Farmhouse renovation project
Discussion
As mentioned, it took an age for the legals to get their ass into gear (almost 4 months to complete) and my patience ran out. The agents were good enough to leave a key with me though. So took a gamble, ordered £1500's worth of timber and got cracking on the windows. Standard casement construction, double glazed of course, in Sapele hardwood. Should do 30 years if installed and preserved properly. Managed to get all 15 frames made in my spare time prior to completion, with just the sashes to make and fit and I could sleep once again.
Signed and sealed, let's get cracking.
Outside toilet coming down
Gone
All useable bricks have been reused, and we wanted all the hardcore and rubble to be dumped at the back of the house- it'll be used for leveling the site, soakaways etc. so it made sense to cut the aperture for the new back door first for access- upstairs rubble comes straight out of the window.
Bathroom gone
Ceilings down
Outside toilet coming down
Gone
All useable bricks have been reused, and we wanted all the hardcore and rubble to be dumped at the back of the house- it'll be used for leveling the site, soakaways etc. so it made sense to cut the aperture for the new back door first for access- upstairs rubble comes straight out of the window.
Bathroom gone
Ceilings down
I hope you are not living in the house yet. Some of your pictures brings back "happy" memories: covered in unmentionable stuff while removing lath and plaster ceiling; black spaghetti wiring; one wall where the wallpaper actually held up the plaster.
We moved into our project farm house in 1998 and it took us about fourteen years before we decided it was finished (but then there is outside to do).
With a desire to have "period" features I found reproduction bakelite light switches. Bromleighs used to be near Colchester and easy for me to get to, but they have now moved to Cornwall
We moved into our project farm house in 1998 and it took us about fourteen years before we decided it was finished (but then there is outside to do).
With a desire to have "period" features I found reproduction bakelite light switches. Bromleighs used to be near Colchester and easy for me to get to, but they have now moved to Cornwall
Not sure why you'd remove all the lathe. For me you've ripped the heart and soul out. Once the original fabric is gone it can never be returned. Too much of our history is being destroyed for my liking and the great in Great Britian is slowly disappearing. Christ, I must be getting old.
Assuming it isn't listed.
Good luck with it bit can't bear to look at the thread anymore. I'm going ion completely the opposite direction - retaining, recovering and restoring old features.
FFG
Assuming it isn't listed.
Good luck with it bit can't bear to look at the thread anymore. I'm going ion completely the opposite direction - retaining, recovering and restoring old features.
FFG
In fairness it's not a historically interesting property, nor is it architecturally beautiful enough to warrant a painstaking restoration- there's nothing to keep or restore of any value. It's a workers dwelling, originally built as simply as possible at minimum cost. You can't restore crumbling old plaster that's falling off the wall, nor would you want to keep it. It comes off because it's knackered, and it's had it's time. Just progress and upkeep.
I'd like to think we're doing the job sympathetically: exposing original beams, sourcing matching hand made roof tiles and bricks (not easy), re-using items of worth etc, but just bringing it into the 21st century. Nobody wants to live like it's 1920 again. At least we've saved it from the developers: the location is prime: and if a developer had gotten hold of it, it would be flattened and yet another footballer's mansion be put in it's place.
I'd like to think we're doing the job sympathetically: exposing original beams, sourcing matching hand made roof tiles and bricks (not easy), re-using items of worth etc, but just bringing it into the 21st century. Nobody wants to live like it's 1920 again. At least we've saved it from the developers: the location is prime: and if a developer had gotten hold of it, it would be flattened and yet another footballer's mansion be put in it's place.
olly755 said:
In fairness it's not a historically interesting property, nor is it architecturally beautiful enough to warrant a painstaking restoration- there's nothing to keep or restore of any value. It's a workers dwelling, originally built as simply as possible at minimum cost. You can't restore crumbling old plaster that's falling off the wall, nor would you want to keep it. It comes off because it's knackered, and it's had it's time. Just progress and upkeep.
