New wooden steps for our villa

When I first started writing this blog I thought I'd be able to write about each project in a complete article. But I've realised that home renovations don't work in such a neat and orderly manner!

Instead, you start one project which gives you an opportunity to do something else. And in the meantime, quite a few projects are under way till the original project is completed.

Therefore this blog is very much a diary rather than a neat set of articles. If I refer to an ongoing project I'll include links to related posts as much as possible.

So back to the subject of steps.

I've previously mentioned that the wooden steps leading to our front door are rather rotten. Well, they haven't improved over time!

Above: our poor front steps have seen better days! It's not just aesthetic: the wooden boards are actually rotten, and supported underneath by concrete blocks.

Above: Even the strategically placed flower pots struggled to disguise the state of our front steps!

Mr Kiwi has arranged for a builder friend to rebuild the steps. And that work started last week.

The stairs have been removed, and a new set is being manufactured off site.

In the meantime, we have a big gaping hole at the front of our house!

Above: The dog is having a great time watching the builders (she loves power tools etc.)

While the front steps are being replaced, we're also taking the opportunity to re-vamp the front of the house slightly.

Some of the weatherboards need replacing; and the joinery on the bay front tidied up. And as our villa doesn't have much fretwork or other details that villas of this era usually do, we'll be adding some.

Plus, we don't like the current colour scheme, so will be painting the front of the house in different colours. (Painting the rest of the house is a future project - it's a big job, and the front of the house is the priority at this stage!)

More on all of that will be posted here at a later date.