Our build thread, renovation and extension

[Muncher]

Just 3 walls! I honestly think I could do it in a day, possibly 2.

[Muncher]

It's not really an issue at this stage and shouldn't alter things too much.

The advice from every estate agent we spoke to here would be that buyers would want it split up. Personally I like it open but I'm not sure I'd want my main living space like that without a separate lounge. It will be much easier to take a view on it when everything else is up anyway.

Do you have any idea of costs for underfloor heating vs radiators? Also can it be used successfully in upstairs bathrooms?

[Muncher]

It's a bit on the small side for that to be honest, it's the existing lounge and you would not comfortably fit the furniture we want it there, you also couldn't get far enough away from a decent size tv to make it really work. As a dining room it is fine however.

[Muncher]

It's not really possible, external walls on 2 sides, the staircase on the other side, that means you can only go back, which would make the room too long and thin, which wouldn't really help.

[Muncher]

Yep, I was leaning towards that for the upstairs, I only really need it on for a few minutes before I get up for work.

[Muncher]

Well I've just got back from the house, I ache all over but we have made a lot of progress in the last two weeks.

- All plaster removed from every single wall and all cleared away apart from the kitchen.
- Front ensuite wall removed
- Both toilet walls removed
- Toilet removed (cracked it, doh)

There's probably more but it's difficult to remember sometimes! We're very nearly at the point of running out of stuff to do until planning permission. A quick spray of the timbers as a precaution against woodworm and some helibar crack fixing but that's about it.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.101513916...

Edited by Muncher on Sunday 11th March 20:28

[Muncher]

Had our final meeting with the architect before the planning application goes in. He is going to get a preliminary opinion from the planners then apply for full permission next monday.

Not many changes to these ones apart from windows, the stairs and an airing cupboard/storage cupboard has been added. There's probably going to be 3 major steels installed in 3 different planes to hold it all up.






Rear elevation

[Muncher]

It's going to have to be a saniflo or similar as the joists run the wrong way to do anything with it. That one is going to be used once in a blue moon, so it's the best we can do.

[Muncher]

If the "experts" use an acid it must be relatively safe. If I were you I would go for a steam cleaner as I suspect it is considerably less damaging to the bricks as there is a lot less force behind it.

I've had a chat with what sounds like our ideal bricklayer and have got a meeting with him on Saturday to discuss the project. He works almost exclusively with our architect and I know him, he used to be my football coach for several years when I was younger.

[Muncher]

Well I've found a steam cleaner I can borrow and the brother in law has just asked if I want 500 block paving bricks for free so that's a good start to the day!

[Muncher]

RC944 said:

happy days! when does permission come through for the works?

About 6 weeks hopefully.

[Muncher]

RC944 said:

how are the new neighbours dealing with the renovations?

On one side is the bowls club who are pretty happy about it, it gives them more security do there are no negatives. On the other side they have come round and said they can't see a problem with it (at least at this stage). It won't overlook them, they won't have any less light and they are only there for 1 day every fortnight as they live in Spain.

[Muncher]

RC944 said:

From what can be seen here i reckon the whole road should be chipping in... cant do the other houses any harm to have you turn the wreck into something more presentable!

was it purchased through an auction?

You would have thought so, it is the only "poor" house left on the road. There is a lot of money in the rest of it.

I bought it on the open market, slightly complicated sealed bids as I put in a counter offer once someone had already "won".

[Muncher]

Well, I now have a working toilet for the builders, it's a lovely shade of "aqua"



I also uncovered the area between our house and next door. I think the cracking has been caused by defective rainwater drains causing that corner of the house to sink slightly and you can tell see that from where the concrete has cracked down the middle. I think it has only gone down by about 10mm perhaps.



Further I uncovered the bend from the downpipe at that corner of the house and found that the pipe has cracked and separated slightly, maybe 10mm laterally and 5mm on the vertical. Despite the gap the soil seems relatively solid on the underside of it.



I think it has probably happened over a very long period of time and hopefully it's not going any further once the drainage is sorted. Might get the engineer back to confirm.

Also had a meeting with a builder I like the look of who said he could get the whole lot up in 6-8 weeks which is quicker than I had thought.

[Muncher]

Does anyone have any advice on running underfloor heating throughout the whole house?

We had planned on running it just for the downstairs extension over a beam and block floor, but chatting to a few suppliers they have suggested it is effective under engineered wood floors and can just as easily be installed over an existing floor with joists.

Are we just looking to create further headaches with that or are there real benefits in going that way instead of conventional radiators?

[Muncher]

It's almost certainly historic, parts of the cracks at the front had been repointed before and opened up since. It was all picked up in the engineer's report but he didn't think it was serious and down to the rainwater goods and drains being in poor condition.

Those drains will be ripped out in a matter of weeks anyway hopefully.

[Muncher]

Not yet, brickie advised us not to do it on the front but to do it on the sides.

I can borrow one for free, it's just a bit of a treck to get it and return it so I want to do it in one go.

[Muncher]

GreatGranny said:

Great project.

Only plans I've seen when all upstairs toilets are on inside walls.

Are there any connected directly to the SVPs?

All bar one should be, it's just the front one which is not possible to connect to an SVP.

[Muncher]

Here are the final planning permission drawings, click the links below for full sized versions.


http://www.muncher.org.uk/plan1.jpg


http://www.muncher.org.uk/plan2.jpg


http://www.muncher.org.uk/plan3.jpg


http://www.muncher.org.uk/plan4.jpg

[Muncher]

Just got a response from the head planning officer at the council, he loves it

He's had a look round, thinks it complements the existing house perfectly, not too big and he wouldn't change anything about it.

So, fingers crossed it should be rubber stamped in 6-8 weeks and we can start properly!