Final Post 19th August 2016

It's been some time but today is the day our tenant moves in, we hope she will be very happy.  The last week or so has been cutting hedges, grass and generally keeping things tidy. Here are the final few pictures.

7th July 2016

Today we spent the morning painting the shed and cutting grass, we cut the privit hedges last week and I think the garden is looking quite tidy now,  the new grass is blending in where the old greenhouse was.

Almost done

 With one or two things to be finished off, finally, we can almost say we are there.

We had a budget which we stuck to and only went a few pounds over.
 It has been exhausting, frustrating and damn right hard work but we are very pleased and quite proud with the end results.


 There were quite a few unforseen things which cropped up these set us back including some workmen who delayed things by not getting back with quotes, a carpenter who didn't turn up and another whos work was poor and we had to redo it.
   
Proffessionals who we would reccommend are
Darren Wardle Plasterer, 
Ashley Botfield Electrician
Mal, Gas Engineer of Efficiency HPC

Here are some before, during and after pics, although these can never show the extent of what we have done.


                 Who's going to live in a house like this?

Before; with the old mock,stained glass door, old carpet and random shelving, papered walls. and the woodchip ceiling with a nasty hole in it.

Now; with the ceiling boarded, walls plastered, new doors, everywhere painted and new flooring

The old door removed, the lobby walls, woodwork and ceiling made good and everywhere painted

Before; showing the old tank cupboard and old gas fire

Now; to keep down costs we decided to leave the fireplace as it was, just repainted the surround cleaned the tiles and put in a new fire. We think it suits the age of property. The back could be covered in the future for a more modern look.

Before; again the fireplace rough windowsills and papered walls

Now; fresh walls,ceiling, woodwork  and re-designed tank cupboard with added useful laminate shelving

Before; the kitchen with the sink beside the hob and oven

Now; with everything replaced, hob and oven removed, added electric sockets with space for fridge and washer

Before; looking towards the old lobby to the shower room

During

Now; With new units, new floor and the lobby gone making space for a table.

Before; with the old units, worktops, tiles, 'stick on' tiled floor and exposed boiler

During

Now; the new oven and hob have been re-sited along with a new cooker hood to make this area specific for cooking. The boiler and pipes have been concealed. Tiles and flooring have been replaced

Before; the bedroom with papered walls doesn't look at all bad here but the plaster was fragile and coming off in places

During: new sockets were put in at the sacrifice of the plaster

Now; bedroom re plastered, all woodwork painted and new door

During: new sockets were put in at the sacrifice of the plaster also note the gas pie which came in from outside

Now; bedroom re plastered and everywhere painted and old gas pipe re-routed. We were able to keep the original carpet which cleaned up great.

Before; the tank cupbaord. The budget didn't allow for re-siting the tank so the support had to be reinforced and the whole thing re-designed.

Now; re-designed, the wireing inside tidied and re-routed, painted out inside, new door, and laminate shelving

The shower room; this was more or less how it was but it was given a good clean new toilet seat, new flooring and the fittings were painted.

15th May 2016

Today I painted the bathroom door frame and then went out to paint the ceiling on the outside veranda, also the railings. Alan continued with the tank cupboard and shelving. I cleaned all the guttering and facias.

Before.....

.......After

14th May 2016

Today I painted the porch inside, and mowed the grass again, Alan started boarding in next to the tank cupboard ready for the shelves.

We had only half a day today because we brought mum over to see the place and had lunch in the bungalow.

8th May 2016

As it was lovely weather we continued outside, I painted the front fence panels and painted the bits of cream masonary on the front of the bungalow.

Alan worked on making good where the old bathroom lobby was, he also got all the moss off the roof and cleaned out the gutters.
 

Two down......

.........Three to go

7th May 2016

After having last weekend off it was back to work.

The skip was ordered and came very early so most of the rubbish went in, it was smaller than we thought and there are a few bits still left old plant pots etc but it looks a lot better.

The interior doors are now on and I painted these (photo to come). I also painted out the electric cupboard  and the door.

The carpenter had put on the tank cupboard door and boarded the side but it wasn't all he had promised and it wasn't a very good job either. Alan is going to have to do the rest of the boarding and sort the job out.

The tank cupboard

24th Apri l2016

Today Alan got on with repairing the ceiling where the lobby had been, he also filled in the cracks in the porch and later gave it a first coat of paint I think it will need a few.

I carried on with the window sills, I wasn't sure I could make them look o.k but after some heavy duty sanding and a few coats of paint I think they are now acceptable. I also painted the fireplace.

I cut the grass for the first time.... (several times and it filled the wheelie bin to the top.

After...Lucy trying it out

Before

Filling in the cracks

Nice bright white windowsills

23rd April 2016

Alan undercoated the skirting boards in the living room and bedroom, he also removed the light from where the bathroom lobby was and re-routed a switch in the airing cupboard.

I started on the window sills and the cupoard in the porch and gave the doors another coat of gloss.

We thought the shower ought to be tried out to make sure it was ok so Alan took a shower, it appeared to work fine although nothing seems to run smoothe and there was a small leek from the shower tray which will have to be fixed.

White door frames at last

Yes...the shower works