1960's to now : our renovation
Discussion
So more builders have been and gone looking at my curious cracks... Nothing much more to update with them. Combined opinion from them that is whilst it's poor quality construction the fact it's lasted so long indicates it's sound and the cracks caused my materials moving at differing rates
Recommendation currently is to mesh the entire top half of the wall then board it to avoid any further issues.
On the plus side I've ordered the majority of the kitchen and decided on worktops which are yet to be ordered because they're looking at being bloody expensive!
Kitchen is from diykitchens
Just needing the boiler relocating which is proving to be an issue with people turning up when they say etc.
Slowly slowly catchy monkey as they say!
Recommendation currently is to mesh the entire top half of the wall then board it to avoid any further issues.
On the plus side I've ordered the majority of the kitchen and decided on worktops which are yet to be ordered because they're looking at being bloody expensive!
Kitchen is from diykitchens
Just needing the boiler relocating which is proving to be an issue with people turning up when they say etc.
Slowly slowly catchy monkey as they say!
Edited by croakey on Tuesday 17th November 18:54
Busy couple of days...
Bit of this:
With a bit of this...
Ended up with a new boiler mounted out the way in the loft
Also temporarily wired in the nest thermostat however it will need to be removed for plastering etc so ignore the mess!
Electricians booked in for mid January for a full rewire, this will include hopefully some lightwaveRF.
Can now crack on knocking out the airing cupboard and getting some doors moved around.
Have chanced a cheapish CCTV system as well because... Well why not
Bit of this:
With a bit of this...
Ended up with a new boiler mounted out the way in the loft
Also temporarily wired in the nest thermostat however it will need to be removed for plastering etc so ignore the mess!
Electricians booked in for mid January for a full rewire, this will include hopefully some lightwaveRF.
Can now crack on knocking out the airing cupboard and getting some doors moved around.
Have chanced a cheapish CCTV system as well because... Well why not
Bit of an update...
Started stripping the woodchip wallpaper, was dreading it but it came off very very easily
Under it was a brown vinyl type paint - ive been told this was used in the 60/70's to seal plaster.
Time for the minging 1980s spec fire place to go... the fire had already been disconnected so it was HAMMER time
Put the wife to work.
and done...
Will be a new chimney breast built to house a wood burner in the next few months.
New porch is inbound and rewire is booked.
Slow slow progress!
Started stripping the woodchip wallpaper, was dreading it but it came off very very easily
Under it was a brown vinyl type paint - ive been told this was used in the 60/70's to seal plaster.
Time for the minging 1980s spec fire place to go... the fire had already been disconnected so it was HAMMER time
Put the wife to work.
and done...
Will be a new chimney breast built to house a wood burner in the next few months.
New porch is inbound and rewire is booked.
Slow slow progress!
Hopefully new year things will begin to progress with pace, I for one am amazed at the disparity amongst trades. I've had those keen for work who have waiting lists (who are booked in) to others who seem desperate and don't turn up, others who quote and never respond ever again.
Also purchased
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1561048&i=999999&nmt=The%20Cockroach%20(a%20new%20to%20me%20old%20Volvo)
Also purchased
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1561048&i=999999&nmt=The%20Cockroach%20(a%20new%20to%20me%20old%20Volvo)
Looks very similar to our house when we moved in....in fact the house bathroom looks exactly the same. We extended and included a second bathroom with bath and shower so decided to replace the bath in this one with a shower to make better use of the space.
Keep up the good work....it's well worth it in the end
I found the tiling hard work but a particularly satisfying challenge!
Before.....similar to yours!
And after.
Keep up the good work....it's well worth it in the end
I found the tiling hard work but a particularly satisfying challenge!Before.....similar to yours!
And after.
Edited by dugsud on Thursday 17th December 13:33
So a day off isn't a day wasted when you're on a mission.
Today was the day the airing cupboard died.
Goodbye...
and after copious use of the 'roach (our new old Volvo - Readers ride if your fussed)
The end result...
Came to light mid demolition that the two door frames sit in a timber frame, which meant there was a 2 inch gap between frames... A perfect perverts gap 😉
And the reason for all this effort?
Yep... An extra 3 and a bit foot of space.
It will allow us to move the bath up and install a shower and still have room to rotate the basin to under the window.
Today was the day the airing cupboard died.
