Un petit problème
Exciting day today, our worktops are finished and have been collected by Michel Derlica, the tiler, who will be fitting them. The guys are here who are going to help lift them into place and plumb in the sink. I know Brian is a bit anxious, as there really was no wriggle room in the measurements, so we are all keen to see the accuracy of the cutting. We found out this morning that one of the splash backs was broken yesterday when the company was packing them, so they are now prioritising cutting a new one and will deliver it later this morning.
I’m keeping out of the way in the salon, I can hear the chatter of requests and instructions whilst they work in harmony, getting what is a very tough job completed. It is tough, not only because the stone is fragile if manipulated wrongly, as demonstrated by the stone masons themselves – even they get it wrong sometimes – but it is extremely heavy, and the room for error is non existent. There is definitely a lot of puffing, and exclamations from everyone.
“Un petit problème”, hmmm not a phrase I like to hear when I know the job is super challenging. I decide maybe Brian needs some support so I tentatively approach the kitchen. The ‘petit problème’ is the door on the left of the sink unit will not open, and the unit itself is sitting too far forward under the stone. So how do they get the door to open, and how do they move the unit further back, we know the stone sink cannot be cut. With three very capable artisans with practical minds, Brian’s intervention and the nod from me, they decide to cut the top left corner off the door (a necessary sacrifice that Brian will sort out later) which enables it to open, then they can slice a piece off the inside carcass of the unit and slide it back. There are always going to be problems when you are using old cabinets and new materials together, but the results are worth it.
Brian can now breathe again. The whole thing fitted with no room for movement at all. To have achieved this is amazing, and it’s looking absolutely brilliant. Then we remember, ‘Where’s the missing piece?’. I put a call into Lee-Anne, and ask if there’s any idea when the missing splashback should arrive. He left at 11.30. It is now noon. We could see Michel had nearly completed the work, and so didn’t want him to leave without being able to finish. So, to keep him engaged, we are practicing our french on him, which I think he is enjoying. Hoorah, a knock at the door and the missing splash back arrives.
About 30 minutes later and the job is finished. We say cheerio to Michel and go back in to admire the work.
