Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks,

CJC wibbled:

Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks,

You too?

Yeah - I'm doing that as well...

OK - are you contracting out everything or DIYing everything, or a mixture
(if so, please elaborate)?

Screwfix seem to be, on average across a range of products, a generally good
price. Their rads are cheaper than many places I've seen.
Screwfix plumbing seems generally cheaper than many places I've tried, bjut
their electrics leave much to be desired (unless you like Volex and MK).

However, Axminster seem to do better on some tool prices.

Lots of discount plumbing and electrical things at:

http://www.discount-electrical.co.uk/
http://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/
http://www.supremeplumb.com/
http://www.master-plastics.co.uk/

Though I'm still waiting for my waste pipes from Master Plastics...

Round West Kent, north East Sussex way, Parkers Builders Merchants aren't
too bad on list price (ie list isn't completely stupid, but of course
there's room for discounts so I always compare with B&Q web for things
that both sell, eg cement, plasterboard etc - and ask for a discount)

If you buy your rads from Screwfix, then it's makes no difference if you get
the lot at once, or as you need - but if you buy your doors online, you may
get a better delivery charge for all at once.

Got any pics?

Cheers

Tim

"CJC" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Working out the order of work is crucial and will save money.
examples:
Don't fit a conservatory then decide you want to replace the gutters above
it.
Don't replaster a wall then decide you want to run a cable and socket.
Don't lay nice new floorboards then decide they've to come up for rad pipes.

and so on...

mark

mark wrote:
"CJC" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Working out the order of work is crucial and will save money.
examples:
Don't fit a conservatory then decide you want to replace the gutters above
it.
Don't replaster a wall then decide you want to run a cable and socket.

And make sure you run the right cabling to the modern regs. I pinched
the old cooker supply to the kitchen nearly 30 years ago and I have made
2 boobs doing it. Both the kitchen and dining room have ended up with 2
mains feeds to them. To make the dining room worse, I have gone diagonal
with the cable under the plaster, something I will have to fix next time
I decorate.

Don't lay nice new floorboards then decide they've to come up for rad pipes.

and so on...

And finally, never take a step forward that you can't go back on easily.
Think about that every time you want to make a change to the house, in
say, the first ten years. After that time, you will have a good idea of
what you want to end up with.

The man who showed me how to put computers together showed me that and
he was blind and wired up CPU's using a technique called wire wrapping
to join the pins of all the components together.
Once you format a hard drive, all the data can be lost etc.

Dave

"Dave" wrote

And finally, never take a step forward that you can't go back on easily.
Think about that every time you want to make a change to the house, in
say, the first ten years. After that time, you will have a good idea of
what you want to end up with.

Wise words!
Recommend that you run buried cables in conduit (rather than plastered in)
for this reason.

Phil

TheScullster coughed up some electrons that declared:


"Dave" wrote

And finally, never take a step forward that you can't go back on easily.
Think about that every time you want to make a change to the house, in
say, the first ten years. After that time, you will have a good idea of
what you want to end up with.

Wise words!
Recommend that you run buried cables in conduit (rather than plastered in)
for this reason.

Phil

More wise words

I've always thought that, about using conduit:

http://www.discount-electrical.co.uk...-2mm-3m-length

32p/m for oval 16mm. I just got a load from them and, although it's cheaper
than the MK Egatube, it looks, at first glance, fine.

I recent play suggests 16mm tube (straight runs) will have no problems with
up to 2.5mm2 T+E and 1.5mm2 triple+E. It appears it will take a couple of
Cat5/TV Aerial/Telephone cables without a problem, assuming 2m drop from
ceiling for those.

Obviously, select a larger size, or round style, for bigger circuits (eg
cooker and shower) or if needing to use joints (oval doesn't really "do"
joints).

Capping's a waste of time IMHO and it's harder to re-thread cables later.

I'd also add, if possible, make your light switch back boxes deep, so you
can add dimmers later. 25mm would be a minimum, but I'm using 35mm for
everything (sockets included) - bit more room for cables. This of course is
very much a cost/benefit scenario related to how hard the house bricks are!

Cheers

Tim

Tim S wrote:
TheScullster coughed up some electrons that declared:


"Dave" wrote

And finally, never take a step forward that you can't go back on easily.
Think about that every time you want to make a change to the house, in
say, the first ten years. After that time, you will have a good idea of
what you want to end up with.

Wise words!
Recommend that you run buried cables in conduit (rather than plastered in)
for this reason.

