My house renovation project

[James]

Hi all,

I've seen a few of the home improvement blogs on here and thought I will post mine!
I have a two bedroom end of terrace house (2 up 2 down) that I'm knocking about and hoping to move into in 8-10 weeks time! (hope! lol.)

I'd like to wire the sockets and lights to a home automation system ideally if anyone knows or can recommend a way?

Anyway..

The plan is as follows:

• Replace existing Kitchen and Bathroom.
• Replace flooring throughout.
• Remove Kitchen/Lounge Diner Wall
• Replace Garden fencing.
• Remove trees (south facing garden, blocks the sunlight).
• Replace patio.
• Renew electrics to new 17th edition.
• Replace original gravity fed conventional boiler with new Vaillant combination boiler.
• Replace ground floor ceiling.
• Install LED downlights to ground floor.
• Add electrical sockets - preferable remote controlled.
• CAT6 wiring throughout.
• Install lighting to front and rear of house.
• Install electric to detached garage in block.
• Replaster Lounge wall.

 

[James]

The first job I started was to remove all the bathroom tiles and the suite.
I

 

[James]

After getting the nod from the asbestos people re: the ceiling we started to pull it down!
They say even if you do have a house built in the mid 80's the asbestos content is so minimal in the artex. But, better to be safe than sorry!

 

[James]

I've done all of it with my younger brother (he's a laborer by trade).
I'm an estate agent by trade, I have lots of friends who can do different things for me for not a lot of cash mates rates etc.

I've not done anything like this before!
I'm googling/youtubing it/asking for advice from friends but obviously when it comes to the plumbing/electrical stuff that's being done properly!

Has anyone had experience with LightwaveRF products?

 

[James]

I spy with my little eye a perfect server cupboard!

Thanks guys!

The idea with the cupboard under the stairs is that it's almost exactly 37" at the opening!

The idea there is to make the 'media cupboard' where all the CAT6 etc goes but have a 37 inch tv mounted on the breezeblock wall in front on a swing arm inside the cupboard which will cover the opening but also provide access if needs be!

The understair recess is going to be boarded over and plastered also as useful understairs storage.

Once the weekend is gone I will have a bare house with no rubble etc that I can start rebuilding!
Exciting times!

 

[James]

Thanks Shug.

I'm hoping it will come together over the school holidays I've got certain trades booked for weekends etc!

Nothing really worth taking a picture of at the moment by way of an update.
Latest jobs completed were:

- Remove rest of carpets and rubble.
- Kitchen plan.

This weekend should see some progress, the garden's going to be cleared and leveled out.
Electric plan being done for LED downlights, CAT6, Sockets, External Power, and HDMI cabling.
Following week will be installation of new gate and fencing! (FINALLY!!!)

Just hoping I haven't forgotten anything in the way of electrics!

 

[James]

Few updates.

Garden now looks like this:
[

 

[James]

Thanks guys.

Measured for my IKEA Besta Burs wall shelf that is going to house my xbox etc

Then started on the chases for the electrics, HDMI and ethernet

 

[James]

Update:

Progress has been slow lately due to work!
Anyway!

 

[James]

Hi Lee,

as Bitslice said, that's my neighbours access and gate not mine.

- Bitslice.

It's not level because the garden slopes downward, the concrete car park is at different levels and it wouldn't look right if the fence was all level.
If you're making reference to the soil then there was a patio there previously which was removed when we dug the garden out.
The gardens going to be Rotavated before anything else happens and then I will level it all out before installing the patio.

 

[James]

Thanks!
I'm meeting the plasterer, plumber and electrician this week so should start looking a bit more like a house soon!

 

[James]

Wow making a massive job out of this?

Looked fine before. Just needed a new fence, bathroom, kitchen and run around with the mower.

I would have left the kitchen wall in or maybe widened it for french doors, the noise alone from tumble dryers and washers is quite annoying while watching tv at night can be a hassle if the little ones gone to bed. It also allows the misses and her friends to have a bitch in peace.

Doubt the electrics needed any work?? and you could have dropped run some hdmi/cat6 from lifting the floor boards and dropping down from above without loosing the whole ceiling.

