Our build thread, renovation and extension
Discussion
garyhun said:
Why didn't you go for a full 5.1 system Muncher?
The only place to put the rear speakers would be in the ceiling. I decided I preferred the look of the neat ceiling with the plastered in Zep2s. Also I wouldn't have been able to get a very good alignment due to the joist positions, the front would be off centre and then closer to one light than another. I just didn't fancy that approach. This is a very minimal and tidy setup and whilst I am no audiophile I am told it is about as close as you can get to a true surround system from a soundbar.
I could do with a favour from any of the kitchen suppliers on here relating to my dispute with Wren, I need a quote for a "repair cost" which is effectively going to be a cost for removing and resupplying every bit of painted surface, including some custom made bits, I suspect it will exceed the cost of the kitchen, but I just need something to send to my credit card provider, if you could help could you drop me an email please?
Muncher said:
The only place to put the rear speakers would be in the ceiling. I decided I preferred the look of the neat ceiling with the plastered in Zep2s. Also I wouldn't have been able to get a very good alignment due to the joist positions, the front would be off centre and then closer to one light than another. I just didn't fancy that approach. This is a very minimal and tidy setup and whilst I am no audiophile I am told it is about as close as you can get to a true surround system from a soundbar.
Consider wall mounted dipoles for the rear and side speakers. You can fit a couple of ceiling speakers to prepare for Dolby Atmos processing - it'll surround vector properly with your speaker setup.Muncher - random question assuming you did this yourself...
How did you find doing the woodwork (skirting / frames / doors) in terms of difficulty?
I really like the stuff you used but just wondering how good you need to be to make it look well fitted - ie does it need a proper carpenter? Did you use any special tools?
Also is most of it attached using a no nails type susbstance - can't see any fixings which I like.
Thanks in advance!
How did you find doing the woodwork (skirting / frames / doors) in terms of difficulty?
I really like the stuff you used but just wondering how good you need to be to make it look well fitted - ie does it need a proper carpenter? Did you use any special tools?
Also is most of it attached using a no nails type susbstance - can't see any fixings which I like.
Thanks in advance!
CorradoTDI said:
Muncher - random question assuming you did this yourself...
How did you find doing the woodwork (skirting / frames / doors) in terms of difficulty?
I really like the stuff you used but just wondering how good you need to be to make it look well fitted - ie does it need a proper carpenter? Did you use any special tools?
Also is most of it attached using a no nails type substance - can't see any fixings which I like.
Thanks in advance!
In terms of outright difficulty, it's not too bad, but you do need to take your time, an awful lot of it! You also need the right kit to do it, which adds up. A good compound mitre saw is essential, preferably one with a large capacity so you can cut skirting from the top down. A benchsaw is also needed for making the doorliners, as all of ours were different widths. Then you will need a router plus we borrowed a hinge jig from Neil and bought a lock jig. All of the steps just add up but once you have the process nailed it's just a case of repeating it. How did you find doing the woodwork (skirting / frames / doors) in terms of difficulty?
I really like the stuff you used but just wondering how good you need to be to make it look well fitted - ie does it need a proper carpenter? Did you use any special tools?
Also is most of it attached using a no nails type substance - can't see any fixings which I like.
Thanks in advance!
All my door linings were different sizes, but we decided to make then all the same to fit a standard door, without having to trim doors to fit. That meant the wood mill could do the door lining to fit the door, not the house, so we didn't need a bench saw for the rebates. The frames are packed with plywood before the wall being plastered.
Mitre saw is essential, though my dad did his house before such things existed. It can take ages to get stuff right if your house isn't square.
I can recommend an exceptional saw mill if you are anywhere near Penrith or prepared to drive there to collect.
Mitre saw is essential, though my dad did his house before such things existed. It can take ages to get stuff right if your house isn't square.
I can recommend an exceptional saw mill if you are anywhere near Penrith or prepared to drive there to collect.
