Sunday 27 November 2011

My thoughts on building....

The other day I commented to Ciaran how stress free I was finding the rebuild.  He thought this was hilarious.


This got me thinking about why I wasn't feeling too stressed, given that it is an extremely complicated project and obviously something that I had never had experience of before.


I realised that it was because I had surrendered.  Now before you become alarmed and think that I have gone to the dark side and become a surrendered wife, I will tell you that it is stress free for me because I have surrendered to Ciaran's expertise.


I have liberated myself.  I have let go of all decision making.


At the beginning of the project I anticipated that my input may have been needed.  But as it progressed I began to see otherwise.


A way of explaining it is to imagine you are in the doctors office.  You would never tell the doctor how to do their job.  You would let them carry out the work needed on your body, knowing that they are fully skilled and trained to do so and that they also are doing the best for you and your health.


By involving myself in the rebuild I realised that I was undermining Ciaran's expertise.  I also realised that I could never learn quickly enough in order to be able to have all of the knowledge needed to begin to make the correct decisions or solutions for all of the problems posed in relation to the project.


Therefore by pulling back and putting all my trust and faith in Ciaran I know that the house will eventually turn out exactly to the brief that was planned in the early stages and I will be worry and stress free.  Ciaran's hair, however, is sure to start turning grey shortly.


I must add that although Ciaran makes most of the decisions, I am still involved in the decision making process.  Ciaran talks me through lots of the issues that he has to deal with.  He is interested in my thoughts and comments and takes this all onboard as a part of making the final decision.


Thursday 3 November 2011

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

We have been making lots of decisions on certain finishing elements over the past few days and here is an update on what has been decided upon.

*Bench seats have been drawn up in detail after months of tweaking and sketching and drawings have been sent to the steel manufacturer.
*Samples of steel rod inserts for the polished concrete entrance way have been examined and a rod has been chosen for use.  A drawing of a random layout for the rods has been sent on to the steel supplier so that an order can be placed for the quantities required
*Manufacturing drawings have been approved for the inverted bi-folding courtyard window and has gone in to production
*Lighting procurement is progressing - there will a 6 metre long recessed ceiling light in the kitchen, a 4 metre long recessed light for illuminating the back wall and trimless twin and single downlighters in various locations throughout the house.