First House Renovation / Do-er upper
Discussion
So, few more bits and bobs done, Kitchen more or less stripped, a few small bits of stud wall taken out to open up and first scratch coat on the chimney breast ready for either plastering a or spot/dabbing fireproof plasterboard onto it.. Decided to leave the slate as a nice feature.
Fireplace - First time at plastering, had a friend round showing me what to do for the first few go's.. few places need filling in as the gaps are quite large, but getting flatter every coat. I'm very happy with it, and happier that i got to learn a new skill (sort of!)
This is how the 'living room' looked during this..
Stairs now fully clear ready for spindles and carpet taken off ready for joiner to come around. (Not chancing this myself as they're very expensive to get wrong)
And some of you may have read the start of the thread where I mentioned that the lady that lived here previous was a heavy smoker, before pricing up new windows I thought i'd try to clean them first as they're only 2 years old.. No real 'after' shots yet but a 50/50 using Autosmart Evo3 cutting compound on a polishing sponge.
Before:
After-ish:
Master bedroom Wallpaper and skirtings mid-stripping:
That's where we're at up to now, back bedroom is being left til last as I keep all the 'new' stuff and all tools etc. there so the rest of the house is empty always.
Electrician coming tonight to have a look as I'm replacing downstairs with downlighters, is there anything I should/could do before he arrives to make his life easier and save myself some dosh?
Any comments are welcome.
Dion
Fireplace - First time at plastering, had a friend round showing me what to do for the first few go's.. few places need filling in as the gaps are quite large, but getting flatter every coat. I'm very happy with it, and happier that i got to learn a new skill (sort of!)
This is how the 'living room' looked during this..
Stairs now fully clear ready for spindles and carpet taken off ready for joiner to come around. (Not chancing this myself as they're very expensive to get wrong)
And some of you may have read the start of the thread where I mentioned that the lady that lived here previous was a heavy smoker, before pricing up new windows I thought i'd try to clean them first as they're only 2 years old.. No real 'after' shots yet but a 50/50 using Autosmart Evo3 cutting compound on a polishing sponge.
Before:
After-ish:
Master bedroom Wallpaper and skirtings mid-stripping:
That's where we're at up to now, back bedroom is being left til last as I keep all the 'new' stuff and all tools etc. there so the rest of the house is empty always.
Electrician coming tonight to have a look as I'm replacing downstairs with downlighters, is there anything I should/could do before he arrives to make his life easier and save myself some dosh?
Any comments are welcome.
Dion
Electrician came round last night and He's happy for me to do all the first fixing. Should learn a little as we go along, then a case of him connecting everything up - makes it a lot easier seeing as there's no ceilings.
Also Joiner has been and priced everything up - should be getting started in a few weeks on the stairs, labour was priced at £250 inc. vat for three newel posts and putting all the stairs together (Spindles every 100mm) and enging etc. £200 inc. for fitting skirting boards to the whole house, (Kitchen, Living room, Two bedrooms and landind area), £70 for fitting and Jigging the new worktops and £30 per door inc. for hanging them, planing and fitting handles and latches. I thought that his prices were more than reasonable.
Dion
Also Joiner has been and priced everything up - should be getting started in a few weeks on the stairs, labour was priced at £250 inc. vat for three newel posts and putting all the stairs together (Spindles every 100mm) and enging etc. £200 inc. for fitting skirting boards to the whole house, (Kitchen, Living room, Two bedrooms and landind area), £70 for fitting and Jigging the new worktops and £30 per door inc. for hanging them, planing and fitting handles and latches. I thought that his prices were more than reasonable.
Dion
So, everyone (Sparkies, Joiners, plumbers, HETAS engineers and plasterers) Priced the jobs, Haggled and re-priced to to the point I'm happy with.
Only thing I've not yet set a price on is Double glazing as the prices seem to vary SO much! is there a reliable online seller that I can use?
So..
I'm plasterboarding this weekend, Electrician first fixing during today, plasterer doing the kitchen next weekend, and Plumber in tomorrow stripping and capping the bathroom so I can clad it during half term week when I'm off.
I'm getting the kitchen and bathroom 100% finished before I move on with anything else just to see if any plumbing needs sorting before I cover it with plaster boards. Seems logical to me, but it is my first house renovation!
