First-time house renovation

TomsMom

latecomer wrote: »

This is the ex-demo tap we are going to get:

http://www.hudson-reed-taps.co.uk/hudson_reed_kia_monobloc_basin_mixer__sprung_basin_waste=KIA-PT305.htm

The square base and round lever and spout go really well with the basin.

Nice tap Latecomer. Hope you manage to get the ebay one too.

latecomer

@TM - sorry to hear about OH

Seems like I wasn't the only person watching the one on ebay - went from £10 to nearly £37 in the last few mins. Will keep my eye open for more as there is no rush as its probably going to 12 months or so until we even get close to needing it

latecomer

Just got a message asking me to phone the people who are coming today to give us a quote for our wood burning stove installation. phoned and found out there are not coming as the guy had basically managed to mix up his calendars and its actually next week he is going to be coming. To be fair he (the owner) said it was entirely his fault and he could only appologise for it. To make things worse we'd asked the inlaws to come through to let the guy in so they've had a wasted journey and day. Mind you they dont seem to mind (which they never do ) and are going to come back again next week. I hope after all this carry on that the price is good.....

Hoping to get a local price match for our bath but haven't had time yet. Hoping to find time this afternoon in between maybe doing a little work

andrew-b

Sorry to hear about your OH TomsMom. I'd come help decorate myself if i were a bit closer!

Just been updating my blog this morning. I've backdated posts now to the start of the year so you may have to scroll back through the archive now.. I've still got more bathroom pictures from last year too but will save them for another day.

Andy

TomsMom

andrew-b wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your OH TomsMom. I'd come help decorate myself if i were a bit closer!

Just been updating my blog this morning. I've backdated posts now to the start of the year so you may have to scroll back through the archive now.. I've still got more bathroom pictures from last year too but will save them for another day.

Andy

Thanks Andy, that's a very kind thought :kisses3: . I'm enjoying reading your blog and seeing all your photos. Hope you're having fun with your new camera. Not sure Ozzie on a pedestal is quite the right look for your lounge. Try a lamp perhaps :rotfl: .

Well, a little update as I haven't said much this week (for a change ).

We have been in touch with a local decorator (Petros) who comes highly recommended. We weren't expecting him to fit us in for a while but his next job is quite flexible and as he knows we're anxious to move in quickly he is willing to fit us in sooner rather than later. He's coming back on Saturday when there aren't so many bodies in the house (builders will be gone for the weekend) and he can have a proper look and he will give us a price then.

We were going to have all the woodworked waxed/oiled like the doors but it looks as though we'll have to change our minds. OH will be buying the Polyx Oil tomorrow and will spend the weekend doing as many doors as possible. [His treatment is to start before the end of the month and he's been warned what to expect and he certainly wont be in any state to do this then.] Petros the painter has explained how much preparation is involved with filling nail holes where the architraves etc have been fixed, matching the filler to the wood, sanding, waxing, sanding, waxing, etc. It will be much easier and quicker to paint it. I've told him that my pet hate is chipped paint so it's our decision, but because of the time scale now [and it would be better if we've moved before OH gets too sick] it seems that white paint is the way to go. It should set the oiled doors off nicely and possibly look more modern too.

Anyone know of a tough, chip resistant paint?

Our old lounge suite wont fit into the new house so that was taken away today and a new one delivered. Guess what? They couldn't get it up the stairs so it's been left downstairs in the restaurant (which we had and sold and are now living above temporarily) and we're sitting on picnic chairs in the lounge :rotfl: .

The sheet vinyl we chose for the bathroom has been discontinued and we've hunted high and low and we can't find it anywhere. It was so right too :sad: . The search starts again.

Over at the house, the bathroom is taking shape :j . The bath and basin are in position, they'll probably be fixed properly tomorrow. I think the toilet may be installed tomorrow too.

We've had a nice gesture from the builders and we have been overwhelmed by their kindness and generosity. They know about OH's health and are anxious to get us in the house ASAP. They will be finished by Monday next week (all being well) and they have offered us labour for the rest of the week without any pay as a present. They'll do anything we want and have offered to take up the old tiled kitchen floor, level it and install our new kitchen units and appliances. They're also hoping to have time to fit the units in the utility room too. If they have any time left they'll do the tiling in the utility as well. The kitchen is being delivered on Monday and the worktops and appliances on Tuesday.

