I knew there was a reason why you shouldn't eat in bed (apart from the crumbs, obviously)!

It's something that I always thought/feared would happen one day AQ. Aside of not actually having a suitable table to sit at, I am currently finding it hard to stay awake beyond 7pm, so that is our best solution.

I've enjoyed the saga while being sorry you had to live it, but less now as it's just seems like failure after failure. I hope you can also do other, pleasant things rather than deal with this nonsense 24/7.

Seems maddening to me, but part of me thinks you may somewhat like the chaos, maybe? Not because of it, but despite it because you're on top of it even if you can't control it. Does that make sense?

Big cushions and pillows. Until you have somewhere else indoors for emergency sleeping locations.

Scoakat - sort of... we are both determined that this conversion and extension will be right and be absolutely perfect, this time round.

We owe it to the house, that was beautifully built in the 1600s, but bodged when it was renovated from near-derelict in 1974 (young family, lots of enthusiasm, not many skills, and a shortage of materials and good workmen - hmmm, plus ca change), and bodged again many times since 1999 when the last owners purchased it (just paid people to do things and trusted they knew what they were doing, but didn't - putting UPVC soffits on top of the old rotten wooden ones rather than removing them first, for example!).

There are undoubtedly not many people like us - most just pay their architect to inspect the ongoing work every week or so and don't get involved, or want to be involved.

This might be because they don't have the knowledge and skills to know what should and shouldn't be happening, but we do (or, rather, I can see faults and things not level or not making sense, and Mr BW knows how things should be, technically), and we learnt a lot from The Studio Project in 2006.

We also have the wisdom of age on our side and have no problem with challenging stupid things going on (or not going on). Most of the builders are half our age, and don't have the same work ethic, respect for their clients and their tools, or pride in their workmanship that workmen had years ago.

Chief Builder is an old-style workman, and a good craftsman, but finds it hard to delegate, probably because he knows he can't get workers he can totally trust to always do the right thing, and be doing it when he is not watching them. He therefore ends up trying to be all things to all people, and failing. He does try very hard though, and is always pleasant, and tries to make things right, and to please, which goes a long way.

Darren - lots of the former down south, just waiting to come north, and there will be lots of the latter in just a few more weeks... but it was actually rather nice having a night in Brian. A mini-break :).

Plus, once the workshop is complete, it will be near enough to the new bedroom for us to run a lead from the generator (which will then live in there rather than the shed, and be permanently ready to go when necessary) the next time it happens.

It is most definitely a roller coaster. Whilst preferring it to be a little flatter I wouldn't get off...