Dated Fireplace

I found out that the bedroom fireplace was registered on 30th April 1877 (Seventeen years before the house was built). It is great to find out information like this. I'm presuming the other fireplace is the same but as it has so much paint on it, I can't tell. This is the website that helped me decipher the registration mark - www.oxfordarchitectural.co.uk/dating.htm

Trades People

These are the trades people that we've seen so far and we're still waiting on these quotes:

• Builders x 2 (already received one that made me fall off my chair)
• Plasterer (he quoted as we went round room by room)
• Floor Specialist (got two quotes, one that we're really please about)
• Plumber x 1
• Electrician x 1
• Kitchen company (had four quotes all very high but think we've made a decision)
• Chimney Sweep (done)
• Fireplace Co (had quote but need to know a date when room is going to be decorated before we can book fitting)

The electrician is the person we need to get in and working so we can get sockets sunk. We’d then be able to get the plasterer in and decorate most of the rooms.

We have a problem with the damp in the kitchen (surprise!) and are waiting to hear back from the company that the DPC guarantee is with. Their surveyor has been round so step one is completed but if we need work doing it will really delay things.

Have now received all the bathroom and cloakroom fittings (minus a pedestal and towel rail) so once the electrician has fitted the bathroom fan and shaver socket we’re ready to get the plumber and tiler in.

Answers

Thought I'd answer some of my questions I posted a week or so ago.

1) Do we knock the kitchen/utility room wall down and loose the cloakroom, giving us a huge kitchen big enough for a table?
We plan to have the wall knocked down and we're definitely keeping the cloakroom, which is going to have rules about its use.

2) Do we sand the living room and main bedroom floor ourselves?
Had two quote and one was very reasonable (although we haven't received it in writing yet) so we plan to get someone in to do it.

3) Do we put up a dado rail in the living room and hall, stairs & landing?
Yes, will save us quite a bit of time and money.

4) Do we sink the plug sockets?
Thinking that we'll do this as the verbal quote that the electrician gave us seemed reasonable but we'll wait for the written quote.

5) Do I order the bath now?
I waited for the plumber to see it and all of the other bits and have ordered everything. Bath came today and the rest is coming on Thursday.

6) Do we replace the new hot water tank?
No, the plumber said that it was the recommended size for our house so we're happy about that.

The painting has begun!

Mum and Dad extended their stay by a few days so they can attend a family funeral (which was expected) on the way back home to Scotland. They will also be running away with my quinces that they've already bagged.

They've worked for them though and even today Mum was digging in the garden.
I should point out that I don't get the camera out in front of Dad as I get told to put it away and get on with the important work.

Yet another fluffy neighbour came to say hello.

Alan & I spent the last week trying as hard as possible to get trades people round to give us quotes. I knew it would be tough but I had not idea that it was going to be like this. Wednesday ended up being laughable as two people called up to postpone due the England match that started at 6pm. At least they were honest.

This week we've seen a wooden floor restorer who quoted to restore this and the main bedroom,

...a plumber and another kitchen company. We've also ordered the bath (like this), which I'm especially excited about. We must order the other bits tomorrow and next week I've got loads of people booked in but have no idea who is going to turn up.

The only job that we manged to get booked in to take place this week was the chimney being swept in the living room.
So we thought we were in a position to order the fireplace and fitting today. After a last minute change of style, we ended up just walking away with two quotes. Do we go for an arch style fireplace like this or a style like (you're going to have to use some imagination here as this has lots of options with tiles and finishes) this, which I think is more traditional? Must decide this week so we can get it all sorted.

Mum and Dad did another important job for us and removed a lot of the remaining carpets. This really helped in getting rid of a little bit more of that dog smell that won't seem to shift.

We almost got back to normality today and spent a few hours in town shopping and I didn't try on one item of clothing or any shoes (but did find time for a coffee). We visited two kitchen shops/departments and realised that the kitchen we are thinking about is the best quality and possibly priced well but still very much outside of our budget.

Without a doubt the most satisfying thing to happen so far is this (before and after),
It is almost finished, just needs a polish tomorrow and a little touch up. Doesn't it look great?

