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The builder's are coming - floorboard laying

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The builder's are coming - floorboard laying

Postby RogerS » 10 Mar 2017, 09:26

So....is there any interest in posting about it? It certainly won't be on the scale of Mike's tour-de-force.

If so where is best to put it? In the early stages it won't be much woodie related.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Mike G » 10 Mar 2017, 09:35

Yeah, yeah yeah....

Some drawings would be good to start off with, so we know what we're looking at.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Rod » 10 Mar 2017, 09:36

I'm sure we will all be interested in seeing the progress in achieving your aims Roger

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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Mike G » 10 Mar 2017, 09:50

Have you got a plan for draining the land, Roger?
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Andyp » 10 Mar 2017, 10:37

RogerS wrote:So....is there any interest in posting about it? It certainly won't be on the scale of Mike's tour-de-force.

If so where is best to put it? In the early stages it won't be much woodie related.


Always something to learn from seeing how someone goes about things. So if you have the time then please post.
As to where. Probably here as I can't imagine that there will be much woodwork on view.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby TrimTheKing » 10 Mar 2017, 11:12

Yes please!

on a related note, do we want/need a general building works forum for these things to go in as I'm conscious we're getting a lot more of them now and would be good to have all the questions and resources in one place, a la the Workshop forum.

If we get consensus then I can do it quite easily…

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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 10 Mar 2017, 11:21

Mike G wrote:Yeah, yeah yeah....

Some drawings would be good to start off with, so we know what we're looking at.


No drawings as such apart from maybe what has been produced by the surveyor for the water tables. I was going to take photos and say what was planned.

Mike G wrote:Have you got a plan for draining the land, Roger?


Ditch. Ditch. Ditch. We're only going to tackle one small corner of the land first. The land slopes away so there will be a ditch at the top to catch run-off from the adjacent land (if any). Then halfway down the slope another parallel ditch that will run off down the slope to other existing ditches that will need to be cleaned out. Between the two will be moled land drain pipes. By keeping each end of the pipes open from either ditch means that they can be rodded/squirted. Then we shall see what happens.

I'll be posting a little thread about the cellar drain and tracking where it comes out as I want to tap into it if I can.

TrimTheKing wrote:Yes please!

on a related note, do we want/need a general building works forum for these things to go in as I'm conscious we're getting a lot more of them now and would be good to have all the questions and resources in one place, a la the Workshop forum.

If we get consensus then I can do it quite easily…

Cheers
Mark


I think that's a good idea.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Andyp » 10 Mar 2017, 11:35

I would caution on creating another board just yet. We are close if not already at a point were all the boards are not visible without scrolling on some devices which I find a pain.
Perhaps the workshop build thread is too narrow a description. Workshop is what you do in a building not how it is built.
What about expanding the workshop build thread to include non workshop builds and refurbishments.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby TrimTheKing » 10 Mar 2017, 14:42

I'll create a new discussion thread so as not to derail this any further, cheers.

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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 16 Mar 2017, 17:11

In another thread, Andy asked about the scope of planned work. So without further ado....

Outside we have several planned threads of work as a result of our survey :

redoing the four water tables
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cleaning water stains
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redoing the detailing around the bay windows properly
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some remedial masonry work here and elsewhere, a lot of repointing with lime mortar
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removal of hard cement mortar
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removal of this ugly flue
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LOML would like the wood log store faced off with stone or similar.

I've seen the Schedule of Works for all of this and will be having a beauty parade next week with our surveyor.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 16 Mar 2017, 17:31

Originally LOML wanted to have the two bay windows removed which would take the front back to its original Georgian roots. Replacing with two sash windows on either side of the door. But investigation of the massive steel lintels

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led our surveyor to recommend that they be taken out as they would become more intimately connected to masonry, cement etc and so a high risk of rusting in the future. This put another great big wodge of cash on the bay window removal subproject taking it to well over £40k. Too rich for us.

So I mocked up replacing the windows - both upstairs and downstairs - with a traditional sash box frame

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The mockups show the final width of the glazing bars (using stick-ons).

Upstairs will be 6 over 6 and downstairs I'm not sure yet. I need to revisit. Traditionally the aspect ratio of the individual panes should mirror that of the stone opening.

They will be single-glazed and we'll look at adding secondary glazing later.

