First-time house renovation

TomsMom

latecomer wrote: »

Blog updated. Will make sure I take plenty of pictures over the weekend as the real work begins on the bathroom.

OMG Latecomer.

This is what we were greeted with when the bath came out:

Yukkk :eek: but well done on the ceiling :T

Will make sure I take plenty of pictures over the weekend as the real work begins on the bathroom.

I'm getting excited now :rotfl: , can't wait to see.

By the way guys, we're panicking (is that how you spell it?). We haven't had time to have a sort out and chuck out anything surplus to requirements that accumulates over the years so there's far too much stuff to take over to a house that's a bit smaller. And when you've a squirrel for a husband there's a lot of stuff :rotfl: . I had to say this morning "for god's sake will you chuck that in the bin" - a manky old telephone that we inherited in this house 14 years ago and immediately relegated to a cupboard. We have two lots of other phones that are modern, clean and work!

Plus there's still only the loft finished and almost full of boxes and stuff. Decorator is still working on the woodwork in the bedrooms, that wont be finished until this afternoon so we can't clean up and take stuff into the rooms until it's dry. He's also painting in the sun room at the moment so we can't put anything in there.

My son's previous job has overrun so he hasn't been able to start on finishing off the kitchen yet or the tiling in the utility and downstairs WC.

The lounge is full of new suite, conservatory suite, two lots of vinyl, cupboards from here, there and everywhere waiting for their new homes. We've tons more stuff to take over and nowhere to put it. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. At least I can do the washing (after OH fixed a leak yesterday after a problem with the plumbing) and a sunny and very windy day means I can dry as much as I can manage to wash.

I'm sure if I smoked this is where I'd go off and have a fag :rotfl: .

Oh well, better get on and do some more. I'm slowly losing the will to live...................

Oh, and did I tell you that Virgin Media are cancelling our broadband on the 15th even though we are moving on the 9th????? Then it's a few days before we're reconnected. Might not be a bad thing, I'll have to keep on working instead of nipping off for a forum fix!

latecomer

I got a call about 30 mins ago from the delivery guy to say that he would be at the address in 10 minutes. Which was great apart from the fact I was at work. I was supposed to get a call an hour before to give me time to get back. Thankfully I only live about 10 mins from work (provided the roads are quiet) so I got there just before him.


We now have a shiney new bath with all the trimings ready for the weekend. Not sure we will get to that stage but at least we can measure up for the waste and height for the tiles on the wall. :j:j

TomsMum - I'm sure once this week is over you'll be a nervous wreck. Good luck with all the moving tomorrow

BB1984

Shimmyhill wrote: »

BB1984 : My sister just had her front door replaced and it came in at £900 fitted - this was with a toplight window above the door. I had a quote from the same chap for a back door and that was for £500 so gives you a rough idea of costs - i think you can get doors cheaper but not sure about quality and locks etc !

Thanks for that. Our quote came back at £575 incl. VAT and fitting, and including a window over the top of the door. My initial thought was that is was quite expensive, but maybe not after all. Gonna phone another guy tonight - my dad vaguely knows him so might get a good deal.

BB

latecomer

Just heard our sink and wc have arrived.......and they are both damaged. Apparently someone dropped a pallet. Which lead me to ask why the hell the whole contents of the pallet wasn't checked for damage afterwards. Anyway they are trying to get a replacement sent overnight from the manufacturers.....

I'm beginning to think I'm jinxed

helping_hubby

latecomer wrote: »

Just heard our sink and wc have arrived.......and they are both damaged. Apparently someone dropped a pallet. Which lead me to ask why the hell the whole contents of the pallet wasn't checked for damage afterwards. Anyway they are trying to get a replacement sent overnight from the manufacturers.....

I'm beginning to think I'm jinxed

What a nightmare. I always thought these things only happen to me. I'm always sending things back. Got a radiator from wickes the other week that had a hole in it due to a great big nail sticking out of the pallet it was on.

TomsMom

latecomer wrote: »

Just heard our sink and wc have arrived.......and they are both damaged. Apparently someone dropped a pallet. Which lead me to ask why the hell the whole contents of the pallet wasn't checked for damage afterwards. Anyway they are trying to get a replacement sent overnight from the manufacturers.....

I'm beginning to think I'm jinxed

Oh dear Latecomer, I know the feeling! (remember the tiles?). At least Wickes didn't send out the broken tiles when they dropped our boxes! Fingers crossed for the replacement.

