So we bought a house.....

[BigBoy]

Dropbox Pics have all gone screwy so heres a link to the folder https://www.dropbox.com/sh/txytltevgxrfvh6/AABYaBWOIrtSiEguwajNRvSwa?dl=0


Right going back a while the GF and I were looking a houses in my area (Here). Well after much searching and saving we have bought a three bed semi in the are of Southdown in Bath, its a pre war (1936ish) Bath stone constructed all solid walled house. Perfect for a renovation project and as the GF's family are all builders and trades it should be easy going.

Now as we want to have a house warming and the weather is looking sooo good for the next week or so we decided to have a BBQ, but before that can happen we needed to tidy up the over grown garden.

Heres how it looked when we moved in.

Looks a little over grown you say. well as we started we realised quite how over grown it actually was.

This was a 40+ year old clematis that had grown so thick it needed a heavy duty tree saw to cut it down!

After a couple of days hard graft and we ended up with a nice clear garden that has grown by nearly a third in size!!

Still got a lot to do and need to get the pond sorted as its badly in need of a good clean.

Its been a very long time since I have had a pond and all I can think of doing is getting the fish out (yes about 25 of them!) and draining it completely to be able to clean it and sort it properly, is this the best plan of action or is there another way of cleaning all the silt out of the bottom, its a deep pond for it size 2700+ltrs.
I found this Pump in the pond (that was at some point) running the waterfall to the left of the picture but the wiring is FUBAR (from the house to the pond area) so will be sorting that asap, currently just running it whilst we are in via a cable through the window.

What better way can I get the pond clear and functioning again without having to fill it up completely (We are on a water meter).

Thats it for now, much more to come over the next year or so as the Kitchen is first on the hit list internally as its getting on a bit and we cannot use the oven! Will update as we move along.

 

[Jono]

You could get one of those pond hoover things and then filter it, but then you'd need somewhere to store the clean water while you de-gunk the bottom of the pond....

 

[pumaz]

If I was you I'd purchase a cheep paddling pool and something like Hozelock EasyClear 3000 which is a pump, filter and UV clarifier all in one.

set the paddling pool up and give it a bit of a clean then empty the water out of the pond into the pool using the EasyClear and a length of hose to pump it across. Once the pool starts filling net the fish and move them to the pool.

Once pool is empty give it and the Easyclear a good clean and set the Easyclear up for use in the pond. Your going to have to fill the pond with a combination of the water from the pool and tap so make sure you have some tapsafe.

This is the easiest and cheapest way I can think of and you will be left with a nice little filter that should be ok or at least a lot better than what was in there!

 

[httk]

Are your neighbours on water meters too?? If not, start buttering them up!

 

[BigBoy]

If I was you I'd purchase a cheep paddling pool and something like Hozelock EasyClear 3000 which is a pump, filter and UV clarifier all in one.

set the paddling pool up and give it a bit of a clean then empty the water out of the pond into the pool using the EasyClear and a length of hose to pump it across. Once the pool starts filling net the fish and move them to the pool.

Once pool is empty give it and the Easyclear a good clean and set the Easyclear up for use in the pond. Your going to have to fill the pond with a combination of the water from the pool and tap so make sure you have some tapsafe.

This is the easiest and cheapest way I can think of and you will be left with a nice little filter that should be ok or at least a lot better than what was in there!

Thanks for the reply, I have been looking at that pump as one of the guys at work suggested it, currently I'm just leaving the old pump running and will replace it in the autumn when i have time to do the work needed. Thanks for the advice

 

[BigBoy]

Last saturday we started knocking the kitchen about, taking down the old coal house the removing the internal door. 4 lintels down and one new one up the kitchen has been transformed from a dark corner of the house to a much brighter open space.

This weekend we will be lifting the back door by 6 inches and filling in the floor area under the door. along with removing the rest of the tiles and hopefully starting to rip out the kitchen ready for the electrician and plasterer next week.

 

[Maccapacca]

Good work , I'm touching up cracks and hanging pictures I miss the smashing and building part

 

[colourF]

looks nice, good job!

 

[BigBoy]

Just a little update today, We lifted the door head 6 inches, but because its made from Bath stone it was crazy heavy and as the father in law is a stone mason it was done to perfection!

I got the wife busy with the stripping tiles again, all bar 4 tiles (sink splash back) have been removed.

The in laws, worker up the scaffold, and supervisor having a brew in the chair!

All done and the old door back in place for the time being.

just got to back fill the old step and make it good with the rest of the old floor. The nasty pink tiles will be coming up one night this week!

