My First Renovation
Discussion
With your windows when you come to sell the solicitors will ask for the FENSA certificate, or you get indemnity insurance but this might put potential buyers off. Likewise earlier question re structural engineer report, even if building regs say it's not needed (I've never heard of that but presume they just said a big RSJ) I'd still rather have one as other buyers might question it. I asked friend in building trade for a good engineer who did private work, job similar to yours and a bit extra for £200, building control happy with it, they all know each other.
Just looking at your floorplan are you going to move the new kitchen diner wall next to the stairs past the old dining room door?
All the best, envy you not living in it while you're doing it...
Just looking at your floorplan are you going to move the new kitchen diner wall next to the stairs past the old dining room door?
All the best, envy you not living in it while you're doing it...
Calum95 said:
Although that would be the cheapest and easiest option, I'm too attached to gadgets and a bit of luxury and I'm unfortunately a badge snob 
, does anyone have any experience or opinions on ex police cars? I've found a nice 5 series estate with high mileage but don't know what to expect from it.
If you search there will be a few threads, I think the general consensus has always been to avoid them though, does anyone have any experience or opinions on ex police cars? I've found a nice 5 series estate with high mileage but don't know what to expect from it. Calum95 said:
Hi guys,
I've finally finished ripping all the old carpet out and almost finished stripping all the walls, I've got few questions that hopefully some of you can shed some light onto.
1) If I order my own double glazed windows and fit them with a friend who knows what he's doing, do I need to get some kind of certificate to say they've been fitted correctly?
2) My utility is part of my garage and was originally quite small, as the garage is too narrow for a modern car I've knocked down the old utility wall down and built a stud wall further back with a door to my garage (previously was just a wall with units). My utility and garage are on the same level however there is a step down from the kitchen to the utility, am I right in thinking the only place I need to have a fire door is from the kitchen to the utility?
3) How much on average will it cost to re felt my garage roof? Its approx. 6m x 2m and is leaking quite badly, causing damp on one wall inside the house and letting water into my garage.
4) What car to get next? Undecided on whether to go for a bmw/audi estate or go down the pick up route like a Navara or similar, I don't want to spend much and want something that will hold its value for when I come to sell in a couple years time.
I appreciate any input!
Cal
I've finally finished ripping all the old carpet out and almost finished stripping all the walls, I've got few questions that hopefully some of you can shed some light onto.
1) If I order my own double glazed windows and fit them with a friend who knows what he's doing, do I need to get some kind of certificate to say they've been fitted correctly?
2) My utility is part of my garage and was originally quite small, as the garage is too narrow for a modern car I've knocked down the old utility wall down and built a stud wall further back with a door to my garage (previously was just a wall with units). My utility and garage are on the same level however there is a step down from the kitchen to the utility, am I right in thinking the only place I need to have a fire door is from the kitchen to the utility?
3) How much on average will it cost to re felt my garage roof? Its approx. 6m x 2m and is leaking quite badly, causing damp on one wall inside the house and letting water into my garage.
4) What car to get next? Undecided on whether to go for a bmw/audi estate or go down the pick up route like a Navara or similar, I don't want to spend much and want something that will hold its value for when I come to sell in a couple years time.
I appreciate any input!
Cal
You can fit your own windows and get them signed off by building control, my authority charge around £100 so not bad value, they issue a certificate and that's all you need to sell. Just make sure you use toughened if needed and have the correct size openers for bedrooms etc. I done a similar thing with the utility on the job I posted earlier, I put a fire door between the utility and garage, (with closer) you should really insulate the floor which will raise it from the garage level. The wall between the utility and garage has to offer fire protection and meet thermal regs, a single stud may not be enough for thermals. Garage roof in my area would be around £500 for basic re felt, a bit more if it needs new boards.
This is the proposed floor plan for now, the kitchen "L" island will be further over to the left with the leftover wall hidden in the units.
I was removing the coving in the dinning room last night and found the old lath and plaster ceiling is dis-bonded and crumbling so that's going to have to come down and be replaced with plasterboard.
I'm also going to need quite a lot of cement on my kitchen floor to bring it back up to the level of the other wooden floors as it has sagged over 90 years of use. Would this job be best to leave until the wall is knocked through so I can see the level to bring it to?
That's good news about the FENSA cert, I'll have a chat to my mate and see if its something he's done before.
I believe my garage roof is made of concrete, not wooden boards so hopefully its just a re-felt that it needs. What is the best way to insulate the utility floor?
Thanks for all your responses so far!
I was removing the coving in the dinning room last night and found the old lath and plaster ceiling is dis-bonded and crumbling so that's going to have to come down and be replaced with plasterboard.
I'm also going to need quite a lot of cement on my kitchen floor to bring it back up to the level of the other wooden floors as it has sagged over 90 years of use. Would this job be best to leave until the wall is knocked through so I can see the level to bring it to?
That's good news about the FENSA cert, I'll have a chat to my mate and see if its something he's done before.
I believe my garage roof is made of concrete, not wooden boards so hopefully its just a re-felt that it needs. What is the best way to insulate the utility floor?
Thanks for all your responses so far!
Why steal the space from the garage and leave the dead space behind the utility?