Phil

More wise words

I've always thought that, about using conduit:

http://www.discount-electrical.co.uk...-2mm-3m-length

32p/m for oval 16mm. I just got a load from them and, although it's cheaper
than the MK Egatube, it looks, at first glance, fine.

I recent play suggests 16mm tube (straight runs) will have no problems with
up to 2.5mm2 T+E and 1.5mm2 triple+E. It appears it will take a couple of
Cat5/TV Aerial/Telephone cables without a problem, assuming 2m drop from
ceiling for those.

Obviously, select a larger size, or round style, for bigger circuits (eg
cooker and shower) or if needing to use joints (oval doesn't really "do"
joints).

Capping's a waste of time IMHO and it's harder to re-thread cables later.

I'd also add, if possible, make your light switch back boxes deep, so you
can add dimmers later. 25mm would be a minimum, but I'm using 35mm for
everything (sockets included) - bit more room for cables. This of course is
very much a cost/benefit scenario related to how hard the house bricks are!

Cheers

Tim


Include lots of cat5e and CAI co-ax.

Run conduit, but put all your cables _outside_ the conduit, not in it.
Why? It leaves you more conduit space to add cables later. If a cable
buried in plaster is not wanted one day, its no problem to just
disconnect it and leave it buried.

Where practical, run your socket ring cable around the room at socket
height. That way in future you can add new sockets anywhere round the
room you like.

etc - see
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....=Rewiring_Tips
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....Voltage_Wiring


NT

In article ,
"mark" writes:

"CJC" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Working out the order of work is crucial and will save money.
examples:
Don't fit a conservatory then decide you want to replace the gutters above
it.
Don't replaster a wall then decide you want to run a cable and socket.
Don't lay nice new floorboards then decide they've to come up for rad pipes.

and so on...

I reached the point 7 years ago where I'd installed heating and
replaced the windows (to beat Part L) and finished off the rewire.
That combination basically detroys every room, so there's no point
starting to make good until you've got that sort of work out of
the way.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

mark coughed up some electrons that declared:


Working out the order of work is crucial and will save money.
examples:
Don't fit a conservatory then decide you want to replace the gutters above
it.
Don't replaster a wall then decide you want to run a cable and socket.
Don't lay nice new floorboards then decide they've to come up for rad
pipes.

and so on...

mark

Indeed. Constraints have been the bane of my life...

I need the heating out (well HW tank) before I can fix the new bathroom
(bog's in the hall - which used to be the bathroom). I was hoping soon, but
it's turned cold again and I'm too ghey to enjoy working in a cold
building. I have however, removed all the radiators that are in my
immediate way, leaving 3 working ones and hot water.


My extra tips:

Always leave working hot water for all the time that's needed to strip paper
and wash the walls down, it works better. I did all the paper stripping and
washing down first just to get it out the way and so I can replaster
without further ado. That was the most miserable job of the lot so far -
get the missus to help, or some mates for a beer and wash party - just
having company makes it more bearable.

Always have a working bog (even if it's in the hall).

I had to put in temporary lighting (cables clipped to the underside of the
ceiling with cheap bayonet fittings and 25W daylight CFLs) as the wiring
was so knackered - but that was worth the effort - I started in winter and
working by extension lead and random lamps would have been tedious, and
dangerous (floor up).

If you're stripping a kitchen, keep the longest worktop and the better
cupboards - they make excellent site workbenches and tool storage. Chuck
them last.

If the loft is full of crap, like manky, patchy filthy rat-plop infested
glass wool, take it out and hoover asap - at least the the parts where you
need to go for plumbing and electrics. It's so much more pleasant to work
with a clean site.

If you've got clean and servicable insulation, then disposable coverall suit
(2-4 quid each) dust mask and gloves mean that you stay clean, breathing
and relatively un-itchy.

Anyway, a plan came together. The house is stripped, and I'm ready to set
the electrics into two bedrooms. I will replaster immediately and slap a
coat of emulsion on and lay the floor in one, so the kids have somewhere
clean to stay if I need to keep them for the odd day. The other room will
act as a store for tools and materials, leaving the bathroom and kitchen
clear as those are going to be the more difficult jobs.

Cheers

Tim

In article ,
Tim S writes:

If you're stripping a kitchen, keep the longest worktop and the better
cupboards - they make excellent site workbenches and tool storage. Chuck
them last.

I've done a couple of complete kitchen strip-outs and refits.

I usually move one of the cupboard units with worktop into another room,
to hold the microwave, kettle, enough cutlary/crockery/food, etc, with
the fridge stood next to it. That gives you enough to make snacks.

