Jump to content

canalsiderenovation

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1691

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    9

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by canalsiderenovation

  1. canalsiderenovation
    I'm pleased to say finally we are insulated and have render. Credit to our plasterer who has been brilliant and done an amazing job. The colour is Ecorend marble white so is a very clean white looking colour rather than the yellow/grey looking off whites we saw but we like it. The plasterer came in the early hours before the sun as it was blinding trying to apply it in direct sun over the past couple of weeks. Once we have the aggregate round the house and plants etc I don't think it will look too crazy. 
     
    Waiting for the anthracite guttering to be fixed on and some of the plastic work and roof edging needs some TLC and if I hear the word 'mastic' again - which seems to be the answer to everything cladding and plastic related I'll strangle the builder.  Also need fan covers attaching and our lights putting on which should be next week.
     
    Thought I'd share these pics. We have started to apply Bitumen paint on the bricks below DPC and this has smartened up the area where the bedroom/dressing room is where it is the split level inside with steps and rooms are higher than the rest of the house. We haven't finished all the way around yet.
     

     

     

     
    Loving the front door now with the render. Despite it being black in a silver frame and the anthracite windows we think it looks fine.
     

     

     
    This is the back of the house into our utility with the stable door. The hose pipe isn't on the render it's fixed onto a galvanised post.
     

     
    Of course we still have lots of garden work to do, no double garage and no dressing room etc but prices so high we have shelved things for now. Probably the most exciting non-house related news is we bought a boat which took a chunk out of the house budget!
     

     
  2. canalsiderenovation
    It's been a while since our last update but just to let everyone know we may be in for Xmas. We still need the EWI and render but inside should be liveable and we can get out of the caravan.
     
    The kitchen is almost complete now after getting damaged units all replaced and given it was ex display I think it looks lovely. The part with the hob on could possibly have been a bit longer but I didn't want a breakfast bar and by time we have our table, chairs and small sofa I think it will look good. At the moment it's like a big dancefloor!
     

     
    And although the majority of the house doesn't have light fittings because frankly we are skint, we did manage to get the kitchen/dining room sorted and I love the light in there which we got from a small lighting place I convinced the other half to drive a couple of hours for. If I would have hated it she would have killed me.
     

     

     
    We got the whole house sprayed white by a local decorator because I didn't want to look at plaster for 12 months and I didn't fancy doing the pitched ceilings in the kitchen and with a bad neck injury. For our bungalow which is around 190m2 it was a few hundred pounds Inc all materials, paint, masking prior to second fix. It would have taken weeks to do it and the spray finish is brilliant (although has a few marks on it from second fix now). No woodwork has been done because it wasn't in place and frankly we can't afford it and once we decide on colours etc we can get doors, skirting done later on when we have calmed down and gradually work through each room. We have already decided we want the kitchen orange eventually and our yellow living room sofa is due to arrive too just before Xmas so it will definitely have injection of colour.
     
    The bathrooms are almost completed now after the showerwall saga, on the third replacement it now looks decent.
     
    We went for LVT throughout and the UFH is working well in that it's warmer than the caravan...... 
  3. canalsiderenovation
    Combine the chaos of building work, attempting to project manage various tradesmen and coordination of items, living and working in a caravan and not knowing where we were going to live in 3 weeks time with a stressful period at work and I finally had a complete meltdown. I've been pulling my hair out (literally) so have 2 inch pieces of hair in places where I've ripped it out through stress, I look like a lovely female version of Freddie Kruger (great ? attempt) due to a stress skin reaction and anyone who asked me how I was in the last couple of weeks either got an emotional bursting into tears response or something Father Jack would utter, minus the drink. There has just been numerous things building up. I'm trying to take a bit of a back seat and the wife has stepped up to deal with a lot of things to take the pressure off me for a little while whilst I give myself a good talking to and get myself in check.
     
    Good news though slightly irnoic - the lockdown has resulted in the caravan park letting us stay in the caravan so that is one thing sorted as potentially we were going to be homeless as things are behind schedule due to three different tradesmen having to isolate due to Covid.
     
    The plus, our plasterer is amazing and has literally been on site at 6am and has worked into the small hours. He's one step away from moving in with his camping stove - I did offer him a sleeping bag and tent.
     