Update from the weekend

Lots of water and a radiator sums up one of the days. Apparently everyone has one of these experiences and I think I’m over it now. Thank God Dad was on the end of the phone. I didn’t think Alan’s finger was going to last much longer.

Apart from that there isn’t a lot to say as we've kind of hit a point where we need workmen in and lots of them. The list of jobs we have is endless and could easily cost way over what we have budgeted. I'm feeling that Christmas is going to be here in no time and I don't know whether we'll be able to move in before hand. Am guessing not but have my fingers crossed very tightly.

The workers (Mum and Dad) are leaving on Thursday so we'll have to get on with everything ourselves. At the moment we're trying to get quotes but the builder keeps letter us down (surprise!) and the kitchen is way more than we want to spend. The plumber is coming tomorrow, which I'm quite excited about and the chimney is being swept on Friday so we should be able to order the new fireplace and bathroom suite soon. Yay!

Sorry, I've not got any more pictures but will post some soon when there is something to take photos of.

This week's work

Quick update on the house before I head over there.

Someone slightly pleased with a new broom in the dining room. Note opened up fireplace. Not sure what to do with this yet.

Radiator has been removed in living room. Look at that lovely bay. Thinking that we'll have to have a dado rail in here as the top part of the room is ready to paint, we just need to work on the bottom part. The hall, stairs and landing are the same.

Tiles and wallpaper removed from bathroom. A plumber is (hopefully) coming round on Wednesday to give up a quote, after which we should be able to order the bath.

Cloakroom has been stripped (still not sure if we're keeping this room).

My favourite wallpaper being taken off. We've kept a bit as I'm thinking of framing some and putting it back up. Silly, I know but I've become rather attached to it.

After all of that messing about, we've found the best way to strip the fireplace - Alan and a drill. Hopefully we'll finish this today.

The fireplace in the living room has almost been opened up.

So many questions

1) Do we knock the kitchen/utility room wall down and loose the cloakroom, giving us a huge kitchen big enough for a table? This is the biggest question at the moment because once the kitchen is done we can probably move in and we've got someone coming round to look at it on Friday.

For: We won't have a dining room as Alan will be using this as a studio so it would be great to have a spot where we could sit down and eat and entertain. It'll also give us so much more light and a view of the garden.

Against: I think it is going to be a mistake loosing the second toilet. We'll only have one in the house and it is in the same room as the bath.

2) Do we sand the living room and main bedroom floor ourselves?

For: That was always the plan and I think, maybe, possibly that we could be capable.

Against: I'm worried we'll end up having a DIY disaster and covering it up with a carpet. It's going to cost us a lot more to have someone do it for us, taking us way over budget. It'll save us a whole weekend or two to get someone else in to do it.

3) Do we put up a dado rail in the living room and hall, stairs & landing?

For: It means that we can leave the wall paper on the top part of the walls as this is in really good condition and ready to paint.

Against: Think they are a bit fussy but I believe that they were used in Victorian times.

4) Do we sink the plug sockets?

For: Looks so much better.

Against: So expensive, something like £50 each socket.

5) Do I order the bath now?

For: I know exactly the one I want and it is in the sale at the moment on one website making it about £350 cheaper. We've also got space to store it.

Against: Not sure if we should get a plumber round first.

6) Do we replace the new hot water tank?

For: There is a chance that it might now be big enough for us.

Against: It is brand new. The seller had a leak when he was moving out and replaced it but with a small one.

Sunday's Stripping

Was so high on fumes last night that I wasn't in any state to post an update so I'm laying off the wine tonight, have cooked a green Thai curry for the workers (Mum and Dad) and am giving myself a little while to update you on yesterday's work.

I spent ages on the bedroom fireplace again and this is all I've got done. Was quite satisfying to get the brick and the top piece off and it is so much easier to work on them in the garden (when it wasn't raining)
Meanwhile Alan and Mum were stripping the dining room (AKA Alan's studio) and getting on much better than me. They finished their job.
This is what Dad was up to after a bit of an argument with me. We've lost the original kitchen cabinet. I've also got some pictures on the rest of the house that I want to include before it changes.

This is the back of the house and the garden. All four of the houses are this shape as this terrace and we have quince tree.
This is the hallway front door and kitchen door.
The last picture of today is one of our neighbours. Isn't she beautiful?