Victorian Semi - refurb blog
Discussion
Plasterers are underway and hoping to finish Wednesday this week.
Had some preview pics from the carpenters making kitchen this afternoon (will be shaker style). Have taken a bit of risk with them, they have started on their own this year after working for a local known kitchen maker for many years. I get benefit of custom kitchen for discount rate but have the risk of a new start up! They are very passionate about quality so hoping this works out well.
This is the island, for primer/painting tomorrow
Had some preview pics from the carpenters making kitchen this afternoon (will be shaker style). Have taken a bit of risk with them, they have started on their own this year after working for a local known kitchen maker for many years. I get benefit of custom kitchen for discount rate but have the risk of a new start up! They are very passionate about quality so hoping this works out well.
This is the island, for primer/painting tomorrow
Planner is visiting tomorrow - fingers crossed on dormer permission soon!
Kitchen/dinning works underway, picked up some small cast iron rads for in the bay - here just measuring to ensure pipes are in correct position
Plaster has taken a while to dry out, but we had to get the floor down ready for kitchen fitters who arrive today.
Kitchen arrived - whoop! Should only take a couple of days to fit. Have units either side with a small island in the middle for hob and small breakfast bar (when i finally choose worktops)
Oak dovetail drawers in the island
Have an odd shape box in the corner of the room. This is the head-height for the stairs into the basement/utility room. Here the ovens will sit, with some fake draw fronts below to disguise it. No doubt will confuse the kids for the first days.
Kitchen/dinning works underway, picked up some small cast iron rads for in the bay - here just measuring to ensure pipes are in correct position
Plaster has taken a while to dry out, but we had to get the floor down ready for kitchen fitters who arrive today.
Kitchen arrived - whoop! Should only take a couple of days to fit. Have units either side with a small island in the middle for hob and small breakfast bar (when i finally choose worktops)
Oak dovetail drawers in the island
Have an odd shape box in the corner of the room. This is the head-height for the stairs into the basement/utility room. Here the ovens will sit, with some fake draw fronts below to disguise it. No doubt will confuse the kids for the first days.
Great thread, I read it back in 2014, but have only just seen your latest updates. Really like the slide and looking forward to the zip-wire from the dormer window. Can I suggest you plumb the top of the slide so you can wet it and get it running fast? Nothing more annoying than getting stuck on a dry bit and given the age of yours are similar to mine, they'll tend to sit up when they stick and go over the sides. That's how I'd sell the idea to the wife anyway.
I'm about to build a dormer in our Conservation area, so it's not impossible, but whether you'll get one through will likely depend on the visual impact, proximity to neighbours and precedent and the nature of the CA, so you can only really cross your fingers and hope for the best.
We were lucky in that we have a really ugly wall that faces our only near neighbours, we made that wall look more normal by putting a roof onto it, which let us build over our rear bathroom, but also hides the dormer from the neighbours and requires a large dormer to match in on the other side. That side we have no neighbours for 70m or so and it's all well shielded by trees.
That said, our application was (unintentionally) timed so that it was decided before the Parish Council held their next Planning meeting, so they didn't make any comments. The Conservation Officer didn't visit and made a one line comment that read like they had only skim-read the application and the Planning Officer didn't have much to say about anything either. From our wider experience with Planning and Building Control, I get the impression that they have too much work and not enough resource, so a lot of stuff is being overlooked or passed with limited scrutiny.
We also got three non-conservation-spec large Velux windows on the front without comment, we put those on to use as a bargaining chip not expecting to get them because there's been quite a few over the last decade or so that have been knocked back for Veluxes on the front. One round the corner that was similar was knocked back very recently, so I can't help thinking they were missed. Oh well.
I'm about to build a dormer in our Conservation area, so it's not impossible, but whether you'll get one through will likely depend on the visual impact, proximity to neighbours and precedent and the nature of the CA, so you can only really cross your fingers and hope for the best.
We were lucky in that we have a really ugly wall that faces our only near neighbours, we made that wall look more normal by putting a roof onto it, which let us build over our rear bathroom, but also hides the dormer from the neighbours and requires a large dormer to match in on the other side. That side we have no neighbours for 70m or so and it's all well shielded by trees.
That said, our application was (unintentionally) timed so that it was decided before the Parish Council held their next Planning meeting, so they didn't make any comments. The Conservation Officer didn't visit and made a one line comment that read like they had only skim-read the application and the Planning Officer didn't have much to say about anything either. From our wider experience with Planning and Building Control, I get the impression that they have too much work and not enough resource, so a lot of stuff is being overlooked or passed with limited scrutiny.
We also got three non-conservation-spec large Velux windows on the front without comment, we put those on to use as a bargaining chip not expecting to get them because there's been quite a few over the last decade or so that have been knocked back for Veluxes on the front. One round the corner that was similar was knocked back very recently, so I can't help thinking they were missed. Oh well.
I did get the idea of a green kitchen from your build Flash! A change from the darker F&B downpipe etc, tts Olive Green from Little green paint company.