I'd like to think we're doing the job sympathetically: exposing original beams, sourcing matching hand made roof tiles and bricks (not easy), re-using items of worth etc, but just bringing it into the 21st century. Nobody wants to live like it's 1920 again. At least we've saved it from the developers: the location is prime: and if a developer had gotten hold of it, it would be flattened and yet another footballer's mansion be put in it's place.
I'm with you on this. Period features are nice but why keep an old lath and plaster ceiling? If it's in good condition then keep if and if not rip it down and put boards up.I'd like to think we're doing the job sympathetically: exposing original beams, sourcing matching hand made roof tiles and bricks (not easy), re-using items of worth etc, but just bringing it into the 21st century. Nobody wants to live like it's 1920 again. At least we've saved it from the developers: the location is prime: and if a developer had gotten hold of it, it would be flattened and yet another footballer's mansion be put in it's place.
First nice job was to start from the top and sort out the roof. As mentioned, all original timbers are sound, and the hand made Staffordshire Blues are keeping the rain off just as well as the day they were fitted. It was actually in very good shape, although all 3 gable ends need the verges, fascias and and soffits redoing. Also, the last rafter had rotted on the extension and the lats had suffered nail sickness, making the roof sag and look lop sided.
So, strip off the affected area
Tyvek, new lats and end rafters
Chimney scaffolded. All of the flaunching had crumbled, and the stack itself was listing to one side. No surprise really- you could just pick the bricks off like Lego. No pics, but the chimney was rebuilt using the same bricks, re-flaunched, new pots and cowls, and re-pointed.
New mortar bedded verge. We had to source some reclaimed Staffy Blue tiles- there are 2 sizes, and of course ours is the rarer one. I'd never done a traditional pointed verge before, enjoyed this bit.
Ridges back on
Soffits and fascias in larch, primed and under coated
All done. One down, 2 to go.
So, strip off the affected area
Tyvek, new lats and end rafters
Chimney scaffolded. All of the flaunching had crumbled, and the stack itself was listing to one side. No surprise really- you could just pick the bricks off like Lego. No pics, but the chimney was rebuilt using the same bricks, re-flaunched, new pots and cowls, and re-pointed.
New mortar bedded verge. We had to source some reclaimed Staffy Blue tiles- there are 2 sizes, and of course ours is the rarer one. I'd never done a traditional pointed verge before, enjoyed this bit.
Ridges back on
Soffits and fascias in larch, primed and under coated
All done. One down, 2 to go.
Edited by olly755 on Friday 17th April 11:01
Next job was the removal if the supporting wall between kitchen/dining and bed2/bathroom. The wall supported the 2 purlins from the ground up, and therefore stopped the roof from caving in, so despite plenty of acrows it was a bit of a nervous time.
First job was to take out the bathroom floorboards and chamber joists so we could simply knock the wall out from the top and let it drop into the kitchen for easy removal. Chamber joists were to be replaced anyway as they were running the wrong way- we later discovered the kitchen was originally 2 rooms.
I'd already knocked a hole in the dining room ceiling before we started works, which had uncovered lovely chamfered decorative beams. These will get exposed and replicated to match in the kitchen.
Wall dropping into kitchen
Gone
Down into the kitchen
Gone.
First job was to take out the bathroom floorboards and chamber joists so we could simply knock the wall out from the top and let it drop into the kitchen for easy removal. Chamber joists were to be replaced anyway as they were running the wrong way- we later discovered the kitchen was originally 2 rooms.
I'd already knocked a hole in the dining room ceiling before we started works, which had uncovered lovely chamfered decorative beams. These will get exposed and replicated to match in the kitchen.
Wall dropping into kitchen
Gone
Down into the kitchen
Gone.
Chamber joists all supported, ready for supporting columns and steelwork. Chimney brest in the background was discovered to be in a dangerous state: more on that later but photo shows it removed and supported
Footing in, supporting pillars going up
RSJ installed at chamber level. The existing joists were trimmed and fitted into the web. New joists over the kitchen will mirror the existing. The steelwork will be cloaked to resemble a supporting oak beam.
Steelwork going in on 1st floor, some help needed here
Joists had been badly installed and were barely supported over the old window (now the back door). Internal brickwork all repaired and new steel lintel
Steelwork all done, block work all finished on top of steel. Purlins were once again fox wedged off the new blockwork prior to removing all supporting acrows, and I could sleep at night once again.
