First-time house renovation

andrew-b

lisal0u wrote: »

I did think about painting it all red but I didn't think the room was big enough to take it, I didn't want it to look small! I think the red was called crimson kiss from crown! I'll have to check!

Yes i agree...painting the lot would have been a bit much to walk in on early morning!

I'm waiting for Royal mail to deliver my shower shelves this morning (linky ..though getting identical one £10 cheaper via ebay).
The amazon reviews say its a bit flimsy - although there are other reviews for the white version that look ok. Anyway we'd tried a wire tray from tesco that sticks on with suction cups but the vertical grout lines were in the wrong place so 2 of the 4 suction cups wouldn't stick so that went back. I was also a bit put off when i read "we recommend using silicone to keep it in place" plus didn't want something metal falling and putting a chip in the shower tray. Didn't really want to drill through my new tiles for a cheap wire shelf that would probably rust so the next best thing was a "shower tidy" like this on a telescopic pole. Considered the one's from argos until i realised they required holes drilling into my ceiling. This one is made of aluminium and plastic so won't rust.
It's only really for my few shower bottles to go as i struggle to stand back up again when picking up the bottles from the edge of the shower tray (though it is easier than the old shower having more space to manoevure).

My other latest ebay bargain is a pair of hush puppy shoes which will be my wedding shoes ...£10.50 for a pair of shoes that cost £50 and only worn once to a wedding (they're doing the wedding circuit!). I was a bit concerned something would be wrong with them and my money would be wasted but fortunately they are in perfect condition and just need a polish and a bit of breaking-in. Probably about one of my best ebay bargains yet i think.

Andy

TomsMom

andrew-b wrote: »

I'm waiting for Royal mail to deliver my shower shelves this morning (linky ..though getting identical one £10 cheaper via ebay).
The amazon reviews say its a bit flimsy - although there are other reviews for the white version that look ok. It's only really for my few shower bottles to go as i struggle to stand back up again when picking up the bottles from the edge of the shower tray (though it is easier than the old shower having more space to manoevure).

That looks a useful addition Andy. As long as you don't put anything heavy on the shelves, or use them to lean on/pull yourself up it should be fine. I know what you mean about drilling into new tiles. Even though DS is a tiler and OH has done it many times before, I still cringe whenever we have to put up a toilet roll holder or towel rail, I have visions of the tile cracking and spoiling everything. Hasn't happened yet in squillions of years so I don't really know why I worry so much :rolleyes: .

My other latest ebay bargain is a pair of hush puppy shoes which will be my wedding shoes ...£10.50 for a pair of shoes that cost £50 and only worn once to a wedding (they're doing the wedding circuit!).

:T Well done, that was a good buy. How long to the wedding? I think it's quite close to Beth's big day, she hasn't been around recently, probably too busy getting things organised.

I ordered our electric fire (online) yesterday afternoon. Haven't had an email acknowledgement of order or Sagepay receipt yet. Not sure if I should be worried and ring them. I know there is a real person to contact as we rang last week to ask a question - we frequently do that when ordering online, as well as checking for an address, just to reassure us that the place does exist!

We ordered living room curtains at the weekend (at last found something we like) and bought some roller blinds for kitchen, utility and bathroom, which needs two but they only had one so the other has been ordered. Will have to wait to have the blinds put up as OH went back into hospital for treatment again today.

andrew-b

TomsMom wrote: »

Ooh, I missed those Andy (I always forget to blow the pictures up ). You can have the Stella, bagsy I have the cookies :rotfl: .

P.S. Looks like I'll have to share the cookies with Lisa, ah well, half a packet's better than nothing .

I honed in on them like a shark to blood! I'll let you have the cookies this time..if they were chocolate hob knobs though you wouldn't see them for dust (not that there is any in Lisa's kitchen! I suppose we'll have to replace the supply to keep the workers (L&S) happy though!

Andy

helping_hubby

This thread is a bit quiet...

No updates? Or is everyone finished?

We're getting carpet fitted tomorrow. I'm afraid we're at the end of our tether and just want the house done, so rather than the money saving ideas from you guys (thanks Tomsmom) on getting grippers and underlay elsewhere we've just paid the lot to just get it done.

Because OH smartly chose Thursday for the fitting rather than next week, we literally had 3 evenings to finish off any painting ready for the carpets! So we've been working hard again and wearing ourselves out.