Goodbye...
and after copious use of the 'roach (our new old Volvo - Readers ride if your fussed)
The end result...
Came to light mid demolition that the two door frames sit in a timber frame, which meant there was a 2 inch gap between frames... A perfect perverts gap 😉
And the reason for all this effort?
Yep... An extra 3 and a bit foot of space.
It will allow us to move the bath up and install a shower and still have room to rotate the basin to under the window.
Hey OP, I've just renovated a 1960s detached property in 4 months that felt like it had not been touched since the previous owners moved in when new in 1962 when it was built so recognize many of the challenges you are facing! I was working full time and so was at the house almost every evening from 7pm until 1/2/3pm and weekends - I didn't have time to do a thread or blog! - I took lots of pics though so may do one over christmas if I think anyone may be interested.
I have a couple of questions.
1) Why not have that pipe work chased into the walls when they do the rewire? I put my boiler in the loft and my main pipes went through the airing cupboard, but as we had concrete floors the pipework for the downstairs radiators went into the walls - if you have to make a mess for rewire and plan to plaster all the walls, I think it is worth doing. We ended up having to replaster completely as we found lots of cracks as we removed 5 layers of nasty old wallpaper.
2) How are you finding your Nest? Isn't that a Gen 2 Nest? I thought the Gen 3 has only just been released in the UK?
I learnt a lot, even though this was my second refurb.
Keep an eye out for asbestos, especially around old pipes - hopefully the fact your boiler is relatively new means it may not be an issue, but I found the evil stuff lurking away on a couple of occasions.
If you have loads of stubborn tiles/plaster to remove an SDS drill which allows the rotation to be turned off is awesome - just make sure you wear sturdy gloves, goggles and a mask - it will make a mess - putting rhino tubs on the floor under where you are working will catch a large amount of what comes off the wall and will save clean-up time.
When you remove the skirting boards before plastering, investigate replacing with fully finished MDF ones - they cost about a third more than the ready primed MDF ones, but you'll save ages painting them and they look fantastic fitted - also they shouldn't yellow as the "paint" is a foil coating. My whole house cost £300 in skirting board from Band Q - the only place I could find it in stock at short notice.
Good luck.
I have a couple of questions.
1) Why not have that pipe work chased into the walls when they do the rewire? I put my boiler in the loft and my main pipes went through the airing cupboard, but as we had concrete floors the pipework for the downstairs radiators went into the walls - if you have to make a mess for rewire and plan to plaster all the walls, I think it is worth doing. We ended up having to replaster completely as we found lots of cracks as we removed 5 layers of nasty old wallpaper.
2) How are you finding your Nest? Isn't that a Gen 2 Nest? I thought the Gen 3 has only just been released in the UK?
I learnt a lot, even though this was my second refurb.
Keep an eye out for asbestos, especially around old pipes - hopefully the fact your boiler is relatively new means it may not be an issue, but I found the evil stuff lurking away on a couple of occasions.
If you have loads of stubborn tiles/plaster to remove an SDS drill which allows the rotation to be turned off is awesome - just make sure you wear sturdy gloves, goggles and a mask - it will make a mess - putting rhino tubs on the floor under where you are working will catch a large amount of what comes off the wall and will save clean-up time.
When you remove the skirting boards before plastering, investigate replacing with fully finished MDF ones - they cost about a third more than the ready primed MDF ones, but you'll save ages painting them and they look fantastic fitted - also they shouldn't yellow as the "paint" is a foil coating. My whole house cost £300 in skirting board from Band Q - the only place I could find it in stock at short notice.
Good luck.
Which pipe work? The stuff in the yellow room? I need a universal point to run stuff into the roof so once it's all run it'll be boxed in for ease of access.
Not encountered asbestos yet other than the cold water tank... Touch wood!
Nest is a gen 2 I believe, I have a habit of buying stuff and it being superseded within a matter of weeks. It's a great bit of kit however ours is struggling as we haven't got the hall radiator fitted yet so it's trying to heat the whole house to raise the residual temperature.
It should in the next month or two begin to really take shape, just waiting for some doors to be blocked and new ones cut in, and then the rewire and hopefully then plaster time!
Not encountered asbestos yet other than the cold water tank... Touch wood!