I did some investigative work to get the size of the rebate because the more you can hide the sash box frame behind the rebate, the less wood you see in the window opening which affects the look and light.

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The sill actually sits on the surface of the stone cill which is is not ideal. The size of that cavity is also massive.

I won't be making the sashes myself - no workshop and no time - but I'm delighted to find a brilliant joinery company near Kendal who are willing to listen and respond and make them to my spec. Even using some of my spindle cutters.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Andyp » 16 Mar 2017, 17:57

I think you have done very well to find builders so quickly. I hope it all goes well.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 16 Mar 2017, 18:06

Inside...

as I mentioned elsewhere, all the plasterboard on the inside of the external facing walls will be removed and Kingspan insulation 100mm put in between the vertical studs, then any gaps foamed up. May well take the opportunity to put in a few more sockets.

I've already started !

Image

Did this trying to find if there was still a legacy fireplace behind the stud wall. We do know that there is a working flue and so the plan is to get a borehole camera behind the block work. There are six flues in each gable end.

The previous owners had a penchant for nailing/screwing/fixing bric-a-brac to the walls. In one room, I counted 25 fixings! One could remove them and fill in the holes but they will always show. Plus when you look at the eccentric colour scheme, it would take the entire years' supply of CoverStain from Zinnser to let us even stand a chance of painting the walls without the old colour showing through. So, all the interiors walls will be replastered and also those Artex ceilings...(no asbestos...had it checked).

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All the coving will be removed and we'll put in proper Georgian cornices in the main 'staterooms' ;)

That's for starters....other walls being moved, en-suite enlarged and remodelled, bathroom remodelled, new en-suite added to the other main bedroom. An extra small window being put into the East wall (if we can work out where all the flues go and avoid them).

Kitchen being redone, walls knocked down, large sliding or bifold doors put in the West wall.

Meanwhile down in the pit aka cellar, I've made a bit of a start. Pleased to say my preference for proper ditches rather than the equivalent of French drains still proving spot-on. Someone in the past had dug a 'ditch' then filled it with drainage pipe ad rendered over. Over the years that pipe just silted up. So now it's going to be left open. It's an ongoing project.

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Had one minor success. The surveyor commented that he couldn't find a drain in the cellar which was odd. I did.

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One of the surveyors outstanding tasks was to try and locate it and the outlet down the hill, the idea being to try and tap into it to improve the drainage from the gutters (ah, forgot...that'd another external sub-project...add more downpipes). While walking the 'estate' I'd come across this interesting looking outlet in the bank. It looked old enough, certainly.

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So I bought some fluorescein and poured it down the drain. I left it for 30 minutes or so and went to look at the outlet. After some rodding, it started to empty and bingo! Fluorescein. Don't think we can use it as it will be a bugger to dig down to..must be 8ft or more below ground level.

And this is what a blocked land drain looks like.

Image

I'm convinced that there are a lot of blocked land drains about the place and if we can only free them up then it can only do good. I stumbled across one while trying to dig out one of the many ditches. Simply dug back a bit of the mud in the bank and it all started flowing very nicely.

I digress.

The other thing in the cellar that needs fixing is the intermittent cold water pump. There are very few water treatment companies up here. I got a quote from one wit a stupid price for the pump. I just took delivery of the pump for 1/7 of his price direct from the manufactures in Poland. I've got a replacement pressure differential switch and so I reckon I can fix it for under £100 and not the £700-£800 I've been quoted.

And that's about it.

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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Phil » 17 Mar 2017, 06:50

Roger, nice project.

Looking at some of the pics, the previous owners did not bother too much about maintenance outside and the garden.

Hope you bought it at a very good price looking at all the work that has to be done.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 17 Mar 2017, 07:11

Phil wrote:Roger, nice project.

Looking at some of the pics, the previous owners did not bother too much about maintenance outside and the garden.


Understatement of the year! :D They did nothing in 13 years.


Phil wrote:Hope you bought it at a very good price looking at all the work that has to be done.


Not a bad price especially considering that a lot of the changes are basically remodelling. But we're doing that to (a) be enjoyable to live in and to our style and (b) hopefully add significant value to the property when we sell.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Mike G » 17 Mar 2017, 07:20

Good luck with all this Roger. I hope you've got the scope of works well and truly buttoned up for the builders, because this looks like a "think of a number and double it" type of project. I'm sure you'll be standing over them controlling what they do and don't do, but nonetheless I can see endless problems if there isn't quite a tight contract for the job.