     
    This is what will be the double doors from the master bedroom into the dressing room/walk in wardrobe - basically another room that's actually bigger than our bedroom! Yes we have a lot of clothes and shoes ......
     

     
    Still no solar panels in but our first fix has been done and the majority of the roof has been sorted though everything still needs something finishing off!
     

     
    Due to the impromptu arrival of our kitchen we managed to get our front door on so here is an early peek of that. The frame is like a stainless steel/aluminium which I'm not sure about but hopefully once the render is on will look OK.
     

     
  4. canalsiderenovation
    Overall it went swimmingly well, couple of minor issues but soon resolved and need to return to sort out a handle issue but John Knight Glass were, IMO really great and for final sign off we wait for contact over next couple weeks when someone else comes to site to check everything with us so enough time to raise any snagging issues hopefully.
     
    Despite some panic on the canal bridge when the trailer was about 8 inches off the floor, everyone held their breath when the glass got over successfully. The other option being discussed was asking CRT who were dredging at the time to transport them to us. Although that didn't happen, I'd of been quite pleased to see that ?
     

     
    The windows we picked were the aluclad UPVV studio KF320 windows and KS430 sliding door and we are more than happy with them.
     
    A couple from work in progress.
     

     

     
    It was nice as the sun was setting getting some pictures of the house today, finally with the windows.
     

     

     
  5. canalsiderenovation

    GRP Part 2

    By canalsiderenovation,

    So.... Old roof off this week, firings sorted so our roof has a fall on it and the professionals arrived today for the GRPing, thank god it's dry. On site at the moment and just had a sneak peak.
     
    We are so pleased with this compared to previous.
     
    This is the fall, not sure how the builders are going to deal with the exposed wood yet.
     
     

     
    Credit to the guys who were on site before 8am.
     

     
     

     

  6. canalsiderenovation
    To those who commented on our GRP, this is not an update. The next installment to that will hopefully be at the end of next week when the crap roof will be off and a proper company coming in to sort after we insisted on an insurance backed guarantee. I shall update then, watch this space!
     
    Flat roof aside.....
     
    All our new extension had insulation laid and our existing flooring excavated for insulation too. We had the UFH pipes laid and there was A LOT.
     

     
    And then screed laid which is suprisingly even and flat using TG Cemfloor – a liquid self-levelling screed. Needless to say they did a better job of this than the roof.
     

     
    And part of the in roof solar frames have also gone up.

     
    Our builders found these up the loft when taking down the old ceilings. Unfortunately empty! Someone had a good party ?
     

     

     
  7. canalsiderenovation
    To those who commented on our GRP, this is not an update. The next installment to that will hopefully be at the end of next week when the crap roof will be off and a proper company coming in to sort after we insisted on an insurance backed guarantee. I shall update then, watch this space!
     
    Flat roof aside.....
     
    All our new extension had insulation laid and our existing flooring excavated for insulation too. We had the UFH pipes laid and there was A LOT.
     

     
    And then screed laid which is suprisingly even and flat using TG Cemfloor – a liquid self-levelling screed. Needless to say they did a better job of this than the roof.
     

     
    And part of the in roof solar frames have also gone up.

     
    Our builders found these up the loft when taking down the old ceilings. Unfortunately empty! Someone had a good party ?
     

     

     
  8. canalsiderenovation
    I'll start with the GRP roof but I'll dedicate this whole blog entry to which I will deem the God-awful Rubbish Period. This probably seems like I'm over exaggerating but there's just been a lot of things combined with work, personal etc and I have really been feeling the pressure.
     
    Intially, as they started laying the fabric the GRP looked OK but, despite what I would say is perfect conditions for the GRP going on from what I know through reading on here we, were appalled by the quality of the work. Without bombarding this blog with pics unless you really, really want to see them, just take my word for it, it was bad! I believe I this was subcontracted but as we have not been on site I think it's been done by the builder themselves.
     
    Needless to say I was not happy so met with the builder who muttered something about weather and acknowledged it was poor. There has been some improvement but I can't say I'm entirely happy but I believe this will be rectified, hopefully. I also raised the issue of the rooflight upstands not been GRPd to the roof and something is happening with lead flashing so I'm hoping that will be rectified too.
     
