First-time house renovation

latecomer

spirit wrote: »

seemingly these internet 'plumbers supplies' just have deals with merchants who supply customers with the stuff.

Yeah we had that last week with the radiators we ordered online - came from one of the local plumbers merchants. Mind you I'm not that concerned where it comes from provided the price is right. I usually ask local trade places to match prices (or at least get close) before ordering online to give them a chance to get the business.

I had a long conversation with the head joiner last night about the roofer so he's going to find out exactly whats going to be done for the money. He's also going to chase up the plumber to find out whats happening with his costs as he's doing considerably less than originally quoted for.

Then had some fun with the roofer this morning. I informed him that he couldn't connect into the drain connection he was planning on using as its a vent pipe and told him where the correct connection should be. He says "thats no good to me" as he cant see it. So me (in my shirt and trousers pick up a spade and start scraping the earth to see if I can locate it presuming its just under the surface. No joy so wait for the joiners to turn up and ask them as they must have seen it when the concrete slab foundation for the back step was being put in. They say they've never seen it and carry on as before.......which didn't do much to improve my mood! So I go in and get changed into my working clothes and start digging. No sign of it so I trace it back from the rodding eye to the joint and then to the end. Turns out its half covered by the step foundations but thankfully about 12 inches underneath so they will still be able to use it.

thankfully since then the day has improved. Got an email from a manager at the kitchen websites parent company who apologies for the problems and asked if I could email him the pictures directly. Did this and asked for a confirmation that he'd recieved them - which promptly arrived. Then about 20 mins later got an email apologising again for the problems and offering to have 2 replacement units manufactured on monday. He also said if we were willing to accept flat packed (originals were constructed) then he would get them couriered as soon as they were ready :j

now we just need to figure out how to solve the kitchen size issue and see if they would be willing to add an extra unit and door to the delivery. OH is going to talk it over with the head joiner when he arrives as he didn't think it would be a big issue to solve.

Finally things are going in the right direction........

littlerose12345

For those of you that have recently purchased new furniture for your rennovations, where did you buy? Do you have any good online recommendations? We're after an extentable kitchen table, console table and bedside cabinets.. in walnut!

latecomer

Furniture is something I would want to see in the flesh - we negotiated with a local furniture store to price match online prices. They were not overly keen but did it to get the business.

TomsMom

Definitely see it in the flesh, decide on what you like, get details then see what online prices are on offer. Go back to retailer and see if he will price match. Some local independents are willing to do this. Worked really well for us. Local retailer couldn't come anywhere near online price so we chose the online shop but did make sure they had a bricks and mortar shop, got the address and landline number, rang them up and had human contact before we went ahead. Turned out to be very nice, helpful people.

spirit

latecomer wrote: »

Finally things are going in the right direction........

That's good news latecomer, I hope that also extends to Mrs Latecomer and junior latecomer too. :A

latecomer

Well no news is good news on that front!

I've been told that the carpets have been fitted in the 3 bedrooms and look great. The one join isn't noticable at all which I have to admit was a bit of concern of mine.

Also the 2 doors have turned up for between the kitchen and sitting room and they are oak. They were meant to be Hemlock (which is apparently a very good match for Douglas Fir) but we're not complaining as they will match the rest of the kitchen. Also the rest of the oak turned up to finish all the door frames upstairs and apparently they look fantastic despite the walls being such a mess. And the joiners trimmed the doors to go over the carpets which wasn't their responsibility. They have been rewarded with a few beers though which they were due to get anyway for their efforts and help this week.

now got lots of moving stuff around to do but I'm off next week so hoping to get lots done! Might even get an update on the blog........

redlady_1

Evening all. I am now back in my cottage and have pics. The plumber has done an absolutely cracking job and I am really pleased. So my question is now how do I upload pics!

spirit

Oooh, yes please, piccies!

upload them on to something like flickr or photobucket and then you just copy across the url to here. simples

bet you're glad to be back in.

I have sort of half a bathroom. the guy came on saturday from 8am for about 11 hours. he's stripped out the old suite and has re-routed the necessary plumbing. at the same time he has taken a supply from the bathroom, under the floor of bed 2 and down into the back of the garage. this is for the replacement w/m supply since the old one went from the outside of the kitchen and ran along outside along the wall. since the er [STRIKE]conservatory[/STRIKE] lean to, was taken down, it exposed the pipework to the elements.

he's been back today and boxed in the soil pipe in the corner and laid ply ready for the flooring. the plasterer came in this afternoon and plastered it all out. this evening i've been painting the new plaster with pretty much neat water with a little bit of paint added. it's drying very quickly today.

tomorrow he is plumbing in the bath :j so i shan't have to stand in a bucket to bath after tomorrow :eek:

suisidevw

How are the carpets Latecomer?

Redlady, sounds great, any help needed, just drop me a PM and I'll give you my eamil to upload but give it a spin. It's realy easy.

Spirit did you give the plaster enough time to cure/go light pink?! Sounds like you're doing really well on that front!

Lowri and I had a really productive evening last night. Got home, took out the old vinyl from the floor that we'd rolled up as a template and stored in the garage and used it to cut the new vinyl out on the lawn shortly before the heavens opened. Took about 2 hours, removed the plinths and slowly cut round the areas using a sharp new stanley blade. The put the legs back down on the units and it looks BRILLIANT compared to how it was. I will put up snaps tonight after I've laid the new door bars but well worth it considering after my main man Andy couldn't come to help the 2 quotes to do the work were £130 and £200!

pawpurrs

Work continues on the bathroom, which is turning in to a saga allready!
Have decided to take down all the plasterboard to expose the roof timbers on the skeling (side to ceiling) they are very wide and lovely, there is a bit of deathwatch damage, and very dark, so I intend to clean them off by hand and then paint them in a nice colour, not sure yet what colour, french gray, blue gray or a paler colour. This room was the ensuite, we have moved the stud wall over to provide a bigger bathroom, to enable us to get a shower cubicle, rolltop and basin in as well as a dressing table, and nice antique hanging gun rack for towels etc.
We have also knocked through two cupboards, one which held the immersion heater, so the room although still not huge will make a fairly ok size bathroom I hope.
The family bathroom will eventually become a very small bed 3/study, it has a beautifull arch in it where the two fireplaces meet, and an amazing 1920s arched door frame, which is one of the nicest features of the house.
The window is very low down, although not as low as it was (there was a raised floor, I now know why the floor is a little sloped, think the rolltop will have to go on bits of wood. To overcome the window problem, I have had some window dressings done, like etched glass, and will be putting a pane of glass above the door, to let in light from the hallway, and will put another piece here, yet to decide on the deisgn for that should it be a boat to match or a heart or the words Bath?
Cant believe agin how much crap we took out from taking skeling down, and how much all the new wood etc cost approx £700!
Better get back to it I suppose as back to work tomorrow.
Good news on DH Job front, he has a second interview this week, and it all sounds positive.