He let Baz and Joe in then left for the builders merchants.They set to work on constructing the new platform.
Fire Alarm goes off again. Time from desk to fire panel 5.2 seconds.
The electricians are back and cracking on as are the pipefitters (we are NOT plumbers, we are specialised pipe fitters - Wooahh, ok I was only saying).
The picture below shows some old (and I do mean old) friends hitting the skip.
Fire Alarm set off again. Time from desk to fire panel 4.8 seconds.
Tom arrives back bringing with him Dave the specialist glazier. Dave is here to price up work on the windows in the refurb space. A certain amount has been allowed in the tender price but as our windows have'nt been touched for many a long year its a bottomless pit of money that could be spent.
We have one of those tricky discussions you tend to have with tradesmen - 'what do you want us to do' - honest answer (not verbalised) 'I want you to do the whole lot for £1260 as per budget'. Answer given: 'price up the worst of it and see where that leaves us'. Dave comes across as fairly pragmatic so hopefully all will turn out well.
This situation is going to be a regular feature I think. 'We allowed for X in the tender but actually you could spend Y if you wanted to (or have to)'. However it all seems quite controlled and with Rupert,Will and Stuarts help we just have to keep a track on costs and know where we are.
Fire alarm goes off again. Time from desk to fire panel 2.8 seconds. A record. Mark and I are now like coiled springs waiting for the next alarm. Rather like those meerkats you keep seeing in nature programmes. The fire engineer is called.
CABLEGATE - The continuing saga.
Rachel comes down from the flat. Her phone line has gone dead. Resist temptation to say 'well mine has'nt' and go and trace it back. All seems well and under intense questioning (using the arc lights mentioned yesterday) the builders deny any cutting so we call BT to report the fault. This one will run and run.
Lunchtime -
The storage container arrives - it's the 40ft shipping type commonly seen and will be used to store the floorboards and other materials relevant to the project. Truth be told I think Tom could have managed with the smaller 20ft size but nevertheless there it is.
The driver readies his crane and chains to lift it over the bus stop. Find myself hoping that he might somehow squash the environmental air tester monstrous carbunkle thingy that sprung up on the pavement on the way over, but regretfully that does not happen. For the second time in this project pedestrians weave around, seemingly oblivious to impending doom (I have to shoo back some of the lads who sit on the wall who really are getting too close) and blessedly the container is sited safely.
I noticed Tom putting considerable effort in to securing his external perimeter security cordon by the container - was he rattled last Wednesday?
4pm - THE CORDON IS NEARLY BREACHED!
Step forward Arron Hodgson! You came so close to winning one of the WycliffeRefurbBlog exclusive 'I breached the cordon' badges. Arun loses points for lack of deliberate intent (he was just going to where his sister usually has her piano lessons)but his hand was a fraction of a centimentre from the crucial door handle when Mum cut in and a history making moment was lost. Tough luck Arun - try again next week.
5.30pm - Speak to Baz who is doing the contemplative double - cup of tea AND cigarette before heading home. He's made good progress on the new platform steps.
7pm - The electricians are still hard it, for some reason one is working inside the baptistry, possibly the last place you would put an electric cable. Decide to forget I saw what I saw,close the door and leave.
The day ends.
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