Second time refurbishment - 1930's house

[Harry Flashman]

I used Philips Hue strip, behind frosted plastic.

It is expensive. But having had lots of cheap ones fail, it just works. Don't go cheap on stuff it's hard to get to to change at a later date! A hard lesson learned in my refurbs...

[kiethton]

Thanks Harry - had designed/built with ease of access in mind - I can get to it all from the airing cupboard above. Unfortunately I've already got the LED's themselves, it's just the channels outstanding - if they do go quickly I'll likely go the Phillips route though

Edited by kiethton on Saturday 21st January 20:27

[fourstardan]

Nice thread here, I'm a croydon boy and South Croydon 1930's will always yield good value.

Looks like a nice road too, can't be noisy and likely to need those cameras!

Also your garden is nice and im frigging jealous as I want space for a Golf Sim one day

[kiethton]

Thanks!

Yeah, can't go too far wrong I don't think, tucked right at the end of an in & out close so it's usually very quiet which is great.

Cameras mainly for the benefit of my wife - I have to spend ~8 weeks a year away from home with work, have some decent cars which are up the theft lists and a motorbike so hope was just some reassurance on that front.

Although the baby will likely take the golf time away I think the sim can be done in the next year or two, cash depending...if you're local and fancy a game (I'm at The Addington) shout

[kiethton]

And 4 and a bit weeks later the plasterers are finally done!!!

With just 4 weeks left to the due date I'm going gangbusters to get the place habitable before she arrives!

Current intention is to:

Install a toilet so we no longer have to piss in the garden
Install the bath/shower so we can wash
Paint a bedroom, living room and dining room so that we have somewhere to go in the day
Get the radiators, sockets, lights and switches back on
Give it a good clean!

Far from perfect but can continue doing work (and get a lot more done!) if i'm actually living there!

This is how it currently stands (have got started by mist-coating where possible/dry already!)

Front living room:





Back living room/dining room:





Hall:





Kitchen:



Main bedroom: (old en-suite window being replaced/on order)





Other small bedrooms:





Only issue is the plasterers left the old air bricks (I've got a PIV system) so when they come back to do the last bedroom (currently housing our crap) they can skim those quickly/make good around the new window. No idea how soon that'll be given all the other time pressures though!!!

[kiethton]

The next big job, to get the toilet in, requires me to replace the old cast iron external soil pipe. I managed to get the parts back, watch this space....

Edited by kiethton on Sunday 12th February 19:04

[Greshamst]

How are you getting on keithton, did you manage to get things sorted before baby arrived?

[kiethton]

Hey, it was a mixed bag but we're in thanks...

We've got working heating, a plumbed-in toilet, bath and washing machine but... the house is far from finished.

Still no finished flooring, no rooms finally appointed, we've got a temporary kitchen and no tiles in the bathroom (so no shower!).

With the baby now 3 weeks old and my wife healing up after the C-section I'll be back onto the house work next weekend. I have given-in slightly however, with the baby coming at the same time as loosing some direct-reports at work I've been in contact with a handyman that's done a few bits for us historically to fit the kitchen and herringbone laminate throughout the downstairs, we'll bet there!!!

[Greshamst]

Well congratulations! I think a handyman sounds like a good idea, I’m sure your priorities have slightly shifted as of 3 weeks ago.

I’m re-reading this with slightly more dread… due to move into a 1960s house in similar decoration. I’m hoping it’s a simple as fresh paint and new electrics initially… but having seen you get every room replastered, I’m not so sure!

[kiethton]

It's been a while but thought it time for an update.

We're still here, the baby (Harriet) is now 4 months old and my wife hasn't divorced me (yet!). There has been a lot of progress house-wise over the last 3 months, but I've been horrendous at documenting it!

After Hattie was born I was lucky enough to have my pat leave (not much happening on the house), go back into work for 10 days, then land a new job giving me 3 months in the garden. With me starting this week coming work on the house is likely to slow down again...

