Detached Victorian renovation, London.
Discussion
richienotrich said:
Nice to see some progress on the house again Harry. Have you done any more internal work since or has everything calmed down now parenthood is in full swing?
Thanks! Pretty calm inside. Have decorated the nursery - will take some pics. But we finished the inside fast, and taken my sweet time to tinker with the outside and garden. Garden is particularly rewarding as it has come on loads, as the summer flowers should hopefully show! I have just been rereading this thread, which has taught me a few things.
Firstly, that I was more relaxed and less grumpy whilst doing this house than I am now. Lockdown and second child has clearly made life a bit more serious. I shall endeavour to get back my lightness of spirit.
Secony, that PH is full of friendly folk, who love to help, advise and generly get involved. This is a great thread, and a lovely insight into my life at the time. I just read the bit when my first child arrived, and it made me a bit emotional. 3.5 years later and that little gilrm means everything to me, as do her mother and her little sister.
Thirdly, that this house was worth the massive financial gamble of doing it all at once and getting it over and done with. It is a lovey, functional home to a family of four and whilst it throws up the odd, minor issu as all old homes do, it is a joy to live in.
It was also worth doing, even though many thought we were mad to leave our old home across the street. This house has increased in value considerably more than the old one, by dint of being detached and with a large garden. I had thought that this would be the case, but it seems that instinct was correct here. The last four years have seen an influx of new families to this area as people have searched for space. We have some great new neighbours to add to a bunch who were am eady very nice. There are other large detached house round us.
Asking and sale prices have been considerably higher than we paid. One derelict went recently for over the total cost of our purchase, stamp duty and refurb. One with an older renovation just went for a lot more than even that. This is all paper money, but my hope is that selling this house will help with our retirement, one day, to some mountains somewhere.
I have much to be thankful for, and need to stop being such a tired, grumpy dad of two!
Thanks to all for your participation in this thread, which feels a bit like a life diary, sometimes! A lot has happened over its course: two births, one redundancy, a winter in the Alps, a new career. My wife, I have to say, is a bloody Saint.
Firstly, that I was more relaxed and less grumpy whilst doing this house than I am now. Lockdown and second child has clearly made life a bit more serious. I shall endeavour to get back my lightness of spirit.
Secony, that PH is full of friendly folk, who love to help, advise and generly get involved. This is a great thread, and a lovely insight into my life at the time. I just read the bit when my first child arrived, and it made me a bit emotional. 3.5 years later and that little gilrm means everything to me, as do her mother and her little sister.
Thirdly, that this house was worth the massive financial gamble of doing it all at once and getting it over and done with. It is a lovey, functional home to a family of four and whilst it throws up the odd, minor issu as all old homes do, it is a joy to live in.
It was also worth doing, even though many thought we were mad to leave our old home across the street. This house has increased in value considerably more than the old one, by dint of being detached and with a large garden. I had thought that this would be the case, but it seems that instinct was correct here. The last four years have seen an influx of new families to this area as people have searched for space. We have some great new neighbours to add to a bunch who were am eady very nice. There are other large detached house round us.
Asking and sale prices have been considerably higher than we paid. One derelict went recently for over the total cost of our purchase, stamp duty and refurb. One with an older renovation just went for a lot more than even that. This is all paper money, but my hope is that selling this house will help with our retirement, one day, to some mountains somewhere.
I have much to be thankful for, and need to stop being such a tired, grumpy dad of two!
Thanks to all for your participation in this thread, which feels a bit like a life diary, sometimes! A lot has happened over its course: two births, one redundancy, a winter in the Alps, a new career. My wife, I have to say, is a bloody Saint.
Thanks Joe! Nice to hear from you! On the last point, Lady F has said I can do what I like, but she's staying in this house...
On the PH thing, I know that some folk can be snippy, especially on NP&E. But my car swap threads in GG have fundamentally reaffirmed my faith on human nature, as did the people I met through this renovation thread.
Lady F has used Mumsnet, and exited, stating that it is a poisonous, vicious bed of hate and bullying. A point of direct comparison - a comment about local private schools on my recent car swap thread led to a couple of local PHers coming out and sharing their experiences, in a friendly, piss taking fashion.
