# Forum Forum Help Desk Introduce Yourself  And all the tradesmen laugh..

## ruby

Hi, I've got myself an 1860s treasure of a miners cottage- shame about the bodgy work done on it in last few years - but the original structure is fairly sound. The 1860s canvas walls are still evident nailed to a bearer. I'm learning heaps, and seeing what I am capable of (more and more until I do something stupid and have to redo something - like relaying some floorboards I didn't pack well enough  :Frown:   Thanks for the great info I have found here, I don't think I can add any advice to a query yet- but we'll see. 
Cheers
Helen
+and yes, all the tradesmen laugh when they see the work ahead and me standing there with a [insert tool here] (I'm not very tall but determined as hell)

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## watson

Good on You! 
Go for it....and welcome aboard.

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## autogenous

> Hi, I've got myself an 1860s treasure of a miners cottage

  Photos? Please? I love the old stuff. Its gold. 
Met plenty of women building. Actually one 3 months ago. Fastest god dam 2 story reno I ever seen. She didn't even put the tradesmen in the way of each other.  :Smilie:    

> more and more until I do something stupid and have to redo something

  Everyone makes mistakes, even those that think they don't  :Smilie:  
Here's one I did for myself. What a mess, a full strip out including some walls. Way too far gone. We put up our first bit of 9 inch cornice only to hear it crash down behind us 60 seconds later. With 40 years behind us both at the time we look at each other and pissed ourselves, idiots. Don't think your special Helen. Its part of the game, power on.  :Smilie:  
A picture of it 10 years on. 1906 I think. Found tax stamps and newspapers in the chimney.

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## ruby

Thanks for the welcome, and I'll definetely post some pictures when I have some success to show in a before and after type way. Glad to see a ten year on success- I'll keep that in my mind at those moments of 'Agh, what have i done?!' (usually about 3am thinking about the valley gutter that leaks).  autogenous, your house looks lovely...  and stuff like tax stamps and old newspaper - you don't get that in new houses-   It took me hours to put in some new joists in the kitchen floor (am learning) because I kept stopping to trawl through the dirt finding coins (1860s), crockery, and old chop bones. History, ain't it grand...  :Smilie:

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## Bullfright

(I'm not very tall but determined as hell)[/quote] 
Way to go Helen!
You remind me of my daughter when, a few years ago, she installed a new hardwood floor in her flat in London. She had to call her old dad to finish off a bit of trip but, apart from that, she rented all the tools and did it all.
You will have lots of fun and you will have something to talk about whilst you're getting your hair done.
Good luck
Bill

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