I had intended to have the front door frame, and the two small side panel ready to install this Saturday.

I spent every break from work on Friday attempting to even finish off the front door panel - but this tailed over in to Saturday morning.

This was an especially tricky frame.

With a triple stud at the intersection with the hallway walls inserting the noggings was very time consuming.

I had to temporarily insert all the studs and noggings, pop them out agains, fix them through, reinsert them and fix everything off.

This frame has to be particularly strong and rigid as it will be carrying the large decorative front door panel - I don't want it to shake every time the front door is closed.

I found myself finishing off the strap bracing on Saturday morning.

There was very little opportunity for diagonal bracing which meant I needed to install 8 small crossed braces complete with tensioners - quite time consuming.

I had also been offered 5 of 90 x 240 eJoists for free.

I had visions of popping out for an hour to collect these and then continuing on to build the side panel.

By the time I had talked to the generous donors I had already used up an hour.

Previous to visiting the site I had checked that I could just drive the trailer forward in to the next street and emerge easily.

When I drove around the corner I was confronted with a dead end - I could see the street I wanted but it was cut off with trees and other barriers.

I went to reverse back to my original starting point but found the street blocked by a Coles delivery van.

I had to hang around the back of the van and wait for the driver to return before I could negotiate a way for us both to get through.

Then an exhausting reverse into a mulching area on the opposite side of the road to my donor's house, a few backwards and forwards and I was free.

Back home I spent another 3 hours creating a clear area to place the beams, transferring them off the trailer and covering them up.

By now I was tired and quit for the day.

Perhaps I can get the side panels built on Sunday.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

During breaks from clients' work (and breaks in the rain) I managed to finish the two side panels.