Ongoing Home Improvements

[robj20]

So its been 1 year since we moved in. Things have gone very slowely as we were paying for a holiday and wedding, but all of a sudden the master bedroom is looking much better.

From this.

Some plastering. Ceiling was easier than i had expected.

Looking like this now.

Pipework going in now, then get a carpet laid.

Been quite fun learning how to do it all, I imagine saving a fortune over getting someone in to do it.

 

[dbmzk1]

Not a fan of the colour but looks like you've done a decent job, slowly doing a similar thing to my house, also 1ish years in.

That view though! Where's the house? Got a decent pic?

 

[Amp34]

Looking good. First though was "erm... That carpet is horrible", then I read the bit about getting new carpet...

 

[robj20]

Not a fan of the colour but looks like you've done a decent job, slowly doing a similar thing to my house, also 1ish years in.

That view though! Where's the house? Got a decent pic?

Swinton, we do have some fantastic views its partly what sold the house to us. I want a fan of the paper at first but it's really not bad.

Picture of the view for you.

 

[robj20]

Carpet done now.

 

[Buffman]

Looks good (although colours a little dark for a small room? )
I thought my house was tough but that looks like a lot of graft!

 

[Haze]

i can not see any pics?

 

[robj20]

Looks good (although colours a little dark for a small room? )
I thought my house was tough but that looks like a lot of graft!

Camera is making it look much smaller than it is.

Every room is going to get the same treatment ,starting on the second bedroom tonight after we move the bed into this room.

 

[a1ex2001]

I'd have had the fake leaded windows out as I really really can't stand them, probably only needs the sealed units changing and you will amazed how much more light you get in the room! but looks like your doing a decent job and getting things how you want them which is most important

 

[robj20]

Windows will be getting done next year. I'm looking at triple glazed units. Current units are very tatty.

 

[a1ex2001]

Windows will be getting done next year. I'm looking at triple glazed units. Current units are very tatty.

and please say they won't have the pointless nasty fake lead work!

 

[robj20]

and please say they won't have the pointless nasty fake lead work!

No they won't.

 

[topgun06]

Its good fun learning to do stuff on your own. We're about a year on from buying the house and I've got two rooms rewired, re-plastered and decorated. Then we've pretty much stagnated for the last few months.

Today, the electrician has started work on the rest of the house so all systems go again.

 

[robj20]

Things we have done so far.
1. Full house rewired, everything new.
2. Ridge tiles removed and rebedded, chimney pointed and capped.
3. Two new composite doors, one new window.
4. Replaced the single metal loft tank with two plastic ones, during this had to replace the hot water tank, old one was a primatic setup and it broke (weighing it in more than paid for the new one).

Only bit we haven't done ourselves is the doors and the rewire.
Doors were £1200, and the rewire was £1500.

I would have done the rewire myself but the price was too good to say no.

One stumbling block was the boiler didn't work when we first moved in, but the father in law just cracked the gas nut off and let it run until it smelt of gas. Left it a while and it lit straight away.


The list of things going forward looks like this.
1. Strip and decorate 2nd bedroom.
2. Strip and decorate 3rd bedroom.
3. Strengthen loft joists and fit PIR insulation and board out for storage.
4. Fit new central heating (only bit im not doing is the boiler, i would do but stupid rules say i cant).
5. Strip and decorate living, room and dining room.
6. New kitchen.
7. New bathroom.

At some point in all that there will be new windows throughout as well. Im also tempted to fit underfloor insulation.

 

[Skiddley]

We're just coming to the end of a large renovation. Large Georgian place back to brick internally, every pipe\cable replaced.

It is worth it...eventually. Just furnishing at the moment. Hideously expensive process in itself.

Good luck.

 

[topgun06]

Lots of work to do before Christmas. Re-plaster and decorate two rooms and a stairway after rewire. Dig out the floor of one of the rooms, replace with concrete and replace a window with a door.

I'm not thinking that it will be completed in time. Need to get my arse into gear.

 

[Skiddley]

I know the feeling. Christmas is a good motivator. we have a baby coming this one, so doubly so!

 

[robj20]

Started with the next room now. Stripped the paper off during the week, on this wall gave up when the plaster started to come away from the wall, today this is the result.

This is the rest of the room.

Jobs for today are to remove all skirting boards and prep the walls for repair/plastering. Then tomorrow look at getting the radiator off and in the skip, check the wall behind that and carry on plastering.

 

[robj20]

Skirting and radiator off.

Plastering the wall.

Starter on the ceiling next but gave up trying to prep for plaster when some holes appeared. So went with boarding and joining, first time doing that, hard work on your own balancing a board on your head while you screw it.

Lack of photos of the rest of the work, but boarding finished, taped and filled. New skirting on, wallpapered and painted.
And this is what it looks like.

 

[robj20]

Central heating was completed this weekend.

Plenty of room for all the pipework and network cables.

Hall radiator. The old one was tiny for the space it had to heat so the only option was a vertical rad.

Boiler in the garage.

Evohome is such a joy to use.

Started on the box room as well now, not as much plastering in this room, just the ceiling and one wall for about the bottom third which was loose and came off with the skirting board.