    Here is the current GRP as it stands, comments welcome because I don't know if I'm being over picky but I want to be prepared for meeting the builder this week so please give me your opinions.
     

     

     

     
    Roofing aside, thanks to the people that contributed to the thread on our ASHP and solar @PeterW and @ProDaveothers as I really feel I would have had a complete meltdown. For some reason the idea of fitting a PV immersion controller seemed to cause all sorts of issues and it's literally blown my mind trying to explain to people that should know more than me how to do it and what is needed. 
     
    And my final rant, how is it despite giving delivery drivers instructions they still turn it in an articulated lorry the size of a double decker bus.... er no you will not that over a canal bridge! Took delivery of a bathroom suite after it was pump loaded over the bridge with the lorry blocking the farm who were not happy and finally unpacked it to find the whole lot was damaged. Can't get the same items now as they are out of stock but in some good fortune the bathroom company decided it was far too much hassle to collect them again so let us keep them and refund the money so we can flog them to try and pay for an alternate suite.
     
    We did finally get all our 12 panel GSE 3.84kw PV system and immersion controller for under £2300 which has now been delivered which is a relief.
    If the builders make as much of a dog's dinner of fitting this as they did of the GRP I'll have an absolute breakdown ?
     
     
  9. canalsiderenovation
    I wish this was a food related post! Nope, actually the less we can cook the better. The minute the gas goes in it turns from a 36 degree caravan to an actual steam room complete with scents of tea tree and lavender from what we have applied to our arms and legs from the critters are attacking us in here through open windows and vents. 
     
    Meanwhile our dry storage in one of the outbuildings, formerly a shop the previous owner had selling canal associated tat has mice! Discovered when looking for some shorts as it's where we are storing some belongings, I'm now having a panic we have a family of furry friends living in our mattress and clothes. We have 4 traps down and so far have caught 6! Either the peanut butter is attracting them in or we have a huge family. The maize hasn't even been cut down yet so I'm predicting by time we get to emptying things out in Autumn they will likely have chewed through anything of any value!
     
    Bungalow wise, the historic evidence of birds, bees and wasps nesting in the old roof has been discovered which was completely knackered and the existing floors are being excavation ready for lots of lovely insulation. That's been a big job for the builders.
     
    The joining of the existing appearance of the two bungalows created a few discussions as we were just replacing the flat roof that joins them but not any more! Someone's had a bright idea and I can't pretend to understand what's happening but apparently it will look much better. As long as they stick to the budget they can do what they want - what they didn't mention was it's more steel/calcs which is extra cost but there may be savings elsewhere. 
     

     
     



  10. canalsiderenovation
    So, progress has continued and after months of walking round looking at drawings I can actually see proper rooms which is all very exciting. My necessity of carrying lip gloss everywhere has been replaced with a tape measure which is now a handbag essential! I've become almost obsessive checking sizes of rooms, window openings and that potential bathroom purchases will fit. My tape measure had that much use it finally broke!
     
    One stand out moment was the steels for the 5.5 metre Internorm doors (modelled by the wife) and the corner window. This will be the kitchen dining room and look out up to the canal so will be one of my favourite places.
     
    The inside of the bungalow looks like a group of lads have had the worst house party ever and the chimney, naff red fireplace (see previous forum post), 70s bathroom and bedroom have all gone along with some of the windows, though neither of quite made it out of the house yet so it's just piles of rubble. In the absence of a chimney we have gained an impromptu skylight with view of the wasps nest.
     
    Internorm did their technical survey earlier this week and we just need to iron out the measurements of the 'triangle bits' above the huge sliders and hopefully will have our window order placed on Tuesday. The lead times mean potentially the windows will pretty much be the last things to go in which to be isn't a bad thing, less chance they will get damaged.
     
    Here is some pics.
     
    We are spending a rainy Saturday afternoon arguing about knobs.
     





  11. canalsiderenovation
    Phew, today we said goodbye to our house and moved out and said Hello to our new house, approximately 8 minutes down the road - about 6 miles away to a caravan site. With Covid we were able to negotiate a 4 month deal (we weren't due here til 1 July but our existing knackered flat roof started to leak so negotiated coming early).
     
