major house modernisation - order of events

[gbbird]

Hi All,

Next year the wife and I plan on undertaking some significant house modernisation. This will include new electrics, new boiler (probably in a new location) and plumbing and heating, new windows, new kitchen, possibly on or two minor walls being knocked through/reduced, plus the usual painting, decorating and flooring.

We accept we will have to live in a building site for some time so do not mind spreading the work over a period of time. Is there any order that we should begin to address these things i.e do we rip out and replace old electrics and plumbing first (assuming we have decided on what walls (if any) will be going? When do the windows go in etc? Also, are there companies (perhaps someo on PH local to MK?) who would take on the entire project management for us?

Any advice/guidance much appreciated.

regards

greg

[zcacogp]

Possibly not the most efficient way of doing things, but if you are living there while the works go on then my priority would be to create one or two rooms that are habitable, and work outwards from there. So a new ring main for the lounge/dining room, and move in there. Modernise one bathroom at a time while ensuring the other one remains usable etc etc etc ...


Oli.

[Duke Thrust]

Been there and just about to do it again.

The advice above is good, get as much stuff out of the house as possible as you'll need to get free access to every where. Get a couple of rooms habitable and then get ready to live like cramped students out of boxes for a few months.

Edited to add that plumbing and electrics will cause the most mess and disruption so try to get that sorted first - you can work around pretty much everything else. Apart from floors - you need them, pretty important.

Edited by Duke Thrust on Wednesday 11th November 14:05

[aberdeeneuan]

We've done a similar amount of work (we'll, we're in the middle of it!)

Agree with electrics and plumbing, they do make the most mess - electrics especially as you'll need to sort the plastering out afterwards. The way we did it was like this:

build new utility room shell
take out walls (insert RSJs)
get new roof on
build wooden frames for new walls and doors
electrics 1st fix
plumbing - new boiler and tank
new windows and door frames finished
interior work (new walls, plastering etc)
new radiators
paint kitchen
new kitchen
new downstairs toilet
finishing touches (skirting, flooring, etc)
decorate lounge, dining room

We've been living in the lounge and bedroom during it, we've not had a kitchen for months now. We're breaking for Christmas with that finished, then taking on the new bathroom. Once that's done, we'll decorate the hall, bedrooms etc.

[pmanson]

Greg,

You'd better move in with us for the duration

I'd say:

• Work out which walls are going and where
• Get the windows/new door sorted (No point have a super dooper new boiler for most of the heat to go out of the windows
• Remove internal walls (probably done at the sametime as the windows)
• Electrics/plumbing (I suspect floor boards will need to be lifted so while it's up get both bits out of the way)
• Work out where you want TV and power points (i'm happy to run some CAT5 around for you if you want at the same time)
• Replaster (I know a good reliable plasterer)
• Paint
• Flooring (Again I know someone in the trade)

Amy and I are friends with someone who does house renovations for a living - can pass his details on to you next time I see you.

As per your card the other day - i'm happy to come around a wave a paintbrush around

[gbbird]

Cheers all,

thanks for the advice - much appreciated. It will help us begin to plan what we need to do and by when. Now just need to start getting estimates for the work

g

[CO2000]

Good luck, have you looked at the forums at Diynot.com ?

Loads of info

[CO2000]

Doh, double post !

Edited by CO2000 on Wednesday 11th November 18:29

[ACEparts_com]

We're in the process of this very thing....

http://web.me.com/aceparts/Site/Cornerstones.html

1) Move out
2) Gut the place
3) come up with some ideas
4) come up with more ideas
5) get a builder round who know's what they're doing while you do what you know to earn the money to pay for it
6) move back in

Everything is more involved and takes twice as long as you think. Oh, and costs twice as much! Getting a fixed price for the whole job is what we did. Defo the best decision i've ever made!

[Bonefish Blues]

ACEparts_com said:

Everything is more involved and takes twice as long as you think. Oh, and costs twice as much! Getting a fixed price for the whole job is what we did. Defo the best decision i've ever made!

Agree entirely - plan until you're sick of it, down to the last nut & bolt if possible. Take spec to builder(s) for fixed price quotes. Hire the right one and don't be tempted to change things mid way.

