First time refurbishment 1960's flat

[kiethton]

corradokid said:

Great thread op! Interested to see how this finishes up as I'll shortly be in the same boat as you, full interior refurb of a two bedroom flat not far from you on Bromley hill. Expecting all the same issues regarding concrete ceilings and having to rewire the whole place and we also have to install a complete central heating system as it's currently all electric. Any recommendations you have for local suppliers and tradesmen would be most appreciated.

Can I ask how comes you only dropped the ceiling around the very edges rather than the whole span and also what you plan regarding the lighting? We intend to run down lighters all round but are having trouble finding sensibly priced low profile units so we don't have to loose to much ceiling height. i see you have run all the pipe work to ceiling height are you not concerned about any potential maintenance required in the future?

Thanks all - the bulkheads have come about for a couple of reasons:

We talked through and sorted out our lighting via Guy on here (E36GUY) who did the lighting plans for the whole place and has supplied some top quality fittings at a very reasonable (for what they are) prices. The lights were placed around the edges to properly illuminate the area/light the walls a bit, guy knows the technical reasons

With the lights going around the edges and a standard floor to ceiling of only 2450mm I didn't want to make it feel too low/cramped by dropping it the full way round - thought it would open the rooms to light a bit better and be a little different (ala top end hotels) even though it's just a 100mm drop inc plasterboard & finish.

I do have a couple of recommendations for two guys that I've found, a plasterer that plastered the whole place to a top standard for a very reasonable price, the current carpenter/handyman/tiler has OCD and is a perfectionist, complaining that a wall at the end of a 2m span was 4mm out of square...very nice romainan chap that works with his dad. He's impressed me so much I've decided to get him to tile my bathrooms - blowing the budget now!

The elctritian is good and is an employee of a family friend's electrical contracting business - not the cheapest but a very thorough no hassle job.

PM me for contact details

So this weeked had little progress - turned up to work there on Saturday and the carpenter was there working away, decided to order carpets instead...

Went back today and have now done the first (watered down white) coat over the plaster in half the flat - 15l of pint down already.

Carpenter should be done by tomorrow (fitting kitchen, doors & architraves) and will be cracking on with my tiling later in the week - well worth blowing the budget (£2.8k!) to ensure I don't A - create a stty finish to ruin the place, and B - don't ruin my tiles through inexperience...

For the cash he's also doing all my boxing-in, boarding and laying a full rubber membrane floor to fully water seal

2-3 weeks and hopefully we'll be in!

Edited by kiethton on Monday 22 August 07:25

[corradokid]

OCD sounds good, it appears hard enough to find someone remotely reliable let alone who is actually interested in doing a good job so will send you a pm in the morning. Good to see there is a recommended lighting guy on here also. I'd be interested in your opinion on the kitchen units when you get them if you went with the diykitchens option? All we have seen on the high street looked pretty rubbish till we got up to the magnet level but we are looking to try and do this for around 30k all in so not feasible really. The solid wood kitchens recommended earlier do look good though so will have a price up on that. Can't wait for the destruction to begin!

[fossilfuelled]

Keithton - I've just found your thread. Well done and congratulations are in order - you are doing a smashing job! I'm amazed at how quick you are getting through it and good on you for taking on so much yourself. My partner and I have been living in a building site since February, doing pretty much the same as you, stripping our place down to brick and rebuilding.

We also got a diy kitchens jobbie. I actually fitted the majority of it myself after hiring a fitter to do just one day helping me put the huge units in place. If anything i'd encourage you to try to do a few more things yourself if you have the time. Initially lots of things I didn't want to do - like plumbing, fitting door linings, window frames etc I've ended up doing myself and I'm actually really pleased I did. The satisfaction and savings are huge. I was exactly the same as you when I started. Handy, but not a tradesman by any stretch, but if you've managed all that you've done so far, I'm confident you can finish up and do the rest.

One word of warning from my experience is that the Pareto principle really applies to this game. The last 20% will take 80% of the time. Just bear this in mind. We haven't overrun on budget but we are running behind on time somewhat because it turns out finishing touches take forvever!