Oh, and whilst I remember......don't forget to use foil backed plasterboard for those linings to the external walls.

I note all your boxes in the rented house. Couldn't you hire a shipping container and leave them on site? I pay about £35/ month, and it has stayed dry and problem free for over 2 years.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Phil » 17 Mar 2017, 07:21

When I look at all that work, there is only one way to do it, which you are doing and that is African style. :D

How to eat an elephant - assess the size of the elephant and then take bite size chunks and don't look at the big bulk. :lol:
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 17 Mar 2017, 07:35

Mike, the 'technical' tricky stuff has a Schedule of Work.

The other stuff is very much a Work In progress. The major cost centre is LOML's design aspirations :lol: But having said that she is bloody good at sussing out the best design for the best price.

One thing I'd be interested in hearing people's views is how to tackle stand-alone work such as the replacement of the CH boiler and oil tank. I know that I can buy the boiler for £x off the internet. So one approach is to buy it myself and then find someone to install it. But it's also not unreasonable to find that the installer wants to provide everything (then they take the aggro sorting things out) but in fairness they will want to add a bit of margin. So how do you guys do it ?

I don't mind paying a fair bit of extra but, for example, charging £450 for an £80 pump is taking the p*ss.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Mike G » 17 Mar 2017, 10:11

Your plumber will buy a boiler cheaper than you can. Get a plumber to quote for the whole thing (supply & fix), and they take responsibility for the whole thing. However, inspect his design proposals carefully before you agree to anything. A decent plumber will give you a fixed price.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Deejay » 17 Mar 2017, 10:43

Morning Roger

Have a look at the fitters approved by the manufacturer. I used one to change a boiler two years ago and got a seven years parts and labour warranty on it.

Modern boilers can be very expensive to repair so the peace of mind, in my opinion, justified the smalll additional cost.

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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Rod » 17 Mar 2017, 11:15

Roger, Can I ask what your ultimate aims are for this property as it seems to be a very big house just for the two of you and not something of a retirement home with all the maintenance of that sized building and adjoining land etc.

Renovate and sell?
Long term home?
Convert to B&B?

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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 17 Mar 2017, 11:45

Rod wrote:Roger, Can I ask what your ultimate aims are for this property as it seems to be a very big house just for the two of you and not something of a retirement home with all the maintenance of that sized building and adjoining land etc.

Renovate and sell?
Long term home?
Convert to B&B?

Rod


The main criteria was isolation then ideally period. With the isolation aspect, the garden for LOML factored in almost as a given..ie isolation = land (often) = garden or business potential. Then probably live in the place for 10 years..who knows what the future might bring.

We like space. Inside and out. Certainly got space inside. I was looking at my bedroom and suddenly realised that the spare space in the room not taken up by the double bed and furniture was larger then many modern house bedrooms !

But now ?

Who knows. We have the drainage chap starting next week to make a start on one corner of the paddock along the lines previously discussed. We just have to wait and see how successful that is.
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby Phil » 17 Mar 2017, 14:49

RogerS wrote:
Rod wrote:Roger, Can I ask what your ultimate aims are for this property as it seems to be a very big house just for the two of you and not something of a retirement home with all the maintenance of that sized building and adjoining land etc.

Renovate and sell?
Long term home?
Convert to B&B?

Rod


I was looking at my bedroom and suddenly realised that the spare space in the room not taken up by the double bed and furniture was larger then many modern house bedrooms !



O'kay, so you ended up with the hockey field size bedroom - what did the wife get? :lol:
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 19 Mar 2017, 09:25

As the builder says he's starting in the kitchen, time to get up the floorboards which seemed to be the consensus from the other thread plus I can recycle them and use them upstairs on the landing.

Image

Apparently they are maple from the old Singer factory in Newcastle. Nice bit of 'history'.

I originally did the denailing at the same time but realised that I wouldn't have the floor completely up come tomorrow (Monday) but I could denail them elsewhere afterwards.

Think they will tidy up quite nicely and I can always clean up the T&G on the spindle moulder. Ah, forgot, I ain't got one at the moment. :(
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Re: The builder's are coming ....

Postby RogerS » 21 Mar 2017, 09:02

For the first time in my life, not only has a builder arrived on the day that he said he would but called me the night before to confirm :o
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