We’ve now got a date for when the builder will come and start on the balcony. Wednesday 1st September is D-day so we’ve been working like mad to try and get the paving area sorted out first. Sadly, we don’t have the finances to do everything so we’re going to wait a while before we buy the new slabs. In the meantime we’ve been evening out the ground and putting in sleepers to make a nice edge. It looks really good but it’ll be even better when it’s finished 
All that’s left now is to dig up more of the earth. We need to remove about 6-8cm over the whole area so that the paving stones will end up on the right level when we get them.