First-time house renovation

kmmr

Can't wait to hear how the Thermaskirt goes. We were quite keen on it, but we just couldn't find enough information to be confident it would be enough. We ended up getting much pricier underfloor heating, but always wonder if it was the best option.

Also never got an answer from Thermaskirt despite a couple of emails to try and get advice and pricing. Which didn't give me much confidence in the service! So we didn't go with them. Maybe next time... so am interested to see how you go.

With the picture lights, can't you just put a dimmer on them?

ukmaggie45

kmmr wrote: »

Can't wait to hear how the Thermaskirt goes. We were quite keen on it, but we just couldn't find enough information to be confident it would be enough. We ended up getting much pricier underfloor heating, but always wonder if it was the best option.

We had several folks saying we should go for underfloor heating, especially since the floor has been relaid. But I really didn't fancy it - unknown technology to us! Our builder was unsure about the Thermaskirt to start with, but is much more enthusiastic after seeing it in action at the House Renovation Show in Harrogate. Also we're getting someone from Discrete Heat to come over when the installation starts to pass on handy hints etc. We have to pay for that, but we think it worth it, and builder is keen too.

kmmr wrote: »

Also never got an answer from Thermaskirt despite a couple of emails to try and get advice and pricing. Which didn't give me much confidence in the service! So we didn't go with them.

I think that they've moved factory fairly recently, so it's possible it was just a complicated time. We did have to push quite hard to get a response, but we were really keen to go with it so persevered.

kmmr wrote: »

Maybe next time... so am interested to see how you go.

"Maybe next time..." You're thinking of putting yourself through all that renovation pain again? :eek: Will let you know how the Thermaskirt performs when it's finally installed and running.

kmmr wrote: »

With the picture lights, can't you just put a dimmer on them?

I'm not sure if we can, as the bulbs are a bit weird - 100 Watt halogen. They do 60 Watt ones, so might get a couple of those, and save the 100 Watt ones to use in the one by the stairs (I like to have plenty of light on stairs). These are the picture lights.

Will have to begin looking for lights for the rest of the house now! We've got freebie energy savers in all the rooms now except the new bedroom. The Thermaskirt's currently stored in there, and we'd have to move it all to get at the lights. Oh, and the kitchen and shower room have downlighters and the bathroom has a zone 1 very plain glass enclosed light (60 Watt).

OH went up to the house this afternoon and took some photos. The garden is looking absolutely magical!


Snow in the garden by ukmaggie45, on Flickr

andrew-b

Well about 3-4 inches of snow in all in the end so far but onto freezing ground. The roads are totally treacherous now. Wife started making her way home from work early but roads were at a standstill and most routes involve a hill somewhere along the way. She headed for her parents house instead. So now she's stranded there for the night. Least her and baby are safe..just isn't worth the risk attempting to get further. Just hoping the elusive gritters appear overnight and the temperature goes up a few degrees so she can make her way home in daylight tomorrow!

stolt

andrew-b wrote: »

Well about 3-4 inches of snow in all in the end so far but onto freezing ground. The roads are totally treacherous now. Wife started making her way home from work early but roads were at a standstill and most routes involve a hill somewhere along the way. She headed for her parents house instead. So now she's stranded there for the night. Least her and baby are safe..just isn't worth the risk attempting to get further. Just hoping the elusive gritters appear overnight and the temperature goes up a few degrees so she can make her way home in daylight tomorrow!

had the same problem this afternoon, it was my middle daughters birthday party at one of these ball park indoor things, out of 15 kids, only 6 managed it due to the weather..... shame but it was a mini blizzard and i know alot of the mums hate driving in the snow.
Took us 2hrs to get home whch should take 15mins, and there were eight accidents on a stretch of road that cant be anymore than 6miles!!! ended up pushing a woman in a her great big jag up a hill, automatic!!! and no good flooring it on the way up the hill


made me laugh about your key incident... only becaused i had a similar problem on tuesday night i stopped off at at toy shop on a industrial site and filled with pressies got my my little MG and tried to open the boot it wouldnt open and pulled the key out and it had bent right round something like uri gellar does... except it was my only key, something ive been meaning to sort out.... lucky it didnt snap off got some pliers from the shop and bent it back, very slowly..... managed after 30mins of flaffing around and got it in the lock.... i think over the last week where the lock has been iced over i had been forcing the key and i think i had weakend it....

nightmare to get another key cut, but got it done in the end!!

happy christmas everyone..... been really quiet here on the house front.... no money for diy plus aswell as christmas i have two of my daughters birthdays in december.... still follow the thread and amazed how quickly everyones builds are moving along...

kmmr

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

"Maybe next time..." You're thinking of putting yourself through all that renovation pain again? :eek: Will let you know how the Thermaskirt performs when it's finally installed and running.

Oh course! It's all a learning exercise, and 'made' more in this renovation that in my job this year! Although, it's all made up money unless I sell.

Actually, I am already looking at another place. Looking for a smaller job though, just decoration/kitchen/bathroom rather than structural work and extensions!

You forget the stress almost immediately. I promise. :D

latecomer

@ maggie - bathroom looks stunning - what make is is the radiator? I'm sure we looked at one like that (althuogh I'm suire there could be hundreds that "look" like that!)

@andy - very sensible. And regarding the shed - if its any consolation I had to defrost both shed pedlocks only to find that the bag of sandpaper I needed wasn't in either of them!

I finally got some progress on the house. Took off the skirting boards and radiator in the dining room. Put a mist coat on the ceiling on saturday and then another normal coat yesterday. Needs a tiny bit of filling but looks good. Unfortunately the same cant be said for the patches on the walls as a couple of them are a mess. Apparently the plasterers mate who was helping out did the patches which explains how they finished so quickly and obviously he's not a plasterer....... So will need to get the power sander to sort them out.

FIL gave me a hand yesterday to cut the new skirting boards and do the profiling at the ends. Need to do a little filling round the walls at skirting board level before they can go back on. also spent time filling the millions of holes, scrapes etc in the walls. At some point in the past someone has removed the wall paper but scored it so heavily its gone right through to the plaster.

Going to hopefully get it sanded tonight and maybe put on a quick coat of paint to see what I've missed.

Was out on work xmas meal on saturday and won a meal for 2 at a very nice restaurant in the charity raffle.

latecomer

got frozen cold pipe again as of about 11pm last night.

Didn't really pay attention to it until this morning when I realised I should have left the cupboard door open to let some heat in around the pipes. Have started a new thread looking for ideas... please have a look

dave82_2

Any tips for getting over a rut in motivation!!

stolt

dave82 wrote: »

Any tips for getting over a rut in motivation!!

three week holiday in the caribbean!!:)

latecomer

dave82 wrote: »

Any tips for getting over a rut in motivation!!

Get yourself/OH pregnant - worked for us.....kinda