First time renovating an unmodernised property

Vetyver

I think I might keep this thread as my reno diary! So I exchanged yesterday (hurrah!) and was kindly loaned the keys from the agents for quote-gathering this weekend. It looks like my list needs some revising, after opinions from the experts.

The good news:
- The ceilings are in good nick, so no plastering needed there
- The noise wasn't as bad as I thought, so no need to shell out for special acoustic double-glazing (normal double-glazing will do)
- There is WAY more storage than I remembered!

The bad news:
- Asbestos in the boiler & cabinet?! £££ to remove
- The walls definitely need replastering - can't get away with just lining and painting!
- The way the electrics are wired (through pipes in concrete) really limits my options, as it's not easy to install or move sockets
- There's no parquet, as I originally hoped; looks like it's just vinyl tiles straight on the concrete. So... laminate flooring it is, then! But that's okay; I wanted lighter-coloured floors anyway

The asbestos was definitely the most unpleasant surprise - shame I never picked up on it before, (the cabinet door needed gouging open). I regret not getting any quotes before exchanging, but oh well!

Two more quotes tomorrow morning before I return the keys; hopefully no more nasty surprises...

jimmy_81

Vetyver wrote: »

So sorry if I’m being dense, but what is ‘first fix’ and ‘second fix’ - do you mean I should do everything in two instalments?

Very broadly speaking, first fix is everything up to the point of being ready to plaster. Second fix is from plastering onwards.

So, for example, during an electrical rewire first fix would be all the chasing, cable routing, box cutting etc. - the really hard, messy work. Second fix is then fitting the faceplates, making connections and so on. Similar for other trades such as plumbing.

In reality there's a good deal of debate about exactly what is first or second fix - if in doubt, ask your tradesperson to be more specific!

Oh, and as for concrete; if it's a real problem you can cut new cable routes into concrete... Don't use that option though unless there really is no other choice, any sparky will charge you a fortune for the work needed to do it. And you definitely won't make friends with your neighbours downstairs...

ETA: One other thing - gas; is there a meter fitted in the property? If not, is there a pipe with a cut-off valve present? If not - i.e. the old pipe looks capped off - then the supply may be dead. Get in touch with the gas transport company to find out. That's for houses anyway, might be different in flats...

Vetyver

Thanks Jimmy!

jimmy_81 wrote: »

ETA: One other thing - gas; is there a meter fitted in the property? If not, is there a pipe with a cut-off valve present? If not - i.e. the old pipe looks capped off - then the supply may be dead. Get in touch with the gas transport company to find out. That's for houses anyway, might be different in flats...

This is proving a bit of a challenge. There is a pipe and it is capped off. I organised a Live or Dead check on Sunday with the National Grid, but they didn't show up throughout the 4-hour window they gave me; so after 4+ hours of standing (no seats!) in a freezing, unheated flat with no working toilet, I called them, only to be told they don't do these checks on weekends, and my booking was done in error! :mad: They told me to hang on for another 2 hours while they sent an emergency guy around, but then he didn't show either - after 6.5 hours without food or water, I decided enough was enough and left. Gits.

Anyway, I have another check with them booked for tomorrow, but my next challenge is finding out where the meters are situated. Apparently they can be no higher than the 1st floor, but this flat is up on the 5th. The management company have no clue, so I might just have to go and knock on some doors to ask...