Would it not be better to keep the garage as it is but extend the utility into the current dead area behind it instead?
Having the hob on the end is maybe not the best location for it. Is there nowhere else it could go?
Would it not be better to keep the garage as it is but extend the utility into the current dead area behind it instead?
Having the hob on the end is maybe not the best location for it. Is there nowhere else it could go?
KTF said:
Why steal the space from the garage and leave the dead space behind the utility?
Would it not be better to keep the garage as it is but extend the utility into the current dead area behind it instead?
Having the hob on the end is maybe not the best location for it. Is there nowhere else it could go?
The dead space behind the utility has a long step down to the utility level so would be more of a pain to move, also the wall would have to come down too and would have to be supported so that's an extra cost. The end goal is to rent this place out so I'm trying to keep costs as low as possible. Also the garage is too narrow for any modern car so the extra space in the utility for a dryer and more storage for bulky kitchen items makes more sense. There is still plenty of space for a work bench and my motocross bikes! I now have a door into my garage from the house which I prefer too.Would it not be better to keep the garage as it is but extend the utility into the current dead area behind it instead?
Having the hob on the end is maybe not the best location for it. Is there nowhere else it could go?
The hob placement isn't set in stone, I'm open to suggestions regarding the best placement for kitchen appliances, it made sense in my head as having it there wont take away any wall unit space as it's on an island, however I understand it's probably not the safest if little ones are running around.
I'll get more pictures tonight showing the layout of the kitchen and utility.
Had a very busy weekend over the bank holiday!
After taking down the dining room ceiling I realised the kitchen-dining room wall wasn't load bearing (As i was told by the surveyor) so that came down leaving me with a very good sized room. After seeing the space in person i'm making some changes to the floorplan, the "L" island is now going on the opposite wall and i'm changing the way the doors open. Does anyone have an idea on cost of underfloor heating per sq/m?
Pictures will follow shortly!
Cal
After taking down the dining room ceiling I realised the kitchen-dining room wall wasn't load bearing (As i was told by the surveyor) so that came down leaving me with a very good sized room. After seeing the space in person i'm making some changes to the floorplan, the "L" island is now going on the opposite wall and i'm changing the way the doors open. Does anyone have an idea on cost of underfloor heating per sq/m?
Pictures will follow shortly!
Cal
Here's the pictures as promised...
This is the layout of the utility before I changed it, the gap between the beam and the small wall had kitchen units on a frame that was built in between. As you can see, the garage gets very narrow towards the end.
This is the stud wall I have built instead, behind the two courses of brick is the gas pipe to the boiler, I left the wall there so no one stands on it or breaks it until it gets moved next week.
This is the dead space behind the utility that you suggested would be best to use, I don't think it would be an easy job and would certainly not be cheap. There is about a foot drop in total over the two steps and the wall to the right looks structural for the garage roof.
I also changed the old cast iron soil pipe to plastic over the weekend, here's the original join, looked a very shoddy job!
Here's the kitchen wall I knocked through
These are just an extra few I've taken
If I have time today i'll do a revised floor plan too.
Cal
This is the layout of the utility before I changed it, the gap between the beam and the small wall had kitchen units on a frame that was built in between. As you can see, the garage gets very narrow towards the end.
This is the stud wall I have built instead, behind the two courses of brick is the gas pipe to the boiler, I left the wall there so no one stands on it or breaks it until it gets moved next week.
This is the dead space behind the utility that you suggested would be best to use, I don't think it would be an easy job and would certainly not be cheap. There is about a foot drop in total over the two steps and the wall to the right looks structural for the garage roof.
I also changed the old cast iron soil pipe to plastic over the weekend, here's the original join, looked a very shoddy job!
Here's the kitchen wall I knocked through
These are just an extra few I've taken
If I have time today i'll do a revised floor plan too.
Cal
Here's the updated floor plan.
On another note, as the ceilings are down and its very easy to run cables to wherever I like, what does everyone suggest regarding wiring? I'm frequently seeing people running cat5 all around the house and I've never understood why?
Also, does anyone know if the wall separating the toilet and the bathroom is load bearing? Its perpendicular to the joists on the first floor, I'm not sure whether to assume the roof is 100% supported by the external walls.
Cheers,
Cal
On another note, as the ceilings are down and its very easy to run cables to wherever I like, what does everyone suggest regarding wiring? I'm frequently seeing people running cat5 all around the house and I've never understood why?
Also, does anyone know if the wall separating the toilet and the bathroom is load bearing? Its perpendicular to the joists on the first floor, I'm not sure whether to assume the roof is 100% supported by the external walls.
Cheers,
Cal
Calum95 said:
On another note, as the ceilings are down and its very easy to run cables to wherever I like, what does everyone suggest regarding wiring? I'm frequently seeing people running cat5 all around the house and I've never understood why?
There's another thread about rewires, I had my house wired with CAT5e to most rooms as wireless isn't as fast or reliable. I have iMac, printer, back up drives and Apple TV connected to it, with phones/tablets etc wireless. It is easy to run the cables now, even if you don't use them. Another thing that is worth considering is where you would put an electric car charger, as that seems to be the way things are heading - I have run a thick cable to above my porch, ready to be connected if I get an electric car.
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