Muncher said:
I don't like the look of the concrete really and to be honest if the timber lasts 25 years as it is supposed to I doubt it will be my problem then anyway.
What size fence posts last 25yrs ?IME 3x3 last 7 years, they will last longer if you dip them in bitumen AND have it showing above ground - they always rot around ground level.
I'm going for conc but I'm painting them.
cossy400 said:
A gravel drive does throw the castor wheels idea out the window thou.
Not necessarily he could get small pneumatic castors that will roll over the gravel or he could get some metal arcs put into the ground to allow solid castors to run across although these would probably jam if there wasn't some sort of brush implement each side of the castor to sweep the arc as you open and close the gates.Does anyone have experience of falling damp? We have an issue with the existing chimney wherebye there is a small but noticeable damp patch where the ceiling meets the wall in the old part of the house. It has been there for knocking on for a year now but doesn't seem to change size much at all.
We have had the roofers out who have checked the flashing which is all fine. The damp readings on the patch are high, the readings on the mortar and brickwork above it it in the loft are high, as are the readings high up on all sides of the chimney. What we think is happening is rain is saturating the single skin brickwork of the chimney which is gradually making its way downwards and seeming through the first bit of dot and dab which it gets to, and doesn't appear to go any further down than that. We are pretty sure there is no damp course in the chimney above roof level, the pots are open at the top and there are 2 airbricks for ventilation at ground floor and first floor level.
I spoke with a damp specialist while we were looking at another project and he said that an injected damp course might actually make matters worse as he had been advised it can actually accelerate damp downwards. It therefore looks like we have a couple of options, one is to coat the chimney with Thompsons water seal to stop it soaking up so much water to start with, the second is to remove the plasterboard and replace with some kind of membrane to limit any moisture permeating through. The third is to install a physical damp proof course into the chimney. This may be relatively easy on the "problem side" in the loft, but to do it all round is going to require some scaffolding and could be a real pain to do.
Anyone able to advise?
We have had the roofers out who have checked the flashing which is all fine. The damp readings on the patch are high, the readings on the mortar and brickwork above it it in the loft are high, as are the readings high up on all sides of the chimney. What we think is happening is rain is saturating the single skin brickwork of the chimney which is gradually making its way downwards and seeming through the first bit of dot and dab which it gets to, and doesn't appear to go any further down than that. We are pretty sure there is no damp course in the chimney above roof level, the pots are open at the top and there are 2 airbricks for ventilation at ground floor and first floor level.
I spoke with a damp specialist while we were looking at another project and he said that an injected damp course might actually make matters worse as he had been advised it can actually accelerate damp downwards. It therefore looks like we have a couple of options, one is to coat the chimney with Thompsons water seal to stop it soaking up so much water to start with, the second is to remove the plasterboard and replace with some kind of membrane to limit any moisture permeating through. The third is to install a physical damp proof course into the chimney. This may be relatively easy on the "problem side" in the loft, but to do it all round is going to require some scaffolding and could be a real pain to do.
Anyone able to advise?
Muncher said:
one is to coat the chimney with Thompsons water seal to stop it soaking up so much water to start with
^^^That's what I've done in the past as a Site Agent.If you look at old chimneys they tend to be in semi / engineering bricks for this reason.
If you build a high chimney in exposed areas (as we were) then the NHBC multiple damp courses look dubious with a large mass that isn't stuck to anything.
Hence we went with Thompsons but IIRC it needs re coating every 5 yrs
I'm in the same situation with mine. A lot of the other houses in my street have had a lead tray fitting to stop downward penetration. Also have the same awkward scaffold problem due to a conservatory at the back meaning you can't just out a ladder up to paint the thing.
We are on quite an exposed hill so driving rain likely was a problem last winter (it got flagged on our survey).
Let me know what you decide to do and how it works out!
We are on quite an exposed hill so driving rain likely was a problem last winter (it got flagged on our survey).
Let me know what you decide to do and how it works out!
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