Looking forward to the progress but my bank account is just decreasing faster than I can work to top it up!!!
Dion.
Only thing I've not yet set a price on is Double glazing as the prices seem to vary SO much! is there a reliable online seller that I can use?
So..
I'm plasterboarding this weekend, Electrician first fixing during today, plasterer doing the kitchen next weekend, and Plumber in tomorrow stripping and capping the bathroom so I can clad it during half term week when I'm off.
I'm getting the kitchen and bathroom 100% finished before I move on with anything else just to see if any plumbing needs sorting before I cover it with plaster boards. Seems logical to me, but it is my first house renovation!
Looking forward to the progress but my bank account is just decreasing faster than I can work to top it up!!!
Dion.
Only Photo update as of now.. The Log burner. Believed to be a £1000 + Villager Stove/unit approx 6-7KW and around 20-25 years old, Cast iron built. Was fitted in a holiday home and was lit occasionally (Maybe twice a year) bought for a bargain £200 and spent £100 on new fire bricks, fire rope, glass and coated in a fresh coat of stove paint. A new spanner was also bought open the doors as the original had gone walkies..
So.. here she is ready to fit!
Love it - New liner needed as the previous one fitted (Although not old) is only 5" compared to the 6" stove and is a gas only flue. Gutted at having to spend £270 for a new one but better in the long run as I know it's done properly.
Looking for a chimney pot and the black enamel pipe for the top of the stove now.
Dion
So.. here she is ready to fit!
Love it - New liner needed as the previous one fitted (Although not old) is only 5" compared to the 6" stove and is a gas only flue. Gutted at having to spend £270 for a new one but better in the long run as I know it's done properly.
Looking for a chimney pot and the black enamel pipe for the top of the stove now.
Dion
So... a fair amount of progress being done this week, most evenings and throughout the weekend with a lot of help I've managed to:
Get the electrician in to First fix
Ordered UPVC windows for the house
Finished the bottom of the fireplace and got it nice and level
Started to plasterboard with the help of dad and a mate.
Fully stripped the kitchen and bathroom of all units/suite and plumbing
Stripped the downstairs Loo of wallpaper etc. ready to re-paint (Not bothering with a new suite here just a new toilet seat and new basin)
So Pictures....
The stripdown:
You can really see the colour of the walls due to the tobacco here!!!
The fireplace:
Started by emptying of rocks and bricks to only be left with the concrete centre (Which was sloping backwards to put membrane down and filled up with a mix of sharp sand, building sand and cement:
Started to plasterboard (took us 2 hours to cut and fit 2 sheets ha ha) none of us had tried it before. tried to get them as neat as possible, also used battens to close up the window from kitchen to living room (Other side will be done the same) :
Downstairs Loo:
Also some bits ready for the plasterer to skim:
Comments welcome, Dion
Get the electrician in to First fix
Ordered UPVC windows for the house
Finished the bottom of the fireplace and got it nice and level
Started to plasterboard with the help of dad and a mate.
Fully stripped the kitchen and bathroom of all units/suite and plumbing
Stripped the downstairs Loo of wallpaper etc. ready to re-paint (Not bothering with a new suite here just a new toilet seat and new basin)
So Pictures....
The stripdown:
You can really see the colour of the walls due to the tobacco here!!!
The fireplace:
Started by emptying of rocks and bricks to only be left with the concrete centre (Which was sloping backwards to put membrane down and filled up with a mix of sharp sand, building sand and cement:
Started to plasterboard (took us 2 hours to cut and fit 2 sheets ha ha) none of us had tried it before. tried to get them as neat as possible, also used battens to close up the window from kitchen to living room (Other side will be done the same) :
Downstairs Loo:
Also some bits ready for the plasterer to skim:
Comments welcome, Dion
So a little update - off for half term next week so hoping to see a bit more progress during the week.
Whilst waiting for stuff to arrive etc. I've been trying to de-nail and cut old pieces of wood, treed and skirting etc into fire wood to try and get the pile of scrap wood in the garden a little smaller.. every little helps:
Inside the beaten up shed (New logstore coming soon!)