[odyssey2200]

I was always told to work from top to bottom, inside to out.

I guess the walls, the wiring, plumbing and finally the windows.

but that could all have been BS.

I admire your bravery

good luck and don't forget to post the pictures of progress.

[gbbird]

Cheers all,

it does indeed seem a very daunting task, but we have been putting this off for ages so we are both ready for a few months (hopefully) of upheaval. Will try to use all local, reputable firms for the work. Once we get cracking i shall of course keep you all up to date with photos, progress etc, plus throughout the ordeal you will probably find me posting desperatre questions about what to do/not to do (providing i have access to a PC that it )

[hairyben]

In my experience occupied refurbs usually go tit's up.

Prepare for everything you own to be covered in dust and st constantly, the job to take longer due to the need to keep services on/working washing/cooking facilities and work around you, tradesmen to complain about things being done out of sequence. The tradesmen will be stressed and so will you thus rows will flare up over issues where they otherwise wouldn't.

Moving into a rented flat/ with friends/family would be much, much better idea. Like said this is from my experience (I'm an electrician) of observing people try to do this. It's possible but highly inadvisable.

[K50 DEL]

I'm just about to start the same thing, although I'm lucky in that i work out of the UK and so the tradesmen are doing the messy / disruptive bits when the house is empty.

[ACEparts_com]

gbbird said:

Cheers all,

it does indeed seem a very daunting task, but we have been putting this off for ages so we are both ready for a few months (hopefully) of upheaval. Will try to use all local, reputable firms for the work. Once we get cracking i shall of course keep you all up to date with photos, progress etc, plus throughout the ordeal you will probably find me posting desperatre questions about what to do/not to do (providing i have access to a PC that it )

The thing with getting multi contractors in is who will take the blame if something goes wrong - say the kitchen fitters whack a nail through the underfloor heating for example. Will kitchen fitters then lay out for floor to be dug up etc?

Think very carefully about this; also, where one job starts and another finishes. There's probably an overlap that nobody will take responsability for!

[Blindswelledcat]

hairyben said:

In my experience occupied refurbs usually go tit's up.

Prepare for everything you own to be covered in dust and st constantly, the job to take longer due to the need to keep services on/working washing/cooking facilities and work around you, tradesmen to complain about things being done out of sequence. The tradesmen will be stressed and so will you thus rows will flare up over issues where they otherwise wouldn't.

Moving into a rented flat/ with friends/family would be much, much better idea. Like said this is from my experience (I'm an electrician) of observing people try to do this. It's possible but highly inadvisable.

This!

Been there, done it. Two months rent and storage will easily be covered by the savings in getting the job done in one hit. Plus no stress!

[wolf1]

I'm in the middle of a complete rip apart and start again rebuild and will in no way shape or form try living in one again. As has already been said prepare for everything you own to be covered in dust and crap (no matter how hard you try to keep it clean). Wok never goes as it should because you still want some services in the house such as heating etc in winter. Also you tend to get a touch narked with it as you are living slap bang in the middle of a building site.
I'm sticking a static caravan at the side of the next one then at least I've got somewhere warm, clean and dry to take refuge in. Then at least when I get home after a long day at work I don't have to iron the bed because the heating is in bits and even the bed is like a sodding ice cube.

[Ranger 6]

ACEparts_com said:

1) come up with some ideas
2) come up with more ideas, get them drwan up and use it a the basis for a fixed price quote
3) Move out - can't emphasise this enough!
4) let the builder gut the place
5) get a builder round who know's what they're doing while you do what you know to earn the money to pay for it
6) move back in

Everything is more involved and takes twice as long as you think. Oh, and costs twice as much! Getting a fixed price for the whole job is what we did. Defo the best decision i've ever made!

Have changed a couple of these items but this is good, plan, plan, plan, and plan again, then write everything down and give it to a builder. Move out and take everything with you so the builder has free rein to move/gut/build as he see's fit.

We did this and the whole refurb including new loftroom, new roof, kitchen extension, bathrooms, re-wiring, new plumbing, plastering etc etc etc took 3 1/2 months. Some friends who've done the same but tried to live in it have taken 7 months and it's still not finished....