canalsiderenovation

The builder just gave us his details and told us to go in so all our contact has been with Howdens directly and they won't budge on pricing. We have been negotiating a few weeks now! The range we have been quoted on is the Greenwich gloss. Howdens was significantly cheaper than the other DIY places. I still thought it was a bit expensive if I'm honest..... What is the contract white/grey?

Yes we have gone for a Grohe pull out tap which is quite high which should be sufficient. That would have been ideal but we need at least an 800 unit for the sink and then 2*600 for the washer and dryer so that only gives us a max of 400 remaining which isn't big enough for a tall cupboard. We will however have some space within the heat pump and we have a cupboard in the hall which had manifolds etc so I think we will end up just using that for mop/broom/vacuum etc. You've confused me! What do you mean? Yep fan.

Nope it's a Miele heat pump one so no extraction needed. I didn't know if the wall units would be too overpowering. A smaller unit was suggested over the sink due to steam from hot water directly above. Utility below - ignore tanks etc as these will be seperated by the studded wall.

Hi Our utility is basic really but just wondered if I'm missing anything. I've had quotes from Howdens, B&Q and Wickes and it's around £850 at the cheapest (Howdens) for units and worktop). The builders will be putting in a stud wall so all the tanks, heat pump stuff will take up the back end of the utility so what space we have left is just around 2.4m in total maximum. I did wonder whether to go for all the smaller height units at the top rather than the taller ones? - Priorities are a large sink which we have already (so we need a minimum of 800 cupboard). - Washer and Dryer The space is only 2100mm in width so we are limited but wanted a muddy entrance. There is no window as but there is a stable door and the glazed door into the hall let's in some light from the roof windows. Colour wise, Howdens Dove Grey gloss (we actually think gloss is easier to clean than matt having had both previously) and a white coloured laminate worktop. We have gone for light colours because it's a dark room.

Like @Olly P the glazed gable for us from our kitchen/dining room and the tall corner window to the side of it looking out across the canal as the boats go past. We were initially going to convert the bungalow and go up and have a balcony and I'm so pleased we changed our mind and kept the bungalow with the glazed gable. I do love our ensuite roof light which will be above the sink and toilet. I thought it would be such a dark room and it's surprisingly light. Not sure it classes as a design feature but more an unexpected surprise but due to the different levels of the bungalow and existing internal hall space we have some large hall areas. We changed this door to a window and it's such an unexpected nice space. It could have actually ended up an office space had we not already got a seperate room. @dnb I love your rounded window. My wife always wanted a round window and we were hoping for one on the flat roof but it was so expensive we couldn't afford it.

This is what I want... It's for over our dining table. The white with the brass inside and the cost not something I'd even contemplate! I didn't want black or chrome. https://www.tomdixon.net/eu/catalog/product/view/_ignore_category/1/id/1817/s/beat-white-range-round-pendant-system

Me too, I think it was the two nights in a week in the various Hilton's in London that made me realise what I liked and disliked about bedrooms. It was actually a nice change than rooms that didn't have a plug socket next to the bed, had hard wired their lamp into the socket so you couldn't unplug it and use that socket or that the light was too bright for me/wrongly directed for reading! I don't like this particular design but I do like the idea generally.

Anyone got anything like these? We want a switched light either side of our bed with a small reading one and I quite like the idea of something like this (was on AliExpress). Anyone got anything similar?

I'm about to order one light from Ali Express. I wanted a Tom Dixon designer one and the price was eye watering.... I'm hoping it will be ok. I actually emailed the store and got them to alter the design slightly and they have been great so far at adjusting things to our requirements.

Long shot - Is there anyone in Colchester that could pick something up for me and post it back to me please? It's a metal light pendant.

Long shot - Is there anyone in Colchester that could pick something up for me and post it back to me please? It's a metal light pendant. Thanks

Crikey that's more expensive than we paid for our Internorm fingerprint sensor door!

Yes concreted in. The bit to the right of the picture is the old railway embankment. Drain runs are down past the digger. Think I've got an old pic.

Unfortunately the option for gravity alone doesn't exist for us due to the site. It also explains why we had so many issues with our last septic tank (which was not pumped). On site now discussing.

Right ok, so I need to check if he is putting in a second tank which I don't think he mentioned, unless this is what he meant all along....

Isn't that sort of what I described or are you saying we should have two tanks? Our treatment plant is Ensign ????

Ok, spoke to sewage treatment plant guy. I'm hoping this will make sense now. So here goes.... They always knew that they would need a pump on the sewage treatment plant, which I've mentioned the tank above (the one that was on our drive). This is now in the hole and not on our drive (success)! The reason that it needs another pump is because the sewage treatment plant is higher than it needs to be because they hit the running sand and it isn't deep enough, and although they could look at moving it, it would be further away, and would be significant cost as there are trees/excavation work and potentially with the same issue with the ground (which is likely). They are going to fit a macerator pump in a chamber outside. It doesn't have to be a macerator it can be any pump but it needs to be a (something about a 2 inch?? - may have got this wrong).There will be two manhole which feed into the septic tank.

I think this is part of the problem, they can't start digging into the old railway embankment which rises up above our property. I'll report back tomorrow. I do trust the guy that is doing it all. He's done sewage treatment plants for 20+ years and came recommended, not just by the builder (unlike the saga we had with the GRP roof). I just don't understand it but this was the builder relaying it to my wife relaying it to me....

Nope it's on the drive!

Going to have to because I haven't got a clue. The wife said he said macerator pump outside in its own chamber.

I'm getting this third hand from the wife so that's probably why! Unfortunately it actually isn't flat, best illustrated by this picture before we 'joined up' our disjointed bungalow. The bit on the right is actually stepped up (there are steps inside leading to the bedrooms) and the sewage treatment plant is kind of behind those connifers behind which then is the old dissuaded railway embankment. Macerator pump - that probably makes more sense but it isn't something that's inside but outside. I've only seen the sewage treatment plant on a photo my other half took - Marsh Ensign I think it was.

The sewage treatment plant was due in this week but there are some issues. Although we were having a pump as gravity alone will be insufficient, there is apparently issues with running sand too. It has been suggested we have a macerator put in which is worrying me a bit. I'm not familiar with this and it's one which will be outside (my in-laws has one and a saniflo sort of system and had nothing but trouble). The water/drainage won't go into there. I haven't got the full info from the builder but it isn't one inside but one that's outside which is making me think it isn't a macerator?? Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about??? There really doesn't seem to be any other option but may explain whilst our very old septic tank which is in the garden the other side of the house was 'one of a kind' according to the septic tank survey we had and was unusually large and very shallow (and knackered).

Would someone be so kind as to just look over this quote for our three showers and see if there are any alarm bells? Should there be something for sealing between the tray and panel. The showerwall brochure suggests a 'sureseal'

Oh blast, this RHI system is so flawed.