delays, delays, and more delays

Before I start this post, please let me apologise to all those people (artists in particular) that were expecting a late Jan / early Feb opening.  I now know that this is not going to happen.

As reported yesterday, I need to submit a planning application to the council so that I may use the property as a gallery.

In addition to the delays that this process will cause, my little 50sqm gallery space is not registering as important to the tradespeople whose help I need to get it ready.  Some tradies are even putting in unrealistic quotes because ‘…this job is too small to be worth my while’.  That is their exact wording. 

As all other jobs are dependent on it, the very first job that I need done is the floor.  I have ripped up all of the carpet and underlay to reveal the concrete slab.  The concrete needs to be ground back so that all marks are removed and so the surface is as flat s it can be.  Once that is done, two coats of clear polyurethane are put down to give it a glossy look.

Annoyingly, it has taken 9 days to get someone in to quote and the earliest that they can start the job is 26 Jan.  The job takes 3 days to do and 2 days to dry… and if you’re interested $3300 to complete.

This means that all other jobs need to be put on hold until 1 Feb.  Wall Installation, Painting, Hanging System, Lighting.  All on hold until after the floors are done.

So depending on the council, I think the earliest opening date is now the end of February.  The positive in all of this is it gives our artists (and me) an extra month to produce some more work!