First-time house renovation

Shimmyhill

latecomer wrote: »

Twas me. I sprayed all timbers in the area including the sarking boards. I didn't worry too much about the electrics as most of ours is in the old steel conduit and hence it didn't matter. that said I did take care round the couple of exposed cables that I did come across.

I am thinking that you don't live in a bungalow ! All my electrical wires are in the loft !! I am not sure if i need to do all the joists or just the roof and maybe the joists nearest the edges !!

I have been doing the usual research and there are plenty of people who say it is not worth doing as the woodworm do not damage the wood unless it is wet and then you have bigger issues - interesting read it was.

Anyway, more loft clearing to do - what a horrible job it is removing wasp/bee nests etc - have also spotted some issues with the flashing around the chimneys - more work !!!

My blog is : http://web.me.com/shimmyhill/House/Bungalow_Project/Bungalow_Project.html (and in need of updates)

latecomer

andrew - the tile saws were also too wide. If you look at the blog update thats just been posted you'll see I did use a tile saw to cut the back at the edges just to help with getting the crack started when I was snapping them (along with the hacksaw )

Fingers crossed the door gets sorted quickly. I dont understand why people dont carry spares for these sort of things either but I guess its to do with initial outlay etc. Mind you it would cut down on call outs and return journeys.

latecomer

Thanks for the blog links

Shimmyhill wrote: »

I am thinking that you don't live in a bungalow !

http://the2yearproject.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

You are thinking wrong

I read lots online before deciding to do it. I didn't think it was worth taking the risk that there was a real problem up there and hence decided to do it. I've still got the rest of the loft to do as I've only done approx 40% of it but its going to have to wait until the bathroom is done. In fact its going to be later this year before I get round to it, probably when we get the extension done.


And talking of which we finally got the quote and first sketches from the final architect and think we will be going with him. He's a fair bit cheaper than the others and we have seen 2 of his recent projects being done in nearby streets which is how we found out abuot him in the first place. Also I liked the fact he did some sketches to give us an idea of what he had in mind as part of his quote. He has mis-understood what we had in mind for the side extension but that wont be a big issue.

He is keen to get started and is looking to get plans submitted by the end of the month which seems pretty ambitious but it would be great to make some quick progress after all the delays.

TomsMom

Spicey wrote: »

Just one problem- after sripping the paper it appears the walls have all been painted in this yellow paint, which is flaking and peeling. Anyone got any suggestions as to what to do, if I paint the walls I will possible have an uneven finish or forever be redoing when bits peel off. DH thinks we should wallpaper, but having spent the last 4 weeks stripping them its not something I am keen to do. Help!

We had this on one of the walls on the stairs and it was gloss paint. The builder used Nitromors (which I mentioned on another thread) BUT ours was just a small area, we weren't living there so the house was empty apart from the builders so lots of ventilation as they had the doors open all day, and we didn't do the work . I understand it did the job fantastically well (which OH has found when getting layers and layers of paint of old woodwork) but the area needs to be well ventilated and a respirator might be a good idea.

Nitromors apart, as it's flaking and peeling how about starting by sanding down and see how that looks.

Shimmyhill

Where are all your wires Latecomer !!!! ????

I guess i cant put the spraying off any more, back to work for 4 days tomms and then 6 off - looks like i will be busy !!

I still keep pottering in the garden, have weeded the side of the house and all looks good, not getting on with the loft but so damn hot in there any excuse to do something else

latecomer

latecomer wrote: »

I didn't worry too much about the electrics as most of ours is in the old steel conduit and hence it didn't matter.

Does that answer your question?

Shimmyhill

latecomer wrote: »

Does that answer your question?

Hahaha, if only i could read

Does the conduit carry the cables all over the loft then ? I have conduit running down the walls but it is the cables running over the top to said conduit that i am concerned over - also the 9 million junction boxes in there !! It seems like the place has been rewired twice as some is in the new colours and some in the old (red/black - it's all PVC)

Out of interest, did you have any woodworm in the loft ??

latecomer

Hang on and I'll go take a picture (= 1000 words and all that!)

Sorry about the delay:





Hope that helps.

Shimmyhill

Blimey !

How neat is that !! My cables just run along the joists etc - never seen such a tidy install !!

latecomer

Well thats how a lot of houses were done way back. I suspect when the wiring is updated in houses most of this stuff is ripped out. Its also a royal pain if you need to change anything like when I did the bathroom light. I had to cut out the connection box for the light and pull switch (they are also steel and couldn't be separated from the conduit), cut the conduit to get it out, cut all the wires as a couple of the common ones ran through various conduits without being broken etc etc. The metal junction boxes have very sharp edges if you remove any conduit connections etc. I'm sure you get the picture.

But to be fair if you dont need to change anything then its great and very robust too

Shimmyhill wrote: »

Out of interest, did you have any woodworm in the loft ??

There was some evidence (holes) of them but it could have been there for years for all I could tell. Never seen anything up there apart from wasps from the huge wasps bike we had when we moved in. Still planning on spraying the rest of the loft just to be sure though.