    It's luxury compared to our living arrangements for the past 2 years. We aren't eating, working and sleeping in the same room, have instant hot water, heating and can shower without a bucket under the pipe! 
     
    We will still be on site pretty much every day and we still have our garden to maintain so will be keeping a close eye on things...


  12. canalsiderenovation
    One question my dad asked me on Saturday.
     
    He only came up to get rid of a tree stump in the garden that's been there since Storm Doris blew down our Silver Birch. Job done, we thought whilst he had the digger he could tackle 7 other stumps in a large overgrown border near our drive.
     
    He then asked the question he would now probably regret and was met with a response of "we will probably extend the drive at some point".
     
    He looked at my like he did when I'd told him I'd failed my GCSEs and explained we were going to pay a builder to get rid of all the hardcore then buy it back in again at some point for hard standing and that we can save 'thousands of pounds'. So, dad realising what he had talked himself into dug out the area under strict permission not to damage the Christmas Tree because where would we hang our fairy lights otherwise and I was on social media advertising 20 tonne of topsoil and moving stumps. The neighbours must wondered what was happening with an endless supply of trailers, cars and even a JCB Fastrack.
     
    The wheelbarrow clearly felt the impact of yesterday's hard work and pretty much sums up how we feel today too (another job dad sorted).
     
     



  13. canalsiderenovation

    Oops!

    By canalsiderenovation,

    We purchased a kitchen - oops!
     
    I've been set on handless, but haven't been keen on the J handles I'd seen and I wanted a mixture of wood handleless and another colour though the other half wasn't keen on handleless. I had in my head orange but I couldn't quite get the shade I wanted without customising it (so decided something neutral and paint the walls would be cheaper) and then DIY kitchens didn't do wood effect handleless although the quality of the base units was better than some we had seen. We had seen a couple on the used kitchen site recommended on here, mainly German kitchens and then we saw one eBay as part of the Cucina Colore collection https://mereway.co.uk/kitchens/cucina-colore-collection/ which was advertised with a cost price of £21k which I take with a pinch of salt) and a mix of both handles and handleless which pleased the other half.
     
    We knew it had the ovens, hob and sink/tap but didn't know much about the quality so went to the showroom. We were both impressed with the quality, seemed better than DIY kitchens and surprised to find it actually included all Siemens integrated appliances, which includes two ovens (one a steam oven), coffee machine, tall fridge, dishwasher and hob. And then to top it all a Quooker tap and boiler as well, none of which had they advertised! I was mentally trying to tally up the cost of the appliances not to mention the fancy metal pull out bits and bobs in the units and cupboard accessories.
     
    Agreeing they would dismantle and then we can inspect again and check they haven't damaged anything (and they will replace anything they do damage), and store and deliver it too, price negotiation started. The other half again was cringing. Have to say, very pleased with the final result!
     
    We need to work out where we will put the wall units/shelf as we have a window above the sink so probably on the opposite wall. We also need to add on a cupboard on the end next to the fridge for a similar sized tall freezer (I think it's technically a 3/4 size to match the fridge) and possibly another tall unit next to it just to add on extra space (currently the stretch with the appliances is 3m but we have just over 5m available) but we are made up with what we have.
     
    I'm not sure yet if we will keep the worktop or look at quartz or similar (we can always use the existing worktop in our utility). Depends on budget but I don't dislike the worktops that are on to be honest.
     
    The flooring you can see is a sample of flooring we carry everywhere we fell in love with a while ago (a worn concrete appearance LVT).
     
    So, we are only two weeks in and we have a bath, kitchen, footings and brickwork! No messing around here...
     
    Here are some pics.




  14. canalsiderenovation
    Today was our four year wedding anniversary. It was also Day 1 of the builders starting promptly at 730am and as we got the day off work we decided to leave them to it and escape.
     
    Since the cancelled Ideal Home show and home associated birthday plans in March I've been online adding things to my ever growing Pinterest board and my particular obsession has been a bath and although we had done some browsing before lockdown I hadn't seen anything that really caught my eye. 
     