Footing in, supporting pillars going up
RSJ installed at chamber level. The existing joists were trimmed and fitted into the web. New joists over the kitchen will mirror the existing. The steelwork will be cloaked to resemble a supporting oak beam.
Steelwork going in on 1st floor, some help needed here
Joists had been badly installed and were barely supported over the old window (now the back door). Internal brickwork all repaired and new steel lintel
Steelwork all done, block work all finished on top of steel. Purlins were once again fox wedged off the new blockwork prior to removing all supporting acrows, and I could sleep at night once again.
Edited by olly755 on Sunday 19th April 12:52
Apologies, house is keeping me too busy for updates! On site we're now ready for plastering (starting in around 2 weeks), windows are painted and ready to fit, external doors are made, 1st fix is done, and conservatory/utility footings are dug. In fact the concrete is arriving at 3pm today, so need to get a wiggle on.
Anyhow, more pics. About the only bodge we found in the house was the dining room chimney breast. Once the plaster had been removed, I discovered it had obviously been widened at some point, probably to accommodate a range of some sort. The supporting pillar had been removed, a new brick pillar built next to the old one to make the aperture wider, and the whole breast supported above by a flat, cast iron bar! No movement luckily (it's a big stack) but worrying all the same.
I didn't take a before pic, but it can be seen in the background. You can see the line in the brickwork where the new pillar just butts up to the breast.
Out it comes.
New one going in. Proper footings were installed, and bricks from the old supporting wall were re-used. In fact, we haven't yet bought a brick.
Done. Bricks will be left exposed, original inner brick work will be re-pointed, and a Clearview wood burning stove will be fitted.
Anyhow, more pics. About the only bodge we found in the house was the dining room chimney breast. Once the plaster had been removed, I discovered it had obviously been widened at some point, probably to accommodate a range of some sort. The supporting pillar had been removed, a new brick pillar built next to the old one to make the aperture wider, and the whole breast supported above by a flat, cast iron bar! No movement luckily (it's a big stack) but worrying all the same.
I didn't take a before pic, but it can be seen in the background. You can see the line in the brickwork where the new pillar just butts up to the breast.
Out it comes.
New one going in. Proper footings were installed, and bricks from the old supporting wall were re-used. In fact, we haven't yet bought a brick.
Done. Bricks will be left exposed, original inner brick work will be re-pointed, and a Clearview wood burning stove will be fitted.
I'll eventually be making a conservatory to go in that corner- already done the footings, dwarf wall and slab is ready in preparation, but it will be added at a later date.
Interior pretty much stripped back
Time for the floors to come up. The old quarry tiles were in a poor state, and just laid onto the bare earth on a weak concrete mix. Very cold, very damp, very impractical. Many laborious nights with a breaker followed...
A nice discovery: found the kitchen was originally split into 2, the floor level was lower in this half and flagged, sloping down to a drain in the corner, obviously for washing out. Some lovely flags here, I'll re-use these for the hearths.
All back to bare bones
Insulated
Concrete going down. We zoned it into 3 areas and dud them separately. No fancy power floats-my old school builder pal taught me a few old tricks here. Looks rudimentary, but skill and care, we've ended up with a perfectly level, flat floor throughout, hand troweled for a lovely finish.
Interior pretty much stripped back
Time for the floors to come up. The old quarry tiles were in a poor state, and just laid onto the bare earth on a weak concrete mix. Very cold, very damp, very impractical. Many laborious nights with a breaker followed...
A nice discovery: found the kitchen was originally split into 2, the floor level was lower in this half and flagged, sloping down to a drain in the corner, obviously for washing out. Some lovely flags here, I'll re-use these for the hearths.
All back to bare bones
Insulated
Concrete going down. We zoned it into 3 areas and dud them separately. No fancy power floats-my old school builder pal taught me a few old tricks here. Looks rudimentary, but skill and care, we've ended up with a perfectly level, flat floor throughout, hand troweled for a lovely finish.
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