We've made some steps though (please excuse the mess in pictures!):

Front room

We're in, I've got the sub-floor and final flooring (Herringbone) down, the feature light up and most of the painting done. The main outstanding jobs include cutting, sticking and painting skirting, building a media/storage unit, running the LED strip lights, power/light sockets and a final (touch-up) of the wall paint

Light:



Plinth for the unit:



A messy room with new sofa (baby crap gets everywhere!!):



Bathroom

We no longer have to shower at the golf club!

I've managed to get the tiling done, the shower, sink and plumbing all done and the flooring down. The walls/ceiling need another coat of paint, I need to install the extractor /bath panel and I still haven't painted the woodwork but it's functional





Downstairs toilet

We've got the tiles on, sink in and toilet in position (still needs to be bolted) but it's functional! Also need to get the walls painted, likely in the same colour to match the hall



Kitchen

Some real progress here - walls are painted (will need a final coat), plumbing is done, lighting is done and unit carcasses are constructed - hopefully will be finished in the next month or so allowing worktops to be ordered, final flooring laid and finishing touches to be done





Dining room

This is a bit of a materials dump area being honest, currently houses tools, baby change and our temporary kitchen. Main things to finish are paint (ammonite below picture rail) and flooring plus the normal final sockets/switches/light fittings.



Hall

Also only needing final coat of paint downstairs, stairs and wood doing with the biggest job of then floor (inc into cupboard under stairs) done.







That's the main work - intention being to finish the downstairs before turning our attention upstairs (ex the baby room which just needs paint!)

[Greshamst]

How are you getting on for the end of the year? Did you manage to get all the big stuff done?

[kiethton]

Sorry, I've been awful at keeping this updated

Over the last weeks of my gardening leave there was a big push to get the house ready, knowing that the new-normal of 15 hours out of the house a day would really limit progress. When I've got some proper photos I'll update properly but as we stand now:

Bathroom:

Finished, well....nearly - it's functional and in-use! Last bits to do here are:

- Install the panel on the front of the bath
- Fit the shelf in the sink vanity (pipes need to be tidied to allow this) and silicone around
- fit the extractor vent and main light
- touch up paint

Bedrooms:

All are finished, apart from the obligatory paint touch ups! Carpets are down too! Only remaining bits are:

- fixing the issue with a poorly done (my error) bedside light circuit (need to do this from the loft!!)
- fitting the blinds in the windows
- finding a curtain/pole for the bay window (ideally allowing eyelet curtains to be moved along its length)
- buying and building a ton of furniture, most of which I'll need to wait until the spring to afford
- finding the bracket (it's somewhere safe!!) to fit the light fitting back in the spare bedroom

Living room:

Done and in use, paint will need to be touched up (likely to be done alongside the media centre build - another one for next year)

Dining room:

This is the one remaining room which is not done. However I intend to get the floor down next weekend as everybody is around for Xmas - if I can't get the paint/panelling on that can wait a little bit!

Kitchen:

Kitchen is fully fitted and functional - what a lot of hassle though! Outstanding items are:

To finish fitting the flooring (ran out of time yesterday)
Touch up the paint
Fit the trim to the front of the integrated dishwasher
Fit the last boxing/kitckplates and take off the protective wrap

We're getting there! Something tells me that the little jobs will drag as time is a lot more limited than it was previously. However, as long as we're at a state good enough to host this Xmas I'll be happy!

[Greshamst]

Sounds busy! I’m sure there will be many little jobs that 5 years later you’re ’still getting round to’, always the way.

[The Gauge]

kiethton said:

Front

That's a beautiful looking house.

I live in a 1930's house also, and there is a certain charm to its Art Deco type features even though I would never choose them if they weren't there. There is something about period houses that make them charming, with features that should be kept and preserved. Saying that I can understand why folk might rip them out.

kiethton said:

A messy room with new sofa (baby crap gets everywhere!!):

Love that blue colour on the walls, what is it please?

Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 5th December 12:18

[kiethton]

The Gauge said:

Love that blue colour on the walls, what is it please?

Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 5th December 12:18

Thanks! Colour is Selvedge (farrow & ball 306) love it but it marks very easily - when I'm doing the touch up I'll be getting the same colour mixed in a dulux/johnstones equivalent so it's a bit more family-friendly

[Percy.]

kiethton said:

Thanks! Colour is Selvedge (farrow & ball 306) love it but it marks very easily - when I'm doing the touch up I'll be getting the same colour mixed in a dulux/johnstones equivalent so it's a bit more family-friendly

Had the same thing myself, spent the money and purchased F&B Hague Blue but was disappointed with how easily it marks.

Purchased Dulux Diamond Matt for the next room and it's much much much better.

For the F&B Hague Blue, we just colour matched at B&Q with Valspar Premium and it's not much better, but it's 1/3 of the price

[kiethton]

Greshamst said:

Sounds busy! I’m sure there will be many little jobs that 5 years later you’re ’still getting round to’, always the way.

Yeah fear this will be the case (although it's my wife's biggest annoyance!)

Plan is to get the essentials done before Xmas then work through it a room at a time until done

[mercedeslimos]

As much as I love F&B (not their prices) Over the last few years I've gone down to my local co-op paint shop and gotten the Dulux mixed-on-site ones, and they are very tough for the money, about 45 quid a gallon or something like that. Did the kitchen a bright sea aqua and the upstairs hall a deep GWR green, and coverage is excellent.

[kingston12]

kiethton said:

It's been a while but thought it time for an update.

We're still here, the baby (Harriet) is now 4 months old and my wife hasn't divorced me (yet!). There has been a lot of progress house-wise over the last 3 months, but I've been horrendous at documenting it!

After Hattie was born I was lucky enough to have my pat leave (not much happening on the house), go back into work for 10 days, then land a new job giving me 3 months in the garden. With me starting this week coming work on the house is likely to slow down again...

We've made some steps though (please excuse the mess in pictures!):

Front room

We're in, I've got the sub-floor and final flooring (Herringbone) down, the feature light up and most of the painting done. The main outstanding jobs include cutting, sticking and painting skirting, building a media/storage unit, running the LED strip lights, power/light sockets and a final (touch-up) of the wall paint

Light:



Plinth for the unit:



A messy room with new sofa (baby crap gets everywhere!!):



Bathroom

We no longer have to shower at the golf club!

I've managed to get the tiling done, the shower, sink and plumbing all done and the flooring down. The walls/ceiling need another coat of paint, I need to install the extractor /bath panel and I still haven't painted the woodwork but it's functional





Downstairs toilet

We've got the tiles on, sink in and toilet in position (still needs to be bolted) but it's functional! Also need to get the walls painted, likely in the same colour to match the hall



Kitchen

Some real progress here - walls are painted (will need a final coat), plumbing is done, lighting is done and unit carcasses are constructed - hopefully will be finished in the next month or so allowing worktops to be ordered, final flooring laid and finishing touches to be done





Dining room

This is a bit of a materials dump area being honest, currently houses tools, baby change and our temporary kitchen. Main things to finish are paint (ammonite below picture rail) and flooring plus the normal final sockets/switches/light fittings.



Hall

Also only needing final coat of paint downstairs, stairs and wood doing with the biggest job of then floor (inc into cupboard under stairs) done.







That's the main work - intention being to finish the downstairs before turning our attention upstairs (ex the baby room which just needs paint!)

Great thread, really enjoying seeing he progress made here.

Would you mind sharing where your ceiling light came from? I’m looking for one that fits fairly flush to the ceiling and haven’t been able to find one so far.

[kiethton]

Living room was from here from memory - ordered a lot from a few places!

https://thelightzey.com/collections/pendant-ceilin...