We've been ripping the kitchen apart, I've been cleaning the units (wow they are disgusting) and disinfecting them, OH has been repairing them, and soon we'll get the new work tops on Very exciting.

Josepina

Well our extension is finally finished, it took 23 weeks and we had a few ups and downs and lots of stress with the builders but overall I'm very happy.
We now just need to clean up and start decorating!!! "Just" i say lol that will prolly take forever!
Anyway if you're interested he's the link to our http://olwaysmoanin.blogspot.com/

TomsMom

helping_hubby wrote: »

This thread is a bit quiet...

No updates? Or is everyone finished?

Hi HH. Yes, it is quiet isn't it. I know Maggie is on holiday, not sure where everyone else is. Perhaps they're all so busy in the house there's no time to come on here :rotfl: .I've been thinking about doing an update but finding it a bit hard to get motivated at the moment.

We had our H/S/L carpet fitted at the weekend, also the second bedroom. They look great and it's really beginning to look like a home now.

We're still waiting for the fire and the bedroom furniture to be delivered and a call to say the lounge curtains are ready. OH hasn't put all the roller blinds up yet, he's not well enough. We had the sun room chairs delivered last week (very comfortable and we're using them a lot) and a new bed.

We decided that the chimney breast needed to be a darker colour with the fire being a stone colour, and we bought Dulux Feature Wall Intense Truffle. Not sure that we want to put that on now as it will probably take about 3 coats to look good and there's a lot of cutting in at the ceiling, skirting board and the one side where it joins the other part of the wall (which comes forward, the other side is an alcove). Also, even though we'd cover everything up I don't fancy dark brown paint spray on the light walls. So I've checked out some wallpaper at the local shop and showed OH today and he likes it and would prefer that. (Hope B&Q will take our unopened paint back!). However, we'll wait until the curtains are here to make a final decision as although we think the colour will go we want to make sure.

I'll take some pictures of the carpet and update the blog soon.

jamtart6

hi guys been away so not much to update really.concrete will be going in in the next few weeks as will gutters hopefully. Hope you are all OK. Hope TomsDad is doing well too x

TomsMom

Josepina wrote: »

Well our extension is finally finished, it took 23 weeks and we had a few ups and downs and lots of stress with the builders but overall I'm very happy.
We now just need to clean up and start decorating!!! "Just" i say lol that will prolly take forever!
Anyway if you're interested he's the link to our http://olwaysmoanin.blogspot.com/

Now the fun starts Jo! I'm so glad that our decorating is now out of the way, the mind really starts to boggle when you've so many rooms to choose colours for. One at a time is much easier and more enjoyable.

Looking forward to seeing photos when the decorating has been done.

Shimmyhill

Well, slowed right down here !

Have plumbed in the radiator in 3rd bedroom (another one we had to move) and striped the room out. Waiting on the electrician and also need to put a cupboard around the HW tank (as i ripped the old one out) unless we go the combi route but thinking not at the moment as don't really have the money.

On the electrics side - while i am getting an electrician in i like to know these things so have a question !

The only socket in the room seems to be wired directly to the fuse board, it only has one wire (pvc) going into the socket and seems to go straight to the board - it seems to be neither a ring or radial. The socket works but seems odd, all the electrics in the house have been rewired in 2 parts it seems - there are 2 fuse boards and therefore 2 rings and then this oddity. As i say i am getting an electrician in but i like to know what i am dealing with !! any advice ??

jimbugalee

Hi all,
Slow progress here .... seems the same for everyone!

Getting on with the bathroom, floor is down and starting the plumbing. Apart from that just generally tidying (feel like I do this most days ZZzzzz). Our lodger has moved in which is working out well and extra cash for us

Our main problem atm is this Japanese Knotweed in our neighbours front garden. It has pushed our fence down and is spreading across our drive. I didn't realise it is so easily spread (just by driving over it or cutting a bit down and placing it on the floor). We can't cut it down because you aren't allowed to dispose of it in the normal way and you can't kill it (round-up takes 15 years!!!) We thought the council would come and remove as it's council property but they've just written to our next door neighbour (she's quite old and not mobile) and said spray round-up on it!! yeh, useful . hmmm

Looks like it's costly to remove but it can't stay there forever?! aargh!!