Detached Victorian renovation, London.

[RoverP6B]

Exposed brick chimneys are nice in mid-Victorian cottages like my old place, but that just looks plain wrong, sorry. At least it's opened up the chimney for you to check the brickwork, though, and it doesn't look too great... some repointing may be wise.

Foxes do very little harm in the overall scheme of things... biggest problem is when they're hungry and threatened. The most destructive, rapacious, malodorous vermin on the planet are us humans... but funny how the pro-hunt/cull lobby shut up when it's suggested that human extinction would be environmentally/ecologically beneficial!

[hyphen]

I'm also not sure of the exposed chimney, as the bricks look the cheap type, will be interesting to see the end result when cleaned up and room decorated.

[Harry Flashman]

The bricks aren't in amazing condition, so we are debating cleaning them up and replastering, but frankly that can be done at the end of the process. I quite like the rustic look in a house - I agree that right now it all looks a bit rough. I did the same in my flat, with very similar bricks, and it looked god when the place was all designed and decorated.

Some good news today - it turns out that all the sash windows were refurbished in 2013, and the casements are thick enough to take double glazed units with minimal work (we have to upgrade the weights, as the new panes would be heavier). So hopefully the cost of doing them would not be astronomical - but even if we don't they are all draughtproof enough to survive a winter.

More good news - behind blanking plates in every room is Cat5 cable, run throughout the house to a central point! That made me happy...

On that note, a few more pics. More exposed brick (for you fans!), this time upstairs WC and what will be the dressing room. Studwork is for an en-suite to the master bedroom.

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr



Floors being (very gently) taken up and insulated/draughtproofed

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

[Harry Flashman]

Of course!

[koomvalley]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I've yet to use this product but have it in my DIY shopping shortlist:

https://www.kingfisheruk.com/interior-brick-and-du...

-stop dusting on feature walls, solvent free, provides protection from staining, suitable as a non-flammable fireplace sealer

Alternatively, I think you can also use diluted PVA.

[Harry Flashman]

Diluted PVA works just fine - the walls can breathe elsewhere. You have to be careful though - too much of the stuff and the bricks take on a slightly satin sheen, which is not pleasant.

The way I did it in my flat was with an industrial vacuum cleaner for the dust, and then a garden sprayer with the weak PVA solution. Pics below (looking a bit bare as this is in emptied, rentable state, with none of my better furniture in it, or any art hanging on the walls). Those coloured patches of plaster on the brick in the hallway used to house a collection of African masks...

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Edited by Harry Flashman on Thursday 7th September 12:30

[RoverP6B]

I'm really not convinced... get some lime and horsehair plaster on it sharpish!

[Harry Flashman]

I know you're not! But I am...at least until the rest of the designs come together and it looks terrible, in which case I will replaster. Fixing the brickwork, in any case - it needs it.

[dmsims]

RoverP6B said:

I'm really not convinced... get some lime and horsehair plaster on it sharpish!

+1

[kiethton]

I'm with harry here

Love an exposed brick wall - especially in houses of this age/brick type

[ashleyman]

Love the exposed brick! Followed the purchase thread and just found this so also following!

It's going to be a beautiful house to live in. Such a lucky guy!

[terrydacktal]

Harry Flashman said:

Diluted PVA works just fine - the walls can breathe elsewhere. You have to be careful though - too much of the stuff and the bricks take on a slightly satin sheen, which is not pleasant.

The way I did it in my flat was with an industrial vacuum cleaner for the dust, and then a garden sprayer with the weak PVA solution. Pics below (looking a bit bare as this is in emptied, rentable state, with none of my better furniture in it, or any art hanging on the walls). Those coloured patches of plaster on the brick in the hallway used to house a collection of African masks...

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr

Edited by Harry Flashman on Thursday 7th September 12:30

I can see what you've tried to do there but you've missed it by a country mile I'm afraid. It just looks as though you're halfway through some damp proofing.
I've had a few places with exposed brickwork and, in my opinion, it should properly pointed for a property like that. Your look would be fine in a barn conversion or something but is lacking elegance.

[Harry Flashman]

The photos don't do justice to the lovely yellow London brick. It's a pale gold and very, very pretty to behold...

[terrydacktal]

I'm sure it's a lovely brick but the 'rip the plaster off (apart from a couple of bits for masks) and leave the wall looking rustic' is a bit passe now wouldn't you say? Unless you want to make it look like a burger joint in a small town with copper pipes on show in the bathrooms and stuff of course!

[Harry Flashman]

terrydacktal said:

I can see what you've tried to do there but you've missed it by a country mile I'm afraid. It just looks as though you're halfway through some damp proofing.

Thanks a lot!

I like the distressed look, and as I said, the photos don't do the look justice at all.

I rather hope that this is the most controversial decision I post on here - tough crowd!

[terrydacktal]

Apologies if you don't like opposing opinions, I assumed you posted pictures for critique rather than affirmation.

I quite like a distressed look too but I'm just saying your new property isn't the place for it. Just my opinion of course but if I bought the finished house off you the first thing I'd do would be to get a plasterer in.

[dmsims]

You could complete the look by not plasterboarding the celings

[anonymous-user]

Harry Flashman said:

Thanks a lot!

I like the distressed look, and as I said, the photos don't do the look justice at all.

I rather hope that this is the most controversial decision I post on here - tough crowd!

Have you done all that since the weekend?

You must run it like workhouse!

For what it's worth I like it.

[snobetter]

I'm enjoying the brick, I hate it when people continually do the same thing. If you're doing your house to live in and not just sell on be individual and go for it!

[B17NNS]

I like a bit of exposed brick.

Currently I've got a bit of a hard-on for panelled walls and coffered ceilings.

This is a great room...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc6ZbjQJ3HM