Nest is a gen 2 I believe, I have a habit of buying stuff and it being superseded within a matter of weeks. It's a great bit of kit however ours is struggling as we haven't got the hall radiator fitted yet so it's trying to heat the whole house to raise the residual temperature.
It should in the next month or two begin to really take shape, just waiting for some doors to be blocked and new ones cut in, and then the rewire and hopefully then plaster time!
croakey said:
Which pipe work? The stuff in the yellow room? I need a universal point to run stuff into the roof so once it's all run it'll be boxed in for ease of access.
Not encountered asbestos yet other than the cold water tank... Touch wood!
Nest is a gen 2 I believe, I have a habit of buying stuff and it being superseded within a matter of weeks. It's a great bit of kit however ours is struggling as we haven't got the hall radiator fitted yet so it's trying to heat the whole house to raise the residual temperature.
It should in the next month or two begin to really take shape, just waiting for some doors to be blocked and new ones cut in, and then the rewire and hopefully then plaster time!
Yes the yellow room - I chased out the wall for all the piping where required - I was lucky to get the main feed through the airing cupboard into the loft - scarily your pic of the boiler looks almost identical to mine!Not encountered asbestos yet other than the cold water tank... Touch wood!
Nest is a gen 2 I believe, I have a habit of buying stuff and it being superseded within a matter of weeks. It's a great bit of kit however ours is struggling as we haven't got the hall radiator fitted yet so it's trying to heat the whole house to raise the residual temperature.
It should in the next month or two begin to really take shape, just waiting for some doors to be blocked and new ones cut in, and then the rewire and hopefully then plaster time!
Loving the old Volvo - the last house I bought an old E34 touring to use - this time an old Kia Sorento, though my wife liked it so I could trash it!
You could buy the stand for your Nest and place it in another room running off the USB adapter until you get sorted with the radiators.
Since you have floors etc up, get chasing and running cat 6 and 2 ariel cables to sockets in various rooms.
USB sockets are fab. Screwfix is fine: http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/swit...
USB sockets are fab. Screwfix is fine: http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/swit...
forgive my absolute naivity... but what is the point of cat5 or indeed cat 6? I've seen it mentioned alot but thought it was aimed more at multi media home automation and offices?
We have 1x sky box, 1x router, and 1x laptop? other than a couple of additional tv's (one of which will mirror the existing sky box and the other a freeview/amazon fire thing) would I gain much benefit?
Anyone experienced BG Nexus sockets and switches? they offer a grey inserted brushed chrome that does my OCD well
https://www.electricalsupplies.co.uk/bg-nexus-meta...
We have 1x sky box, 1x router, and 1x laptop? other than a couple of additional tv's (one of which will mirror the existing sky box and the other a freeview/amazon fire thing) would I gain much benefit?
Anyone experienced BG Nexus sockets and switches? they offer a grey inserted brushed chrome that does my OCD well
https://www.electricalsupplies.co.uk/bg-nexus-meta...
Edited by croakey on Tuesday 22 December 20:27
croakey said:
forgive my absolute naivity... but what is the point of cat5 or indeed cat 6? I've seen it mentioned alot but thought it was aimed more at multi media home automation and offices?
We have 1x sky box, 1x router, and 1x laptop? other than a couple of additional tv's (one of which will mirror the existing sky box and the other a freeview/amazon fire thing) would I gain much benefit?
Anyone experienced BG Nexus sockets and switches? they offer a grey inserted brushed chrome that does my OCD well
https://www.electricalsupplies.co.uk/bg-nexus-meta...
http://www.rselectricalsupplies.co.uk/bg-nexus-metal-brushed-steel-double-socket-switched-grey-inserts-nbs22g_6659We have 1x sky box, 1x router, and 1x laptop? other than a couple of additional tv's (one of which will mirror the existing sky box and the other a freeview/amazon fire thing) would I gain much benefit?
Anyone experienced BG Nexus sockets and switches? they offer a grey inserted brushed chrome that does my OCD well
https://www.electricalsupplies.co.uk/bg-nexus-meta...
Edited by croakey on Tuesday 22 December 20:27
Had some BG Nexus sockets from them. Quality is alright, nothing amazing, but not crap. Some of them are a bit stiff to push plugs in, but not much of an issue, really.
From what my electrician mate who fitted them said - they're all pretty similar, just stick to a proper brand, not no name crap of Ebay and it should be fine.
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