Also nearly finished the plaster-boarding in the kitchen.. time consuming and is a little hard to get 3 of us there at the same time during the evenings but getting there and getting easier as we're going along:
Looking for a small impact driver this afternoon - using a drill really doesn't work for the plaster-boarding and driving the screws etc. so a budget of less than £200 I'm looking at the screw-fix own branded Erbaur, Makita kit with drill or the dewalt. any suggestions please say!
Dion
Whilst waiting for stuff to arrive etc. I've been trying to de-nail and cut old pieces of wood, treed and skirting etc into fire wood to try and get the pile of scrap wood in the garden a little smaller.. every little helps:
Inside the beaten up shed (New logstore coming soon!)
Also nearly finished the plaster-boarding in the kitchen.. time consuming and is a little hard to get 3 of us there at the same time during the evenings but getting there and getting easier as we're going along:
Looking for a small impact driver this afternoon - using a drill really doesn't work for the plaster-boarding and driving the screws etc. so a budget of less than £200 I'm looking at the screw-fix own branded Erbaur, Makita kit with drill or the dewalt. any suggestions please say!
Dion
thebraketester said:
I wouldnt use an impact for plasterboard screws. If you are doing lots of it then get a dewalt automatic feed plasterboard driver
But impacts, I would go 18V makita. I bought one to build my studio last year and its the best 100 quid I have ever spent. They do a impact/driver duo pack which is good value
I didn't know such thing was available to be honest with you!But impacts, I would go 18V makita. I bought one to build my studio last year and its the best 100 quid I have ever spent. They do a impact/driver duo pack which is good value
I borrowed an erbaur impact driver off a friend to do the kitchen last night and it made the work MUCH easier as it was less than half the weight of my snap on drill and I felt I had more control over the screw because of the torque settings rather than what happened with the drill (A few times) was i drove them in too far and they went through the plaster board.
Dion
thebraketester said:
Are you using a proper drywall screw bit?
http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-drywall-bits-ph-2-...
That is pretty much essential if you are using a normal driver or impact, so you dont keep busting through the plaster.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collated-Drywall-Cordless...
Not cheap but if i were boarding an entire house I would buy one without doubt.
a couple of those bits ordered - I had no idea such thing existed if I'm honest with you! I only have another three rooms to do so I feel it would be a waste to buy the £280 dewalt scre driver - by that time I'd probably be better off paying the plasterer to board as well! http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-drywall-bits-ph-2-...
That is pretty much essential if you are using a normal driver or impact, so you dont keep busting through the plaster.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collated-Drywall-Cordless...
Not cheap but if i were boarding an entire house I would buy one without doubt.
Edited by thebraketester on Friday 17th February 12:02
Thanks for the links, very useful.
Dion
So - Half term is here! hoping to get a lot done this week..
Started off Saturday by building a stud wall in the living room for two reasons, 3" difference between the top right corner and the bottom left of the wall (Majorly on the piss!) and because the plaster had cracked I was having to hack it all back to the stonework and re-scratch and dry line the wall if I wanted to plaster it again... So-stud wall in 3X2 which cost £55 and plaster board (Other side of the fireplace being done during the week too)
Second reason - allows me to run my internet, satellite and leccy cables through it:
Packing out the top to get it perfectly level..
top and bottom perfectly level and ready to cut the vertical 3x2's:
Second, I built some boxing around the waste pipe in 3x2 and some 2x1 for some parts for clearance. Put some noggins in to make it solid and plaster-boarded the boxing in (we did finish it, but forgot to take a picture):
Also after looking at soooo many different impact driver and drill sets, I went out to buy an erbauer set from Screwfix and even the lads behind the counter told me not to buy them!! quality is not the best they said even though they do get replaced with no quibble. So Dewalt 10.8v drill and impact set, 2 batteries, charger and box £110 plus vat on offer in travis perkins. Bargain.
Also ordered:
Shower Bath
Screen
Toilet
Corner Basin
Extractor fan
LED Waterproof dome lamp
And got a chrome curved towel rail from screwfix - that should see the bathroom getting done in the next month or so hopefully.
