We put the job of renovating Laykin out to tender in Sept 2008 and the quotes were broadly similar from GE Brown and Calverts of Leyburn. However GE Brown were busy until March/April 2009 and we were keen to get on with the job so we chose Calverts of Leyburn. Paul Sadler was in charge and sent in an army of men to begin in early January.

We met him up there when he had taken down all the stud walls and taken down the porch. It was quite a shock to see how much they did so fast!


Paul Sadler was fantastic at explaining everything to us and on our first meeting we ripped up all the architect's plans and with Paul's expertise and wealth of experience, re designed the layout of the house with the aid of a piece of chalk. He was so sensible and it made a lot of sense.








This is the remains of the grand piano which apparently came from Harrods in 1939- can't think how they got it up to the house, but apparently the lady of the house was determined! We gave it a decent burial in the field above the house which is where the builders put all the rubble and all the excavated mud from digging out for the porch extension. The idea was that we would block the channel which the water flowed down so strongly after heavy rain and divert the water via a pipe into the field. Sadly they had to knock down the wall but we will make it good.


You can see that it is very muddy!








Digging out for the new extension - for porch and dog room.