The Annex 

Our first major project after our first daughter was born was to work on the annex. We decided that as the tree house project was long term and wasn’t going to happen any time soon that this would be a slightly easier and quicker project (so we thought at the time) to help bring some money in.

The Annex was originally a small barn or dairy attached to the house, at some point prior to us purchasing the property it had been gutted and converted into an annex or granny flat. We were told by the previous owner that he was converting it for his mother in law some twenty years earlier and had made a start but never finished it. 

The walls were bare plaster downstairs which had cracked over time and there was a chip board floor with an ill fitting moth eaten carpet. Double glazed doors had been fitted forming an independent access as well as a pine staircase leading to the room above. Where the previous owner had cut away the floor to add in the staircase he had left a large section of plaster missing and not replaced the wall that ran along the stairs. This meant that if you walked towards the stairs from the room above there was a large drop where the edge of the room disappeared into the void made to accommodate the stairs! 

Behind this room was another random room which we made into a twin bedroom.  Our first job was to prep all the areas ready for decoration.  Our builder / plasterer who has now become a good friend James Davies put in a new stud wall to block up the void over the stairs and fill in the gap in the wall where the floor had been cut away. James also plastered the ceiling and repaired the flashing around the chimney to stop a newly discovered leak. 

Once all of the prep was complete the decoration commenced. We are very grateful to Helen's Mum and Dad, Andy and Karen, who helped with decorating, baby sitting and financial help.  Everywhere was freshly painted, the floor in the twin bedroom was sanded and varnished.  We had previously renovated the bathroom but it was time to add in a double shower.  Our previous house didn't have a shower and we had been using a rubber hose attachment and squatting in a bath for two years in that house. We had been in this house without a shower for three years so were looking forward to a decent shower even if it was in the Annex!  I tiled the corner and we had the shower installed. The main bedroom was wallpapered and carpeted and a new headboard for the bed was made from some salvaged cupboard doors found in one of the barns.

After the upstairs had been decorated we turned our attention to downstairs.  We purpose built a kitchenette under the stairs from reclaimed timber that came from the dutch barn that was cleared to make way for the carpark.  We salvaged an old butler sink and some bricks from one of the barns and used old slate roof tiles to tile around the worktop. Lastly we put in new flooring and furnished the whole place. It was now ready to be let. 

The Annex 

Main bedroom prior decoration 

Main bedroom after decoration

Twin bedroom 

Lounge and kitchen before work started




And after

Bathroom 

Holiday Let Done !!! We are now open for bookings please book through Airbnb:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/7761391?checkin=&checkout=&adults=1&children=0&infants=0&guests=1&location=llanwenog&s=U5DmlhWA 

First update in FOUR Years!!

Well it’s been a while!! Four years since our last post it’s been a busy four years. Our first daughter was born shortly after our last post and Teifi Tree Life had to take a back seat. She has kept us pretty busy and turned our world upside down but in a very good way so much so we decided to have another and along came our second daughter last January. Even with these two delightful additions to our family it hasn’t completely stopped us progressing with the house and various projects so in the next few weeks / months we will try and update our dedicated couple of readers with what else has been going on in our little slice of South West Wales.