A new step will be created at some time in the near future, want to get the internal work done first.

 

[DiCe!]

I got the wife busy with the stripping

Good man!

 

[BigBoy]

Updates!

I got the wife stripping the floor tiles last week as the father-in-law helped me remove the old units.

Got the plumbing sorted today looking a little tidier than before and will be easy to box in.

First fix by the sparky was completed this week and I have been filling in the chases with Hardwall ready for the plasterer on Monday.

Back wall has been plasterboarded dot and dab style by the plasterer, as the original plaster fell off as we removed the units and tiles. Around the backdoor is getting replastered once we have bought a new door as the current one is broken.

Lintel has been boarded along with the ceiling and all tied in ready for plastering.

New door frame made for the understair cupboard as the old one was rotten through.

And yet more chase filling.

Thats it for now until the plaster has been, although the kitchen is being delivered on monday and we have nowhere to put it other than the spare room, until the floor is sorted (needs latexing and vinyl putting down).

 

[Craigius]

Updates!
Got the plumbing sorted today looking a little tidier than before and will be easy to box in.

Is that a new boiler? looks the same as mine

 

[BigBoy]

Is that a new boiler? looks the same as mine

Boiler was fitted in 2011 by the last owner, but looks as if its been hardly used, just drained the radiators and the water was completely clean I was in shock as some of the rads are well old!

 

[BigBoy]

Update time!

Plaster is done and a quick layout of the new units.

Somethings not right here should be able to fit a washing machine between the drawer unit and the double cupboard under the boiler! Been sent a 300mm unit instead of a 200mm unit Doh! Cheers Howdens!!

The fridge freezer will hide behind this tall pullout larder unit with a small over head unit above the fridge.

Sparky has been and we are now live in the kitchen, cooker hood had been fitted along with all the wall units, doors and drawer fronts. Cooker has been slotted into place and wired up.

Worktop has been cut and sink is ready to be fitted, just need the biscuit joint doing (getting a mate who is a joiner to sort that) and we are away!

 

[ci_newman]

Coming along nicely

 

[BigBoy]

Update time!
Got the washing machine in, water all hooked up, Gas man has been and sorted the hob, Wired the oven myself, and all the dranage has been replaced with brand new

Still two cupboard doors short but Howdens have said the will deliver them at some point this week!

Fridge has finally been removed from the living room and put where it will live for the rest of its time in this house, along with the full height larder unit.

Also got the under counter LED strip lights installed tonight after coming home from work.

 

[DJ_Bucho]

Looking good buddy. I'm in a similar boat with my house, although mines a full restoration (new Kitchen, Bathroom, new Plumping and Electrics throughout), it's great to see it finally come together. That's a nice looking kitchen, I can see why you knocked those walls down, it's really opened it up nicely. Looking forward to seeing future updates and good luck

 

[BigBoy]

Just a little update from last nights work.

Managed to build and install the pull out larder unit's very heavy metal frame and baskets and it adds a huge amount of storage to the unit.

Also filled all the coving ready to be painted friday night after work!,Saturday morning we intend to get the last of the wall units up, its just to cover the boiler making it stick out into the room less. Also got a couple of leaky joints on the radiator pipes that need sorting asap before I can box in the pipework.

 

[BigBoy]

More done today.

Got the last all unit up, covering the boiler.

Under the unit I have two options, box in using wood the same as the units (its going to stand 4 inches proud of the wall) or just box in and paint in the green the same as the rest, what do you guys think?

Put up the main light, currently has 50w halogens in there will be replacing them with LED's once I have some time to do some more research!

Nearly done, been fitting the handles this evening, just a few of the cupboards left to do as my drill battery has died or I would have done them all today.

The wife has been painting the walls as you can see, we have two walls with Leafy Cottage and the opposite two with Natural Hessian it works really well together just a shame the plasterer did a really shoddy job of a nice straight wall so the joining corner is rather wavy.

 

[BigBoy]

Kitchen is on hold as We need the spare room done before a friend comes to stay fro three weeks as of the 20th! So I enlisted some little helpers to get the job done quicker.

Paint colour is Pebble Beach from Homebase, Its a nice warm hot chocolate with a little hint of purple, 100x better than the violent yellow that was on the walls, but its just a temp fix until we can do it properly as it needs a new ceiling and wall will probably want skimming.

Tiles to go on in the kitchen Saturday this week then its all done. thank god for that! The Wife want to start on the living room next.......