Order of work?

Pepperoni · 20 April 2017 at 9:14AM

Hi,

We are moving house and there's a few jobs that need to be done. Here is the majority, and the order I was thinking it needs to be done? Would you agree or is there something I haven't thought of as to why one job would need to be done before another?

1) Knock some of a wall down
2) Plaster (above and some other rooms)
3) Paint
4) New carpets

We are also having new windows, I'm thinking it doens't matter when those are done in relation to the above?

The other work is updating bathroom / kitchen but I think they can be treated as standalone items, the above jobs are throughout the whole house.

Doozergirl · 20 April 2017 at 9:20AM

Well, those 4 things need doing in the order you've written them in. I'd be surprised for you to logically put them any other way.

Windows may well affect the plastering and decoration. You should carry out your structural work before decorating.

Have you had a full survey? You'll be lucky if you get away without other more structural items when you have a list that includes windows, kitchen, bathrooms and plastering. Is it a newish build?

I'd check the electrics and plumbing before you plaster anything. You don't want to do things backwards when you discover surprises.

Pepperoni · 20 April 2017 at 9:31AM

Doozergirl wrote: »

Well, those 4 things need doing in the order you've written them in. I'd be surprised for you to logically put them any other way.

Windows may well affect the plastering and decoration. You should carry out your structural work before decorating.

Have you had a full survey? You'll be lucky if you get away without other more structural items when you have a list that includes windows, kitchen, bathrooms and plastering. Is it a newish build?

I'd check the electrics and plumbing before you plaster anything. You don't want to do things backwards when you discover surprises.

We're just having a homebuyers survey, so the middle one.

The house just needs plastering because they have the old school bumpy patterned ceilings whereas we want smooth. Similarly the windows, kitchen and bathroom are all fine but not to our taste. So you COULD absolutely live with it all as it is, but we are opting not to.

Noted RE checking electrics and plumbing before we plaster anything - what would you suggest, getting someone in to check it's all in working order?

Thanks

Doozergirl · 20 April 2017 at 10:08AM

Safety first. But also let you know if things might need updating. Surveys don't cover those items.

Speaking from experience, if you think that there's a certain amount of updating that is required, then there's usually more.

olbas_oil · 20 April 2017 at 10:15AM

Pepperoni wrote: »

The house just needs plastering because they have the old school bumpy patterned ceilings whereas we want smooth.

If those ceilings are artex, and were put up before 2000, they may contain asbestos. It might be worth asking your surveyor to determine this for you, as they may require special treatment.

Doozergirl · 20 April 2017 at 10:17AM

olbas_oil wrote: »

If those ceilings are artex, and were put up before 2000, they may contain asbestos. It might be worth asking your surveyor to determine this for you, as they may require special treatment.

Just board over them. Far less hassle and expense.

olbas_oil · 20 April 2017 at 10:43AM

Doozergirl wrote: »

Just board over them. Far less hassle and expense.

At this stage, if remedial action was necessary, you could require they vendor to sort it out.. Isn't it better to know now, rather than cover up a potential issue?
If it were asbestos, then covering it up would be denying the next contractor that drills into the ceiling the opportunity to take appropriate precautions (wearing mask, spray to minimise dust etc.)

trailingspouse · 20 April 2017 at 11:03AM

General principles - work from the top of the house down (that way your workmen aren't needing to carry their gear past your newly painted walls and your over your new carpet), work from the inside out (hidden stuff such as plumbing and electrics before plastering, and painting last of all), and do the dirtiest work first.

Bear in mind that you may discover horrors under the old carpets, so don't leave it too long before lifting them. You don't want a fabulously decorated room that's all ready for carpeting and then discover that the floorboards are kn@ckered - but you can live with bare floorboards for a while!

When I moved in to this house, I lifted all the carpets the day I got the keys (I moved the furniture in 2 weeks later). We had planned to have the floorboards sanded - but once they were exposed to view I realised that they simply weren't good enough and I ended up going for solid wood flooring instead.

Doozergirl · 20 April 2017 at 11:23AM

olbas_oil wrote: »

At this stage, if remedial action was necessary, you could require they vendor to sort it out.. Isn't it better to know now, rather than cover up a potential issue?
If it were asbestos, then covering it up would be denying the next contractor that drills into the ceiling the opportunity to take appropriate precautions (wearing mask, spray to minimise dust etc.)

It's bonded asbestos, not the really bad stuff and it must be a question mark in half the houses in this country, along with the millions of artex ceilings either boarded or skimmed over already.

if a contractor is so minded, then I'd recommend them taking precautions on every job.

Even running a building a company, if it were tested, then what would be the answer? In an entirely habitable home where the boarding is sound, the answer would be to overboard. We're well used to expecting surprises and removal is only realistic during a complete overhaul of a house when the whole ceiling has to come down anyway and the house has no belongings in it.

As a homeowner, I'd actually want it left there rather than disturbed. I think that is the greater risk.

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