    My wife concerned with the ever growing board of bath pictures offered today to go and look at some.  So heading north commenced our bathroom shopping with a list of places to visit, mainly ex display showroom baths.
     
    No posh anniversary meals, stopping for cheese and beetroot sandwiches I'd made to take with us (who said romance was dead)?
     
    Lots of baths later and still not fully decided and the threat of with 'we aren't coming back again' we get to our final stop in Bradford.
     
    I'd had a notification en route from eBay saying it had been reduced further and 'you are not haggling' resulted in me haggling a bit more discount too and the tap thrown in as well (the wife had walked out at this point leaving me to it). Managed to get it in the Jeep with about 10mm spare (I'm sure there is a joke somewhere a out how many people it takes to fit a bath into a Jeep).
     
    So, Happy Anniversary - we bought each other a bath! Here is the bath modelled by me - safely home in our garage.
     
    Just caught the builders - that big hole in the last post. It's no longer a hole.



  15. canalsiderenovation
    Drama broke out earlier today with the discovery of our water pipe. Discovered by the digger going though it....
     
    A few months ago in the absence of locating our internal stop tap (likely because it's somewhere behind the fitted kitchen units) the water company came out to try and locate the external one. Three house after they arrived....
     
    No.such.luck
     
    They did say it's somewhere between the houses the other side of the bridge and us - but there is a canal and bridge in between us and them and they couldn't locate it. Strange but true. They did say if the builders found it they could then come out and try and track it from the pipe so Severn Trent are back again Friday.
     
    So just over a week in and we have partly dug out footings for the kitchen extension, office and Airbnb bedroom/ensuite. After 2 years of seeing everything on plans it's all very exciting actually seeing the space.


  16. canalsiderenovation
    Ever since we moved in we have always been asked "is it two bungalows or one?" Weirdly it was designed exactly like the main picture (which was the start of our build as they were doing the footings).
     
    I think it was all a bit of a ploy. Roll back to early 70s when it was some sort of large vegetable patch. Planning permission was refused for two bungalows, various amendments and someone designed the bungalow as it is today, one bungalow suspiciously looking like two bungalows separated by a flat roof. I think they planned to build it and then attempt to get it split into two bungalows but it never happened.
     
    We have always wanted to somehow 'connect' up the roof and to be honest it's all been a bit vague on how this would be achieved. Mid build architect and builder got together, another £200 for some more beam calcs and over yesterday and today it is all looking a bit more like one bungalow.
     
    This pic is from the scaffolding and you can finally see the roof joining with the large flat roof extension.

     
    From the canal/bridge it now looks far more connected though this pic doesn't do it much justice (yesterday).
     
    And from the garden looking into our kitchen:
     

     
    What we really like is our ensuite, which, in the absence of any external walls will have a nice fixed rooflight on the flat roof just above our toilet/sink vanity unit which will be slightly raised from the ceiling (not the best pic).
     

     
     
     
  17. canalsiderenovation
    Things seem to be happening very quickly and progress has gone really well.
     
    The block and beam of the huge extension is coming together now and the focus has been outside, although with the occasional downpour the inside is now half empty with our 1970s bathroom suite finally gone.
     
    In the interim I've sold everything inside, the kitchen, boiler, naff internal doors and even the crappy floor tiles we took off. All copper and rads ready for my dad to weigh in. Have now run out of stuff to sell!
     
    Here are a couple of pics from this week.
     
    The final pic, the bank you can see and the path runs 90 metres from the entrance to the end of our garden from one old railway bridge to the other old railway bridge the other end which is over the canal. The railway at the top of the embankment is no more. It was the line that ran from Whitchurch to Chester and we can clamber up to the top of the embankment which is now an overgrown mess of bramble and ivy, no track any longer. 

    We cleared some of the ivy and when we were clearing the garden of shrubs, bulbs and plants that we knew would get disturbed I literally moved every one by hand and planted it on the bank and we have been lucky that the majority of the plants have taken and had daffs, bluebells and lots of other things flower so it looks quite nice, even the foxgloves that seem to have gone crazy.
     
    We do need to sort out some sort of wall or something to replace the rockery' bit which was already there. I dread to think of the cost for such a long length. It's not as high in some places and levels off. 




×
×
  • Create New...