First-time house renovation

Shimmyhill

TomsMom wrote: »

So - challenge of the day for any of you guys. This is how they were and we would like something that will go with chests from this range. We don't want a wall of oak doors as we think this will be too much for the wall, that's why we thought of a frame to match (as close as possible) the chests but with mirrors to keep the room light.

What does anyone think?

Have a search for Pacific oak or ash - they do a range that looks very similar to linked drawers. Not sure if they do built in tho

jimbugalee

Hi all,

Wow, so much happening since my post yesterday!! Here's my blog which is a little behind as I had to quickly write up all of the previous week yesterday. Enjoy .....

http://seatonroad.blogspot.com/

Wondered if anyone had any comments on what your neighbours thought re the noise? We had an old lady one side and I just feel so sorry for her sitting inside all the time whilst we are banging away. I've been round and explained and she said it was ok as it wouldn't be forever and we don't do anything at night. This week we have to chip the plaster off the bathroom wall which is right on her side. eeeeek

Our other neighbour doesn't mind which is ace

Midori_2

Good point TomsMom about having to take the skirting board off if we want to take the carpet up, I'd just seen a thread with mixed opinions on this matter and wondered what you guys did, but thinking about it, it really would be a real pain in the bum to have to rip skirting board up. I guess it really doesn't make much difference either.
M

TomsMom

jimbugalee wrote: »

Hi all,

Wow, so much happening since my post yesterday!! Here's my blog which is a little behind as I had to quickly write up all of the previous week yesterday. Enjoy .....

http://seatonroad.blogspot.com/

:dance: Woo hoo - another blog :j

Nice one Gemma. It looks a smart house and I'm sure when you've finished your renovations it will be lovely. Nice garden too.

Our house had a smell to it as well, but at least we didn't have a commode!

Wondered if anyone had any comments on what your neighbours thought re the noise? We had an old lady one side and I just feel so sorry for her sitting inside all the time whilst we are banging away. I've been round and explained and she said it was ok as it wouldn't be forever and we don't do anything at night. This week we have to chip the plaster off the bathroom wall which is right on her side. eeeeek

Our other neighbour doesn't mind which is ace

Our house is in a little lane with just five altogether and we are attached to a tiny cottage where a man lives alone. When we first started we spoke to all the neighbours to let them know there would be building works going on and if they had any problems with anything to either speak to the builders or come and see us.

We had a problem with a different near neighbour when the skip was delivered, he went a bit beserk because it was put very close to his front wall but that was the council's decision not ours, but OH smoothed things over (he's good at that) and he ended up being very good pals with the builders!

Our build went on much longer than anyone expected and I did check with the nearest neighbours and said we were sorry it was going on so long but they were OK.

I did cringe at the volume the builders used to have their 3 radios (one on each floor :eek: but fortunately all on the same programme) and when I saw one of the neighbours I said if it disturbed them then they should let us know.

When it was all finished, I sent them all a thank you card with a little note saying we appreciated their patience and understanding during all the time the builders were there and that they'd be pleased to know it was now all over.

I think if you keep contact with the neighbours, ask if anything is disturbing them and just be generally friendly then things should be fine. I dare say the elderly lady might not say if she was disturbed, but then again maybe she is a bit deaf (like my mum) and can't hear all of it. She would probably appreciate a bit of company so maybe just a knock on the door occasionally to ask if you're disturbing her or if she has any problems with your working next door just to let her know you're thinking of her and being considerate. She might appreciate you letting her have a look at what you've done when you've finished. But you know your neighbours best and as long as you're considerate, like you seem to be, there shouldn't be any problems.

Spicey

Lisa - re the damp in under the stairs, if this is an outside wall, could be that you need an air brick put in.

Gemma - good blog.

Building inspector coming tomorrow a.m, to check what we done since he last came. Apparently he told my DH that he thought my drawings had been done by a professional, he was very impressed.
Going to get tiles for bathroom this weekend! and start looking at paint etc.

The back garden (brambles) have come back with revenge! I am going to pay my DD's boyfriend to clear them for me (he is unemployed) also will get him doing other clearing jobs.

We put the notice in to leave our rented house by the 3rd July! panic...

Jill

andrew-b

Thanks for the blog link Gemma! Looking forward to seeing the dramatic changes over the coming weeks/months/years (i'm on years but originally i was under some daft assumption it would be months!!). I love that you got the priorities straight and got a fridge full of beer in place so quick - and some voddie too!!
Oh and another thing..never distrust someone holding a claw hammer !

Andy

Spicey

Hi just spent 45 mins updating my blog do hope this works, havent done it like that before.

TomsMom

Spicey wrote: »

Hi just spent 45 mins updating my blog do hope this works, havent done it like that before.

Your link works just fine Spicey :T. Potatoes looking good and I love your French doors.

Shimmyhill

Spicey wrote: »

Hi just spent 45 mins updating my blog do hope this works, havent done it like that before.

Those blue tiles you had in the bathroom, we had them in the kitchen on every wall and up to 6' - do you need any spares as i have hundreds of them !!!

Another question, have you capped the chimneys that you have blocked and did you insulate them before you bricked them in ??

All looking good, progress is slow here and all i seem to be doing is gardening - wife and amy are away this week and i have the little one so nothing getting done even tho i have 6 days off

helping_hubby

jimbugalee wrote: »

Hi all,

Wow, so much happening since my post yesterday!! Here's my blog which is a little behind as I had to quickly write up all of the previous week yesterday. Enjoy .....

http://seatonroad.blogspot.com/

Wondered if anyone had any comments on what your neighbours thought re the noise? We had an old lady one side and I just feel so sorry for her sitting inside all the time whilst we are banging away. I've been round and explained and she said it was ok as it wouldn't be forever and we don't do anything at night. This week we have to chip the plaster off the bathroom wall which is right on her side. eeeeek

Our other neighbour doesn't mind which is ace

We're mid terrace and we spent the first week whispering in the house So I felt terrible when we started banging walls down!

And I felt even worse when I found out that my neighbour works nights, so is sleeping during the day!

We just apologise when we see them and they always say it's fine. That said, I've heard one of my neighbours banging nails or something and it wasn't that loud, so maybe the noise just sounds so much worse when you're inside.

Also this house was a dump, so I'm sure our neighbours would prefer to have us with a non-flee ridden house.