If you've been following our blog lately, you'll know that Peter is spending two weeks helping our friends Lennart and Beata build a log cabin on Ringsö in Lake Mälaren. Lennart and Beata have finished the exterior of the summer house themselves, but there is virtually nothing inside. I (Helena) am at home and working these weeks, but of course wanted to come out and visit for the weekend ...!
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New boat engine
When you have a house on an island, you are completely dependent on a working boat. The fact that the boat engine broke down a few days before I was due to visit didn't feel great ... but the new engine arrived on time!
On Friday evening Peter, Lennart and Beata came to pick me up in Strängnäs (where I travelled by train). Then we continued by car and private small motorboat to Ringsö in Lake Mälaren.
Building log houses from scratch
The building project Lennart and Beata embarked on was gigantic, and sometimes it's good that you don't realise in advance how much work it will be! They built relentlessly for several years, but then they needed a break and left the house unfinished for a few years. To get back on track, they enlisted the help of Peter and Peter's brother Dennis, who both have extensive experience in the construction industry.
The first thing that was done when Peter and Dennis came here at the beginning of the week was to build a terrace. Good because we can now unload all the stuff on the terrace, so there is room to build indoors. Then they worked on insulating the roof. Not the most fun job perhaps because you have to crawl under the roof ridge, because it gets really hot and because the insulation itches ... but it has to be done!
Plus, there's plenty of work to be done, from sanding and painting to working the grounds and feeding all the hungry labourers. I've declared myself the "first rubbish picker" (and documentary photographer, haha).
Lovely summer weather
Even though there is a lot of hard work here on the island, we are still enjoying the summer weather! It's nice to have meals outside and it's only a short walk to the beach. If nothing else, you might need to take a dip there sometimes! The house does not yet have such "luxuries" as running water or a shower ...
Meet at the Water (Internet) Post Office
The internet reception is really bad on Lennart and Beata's property, so when it's time for today's social media update, everyone goes to the water station, where the reception is better ... (The reason I manage to get a blog post out today is because my computer gets better contact with the internet than the mobile phones do.)
Do you have any construction projects coming up this summer, or have you done any construction in your life?
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Lennart says:
Right, when nothing else works, the Mac will connect!
23 July 2017 - 7:10
Helena says:
Computers have better components than mobile phones (I have a PC but that works too ;)).
23 July 2017 - 7:13
Mr Steve says:
What a wonderful project. Building a house out of timber. In a wonderful environment too. Needless to say, I love log houses.
When it comes to building projects for myself, I can say that our entire Getingstorp is one of them. Every year since we moved here 9 years ago, we have carried out some major or minor change/improvement, indoors or outdoors. It is invigorating to always have some project going on, or at least in mind.
23 July 2017 - 8:20
Helena says:
Yes, you really have a building project! A country house always requires maintenance and fixing in different ways! Fun in many ways to always have some kind of project going on! I agree that it is cool with a real log house and the environment is fantastic. But it is a lot of work ... And it takes even more time because everything has to be transported out by boat, because you can (so far) only stay here in the summer, etc.
23 July 2017 - 9:26
Matts Torebring says:
When we built our first villa in 1972 on contract, my builders said afterwards: "A building like this, we don't want any more". I devoted all my time to pure rough work, like preparatory work. Building scaffolding, getting materials, cementing the beams at 7am and, like you Helena, CLEANING. To the masons I said, "Work until 4pm and I'll clean the cement mixer when you go home". So in other words, don't underestimate what you do!
23 July 2017 - 8:28
Helena says:
Yes, you have really built Matts!!! Rough work takes time, and it also takes time before you see results ... when you see the result, it's the most fun! And of course there is a lot of cleaning in the meantime. I feel when I clean that it will be easier for those who build to get to build! 🙂
23 July 2017 - 9:29
Ditte says:
I have no experience at all with construction projects, but have been a bit of a handyman when things have been organised at home, both in houses, summer houses, boats and apartments.
I am completely unreasonable, but the husband knows more, but usually we have hired those who have done the work and the husband has been involved. Do not have the patience to let things go on for so long ....
The house out here on Ringön will be great, but it is an incredible job to get it ready with everything needed.
It is good that Peter and Dennis can now assist.
23 July 2017 - 9:54
Helena says:
Yes, it is a lot of work and it will probably continue to be a lot of work for a while. But now they are at least getting somewhere!