A request for advice on Mumsnet in that topic (not by Lady F) led to a host of women berating the poster for showing off because her child got into a good school, and descended into abuse and bullying. She showed me it was horrific.
My wife has thus decided not to ask for advice there, and has in fact asked me if I can get in touch with the local PHer whose kids go to the school in question if our daughter is offered a place. She would rather speak to one of us, than one of "her own".
Thank you PH, for being generally a good Internet place. Especially this Homes and Garden forum.
On the PH thing, I know that some folk can be snippy, especially on NP&E. But my car swap threads in GG have fundamentally reaffirmed my faith on human nature, as did the people I met through this renovation thread.
Lady F has used Mumsnet, and exited, stating that it is a poisonous, vicious bed of hate and bullying. A point of direct comparison - a comment about local private schools on my recent car swap thread led to a couple of local PHers coming out and sharing their experiences, in a friendly, piss taking fashion.
A request for advice on Mumsnet in that topic (not by Lady F) led to a host of women berating the poster for showing off because her child got into a good school, and descended into abuse and bullying. She showed me it was horrific.
My wife has thus decided not to ask for advice there, and has in fact asked me if I can get in touch with the local PHer whose kids go to the school in question if our daughter is offered a place. She would rather speak to one of us, than one of "her own".
Thank you PH, for being generally a good Internet place. Especially this Homes and Garden forum.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Friday 21st January 10:37
Following your advice and procedure, Lady F repotted them both. And they are thriving!
One is dominating a bathroom. Moved here to stop baby fiddling with it, as it was in the main guest (now a playroom) and so has moved to the attached ensuite bathroom for its own safety.
The other is dwarfing our 9 foot Christmas tree (still up as the kids love it and frankly, so do I). This is no trick of perspective. And yes, it is wearing a zebra face balloon in its canopy. Its trunks are a bit spindly still, but slowly thickening up.
One is dominating a bathroom. Moved here to stop baby fiddling with it, as it was in the main guest (now a playroom) and so has moved to the attached ensuite bathroom for its own safety.
The other is dwarfing our 9 foot Christmas tree (still up as the kids love it and frankly, so do I). This is no trick of perspective. And yes, it is wearing a zebra face balloon in its canopy. Its trunks are a bit spindly still, but slowly thickening up.
Gtom said:
How high are the ceilings if that’s a 9 foot tree?!
I thought I was lucky to have just over 9 foot ceilings, I’m very jealous!
I thought I was lucky to have just over 9 foot ceilings, I’m very jealous!
Ground floor ceilings and first floor are 12 feet, first floor 11. Only sensible ceilings in the house are on the top floor! Those tiny looking skirting boards in the bay window are 1 foot tall.
Makes changing light bulbs a pig, and heating bills hilarious.
Also, just measured tree and it is 8 feet, not 9. Who doesn't exaggerate length a little, eh?
Edited by Harry Flashman on Friday 21st January 11:19
okgo said:
A decent step ladder (not the tiny ones) is an absolute must in these houses, mine are still lower than yours too. I had to use my neighbours full length ladder to get at my megaflow!
I have this! Edited by okgo on Friday 21st January 11:10
The 9 volt backup batteries in the wired fire alarms (one in every single room) have started going. They always seem to go at 2am and start beeping. In a manner that carries through the whole house, or wakes up a child. This has been leading to bleary eyed, sweary, ill-tempered use of this ladder at antisocial times.
My Honeywell Evohome system (I only heat the rooms we use, and can voice command rooms to switch on or off/change temperature, making shutdowns very convenient) is the biggest money saver I have, as are oversized rads and a modern condensing bolier running at low temp.
Next overhaul, heat pump heating system.
Next overhaul, heat pump heating system.
jimmyjimjim said:
Harry Flashman said:
Lady F has used Mumsnet, and exited, stating that it is a poisonous, vicious bed of hate and bullying.
I occasionally browse mumsnet, specifically, 'AIBU', or as I tend to think of it 'HUAIB' or 'IABU' - as it's occasionally entertaining to watch a fight.Some of the Feminist subfora are eye-opening. It's a deeply, deeply unpleasant place, full of unpleasant people.
JeffreyD said:
Can I ask what you mean "oversized rads"?
