Project 50
Whilst it feels like the kids have only just gone back to school, it’s actually only a couple of weeks until October half-term. As we have for the past few years, we’ll be heading back to southern Spain and my parents will be joining us. They come out with us once a year, excited to see how much progress we’ve made in renovating our Spanish home. I fear that this year they will be disappointed.
In the 12 months since my parents last visited, we’ve painted some walls, built a wardrobe, put up some shelves, had a major leak in a brand new bathroom and a bedroom ceiling collapse. Oh, the hot water system in the kitchen has also stopped working. A mixed bag. Limited progress.
Recognising the ebbing and flowing of progress (or lack of) being made, I dreamt up Project 50. A to-do list of 50 things needed to get our little piece of Spain into shape. Project 50 also has a deadline. In four years, it’ll be my 50th and the aim is that we’ll have a big birthday bash on completion of this mega project.
Now, there are a few things that will present us with challenges along the way… 1) The heat can be an issue. When we went out in July, it was too hot to do anything at all, let alone house renovation work. 2) In less intense sun, the balcony provides the best place in the world to sit, relax and have a beer. If that starts too early in the day, the renovation jobs, unsurprisingly, do not happen. And then there’s, 3) The cash needed to renovate a house that’s over 140 years old. And bluntly, we’ve run out.
So in readiness for our imminent visit and in an effort to make some progress, the alarm clock went off at 06:00 on Sunday morning. We stumbled out of bed, showered and made our way downstairs to load the car full of things to sell at the local car boot. Our target was the £350 we need to pay for a new Spanish water tank (and a nice lamp – because you have to do some pretty things in a house renovation as well as the boring practical ones). Whilst the intention to go to the car boot was spot on, I still swore underneath my breath at the dark morning and bleak sounding weather, and as Mr D was reversing the car off the drive, I did a quick online check. Car boot sale cancelled.
Swearing more audibly, I put the kettle on and started to list things onto Facebook Marketplace. I set up a Vinted account, convinced myself I was an entrepreneur, and listed the kids’ old clothes. I was starting to consider my life choices and general existence when I was haggled from £3 to £2 for a nearly-new gilet. On the plus side, it was only 07:00 and I wasn’t in a cold, muddy field. By the end of Sunday, I’d made almost £100 which I was fairly pleased with. That was, until I remembered that it would only get us about half a Spanish hot water tank.
Monday rolled in. The Spanish builder confirmed that he’ll go and finally fix the collapsed ceiling before our October return. Just the six months after it happened. This delights me as it’s number 26 on the Project 50 list, and in a matter of days I’ll be able to cross something off. Hopefully…
I take another look at the list and wonder what else we can do for zero budget this coming holiday. Cleaning pigeon poop out of the building where we want to put an outdoor bar is realistically, the only one. * Mentally prepares oneself for October *
*Also orders a case load of San Miguel for arrival*
The countdown is now on. The kids only have two weeks left at school before we fly out. The builder needs to get a wiggle on and fix the ceiling. My Facebook and Vinted accounts need some action to drum up a bit more cash. Simply put, if we can’t raise the funds, this October we’ll be washing up with kettle water and having cold showers. And whilst that’s clearly not ideal, it’s all part of the journey. Project 50 was always supposed to be a four year renovation project, not an overnight fix (unless of course there’s a lottery win, at which point, we’ll shamelessly throw cash at it). There’s a real sense of pride in working hard to fix up our little piece of Spain. And so, when my phone pings with another £10 sale, I think, just maybe, we’re getting closer to ticking off a few more things on the Project 50 to-do list this October.
Project 50:
Upstairs
1. Concrete upstairs floor
2. Knock through arch and block up doorway, build extra step
3. Put in two new windows upstairs and one French window
4. Put in two stud walls, doors and ceiling boards
5. Tile upstairs floor
6. Build upstairs bed
7. New upstairs back door
8. New upstairs bathroom window
9. New upstairs bathroom door
10. Demolish wardrobe upstairs
11. Decorate/furnish upstairs bedroom 1
12. Decorate/furnish upstairs bedroom 2
13. Decorate/furnish living room
14. Decorate/furnish top balcony
15. Put in worktop for outdoor kitchen area
16. Fix the roof (stop the leaks!)
17. Install heater/woodburner?
18. Fix/tidy stairs
19. Put in a bannister
Downstairs
20. New 3 x bedroom windows downstairs /blinds/ironwork/shutters
21. Install a new downstairs water heater
22. New kitchen
23. New downstairs shower
24. New downstairs bathroom window
25. New downstairs bathroom door
26. Fix main bedroom ceiling
27. Decorate/furnish main bedroom
28. Decorate/furnish downstairs bedroom #2
29. Decorate/furnish downstairs bedroom #3
30. Install ceiling fans and lights
31. Fix woodwork for giant interior doors
Outside
32. Paint outside front
33. Paint outside back
34. Paint ironwork
35. Jetwash outbuilding
36. Change outbuilding door
37. Concrete missing bit of floor
38. Put electricity into bar and patio
39. Build bar area
40. Decorate/furnish bar
41. Put up privacy fencing
42. Put up pool
43. Concrete floor and wall in cellar
44. Concrete/slab outside of bar
45. Put in a flood barrier for front door
46. Decorate/furnish patio
47. Balcony roof replacement
48. Install outdoor sink down the side
49. New front doors
50. Change the locks
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