First-time house renovation

andrew-b

Latecomer, contact your water company and ask them for a quote to replace the water main. The reason i say this is their contractors may be able to thread new water pipe through the old lead pipe with minimal disruption...or alternatively they may be able to use moling equipment to install the water main without having to dig out a big trench.
My parents recently had a new water main installed through their water company and although they couldn't reuse the existing pipe they dug only two holes..one near the stopvalve in the road and one in their garage floor near where it was to come up out the floor. The holes were for boring equipment to be put in place and be retrieved i think and guide it on it's way. Dont recall the cost but have a feeling it was around a couple of hundred quid - but it saved digging up the entire driveway and the utility room floor. They also installed pipework from the garage into the utility room, across the utility room ceiling and down to existing stopvalve (later my Dad put a false ceiling in to hide it). Contractor also gave him 3 lengths of copper pipe for nothing ...not sure why...but they now installed in my bathroom! Anyway you'll probably find your builder or local plumber doesn't have moling equipment in their van!

Andy

andrew-b

jimbugalee wrote: »

Oh gosh Spicey - that sounds stressful!! I'm worried about the council inspecting our bathroom move but fingers crossed they won't bother.

My blog is updated http://seatonroad.blogspot.com/ ... nothing too exciting.

Never realised before but happened to look at your location page on the blog and you live about 5 miles from where i used to rent a place in st albans! Only went to your area a few times but i know roughly where you are! Hadn't read your blog for a while and only just caught up..seem like you've done loads since i last looked though.

Andy

jimbugalee

andrew-b wrote: »

Never realised before but happened to look at your location page on the blog and you live about 5 miles from where i used to rent a place in st albans! Only went to your area a few times but i know roughly where you are! Hadn't read your blog for a while and only just caught up..seem like you've done loads since i last looked though.

Andy

Hemel isn't quite as nice as St Albans It doesn't seem like we've done much but I guess we have. Now we're rolling with the bathroom we should start to see more progres

latecomer

bardie wrote: »

hey. a huge mission youve taken on i wish you luck

for the kitchen i recommend here kitchensynch.co.uk - designer brands at really good prices

And you get reported to abuse for advertising. :spam:

latecomer

andrew-b wrote: »

Latecomer, contact your water company and ask them for a quote to replace the water main.

Thanks for that Andy! Do you know whether that was subsidised by a grant as they are available in some areas and it does seem very cheap. I know for a fact that there are no grants available in this area so that could influence the cost.

Our builder doesn't seem keen on doing it and I'd like it done at the same time as the building work. I didn't speak to the water company when the initial call was made abuot testing for lead but I dont think they suggested they could do it. Its certainly worth a call though as it has to be replaced one way or the other.

I also really dont like the idea of it being under the foundations of the new extension so want it brought in the front of the house if possible.

We are going to view some of his previous work tonight so I was planning on asking him about it. I'll maybe try and phone the water company before we go to see if they would quote for the job. If not then its going to be a condition of us accepting the quote from the buildern that he puts in a new main. I really dont understand why he's so against doing the work. I would have thought that more work = more money woudl be a good thing

jimbugalee

That's interesting Andy! I don't know the area that well as moved from Buckinghamshire but always go to Watford shopping hehe St Albans has nice pubs but yes as you guessed we tend to do most of our drinking at home now

I think our bathroom would've been quicker if it was a bathroom in the first place. It was a third bedroom which we're turning into a bathroom so all the plumbing etc is brand new and doesn't link up with anything ...... yet. Sure we'll get there

How exciting .. a wedding! I couldn't cope with that and a house rennovation for good for you

TomsMom

jimbugalee - What a lot of work for you re the underfloor heating, but good to see it come right in the end. Nice to see an update on your blog, looking good!

latecomer - Good news about the planning permission. Hope you get your contract and the water pipes sorted, once the garage is demolished it will be a big step and things will start taking shape.

Spicey - Condolences re your FIL. Good news about the blocks.

Hope everyone else is doing well. What's happened to Beth? Long honeymoon????

We've got curtains in the lounge :j .

Pick your brains time - if you look at the photos of the light in the alcove (on the blog), we're debating what to do. We think the light is a lot more noticeable than a recessed spotlight would have been, but we couldn't have one of those. As we would rather not see the light we're thinking how it could be hidden. All we've come up with so far is to make some sort of pelmet flush with the wall, deep enough for the light not to show. Then plaster over it and paint to match the wall. I'm thinking the plaster will crack around it and it will be noticeable, lots of mess having this little job done, would it be successful or would it be obvious, is it worth doing or just leave it as it is??? What do you think? I wont be offended if you say it's a rubbish idea.

OH had his chemo yesterday and will be home tonight. He probably wont be feeling up to much for a few days. He's back in next Monday for a few days for his stem cell harvest. No date for Bristol yet. I'm off to check with furniture people to see if we're having the delivery on Friday, fingers crossed!

andrew-b

latecomer wrote: »

Do you know whether that was subsidised by a grant as they are available in some areas and it does seem very cheap

not to my knowledge. I think their old water main was the original iron one installed when the house was built. Either way the water company won't do it for nothing. I think thames water messed them around getting someone out not turning up when they said they would etc but they got there eventually!

Andy

andrew-b

Latecomer was googling and came across this leaflet:
http://www.waterwatchscotland.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/keep-your-water-flowing.pdf
Not sure if it helps as you seem adamant there isn't a grant available but it seems that you would need to contact your local council to see if you can get a grant rather than the water company.

Andy

wallbash

Could I join the Local appreciation society

As I'm between HH and St. Albans ( nearly ) in Redbourn.!!