Do you mean radiators that are bigger than the minimum recommended or is it more technical than that?
I've just put a new boiler in and need to replace 41 radiators over the next few months. I was looking at smart thermostats but not sure about the costs.
Exactly that- just much bigger surface area/size than the BTU calculations for the room required. It means yiu can run the boiler in its most efficient zone, and the rads are warm to the touch rather than hot and still heat the rooms nicely.Do you mean radiators that are bigger than the minimum recommended or is it more technical than that?
I've just put a new boiler in and need to replace 41 radiators over the next few months. I was looking at smart thermostats but not sure about the costs.
The a evohome system also learns how the quickly rooms heat, so uses the boiler as efficiently as possible.
I used steel, not cast iron rads. These change temperature faster and are better for a modern heating system that turns rooms off and on, rather than running constantly. Also way cheaper and easier to deal with on installation (can be wall mounted, for example, rather than having to rest in the floor).
Edited by Harry Flashman on Saturday 22 January 07:54
Never had to do this. System comms work fine in normal use. Big problem came when I accidentally reset the system. I posted the process to fix it on a separate thread it was awful.
I keep a load of spare, normal Trv heads in the garage so if the system fails, I can just run the boiler and heat rooms!
I keep a load of spare, normal Trv heads in the garage so if the system fails, I can just run the boiler and heat rooms!
AC43 said:
Harry Flashman said:
Never had to do this. System comms work fine in normal use. Big problem came when I accidentally reset the system. I posted the process to fix it on a separate thread it was awful.
Ouch,Harry Flashman said:
I keep a load of spare, normal Trv heads in the garage so if the system fails, I can just run the boiler and heat rooms!
LOL, good idea!FWIW I think this is the fella that failed. I'd seen it and didn't know what it did. Certainly didn't know it was battery powered. They were goosed as they'd been in for 3.5 years, best replace them annually. I knew about the ones in the TRV's but not this one.
https://www.plumb2u.com/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=3258...
Summer job. When you replaced, did you have to rebind, or does it have an internal battery backup? I have to say that that is a very poor piece of design. Hmmm.
Yep. Big house. Gas bills are massively reduced with the Evohome.
Also, voice command of individual room temps is both big and clever, in my book.
Replaced the batteries as advised above, heating is all fine, but I think the hot water isn't working. There will be some sort of solution on the Internet somewhere, hopefully just rebinding it all.
Also, voice command of individual room temps is both big and clever, in my book.
Replaced the batteries as advised above, heating is all fine, but I think the hot water isn't working. There will be some sort of solution on the Internet somewhere, hopefully just rebinding it all.
AC43 said:
Out of interest do you have your Evohome system serviced annually? I didn't until recently when the batteries started failing on on the controllers and the whole thing ended up as one giant comms fault.
Fella came out and asked when I'd changed the batteries and I said "never". He replaced them and reprogrammed the system.
No he's booked in annually to give it a once over along with the boiler and HW cylinder.
TBH it never even occurred to me.
He's also going to powerflush the whole thing in the summer - the water in the glass valve things is rank.
Evohome needs maintenance now again - who knew? :-)
If it weren't for this post a few days back, I would have had literally no idea what to do. What a coincidence, and what a helpful one! Fella came out and asked when I'd changed the batteries and I said "never". He replaced them and reprogrammed the system.
No he's booked in annually to give it a once over along with the boiler and HW cylinder.
TBH it never even occurred to me.
He's also going to powerflush the whole thing in the summer - the water in the glass valve things is rank.
Evohome needs maintenance now again - who knew? :-)
Thanks AC43, again!
Thanks!!
I returned home late last night, biblically drunk, to find a stone cold house and an angry wife.
Used the aircon in heating mode to resolve the situation, then passed out in a spare room in all my clothes.
I now have a warm house, cold water, a debilitating hangover, and an angry wife. Not sure if this is an improvement in any material way.
I returned home late last night, biblically drunk, to find a stone cold house and an angry wife.
Used the aircon in heating mode to resolve the situation, then passed out in a spare room in all my clothes.
I now have a warm house, cold water, a debilitating hangover, and an angry wife. Not sure if this is an improvement in any material way.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Friday 28th January 12:30
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