The Building and Restoration
of Cherry Tree Cottage
Planning permission for the changes
in the Cottage and the new Extension was sought and granted in 1999. A
company drilled for water and connected it to a
pump in the Summer of 2000. We also firmed
up the drive around the cottage with stone, so that the Block and Cement
lorries could get around to the planned Extension. We made our decision
to start work on the building and restoration in December 2000 and a hive
of activity followed in the early months of 2001. Our house was
put up for sale in the Isle of Man and sold within a day. A builder
(Tommy G) was retained (the only one who didn't start our initial meeting
with "its better to knock it all down and start again"). Other local
professional electricians, plumbers, carpenters and tilers were sought
(we worked on local word of mouth).
The water had been drilled the year before, but we needed to
install a new sewage plant. Temporary electricity was supplied
from a double socket outlet attached to the nearest electricity pole
by the Electricity Board. At
Easter, Imelda and Sorcha left the Isle of Man and stayed at Imelda's
parents house, approximately ten minutes from the cottage. I moved
out of our sold home and stayed at a rented cottage in the Isle of Man,
until my work contract had finished in July. The bulk
of our belongings were loaded into storage, in the Isle of Man, until
they were needed. The big
adventure was about to start!
Click on the pictures below which represent three month
periods (2001/2002) in the build
April, May and June
July, August and
September October, November and December
January, February
and March
