First House - Renovation Thread

kaptainmarc · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:48

So I Finally got the keys to my house took just shy of 4 months to complete.

First time buyers, No chain house was empty. So annoying it took so long me and the Mrs have had to live apart coming up to 2 and a half months, Its been tough but making some real progress on the House

3 Bed Semi Detached Ex Council house

So day 1 got the keys and went in to check everything was still running as it should be. Greeted by this they were told to empty it and had 4 months, Plain lazy people:

+ The garage is full to the rafters, Since got a skip and chucked most of the junk away, but will need to get another one

Next day we came in to a pool of water on the floor dripping through the light fitting from the hot water tank. Turned out the ballcock was old and broken so fixed that

First job was sort out Bedroom number 1

Parents couldn't resist coming over and getting stuck in
The stripy wall is a night mare and will just be wallpapered over as it is all painted in gloss

We decided we are getting any ugly walls plastered as we know a guy and get good rates, Lucky we Budgeted for it as half the plaster just came tumbling off the walls. I really cant stand lining paper

Plastering has now been finished looks 100% better silky smooth walls, started painting them will get pictures up at the weekend.

Asked my plumber friend to come over and have a look at the Ancient boiler to check it would last us at least a few months, after looking at it for around 5 seconds he switched it off as it was leaking gas.

After taking the panels off we found the Condemned Noticed from years ago that the previous owners decided to ignore

So we started to fit the new boiler , at a silly bargain price I must say. Always good having friends in Trades.

installing the flue was awesome fun.......
The house is a Wimpey-no Fines I am a concrete technician so knew this was going to be tough going drilling the flue. But after ~ 3 hours and one Diamond drill bit later we got through

Still have no heat as the Whole Installation of the previous boiler was backhanded and the wrong way upside down back to front when put in place, We have changed all the pipe work and the final electrics should be installed tomorrow and I'll finally have some heat!

Russinating · 1 Jan 2015 at 18:45

Good luck! We're at the start of our own renovation but thankfully all the nasty/expensive bits have already been done with grants - new boiler, double glazing, loft insulation etc.

Are you living there whilst doing it?

Josh · 1 Jan 2015 at 18:53

Good luck Marc, starting a project like this comes with a huge amount of stress.

Just remember the end result will be worth it!

kaptainmarc · 1 Jan 2015 at 19:29

Russinating said:
Good luck! We're at the start of our own renovation but thankfully all the nasty/expensive bits have already been done with grants - new boiler, double glazing, loft insulation etc.

Are you living there whilst doing it?

luckily we managed to save a lot of cash before moving in for the expensive bits

No we are living at either my parents or her parents until we get it in a decent state when all the plastering has been finished

JOSH86 said:
Good luck Marc, starting a project like this comes with a huge amount of stress.

Just remember the end result will be worth it!

No arguements or feeling down yet! touch wood lol, getting really excited now as things are moving very quickly

Russinating · 1 Jan 2015 at 19:44

kaptainmarc said:
No we are living at either my parents or her parents until we get it in a decent state when all the plastering has been finished

Ah that's handy. We're doing ours around us and our stuff which is tricky to say the least!

Good luck!

Quartz · 1 Jan 2015 at 20:11

You should read this thread for inspiration.

kaptainmarc · 3 Jan 2015 at 16:18

Update time.

Quick picture of the Kitchen, Its totally liveable with, few cracked tiles work surface isn't sealed in so there is a few bobbly bits round the sink but wont get touched now until the rest of the house is done.

The Hallway:

wallpaper got stripped off, my arms absolutely killed after this!

Then got the plasterer in, Artex ceiling is no more, the bad bits were around an inch long, it looked like stalactites

all nice and smooth now

Russinating · 3 Jan 2015 at 19:09

How much do you have to clean/prepare a surface like your stairway wall before plastering? Did you plaster over it as is in that picture or remove all the old plaster etc first?

kaptainmarc · 3 Jan 2015 at 19:42

The plasterer bashed away any loose bits to prep, then day 1 filled all the holes with plaster then skimmed over the whole lot the following day.