Any comments welcome as always - Dion
Started off Saturday by building a stud wall in the living room for two reasons, 3" difference between the top right corner and the bottom left of the wall (Majorly on the piss!) and because the plaster had cracked I was having to hack it all back to the stonework and re-scratch and dry line the wall if I wanted to plaster it again... So-stud wall in 3X2 which cost £55 and plaster board (Other side of the fireplace being done during the week too)
Second reason - allows me to run my internet, satellite and leccy cables through it:
Packing out the top to get it perfectly level..
top and bottom perfectly level and ready to cut the vertical 3x2's:
Second, I built some boxing around the waste pipe in 3x2 and some 2x1 for some parts for clearance. Put some noggins in to make it solid and plaster-boarded the boxing in (we did finish it, but forgot to take a picture):
Also after looking at soooo many different impact driver and drill sets, I went out to buy an erbauer set from Screwfix and even the lads behind the counter told me not to buy them!! quality is not the best they said even though they do get replaced with no quibble. So Dewalt 10.8v drill and impact set, 2 batteries, charger and box £110 plus vat on offer in travis perkins. Bargain.
Also ordered:
Shower Bath
Screen
Toilet
Corner Basin
Extractor fan
LED Waterproof dome lamp
And got a chrome curved towel rail from screwfix - that should see the bathroom getting done in the next month or so hopefully.
Any comments welcome as always - Dion
So... Half term been and gone -a lot of progress...
All the kitchen plaster-boarded, drywall taped and filled all the bits in.
New window came and it was fitted that night with the help of a mate and an SDS drill:
Blue gritted all the walls ready for the plasterer and bought some beading to square off the edges all perfectly.
My friend also filled in (Sand/cement) all the big gaps around the window and filled in a new window sill to get it nice and square.
Another 3x2 wall built in the living room (opposite side to the fireplace) to match the other one. that room is now ready for plasterboarding and self levelling the floor but no pictures yet!
My new bathroom came - Toilet broken, got a new one, totally different pan. NEVER using Big bathroom shop again!!
In other news... bought a new toy!
Takes us to today... Plasterer was coming at 8.00 this morning, text at 7.55 saying he wasn't coming until tomorrow - A little pissed off but could be worse I guess.
Dion.
All the kitchen plaster-boarded, drywall taped and filled all the bits in.
New window came and it was fitted that night with the help of a mate and an SDS drill:
Blue gritted all the walls ready for the plasterer and bought some beading to square off the edges all perfectly.
My friend also filled in (Sand/cement) all the big gaps around the window and filled in a new window sill to get it nice and square.
Another 3x2 wall built in the living room (opposite side to the fireplace) to match the other one. that room is now ready for plasterboarding and self levelling the floor but no pictures yet!
My new bathroom came - Toilet broken, got a new one, totally different pan. NEVER using Big bathroom shop again!!
In other news... bought a new toy!
Takes us to today... Plasterer was coming at 8.00 this morning, text at 7.55 saying he wasn't coming until tomorrow - A little pissed off but could be worse I guess.
Dion.
So plasterer has been and done the kitchen - must say I'm really pleased with it. I supplied the plaster and beads. and he charged £100 which i thought was very cheap, and to be honest was expecting a cr@p job at that price. But i was pleasantly surprised..
So - how long until I can mist coat?
Also - The drill in the Dewalt set i bought came in very handy on pancake day yesterday!
Dion.
So - how long until I can mist coat?
Also - The drill in the Dewalt set i bought came in very handy on pancake day yesterday!
Dion.
Thanks Olly!
Electrician has been and fitted the down lighters, LED batten and new MK flush fit sockets in the kitchen last night - Looks awesome, pictures to follow.
Next question - which shower do I go for? Plumber coming tomorrow to fit the bathroom suite and electrician is wiring the new shower mid next week.
these are the options i'm looking at after recommendations from my plumber and electrician to go with Mira Sport:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mira-sport-max-with-airb...
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mira-sport-electric-show...
Any others - I'm happy to have a look at any. Ideally after a minimum 9kw but best if it's 10.8kw really.
As always - opinions welcome.
Dion
Electrician has been and fitted the down lighters, LED batten and new MK flush fit sockets in the kitchen last night - Looks awesome, pictures to follow.
Next question - which shower do I go for? Plumber coming tomorrow to fit the bathroom suite and electrician is wiring the new shower mid next week.
these are the options i'm looking at after recommendations from my plumber and electrician to go with Mira Sport:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mira-sport-max-with-airb...
http://www.screwfix.com/p/mira-sport-electric-show...
Any others - I'm happy to have a look at any. Ideally after a minimum 9kw but best if it's 10.8kw really.