Talking about tiles, you probably wont believe this but ......... we've ordered some more tiles from Wickes :eek:. In the firm belief that the problem we had before was an unfortunate one off, and the fact that we desperately need some floor tiles (as cheap as possible) for the store room after realising what an unholy state the previous owner left the original ones in (what I thought was just filth turns out, on scrubbing them, to be hardened grey mortar/plaster stuff from when he built the room). So as they're not on permanent show and are just to make the room clean and tidy, we couldn't get any cheaper than £4.70 per sq.m. My son ordered them today (used the CAT09 for 15% discount, we'd already used it and it's only allowed once), and we over ordered (to get above the £45 threshold for free delivery) so if they're nice enough we can also tile the porch and then take any leftovers back to a branch for a refund. They were ordered before 6pm so are due for delivery tomorrow.

andrew-b You've certainly been a busy boy! Well done to you and your dad, especially as it wasn't nice and straightforward. Looking forward to seeing your photos.

We've discovered a couple of small leaks (1) from the en-suite toilet and (2) from the bathroom basin. One of the builders will be back next week (hopefully, if the weather is good) to refelt the store room roof, fit architrave in the utility and downstairs WC and complete any other jobs we find including the leaks - we really must get round to doing a snagging list before he comes.

We've moved a fair bit over today, wardrobes (which are too big for the room really so are only temporary), dining table and chairs, sideboard, boxes of stuff. I've cleaned up the kitchen so it's now usable but must be careful not to splash water down the back of the worktop behind the sink as no tiles yet so it's not sealed.

The decorator wont be back until Tuesday. It will be difficult for him to carry on tomorrow when we move the rest of the stuff over. He finished the two bedrooms apart from one wall. OH had a bit of an accident with a wardrobe top slipping, knocking over a bucket of water he was cleaning up with. The wardrobe top fell onto the newly painted skirting board making two grooves and a hole which show the wood through - I can't remember how many times I said "Be careful, mind the new paintwork", and some water splashed onto the walls. I dabbed the walls with a clean cloth (paint seemed to be dry) so it looks as though it's dried out without any staining, but I think the decorator will have to do a little repair job on the skirting board - why couldn't it have been in a place that wouldn't be seen, like behind where the bed will be?????

Carpet shop boss hasn't got back about whether we can have the vinyl FOC or what, shan't worry about that any more unless we hear from him. Looks like we'll have to go elsewhere for the carpet now, we've probably cooked our goose now as far as a better discount goes for all the carpet we need.

We have the worktop expert popping in tomorrow to see what needs doing, hopefully he can at least get the one in the kitchen done so I can get my hob connected and start cooking. On Friday we have someone coming to lay the vinyl in the bathroom and tell us if we need to use self-levelling compound in the kitchen (it's a bit uneven so it probably needs doing) before laying the vinyl in there.

Sorry guys, I've wittered on again. But......... you wont be hearing from me for a while as once we've disconnected the computer tomorrow we're at the mercy of Virgin Media as to when we get connected at the new house. I might nip over to my son's house and pop onto the forum from there if I can. I'm looking forward to reading all your news (and seeing lots of photos) when I get back.

jamtart6

only read quickly but good luck with the move tomsmom, chat soon x

lisal0u

Hi Guys,

Sorry haven't had much chance to post or keep up this week! Work has been manic! I'm now off work till Tuesday hoorah!

Again you have all been busy busy and putting me to shame! One good thing to report is that we have finally finished the re-wire! :j The plasterers are coming back on Monday to finish off too. Then a little bit of plumbing left to do and we can start decorating etc!

TomsMom - Hope you managed to get everything moved without too much stress! I'm dreading that part cos we have so much stuff! Really should start sorting it out now and ebaying/throwing a lot of it!

I was also busy in the garden last weekend as it was so lovely! Managed to clear up the front garden and fill it with plants and it does look lovely! Also bought a cherry tree and potted up my strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cranberry bush! I've also got some potatoes to grow and some salad seeds! I'm so excited about having my own garden, can you tell ha ha!

Over the bank holiday we are going to insulate he ceiling in the kitchen before the plasterers come back and paint DPM onto the quarry tiles just to make sure no damp gets through. I can't see any signs of it but don't want to lay wood flooring and then it be ruined by damp!

Im also going to start the mammouth task of mist coating all the plastered rooms! I think I need to bribe all my friends to come help!

Hope you all have a fab bank holiday!
Lisa

latecomer

No news on the rest of the bathroom but the tiles are ready for collection. We probably wouldn't have got as far as fitting the toilet and sink anyway but it would have been nice to have the option.

We laid out our skirting boards last night and picked 3 lengths to do the small bedroom and hope to get them cut tonight and on tonight. That way we can have a good clean and then move the bed back in there which frees up the back room for storing all the bathroom bits until we need them. Also going to try and fit noggins between the joists in the bathroom to support the joins in the new floor tonight but need to see how the rest of things go.

lisal0u

latecomer - Is it hard to cut and fit skirting board? We are going to give it a go but never tried it before!