Russinating · 3 Jan 2015 at 19:45

Hmmm ok. We've loads of walls to plaster and they're all a mess - woodchip over 2 or 3 layers of paint over lime plaster. Stripping the woodchip is hard enough but getting rid of every single bit of paint takes ages (from the small bit I've done!). Do you know if one can just plaster over the lot?! I don't want to do a bodge job but if there's no difference then...

kaptainmarc · 3 Jan 2015 at 19:58

I'm not sure, to be honest with you. I would imagine you would need to get it all back to plaster as we had to remove all the wallpaper.

We spent around 12 hours on one wall around 2 meters long scrapping the gloss off in about 1cm sq sections

Simon · 3 Jan 2015 at 20:08

Russinating said:
Hmmm ok. We've loads of walls to plaster and they're all a mess - woodchip over 2 or 3 layers of paint over lime plaster. Stripping the woodchip is hard enough but getting rid of every single bit of paint takes ages (from the small bit I've done!). Do you know if one can just plaster over the lot?! I don't want to do a bodge job but if there's no difference then...

Same in my house - got the majority of paper off and then the plasterer just PVAd the lot and then skimmed the new coat on. No issues 6 months later

Russinating · 3 Jan 2015 at 22:10

Interesting, thanks Simon! And yep, got litres of PVA at the ready as well. And I'm guessing that was done professionally when you say the plasterer?

Simon · 3 Jan 2015 at 22:42

Yeah I got tired of getting around to it. I plastered my own dining room as that was just a bit rough, but paid a man to do hallways/stairs and landing. The walls were worse and some of the new walls (front bedroom split into two) were wood chipped directly only plasterboard so as you can imagine. They were a right mess

He did all the PVAing, boarding of a wall where the existing line plaster was too loose, 30m approx of wall, rebuilt a corner and a small 2sq m ceiling area for about £450 and a day and a half work. Can't complain at all

kaptainmarc · 7 Jan 2015 at 07:55

quick update more to come later tonight

After we have reeked havoc with power tools and sledge hammers

Boiler is all in and working as it should, got the all the radiators back on the walls. left the heating on since yesterday afternoon to dry the house out. Was such a lovely feeling going into a warm house rather than an ice cave. Starting to feel like a house now.

Should be moving in on Saturday and completing the rest of the work whilst living there.

Will post pictures tonight

Russinating · 7 Jan 2015 at 08:51

Lovely. Good luck with the move!

Kimi · 7 Jan 2015 at 10:21

Cool stuff

kaptainmarc · 14 Jan 2015 at 07:34

Update:

The toilet was a separate room to the bathroom, So that wall had to come down. I really don't know why they built the 2 rooms separate, did they not wash there hands 70-80 years ago?

Before:

After:

It's certainly interesting at the moment using the toilet as you can see the front door which has a few panes of clear glass!

New stud walling is going up today, hopefully get the plasterer out next week

The bedroom and mancave/computer room are finished and decorated will take some pictures tonight.

Two coats of paint have gone on the hallway/landing will need a third coat, and Carpet gets Fitted on Friday!!

dtokez · 14 Jan 2015 at 10:13

That is a weird way of doing the toilet / bathroom - one big door frame split down the middle lol? Looks like a fair size bathroom now

Bought our 1st house just over 3 years ago and it was a right mess. Only room that was ok was the bathroom - getting there now, done all three bedrooms, lounge and kitchen. Only the hall stairs & landing to do. Then to sort the garage roof

Good luck

LeeUK · 14 Jan 2015 at 11:16

kaptainmarc said:
The toilet was a separate room to the bathroom, So that wall had to come down. I really don't know why they built the 2 rooms separate, did they not wash there hands 70-80 years ago?

No I don't think they did, I've never seen an ootside netty with a wash basin in either.

Good work, would like to see a pic of the new boiler.