As always - opinions welcome.
Dion
Are the recoup energy solutions ways of gathering and keeping the waste hot water into the heating system? They look very expensive and confuse me!
As for the digital showers - i REALLY do like the look of them and have looked into them before my plumber recommended Mira - I agree that the 'box on the wall' type showers don't look as good - but I was swinged over by the reliability argument. It's a hard one..
To be honest in regards to running the shower off the combi boiler - I'm a bit clueless about anything to do with plumbing to be honest, What would be the benefits of running it off the combi? I'm assuming that means running it as a mixer shower using the hot/cold water from the boiler and relying on the water pressure in the house? rather than using the electric to heat and pump it?
I always assumed I'd need an electric shower so I could get the force/power from the shower. I'm happy to take any advice - and my plumber and electrician are happy to fit whatever I buy. Just recommended the Mira on what they've seen before
Thank you for all the advice.
Dion.
As for the digital showers - i REALLY do like the look of them and have looked into them before my plumber recommended Mira - I agree that the 'box on the wall' type showers don't look as good - but I was swinged over by the reliability argument. It's a hard one..
To be honest in regards to running the shower off the combi boiler - I'm a bit clueless about anything to do with plumbing to be honest, What would be the benefits of running it off the combi? I'm assuming that means running it as a mixer shower using the hot/cold water from the boiler and relying on the water pressure in the house? rather than using the electric to heat and pump it?
I always assumed I'd need an electric shower so I could get the force/power from the shower. I'm happy to take any advice - and my plumber and electrician are happy to fit whatever I buy. Just recommended the Mira on what they've seen before
Thank you for all the advice.
Dion.
Electrician has been back to extend a few sockets and fit the down lighters and LED batten in the kitchen. Ceiling and the board part of the window was bone dry so given it a first mist coat at 50:50 emulsion:water to be able to leave the mist to properly dry whilst the rest of the plaster is drying.
Down lighters fitted with GU10 LED's but Cool white are not 'white' enough for me - looking for an alternative - will pop to screwfix this weekend.
Plumber also been in - First fixed the whole bathroom ready for me to fit the cladding, ran Hep2o through the wall for a neater (invisible) shower plumbing instead of the previous (see picture) ugly pipe running from the attic.
Bath fitted and a twist-lock bath plug / waste fitted to it.
Waterfall bath taps, corner basin and pedestal, shower screen, Mira sport Max 10.8kw shower (after much umm'ing and aah'ing with the plumber and looking at different options) and 25m of 10mm twin and earth cable arrived too.
Feels like progress now!
Dion
Down lighters fitted with GU10 LED's but Cool white are not 'white' enough for me - looking for an alternative - will pop to screwfix this weekend.
Plumber also been in - First fixed the whole bathroom ready for me to fit the cladding, ran Hep2o through the wall for a neater (invisible) shower plumbing instead of the previous (see picture) ugly pipe running from the attic.
Bath fitted and a twist-lock bath plug / waste fitted to it.
Waterfall bath taps, corner basin and pedestal, shower screen, Mira sport Max 10.8kw shower (after much umm'ing and aah'ing with the plumber and looking at different options) and 25m of 10mm twin and earth cable arrived too.
Feels like progress now!
Dion
So - Unfortunately been off work sick with my tonsils for a few days last week.. here's the progress I managed before then.
Kitchen painted, One mist coat and two normal coats of emulsion. two coats of Pure Brilliant White 'kitchen' paint going on later on this week hopefully so I can fit the kitchen asap as it's taking up the living room!
Watered down mist coat:
Onto first and second:
Kitchen taking over the living room - ready to go..
And the reason the progress has been fairly slow these last few weeks, I've a rally this coming weekend and been trying to squeeze in some time getting the car ready.. Nearly there.
Dion
Kitchen painted, One mist coat and two normal coats of emulsion. two coats of Pure Brilliant White 'kitchen' paint going on later on this week hopefully so I can fit the kitchen asap as it's taking up the living room!
Watered down mist coat:
Onto first and second:
Kitchen taking over the living room - ready to go..
And the reason the progress has been fairly slow these last few weeks, I've a rally this coming weekend and been trying to squeeze in some time getting the car ready.. Nearly there.
Dion
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