Cato
@allekattene.bsky.social
Wannabe MacGyver and DIY enthusiast. Unintentional early riser. Not a morning person. Always learning something. Always making something.
Progress! My bedroom and the lounge are serviceable, if not decorated.
June 24, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Progress! My bedroom and the lounge are serviceable, if not decorated.
Cupboard is finished, will tape, fill, and paper later on. Concentrating on clearing the room and getting the skirting boards back on now.
June 21, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Cupboard is finished, will tape, fill, and paper later on. Concentrating on clearing the room and getting the skirting boards back on now.
Finally ready to install the oven only to discover it was damaged during/prior to transit... 😖
June 19, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Finally ready to install the oven only to discover it was damaged during/prior to transit... 😖
Plumbed in and (so far) working!
June 16, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Plumbed in and (so far) working!
Shower is in, just waiting for the caulk to go off and then I'll be able to shower in my own house! Functional > pretty, so the floor, skirting, windowsill etc can wait for now.
May 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Shower is in, just waiting for the caulk to go off and then I'll be able to shower in my own house! Functional > pretty, so the floor, skirting, windowsill etc can wait for now.
In bad news, roofer found broken slipped slates revealing the sarking boards underneath, requiring damp-proofing, repair, replacement... Could only have been caused by the lads who installed the solar panels, but they're denying all knowledge.
May 23, 2025 at 7:36 AM
In bad news, roofer found broken slipped slates revealing the sarking boards underneath, requiring damp-proofing, repair, replacement... Could only have been caused by the lads who installed the solar panels, but they're denying all knowledge.
Kids rooms are fully set up! Bathroom is coming along nicely too, now that the correct shower tray has been delivered it might even get to be functional soon. The thermal pic is of the hot water tank, showing how well insulated it is - the water inside is 50C-65C.
May 23, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Kids rooms are fully set up! Bathroom is coming along nicely too, now that the correct shower tray has been delivered it might even get to be functional soon. The thermal pic is of the hot water tank, showing how well insulated it is - the water inside is 50C-65C.
Kitchen is about halfway done, there's carpet in the kids' rooms, and I'm still getting used to the idea that on sunny days I'm barely using grid power.
May 13, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Kitchen is about halfway done, there's carpet in the kids' rooms, and I'm still getting used to the idea that on sunny days I'm barely using grid power.
The only room where walls and skirting are still off. Everywhere else is basically liveable, at a very basic level.
April 29, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The only room where walls and skirting are still off. Everywhere else is basically liveable, at a very basic level.
Fresh paint in the stairwell, lining paper up and painted in the hall, cutting in for painting later in Xtina's room, I can haz internets, and my room for the next wee while (my bed is two camp chairs and it's a deceptively comfy arrangement). Progress!
April 29, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Fresh paint in the stairwell, lining paper up and painted in the hall, cutting in for painting later in Xtina's room, I can haz internets, and my room for the next wee while (my bed is two camp chairs and it's a deceptively comfy arrangement). Progress!
They've tried to keep the plumbing as compact as possible to fit in with the available space in the kitchen, but it is going to be a very snug fit that may require surgery on a cupboard...
April 16, 2025 at 3:27 AM
They've tried to keep the plumbing as compact as possible to fit in with the available space in the kitchen, but it is going to be a very snug fit that may require surgery on a cupboard...
Found under a floorboard in Xtina's room...
April 16, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Found under a floorboard in Xtina's room...
Well, that was bigger than I expected #ThatsWhatSheSaid
April 14, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Well, that was bigger than I expected #ThatsWhatSheSaid
Roof is fixed, ceiling is up, kitchen is getting built. ASHP and solar getting installed this week. Much excite!
April 14, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Roof is fixed, ceiling is up, kitchen is getting built. ASHP and solar getting installed this week. Much excite!
Extended the ring main so I got sockets behind the TV for sneaky cable hiding, and a brushed conduit for hdmi cables. Fast approaching the time to put the thermal lining paper up *gulp*
April 1, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Extended the ring main so I got sockets behind the TV for sneaky cable hiding, and a brushed conduit for hdmi cables. Fast approaching the time to put the thermal lining paper up *gulp*
Walls going up ❤️ slow progress, but still progressing.
March 30, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Walls going up ❤️ slow progress, but still progressing.
Fireline plasterboard up in the kids' rooms. Next, insulated lining paper on external walls, regular lining paper where needed elsewhere, paint, sort skirting boards, carpet. Sooooon...
March 25, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Fireline plasterboard up in the kids' rooms. Next, insulated lining paper on external walls, regular lining paper where needed elsewhere, paint, sort skirting boards, carpet. Sooooon...
The kitchen has arrived! Just need to finish the installation of the electrics and repair/prep/paint the walls/ceiling. Can get a few base units built and in place once the existing sink unit is removed, tall and wall units once the painting is done.
March 20, 2025 at 7:48 AM
The kitchen has arrived! Just need to finish the installation of the electrics and repair/prep/paint the walls/ceiling. Can get a few base units built and in place once the existing sink unit is removed, tall and wall units once the painting is done.
Scraping the foam from the old carpet off the brittle lino tiles underneath so that the new lino sits nicely on top.
March 18, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Scraping the foam from the old carpet off the brittle lino tiles underneath so that the new lino sits nicely on top.
Paper coming down in the kitchen, wall going up in Xtina's room.
March 15, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Paper coming down in the kitchen, wall going up in Xtina's room.
Cleared most of the outbuilding and found a time capsule of sorts in a cupboard that hasn't been opened in decades. The fireplace was last lit in 1987. Not even finished the house and I'm looking forward to renovating this space!
March 14, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Cleared most of the outbuilding and found a time capsule of sorts in a cupboard that hasn't been opened in decades. The fireplace was last lit in 1987. Not even finished the house and I'm looking forward to renovating this space!
Progress on the adjoining wall between Xtina's room and next door... Yeah that's the back surface of their side of the wall 🫣 so there's fire retardant insulation going up as well as fire retardant plasterboard.
March 12, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Progress on the adjoining wall between Xtina's room and next door... Yeah that's the back surface of their side of the wall 🫣 so there's fire retardant insulation going up as well as fire retardant plasterboard.
Progress on the cupboard, and the ceiling in my room is down down down.
March 7, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Progress on the cupboard, and the ceiling in my room is down down down.
That's the last wall studs pinned and work on recreating the cupboard in the lounge started.
March 6, 2025 at 6:43 AM
That's the last wall studs pinned and work on recreating the cupboard in the lounge started.
Progress on making the roof safe (not my work). Yes, that's a hole in the chimney breast 🫣
March 6, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Progress on making the roof safe (not my work). Yes, that's a hole in the chimney breast 🫣