23 July 2017 - 13:26
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
No, there will be no more construction projects here.
23 July 2017 - 10:02
Helena says:
It can also be nice! 😉
23 July 2017 - 13:27
JoY says:
I'm glad you came out to the island and in good weather it's more fun to work than in the rain.
We always seem to have something going on. Whether it's planned or unplanned like the latest one was, the wooden sofa.... Larger projects like our bathroom are planned and still ongoing.
Hugs
23 July 2017 - 10:11
Helena says:
Surely it is more pleasant to work in nice weather! And of course it is easy to have a few different projects going on ... 😉.
23 July 2017 - 13:28
Cat's Considerations says:
Great project in a great environment. Yes, it is. We are building at full speed ourselves. We are building an orangery from old windows and then we are building our schoolhouse. The latter will be a wood-fired sauna and two guest rooms in the attic. Have a good sleep in beautiful Sweden.
23 July 2017 - 12:13
Helena says:
Yes, I know that you build and build! So heavenly cool with an orangery! 🙂
23 July 2017 - 13:29
Role o Carina says:
We have also finished building in life, but it looks great!
And getting close to water and swimming is absolutely wonderful as well 🙂 .
Have fun and enjoy....
23 July 2017 - 17:27
Helena says:
A little nice to have finished building, I think! 😉
24 July 2017 - 8:30
Goatfish says:
You are in wonderful phases of life! Fun, challenges!
I can safely say that I have been involved in several construction projects (I have owned three villas, one at a time) and also lived temporarily with outhouses and water from a water pump in the yard.
Today I am slightly more comfortable.
Have fun, now it's high summer! 😀 Hugs
23 July 2017 - 20:14
Helena says:
With villas easily follows various construction projects ... 😉 Nice to be able to become more comfortable over the years! 🙂
24 July 2017 - 8:31
BP says:
Hahaha! Yes, what not to do for the blog and a decent connection:-)
How nice that the boat engine arrived on time and you could get over to the island! Good that you stuck to "simpler" tasks when it comes to construction;-)
Peter and Dennis are incredibly similar to each other. I hope you had a glass of wine at the cosy wine bar that reminds me of the Kärleksbaren on Bockholmen.
Oh no, neither my husband nor I have a talent for construction. At most, my husband manages to screw together an Ikea piece of furniture. I'm not even good at that;-)
23 July 2017 - 20:47
Helena says:
Well, what's not to do for connectivity and for the blog...? 😉 I was quite happy with "just" cleaning. Nothing that will be directly wrong, and so it will be nice 🙂
24 July 2017 - 8:32
Lisa in the village says:
The daughter and her husband are demolishing and excavating the neighbouring house (Stefan's childhood home). Only the outer walls and the load-bearing inner walls remain. They are blowing up rocks and digging out about ½ metre. So Stefan helps most of the time, and I do the ground service and look after granddaughter Astrid.
So their renovation takes all our time. We have done such a renovation in our house, we blew out everything, ½ metre under the floor and up to the ceiling.
Work quietly, and enjoy!
23 July 2017 - 21:06
Helena says:
Puh, it's really a lot of work when you're doing that ...! Help with the ground service is important and makes things a lot easier for those who are building!!!
24 July 2017 - 8:33
Susjos says:
No, there isn't that much handiness here. Says BP, at most an IKEA piece of furniture!
What a job you are doing! Looks amazingly beautiful out there!
I haven't been swimming outside yet this year, but soon....maybe!
24 July 2017 - 0:02
Helena says:
It was a bit cold to take a dip, but as soon as you did, it was perfectly ok! Nice and refreshing (not least after a day of sweaty construction work and no shower available ... ;)).
24 July 2017 - 8:34
Åke says:
What an exciting project! But I stick to loose timber 😉 But in two weeks I will tear out a kitchen in an old log house and restore it in a week... maybe you get some ideas 🙂 Otherwise, I like to build in the old spirit 🙂
24 July 2017 - 11:59
Christine - 29°. says:
A lot of work, but wow how nice it will be! We ourselves love to both renovate and build. And just this year we are renovating an old junk boat (kind of unusable from the beginning) and now we are in the final phase, finally. Yes, sometimes it is good not to know in advance how long and how much work certain things will take. But the joy when it then becomes clear is all the greater. 🙂
Looks very nice there on the island, and what a lovely picture of everyone at the "wi-fi zone". Hi, hi! 🙂
25 July 2017 - 15:17