Renovation project - Removing internal walls

Renovation project - Removing internal walls

We have almost made a decision about the old bathroom, we know we are definitely removing it and hoping to turn it into a dining room, but we are still unsure as to whether or not to apply for patio doors, if we go for the patio doors, it will add 2 months to our timescale as we will have to apply for permission and we are undecided if it will actually add any value. If we keep the windows the room will be bright enough and we realise will keep the room private if the little house is ever used as a gite.

If we have the patio doors and the little house is used as a gite it will mean that people can see right in to the room as they walk past. The dilemmas in this house come with every decision we have to make.

But one thing is for sure the bathroom needs to be removed. First job is to remove all of the old water pipes; we have already bought the isolation valves which means that we will only be without water until these are fitted.

Isolation valves do not seem to be used as much in this part of France, we have struggled to buy them before, but Brico depot does stock them periodically, but they are much more expensive than in the UK at almost 8 Euros each, which doesn’t sound a lot, until you add the cost up for 2 valves for every sink and toilet and major water appliance, but compared to the problem of not having them and having to turn the entire supply off in case of problems, even at this price they are worth it.

Once the pipes are removed it is time to remove the sink unit and toilet these come out without too much problem. The shock that John gets is when he removes the bathroom cabinet, this has a plug socket in it that we had not noticed and is connected to the electrics by the thinnest wires John has ever seen, we really think that we cannot be shocked any more by French electrics, then we find something like this. 

The walls come down 

The rubble is bagged, but it is 5.30 and the tip is shutting and closed tomorrow, we can do no more until we clear the rubble. But the size of the room is fantastic.