As with all projects budget is slipping so trying to pull back where possible - one of which was handles, have these coming tomorrow in American Cooper https://www.morehandles.co.uk/crofts-assinder-maza... Our original selection had cost coming in at £500 which took me a while to realise was crazy.
Paint started on the walls - Portland Stone 157
Looking from kitchen into dinning room - still have carpenter to measure up and build cupboard doors. 1/2 glazed door also coming tomorrow to fit into hallway,
This access to basement/utility - hopefully door comes tomorrow
As with all projects budget is slipping so trying to pull back where possible - one of which was handles, have these coming tomorrow in American Cooper https://www.morehandles.co.uk/crofts-assinder-maza... Our original selection had cost coming in at £500 which took me a while to realise was crazy.
Paint started on the walls - Portland Stone 157
Looking from kitchen into dinning room - still have carpenter to measure up and build cupboard doors. 1/2 glazed door also coming tomorrow to fit into hallway,
This access to basement/utility - hopefully door comes tomorrow
Hope you are right Paul! Unfortunately Conservation office has submitted a scathing report, however rear of the house can not be seen for a good 75-100m with lots of tall trees etc so keeping fingers crossed. Planning office was out last week and confirmed it couldn't be seen however wouldn't be drawn on any real feedback.
8 weeks is up on Monday! Tick tock.....
8 weeks is up on Monday! Tick tock.....
Have been on hols for the 3 weeks - hence lack of updates.
Back last week to an almost complete kitchen. Hopefully just a few bits to finish this week then onto the loft - finally received planning after 11 weeks, whoop!
View from entrance into dinning/kitchen from hallway.
Have engineered wood floor, with Quartz worktops from stone-circle.com (did a cracking job, with deposit paid they template and fitted within 10 working days). Have ordered some stools for the island
Green looks slightly different depending on time of day/light - seems to be pretty marmite with people but we are very happy!
Larder with spice racks - note they are quite shallow, we had to comprise to ensure we had space on the island but as they are so tall (and there are 3 of them) we've loads of storage
Carpenters knocked up a bit of paneling for behind the small cast iron rads - pick them up from castironradiatorcentre.co.uk was the only responsible priced for the size i could find
Hopefully loft conversion starts next week - i'll try to get some decent work in progress pics as they build out the dormer
Back last week to an almost complete kitchen. Hopefully just a few bits to finish this week then onto the loft - finally received planning after 11 weeks, whoop!
View from entrance into dinning/kitchen from hallway.
Have engineered wood floor, with Quartz worktops from stone-circle.com (did a cracking job, with deposit paid they template and fitted within 10 working days). Have ordered some stools for the island
Green looks slightly different depending on time of day/light - seems to be pretty marmite with people but we are very happy!
Larder with spice racks - note they are quite shallow, we had to comprise to ensure we had space on the island but as they are so tall (and there are 3 of them) we've loads of storage
Carpenters knocked up a bit of paneling for behind the small cast iron rads - pick them up from castironradiatorcentre.co.uk was the only responsible priced for the size i could find
Hopefully loft conversion starts next week - i'll try to get some decent work in progress pics as they build out the dormer
I'm rubbish at updates! Will get some pics of the basement, its kinda of utility room with washer and a dryer, toilet, boiler and some storage.
Onto the dormer - builders built some stairs to make it easier to get materials into the loft
Took 8 of them to carry the steel up (i've lost the comedy pic of them going up the stairs)
We had to fire board the floor completely and then add the steel and floor on top
This is were the stairs will be and access into rear loft storage area at the back of the house
Onto the dormer - builders built some stairs to make it easier to get materials into the loft
Took 8 of them to carry the steel up (i've lost the comedy pic of them going up the stairs)
We had to fire board the floor completely and then add the steel and floor on top
This is were the stairs will be and access into rear loft storage area at the back of the house
No time to waste in getting the frame for the dormer up - small hatch on the right will give storage access into rear loft
Planning had us slightly reduce the dormer on the side wall (inline with the rear roof)
Window area
Kinda of water/weather tight - dormers are pretty ugly, the best could do is try to keep everything black to blend in with the roof
Frame for ensuite a little smaller than we'd hope but had no choice with reduction on dormer size
Planning had us slightly reduce the dormer on the side wall (inline with the rear roof)
Window area
Kinda of water/weather tight - dormers are pretty ugly, the best could do is try to keep everything black to blend in with the roof
Frame for ensuite a little smaller than we'd hope but had no choice with reduction on dormer size
I love the intrinsic shapes of inner chimney stacks in Victorian lofts. We will go 3 story in ours eventually, and the chimney shapes on both sides will be restored and made features - they're amazing looking. I must update our renovation thread, hens ducks and building the orangery have taken over this year!
Window in!
Painting underway - little greene paint co again. Built in wardrobes made up
Bed will go here against the chimney breast
Dormer tiled, guttering on - few vents still be installed but almost finished. Its still no looker but will hopefully blend in a bit to the roof and won't been seen from the garden
Painting underway - little greene paint co again. Built in wardrobes made up
Bed will go here against the chimney breast
Dormer tiled, guttering on - few vents still be installed but almost finished. Its still no looker but will hopefully blend in a bit to the roof and won't been seen from the garden
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