With size of the house sticking the pc under the stairs along with the rest of the av stuff you should be able to have hdmi running from there to the tvs around the house etc so you can drag windows to different tvs for movies /pictures etc.

Hi there,

The pictures made it look a lot better than it actually was...

Electrics were the old fuse wire type, situated in the cupboard outside of the house very annoying if you happen to trip a fuse in the winter/dark.
Now they are inside for safety and ease.

RE: Kitchen wall, it wouldn't of made sense to widen it for french doors I'd of lost too much cabinet space.
With it being open plan I was able to retain much of the cabinet space under the new breakfast bar that's going to be installed.

RE: Ceiling - When I took the wall down there was a gap in the ceiling and to be honest there had been multiple repairs to the ceiling and it just looked crap. It's easier to access it now for electrics, hdmi, cat 6 etc and also for the plumbing as I'm having a new 22mm gas pipe installed from the meter back.
Also moving 3 radiators in the house so to be honest it made the most sense.

 

[James]

Update!

Moving along now I need to take some proper pictures and update properly but we're making some good progress now!

Bathroom wall and ceiling has been plastered now:




Started to fit the bath, just need to brace it a bit more than will be pretty much done!

Test fit of the other furniture to make sure it all fits!

Ordered my bathroom tiles today too!
Going for white porcelain either side of the pattern in the middle with a dark porcelain floor.

All due to be tiled on Saturday this week!

Other chasing has been done and cables to relevant sockets.
Landing and two bedrooms ceilings are going to be flattened on Friday.

I'm hoping by early sept to have the ceiling back up, bathroom installed with most of the plastering done.
Just need to save for a kitchen now seen as I've overspent!!

 

[James]

Just a small update today!

Better pictures of the Bathroom and the spotlight wiring is now going in!




Also updated picture of the garden now it has had the rotavator treatment!

 

[James]

Might seem like a stupid question, but how will the bath be filled, there doesn't seem to be any pipes for hot & cold water?

Regards

The holes for the taps haven't been cut yet, running new pipes underneath because I've changed the end in which the shower will go!

The layout and design of the downstairs is almost identical to mine OP.

Keep up the good work

Thanks!
Looking forward to getting it moved on!

Looking like bulk of the electrical work will be completed this week with the plumber starting next monday fitting the new heating system.

Then hopefully I can get the ceiling back up downstairs!

 

[James]

Great thread however I would have got standalone shower but I guess I don't like baths! Looks fantastic thus far. You getting a breakfast bar? Looks good!

Thanks the main reason I went down the bath route was simply resale ability and just in case there is a patter of tiny feet at a later date lol.
I'm getting a breakfast bar yes that's going to overhang nearest the lounge.

Really like the layout of the stairs/room

Thanks the lounge was long narrow and dark previously due to lack of windows.
Taking the wall down has opened it all up nicely.

Could you please post photos when they're up? It's basically the same design as my bathroom that will be going in soon except I couldn't get a border with mine.

Cheers!

No problem I wasn't sure about the mosaic at first but I'm sure it will look good when it's in! I hope so anyway!

Tomorrows jobs are bedrooms and landing ceiling back to flat, then tiling bathroom on Saturday can't wait!

 

[James]

Ok slight update today!

Started on tiling the bathroom now, coming along nicely should be finished tomorrow.

Holes cut in the bathroom for Spotlights and Extractor Fan.

All ceilings now back to flat upstairs now:

Started to rip out the old heating system too, out with the old hot water cylinder and pipework. Will post more updates this week, should have everything ready to go in now the new boiler now 28Kw Vaillant/Worcester Bosch jobby.

 

[James]

Heating system completely stripped out now, old boiler removed!

Making some good progress now, bathroom almost fully tiled.
Pics to follow.

 

[James]

Photo updates as promised!

Tiling not quite finished in the bathroom but should be finished at the end of the week.


First base coat + sealer on plaster on landing, need to fill the old light hole going to go for three spotlights now.

Second Bedroom first coat.


Cat 6 Cable & New Wiring for Spotlights etc in Situe.




Boiler removed from wall, flue going to be bricked up and boiler moved to adjacent wall.

 

[James]

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There was a horrible brick built fireplace in there too!