We're In! Reality bites ...
Entry posted by Gooman
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At long last, we're in our new home!
Thoughts of a rapid start to the garage conversion have been put to one side as we've got to grips with some of the more mundane tasks that need sorting first:
- Draught proofing - precious little had ever been done, and I've already made a big difference in one week!
- Tuning the vents on the warm air heating system - downstairs is now warmer than upstairs
- Fixing the hot water - scaled-up ballcock valve meant the cold water storage tank emptied after two baths and introduced air locks - now all fixed
- Quotes for fencing around the garden as we want to improve privacy and security
- Leak-proofing needs to be done on all uPVC windows as the external frame sealant is cracked and in some places mortar fillets had been used rather than foam + frame sealant
- Broadband still not yet up and running
- Roof space is well insulated but need ventilation (lap vents will be simplest and easiest)
- Eaves cupboards are insulated only with fibreboard, all of which needs to come out and be replaced with PIR board
Surprisingly, we seem to quite like the warm air heating. Depending on running costs, we might keep it and save the £6.5k-8k it will cost to put in a wet system. If we do that, we'll probably heat the new dining space (from the garage conversion) using electric heaters. Underfloor (of any type) is out as we can't afford to dig out the garage floor to put in the 300mm+ insulation we'd need.
On my task list for the garage conversion are:
-
Talk to our builder about sequencing of trades - what happens in what order?
- Before the wall comes down, electricity supply, meter and consumer unit need to be moved as they all terminate on the wall that's going
- Soil pipe also needs to be moved (underground and above ground)
- Roof needs to be raised
- Steel needs to be installed
- Wall needs to come down
- But kitchen sink is currently on the other side of that wall, and we still need a sink while works are ongoing
- Plumbing and waste need to be moved to wherever sink is going
- Draft plans for Lawful Development Certificate application
- Issue Party Wall Notice to neighbours (as the garages are attached and we'll be extending the height of the garage party wall to raise our garage roof) - might be a two month delay
- Apply for LDC
- Get steel beam calculations done
- Create detailed plans for Building Regs
- Submit Building Regs applicatoin
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