even when you have cast iron promises and the appearance of a helpful person. I should have started the architect process the minute I won the auction, frankly. Shoulda-woulda-coulda huh.