Our son had booked us in for the kitchen and utility at the beginning of April and I was worried that it would be taking paid work from him, but he just said "You go for it, we need to get you settled in the house ASAP so that dad is as comfy as possible for when the chemo affects him, so accept their offer, I've got other work I can bring forward".

Gosh - have you stuck with it and read this far? Verbal diarrhoea again today :rotfl: .

So that's it. Blog has been updated. We're out tomorrow getting a few more bits and pieces and the replacement glass for the pendant light which had a chip on the edge.

latecomer

TM - Thats a very nice gesture from the builders.

Hoping to get caught up on the blogs later but we're off to Birmingham for a surprise visit for my mum's birthday so no DIY for us this weekend. Hopefully we'll get the skirting boards next week and maybe if we're really lucky some plans from the architect too. And if they turn up I'm going to buy a lottery ticket too

edit - I've come across the original schedule for the house so I've put up some of the original pics. Enjoy

latecomer

Minor update - I've had an email from the timber yard to say that the alternative supplier doesn't have the cutters for the job or anything close so its going to be over double the cost of the first lot if we want to go ahead. He's said that there is still no change in the standoff with the original supplier either and has given the option of trying to find yet another supplier or getting a full refund.

I've asked if there is likely to be any resolution with the original supplier with regards to the 4 split boards but he's on holiday next week so I may not get a reply before he gets back. I'm starting to wonder whether its worth the effort and maybe we should look at oak or something instead and just replace everything inlcuding the doors.

Anyone know an approximate cost for good quality oak skirting boards?

Its either that or just paint them all white once more

Josepina

Well just spent an hour catching up on all your posts, my heads spinning!
TM - thats really nice of the builders, glad to know there are still people out there that care, hope OH gets through his treatment with the minimum of side effects.
Latecomer - I've followed your skirting saga and think I would have taken an axe to someone by now - but hopefully you'll get something sorted soon. I quite like white painted skirting, I can't imagine me getting round to caring for natural wood, sounds like hard work?
I'm now following the bungalow blog as well!

As for me - well foundations are finished and the concrete slab is set. Today they started building the walls in blockwork so finally its looking like an extension YAY!
I keep getting the urge to go shopping but the builder says to wait for him to take me cause he can get good discounts. So instead I'm constantly looking through home magazines hehe.

Off to read a few blogs, good luck all for the weekend!

Shimmyhill

Guess what we are doing this weekend ??

Well you would never guess, taking the roof off Well ok, part of it - at the front ! Another job that wasnt on the list but to insulate above the bays we had 2 options 1) Take the tiles, felt etc off etc and drop the insulation in from there. 2) remove the ceiling from the bay somehow insulate it minus a ceiling and then rebuild the ceiling etc.

Neither option is particularly appealing but the roof off one won in the end and replacing some of the felt can only be a good thing !

Complete PITA tho and only have to do it this way as the wall goes right up to the roof in the loft meaning you have no access to the bay voids from the loft !

In other news we are going to do the windows ! Just getting some more quotes in. And today i got a focus home movers card - 10% off for 6 months i thought it was too late to apply but seems you can apply anything up to 6 months after you move. I have put it to good use and ordered the plints and some finishing pieces for the kitchen !

latecomer

Not much to report here as we were away for the weekend. didn't get any further with the skirting boards so presumably that will have to wait until next week.

I did start prepping the bathroom by removing the mirror. Of course like everything else in this house it was clyde-built and the 4 screws that fixed it to the wall must have been 4" and as thick as a pencil. It certainly wasn't going to fall off thats for sure! then I put some filler into the big holes so hopefully it will be ready for some finishing plaster tonight. Its only small patches so I'm hoping I can make a decent enough job of it as that wall is only going to be half tiled and the remainder painted. We may have to see about getting it skimmed but I'll see how good I can get it first.