All the best, and really enjoying watching your progress!

Edited by fossilfuelled on Tuesday 23 August 06:41

[kiethton]

fossilfuelled said:

Keithton - I've just found your thread. Well done and congratulations are in order - you are doing a smashing job! I'm amazed at how quick you are getting through it and good on you for taking on so much yourself. My partner and I have been living in a building site since February, doing pretty much the same as you, stripping our place down to brick and rebuilding.

We also got a diy kitchens jobbie. I actually fitted the majority of it myself after hiring a fitter to do just one day helping me put the huge units in place. If anything i'd encourage you to try to do a few more things yourself if you have the time. Initially lots of things I didn't want to do - like plumbing, fitting door linings, window frames etc I've ended up doing myself and I'm actually really pleased I did. The satisfaction and savings are huge. I was exactly the same as you when I started. Handy, but not a tradesman by any stretch, but if you've managed all that you've done so far, I'm confident you can finish up and do the rest.

One word of warning from my experience is that the Pareto principle really applies to this game. The last 20% will take 80% of the time. Just bear this in mind. We haven't overrun on budget but we are running behind on time somewhat because it turns out finishing touches take forvever!

All the best, and really enjoying watching your progress!

Edited by fossilfuelled on Tuesday 23 August 06:41

Thanks, its been difficult but I totally agree re. the rewarding part.

The DIY kitchens units really are top quality - my carpenter had to fully dismantle one when trying to rebuild it around the boiler (very tight on clearance!)

I have caved and got the tiler in as with reporting season in full flow (I have been working 60+ hour weeks as per normal throughout the whole thing) I am getting exhausted/very tired, coupled with living at my girlfriends parents for the past 8 months we just need to get in as quickly as possible - that and natural stone tiles around a lot of boxing would have been a recipe for disaster with me doing it :/

I do have more pictures, apologies for the light (or lack of) but we are getting there! - first coat on the plaster in half of the flat now:

Hallway:



We have widened it - was previously the width of the front door only and very claustrophobic! - the carpenter hung the handle at the wrong height for the far door - this is on the snagging list...the front door will be painted - shows how grubby the place was!!!

Can't see it in the picture but we have also recessed the space for the entry phone to make the place feel bigger

Utility cupboard:



We are getting one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0048PF2HE/ref... to stack the tumble dryer and washing machine. I built the walls here 150mm thick - stuffed with copious amounts of rockwool acoustic insulation so hopefully we wont hear them! - just need to uncover the vent now - muggins here covered it up :/

Bed 1:



Turns out its a fair size really - 5.75m (3.8m in the majority) x 2.8m

Living room/Kitchen:

[kiethton]

Quick bit of advice if possible - I need to look at sealing the (cheap) doors that are being used for the bathrooms before painting as per the advice of our carpenter

Does anybody know what the best product to use is? - would be painted in a white eggshell following?

[Slagathore]

Do you mean a primer or undercoat?

Dulux Trade do a good primer and undercoat in one. It's quite expensive, but good.

A few other trade brand do the same.

Or any of the Zinsser primers from Screwfix would probably work.

[kiethton]

Thanks, was planning on priming then painting but was thrown by the carpenter saying that they'd need to be sealed to prevent moisture ingress (cheap hollow doors)

[Slagathore]

kiethton said:

Thanks, was planning on priming then painting but was thrown by the carpenter saying that they'd need to be sealed to prevent moisture ingress (cheap hollow doors)

Oh, probably the top coat will do the sealing? They do swell up a bit from moisture if they haven't been painted, but for an interior door and in a well ventilated property, it should be fine.

As you've probably seen from the many threads in this section, oil based finishes like egshell and gloss will yellow over time.

I think you can get water based gloss and eggshell now that shouldn't yellow. Or you can use a satinwood.

If they are flat doors with no panels, you could get it done a lot quicker with water based paints.

[kiethton]

Unfortunately for Cindy they do have a bit of panelling, only 2 mind!

http://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/Handlers/ImageHandler.as...

