House renovation and garage build

House renovation and garage build

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Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Saturday 6th May 2017
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As per my other thread I've gone for Zinsser allcoat exterior satin paint in white for the the veranda. So far I've only managed to paint the wall plate and some of the roof supports, so there is still scope to add some colour at the front.

GriffoDP

183 posts

136 months

Sunday 7th May 2017
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Finally read all of this, and it's given me several ideas for the place I'm about to buy.

Given my most pressing task is wallpaper removal the scraper you mentioned earlier has gone into my shopping list!

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Sunday 7th May 2017
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Good stuff.

I spent most of this weekend up a step ladder that wasn't quite tall enough, painting the veranda.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Thursday 25th May 2017
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Painted veranda by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The guys are starting on the landscaping tomorrow morning. They had allocated 5 days, but forgot that next Monday is a bank holiday, so are starting this week.

I have finished painting the main part of the veranda, Jen is sorting out the detail parts, although I think it looks good as it is. The concrete bases for the veranda also need a lick of paint, but I plan to do that over the weekend, when they have been removed to fit the new patio.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Friday 26th May 2017
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The guys made good progress today, despite the heat. These two were at lunchtime.


Garden progress by Lewis Craik, on Flickr


Garden progress by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

These are at the end of the day:
This is where the new patio will be.

Garden progress by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
The soil pipe has been replaced.

Garden progress by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
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The landscaping and veranda roof have been finished:

New path and veranda by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

New path and patio by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

We are really pleased with the results. After a week of making cups of tea, I need to do some work to sort out the lawn, the planting in the beds and add a few finishing touches. But first we're having some friends round for a garden party tomorrow to celebrate my son's first birthday. So it is a good job the guys finished in time.

I was reminded earlier that this is what the garden looked like three years ago:

Garage progress after the first day by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The original plan had been to do the landscaping at the same time as the garage, but we realised we couldn't afford it. I am glad that we waited and had it done properly.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Tuesday 26th September 2017
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There wasn't much progress on the garden over the summer, as I knew that the lawn really needed to wait until the weather turned. I waited for september, even though I probably could have got away with starting it in August this year.

The last few weekends had been set aside for the final touches to the garden, I started by scarifying the lawn, then marking out where we want to extend the lawn into the flower bed.


Lawn before by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

We decided to take the lawn level with the end of the path and the raised bed (nearer the house), which were both the same distance from the fence. Unfrtunately this meant moving a few plants, which then escalated into giving the flower bed on the left a full dig over and replacing most of the plants. Jen's Mum helped with this, as she knew what was meant to be there, having helped Jen's granddad plant it many years ago. Jen also planted some lavender and heathers in the now much tidier bed.

We then fitted some cheap log edging, more to separate the bed and lawn while it establises, we will likely get rid of it in the next few years. I used a couple of bags of topsoil to build up the level of the old flower bed. Then sowed the grass seed and used another bag of topsoil to topdress the lawn. At this point it started raining, saving me the trouble of setting up the sprinkler!


Reshaped lawn by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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New grass by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

New grass is starting to poke through.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Thursday 2nd November 2023
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Almost 10 years on from the lounge being "finished":


Lounge done by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

It now looks nothing like that, it is full of clutter that accumulates when you have kids. Jen has also decided that she no longer likes the colour of the walls or curtains. The suggestion was that we should do it, but we are slow and rubbish and I would rather spend my weekend doing overtime on my day job and paying someone else to paint (to a better standard that I could), than spending my weekend painting. So we have got a decorator coming the week after next, we booked someone who had good recommendations and a reassuring lead time. The hall, stairs and landing, particularly the woodwork, is also looking a bit tired so we are getting that done too.

We thought we had ages to get the room emptied and to decide on a colour. Then our son got ill and has spent the last few weeks in hospital, so we've alternated staying with him, and haven't both been together at home since. My initial reaction was to cancel the decorator, but in the end we decided to push on with it, on the basis it would be easier when there are fewer people in the house. Now it looks like my son will be out of hospital, but still at home, so it is going to be chaos for a bit! The front room will be fine, once we have emptied it, but not sure how we are going to manage with the hall, stairs and landing being painted whilst 3 of us are at home all day.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Monday 13th November 2023
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The decorator started today, or rather his mate did. He seems to be doing a good job, but it is a bit annoying when you book tradesman X or the basis of good reviews, or previous good work, then they sub it out.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Monday 13th November 2023
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Nothing is ever simple!

We removed a radiator this evening so that the decorator can paint behind it - something we have done plenty of times. Shut the valves, drained it down. No problems.

Except that, there's no hot water from the combi boiler. Check the boiler and there is no pressure. Nor is it filling back up. My only thought is that somehow moving the pipes to unscrew the radiator has caused a leak under the floor. Although I also thought that if the heating was not working the hot water side of the boiler should still work.

NFT

1,324 posts

21 months

Monday 13th November 2023
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Craikeybaby said:
Nothing is ever simple!

We removed a radiator this evening so that the decorator can paint behind it - something we have done plenty of times. Shut the valves, drained it down. No problems.

Except that, there's no hot water from the combi boiler. Check the boiler and there is no pressure. Nor is it filling back up. My only thought is that somehow moving the pipes to unscrew the radiator has caused a leak under the floor. Although I also thought that if the heating was not working the hot water side of the boiler should still work.
Look at boiler to confirm separate circuits, normally hot water is entirely separate to the radiator system, which is pressurized and cycled, while hot water runs through the hot water heater core in the boiler from ground/tank water feed.

P.S I'm assuming you have water flow through the boiler out the hot tap, it's just not heating up, if you don't have water from taps I'd make sure you turned mains back on if was off, and that you didn't cap a main water feed line by mistake!


Edited by NFT on Tuesday 14th November 00:11

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Tuesday 14th November 2023
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That was also my logic, which is what has stumped me. Getting water through hot tap, but only cold water. Have tried re-resetting boiler.

snobetter

1,145 posts

145 months

Tuesday 14th November 2023
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I have a thought in back of my head, my combi boiler wouldn't kick in for hot water unless the rad system was pressurised.

snobetter

1,145 posts

145 months

Tuesday 14th November 2023
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Found this: -

6. Is It A Water Pressure Issue?
Low pressure may be the reason for your lack of hot water. For your boiler to work at its best, your ideal water pressure should be between 1 and 1.5 bar, which is usually displayed on a gauge known as a ‘Manometer’, usually located where the water supply pipes are connected to the boiler.

So, if the pressure’s not quite high enough, adjust it carefully using the filling loop. Only attempt to re-pressurise the boiler if your manual indicates that it is safe to do so and you are comfortable performing this task yourself.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Tuesday 14th November 2023
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Thanks. When I spoke to the plumber earlier, they said the same thing. They are coming out this afternoon.

Hopefully they don’t need to tear up the floor in the room that the decorator is working in.

On a more positive note, the hastily chosen colour scheme in the lounge is looking really good after the first coat. My wife thinks it might be a bit too light, but the room always suffered from feeling a bit dark, so I think it will be OK once we get our stuff in there.

Edited by Craikeybaby on Tuesday 14th November 22:07

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,369 posts

224 months

Tuesday 14th November 2023
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The plumber came out, pressurised the system, and said "Fixed it" - pressure was lost again before the invoice arrived rolleyes

Waiting for a date when they can come to find the leak. I have a pretty good idea of where it is, so hopefully it won't be too big a job.