We recently learned the subfloor of our charming century old cottage was not level enough to put engineered floorboards.

Or tiles.

Or pretty much any kind of new flooring.

Not only is there a slant of about ten centimentres from one side of the house to the other, but within the house, the levels are all higgledy piggledy.

Partly because of the slant, and partly because none of the materials were what we might call standard.

I don’t mind telling you it was a disappointment.

The only solution, was to rip out almost everything, and start afresh.

This house has been through four owners before us. Five if you count the inheritance.

When our house was first built, it was hard physical labour. Lifting and carrying, hammering and nailing, working as consistently as possible. None of the angles were completely true or accurate. Just best guess.

But at the same time, the modern materials, like big sheets of yellowtongue subflooring, weren’t available, let alone in standard or precise measurements.

It didn’t matter if the walls or floors weren’t true, you just built a slighty crooked house with the materials you had.

Which in our case, included a door.

In the floor.

And when you needed a bit more space, you just added another room with whatever materials you had to hand (thus, I imagine the floor door).

So for the sake of time and money, we’ve chosen to take it all up and replace it all with modern laminate joists and yellowtonge subflooring. Which at least won’t take forever to lay.

Though given we’ve replaced the last original window we can’t complain too much.

When it’s time to start afresh

Looking at the remains of my floor in the driveway, I’m reminded that just like we had to start from scratch with the floors, sometimes in life you have to cut your losses and start afresh.

The hard part is knowing when it’s time to start afresh.

Like when your teeth don’t stop hurting. Or your work colleagues don’t treat you well. Or your no account boyfriend for another matter.

Or you need to get your health back on track…

Sometimes you have to do something radical, like move cross country or to another continent.

Or make a clean sweep by throwing out your deceased dog’s toys.

Other times, it’ll be as “simple” as wearing a good luck charm to remind you of your desired change. Or changing your shopping habits.

Or in my case, consider the lengths you’ll go to for the sake of something like your health. Like quitting meat and swapping to a plant based diet.

It’s also your choice whether or not you go out in a blaze of glory, leaving your old life by burning it all down.

And as you start piecing your new life together, remember, if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly!

Photo of the remains of my house’s floor by Me!

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