My task for this evening was going to be sanding down all of the old bits of woodwork - that mankey front door specifically plus the old painted window boards. Was going to use this stuff to paint the skirting etc:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/leyland-trade-acrylic-eg...

[Slagathore]

kiethton said:

Unfortunately for Cindy they do have a bit of panelling, only 2 mind!

http://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/Handlers/ImageHandler.as...

My task for this evening was going to be sanding down all of the old bits of woodwork - that mankey front door specifically plus the old painted window boards. Was going to use this stuff to paint the skirting etc:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/leyland-trade-acrylic-eg...

That's not too bad. Will take no time at all with a roller and then a brush for the trim in the panels. Probably want a short pile microfibre roller sleeve for that water based eggshell. There is also a technique called 'laying off' you may need to do that if the roller doesn't leave a good enough finish.

Looking at some of those door linings in the pictures, you might need a knotting solution first to cover the knotty bits, otherwise it can show through the paint later on. Screwfix have some in stock, or you can prime them with Zinsser B-I-N, which I'm sure works as a knotting solution as well.

I think even after sanding down the old woodwork, that water based eggshell might struggle to stick to the old finish, which I suspect is gloss? So you might need to give it a sand first, then an undercoat.

[kiethton]

Thanks for the pointers - much appreciated

[Slagathore]

kiethton said:

Thanks for the pointers - much appreciated

No worries.

There's nothing more annoying than starting to do a job, like painting the skirting, and then realising it needs undercoating first, then you have to run out and get the undercoat etc and it just drags everything on and takes longer.

I've not used water based eggshell before, so you might find it goes on fine first time after a bit of sanding, but because it's glossy, you might find you're just smearing the paint on to it and it's not actually sticking, so would need an undercoat.

That Zinsser B-I-N is particularly good because it has a short drying and recoat time. The Perm-white they do is good as well if you need a paint for the bathroom or kitchen. I don't know how it will hold over time (it has a some anti mould properties), but it leaves a really nice finish. I used the Satin version, but I reckon the Matt would be fine in most situations.

You could probably argue the Perma0white would be no better than an egshell or silk, though, and those would be cheaper.

[kiethton]

Well was a productive weekend - 2 base coats on all the plaster, undercoat on all doors, was hoping to get everything sanded down and ready for the eggshell later but managed to do this whole drilling out the light holes:



Currently waiting amongst what seems like half the population of Bromley to have it pulled straight....lets hope I'm not too long - still got loads to do inc a full tidy up as have the plumber, Electritian, carpenter and tiler all on site tomorrow :/

[kiethton]

Well - we were looking at getting in in 12 days, think we'll be a bit slower now





Operation in the next few days to line the bones (and few random bone fragments) up and get them in the right places with wire etc :/

Think it's about 6 breaks through the thing all told

[Some Gump]

How in gods name did you do that?

Hope the recovery goes well OP.

[craigjm]

Ouch

[kiethton]

Well, I was cutting out the holes for the lights - specifically one above the kitchen units at a reach, think I caught the blade on a bit of timber baton behind, the holesaw bit jumped to one side and took out my finger on the trigger hand when it jolted just trough the speed of the kick.

No idea it could be broken that badly that easily.

Most painful thing was when first getting to the hospital they tried to pull it straight as they (like I) thought it was just dislocated. After a minute pulling on it and realising that it was A, very painful and B, moving in more ways than possible did they send me for the X-ray...

Edited by kiethton on Monday 29th August 21:23

[craigjm]

lucky. would have been worse if the blade had caught it.

[kiethton]

So next task - kitchen worktops

We're looking for some granite/quartz tops at a reasonable price, may be a little complicated compared to some though

Can anybody recommend a company?

[fossilfuelled]

I shopped around a fair bit, and ended up ordering from DIY kitchens who use Natural Stone Surfaces. It's cheaper to go through DIY than direct - I REALLY shopped around and found for what I wanted (20mm Silestone) they couldn't be beaten.