The other thing I did in one case was to unfix the sink unit so it could
move around, and reconnect the taps using the washing machine hoses, with
a large bucket in the cupboard under the plughole. In my case, the unit
also had a small dishwasher in the cupboard under the drainer, and it was
very handy to be able to still use that (pumping out into the sink and
then the bucket). I could move this around out of the way when preparing
walls, ceilings, floor, etc. whilst still having it working.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

mark coughed up some electrons that declared:

Working out the order of work is crucial and will save money.
examples:
Don't fit a conservatory then decide you want to replace the gutters above
it.
Don't replaster a wall then decide you want to run a cable and socket.
Don't lay nice new floorboards then decide they've to come up for rad
pipes.

and so on...

mark

And if there's some doubt as to future plans, try to allow for both/all
options where practical. For example, I had planned to open out the dormer
upstairs a bit more and make a lounge. But, having removed some
plasterboard, it turns out the little 1.5m drywall I was going to yank out
to achieve this in fact contains two vertical supports to a feck-off big
(3" x 10" or something) timber that holds the flat roofs up.

Doing anything about that will probably involve steel and engineer's designs
and more building control, and TBH, I can't be bothered, nor have the spare
money.

So we may split the room with drywall and a small landing and give it to the
kids, or we may split it with no landing (room off room) and have our
bedroom and a study up there, or we may have the lounge up there if we can
work out an arrangement that works.

Upstairs is phase 2, so everyone's bedrooms start on the ground floor.

This means that our bedroom downstairs could become a lounge and/or my
daughter's bedroom could become my lab - so I've decided to not brick up
the fireplace in our bedroom in case we want a fire in the lounge, and I'm
adding extra electrics and low voltage plates (aerials, networking etc) to
both rooms so that they work equally well in either mode. Repurposing those
rooms becomes no more than a new coat of paint in a different colour, but
only because we considered the scenarios now.

Cheers

Tim

On Mar 30, 4:54*pm, CJC wrote:
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. *Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.


My tip:

1) don't underestimate the cost of doing all this work.

2) don't underestimate how long it will take you to do it.

3) involve building control at an early stage to avoid expensive
corrections later

Robert

"CJC" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks,




Another tip:

Get an outside tap fitted on day one.

That way you've got water for the kettle went you yank the kitchen out.
The water supply for mixing cement, concrete, plaster and subsequent
washing of tools etc is outside.

mark

On 31 Mar, 09:59, "mark" wrote:
"CJC" wrote in message

...



Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. *Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks,

Another tip:

Get an outside tap fitted *on day one.

That way you've got water for the kettle went you yank the kitchen out.
The water supply for mixing cement, concrete, plaster *and subsequent
washing of tools etc is outside.


Excellent advise. I fitted the new stopcock for the extension when the
slab was layed. Ducted MDPE to stopcock to 15mm pipe bent over in a U,
to hoselock connector. Plastic rubble bag over the top to keep the
water out of the duct and allows turning on and off through the bag. I
stuffed the bag with loft insulation in the winter to stop it
freezing. This setup also allows the new water supply to be tested by
being used.
It is being used now for mixing mortar, cleaning buckets etc. When
build is finished, it will be the new internal stopcock, and the
existing internal stopcock complete with its lead supply will be
removed. To do that I'll have to dig up the water pipe in the garden
again (dead legs not allowed).
And to think I was going to have a hose through the open kitchen
window.
Only thing I could do with is an outside socket for the cement
mixer ;-}
Simon.

"mark" wrote in message
et...

"CJC" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks,




Another tip:

Get an outside tap fitted on day one.

That way you've got water for the kettle went you yank the kitchen out.
The water supply for mixing cement, concrete, plaster and subsequent
washing of tools etc is outside.

mark

Someone on this newsgroup (I suspect it was Mr Plowman) gave me the
brilliant idea of having 3 stoptaps. A main stoptap that stops all the water
and splits to feed two other stoptaps. The first of the other two stoptaps
controls all the internal water and the second supplies the outside tap.

Adam

ARWadsworth coughed up some electrons that declared:


Someone on this newsgroup (I suspect it was Mr Plowman) gave me the
brilliant idea of having 3 stoptaps. A main stoptap that stops all the
water and splits to feed two other stoptaps. The first of the other two
stoptaps controls all the internal water and the second supplies the
outside tap.

Funny you should mention that Adam. I'm doing that too (now I know it's not
an original idea!).

I'm doing hot + cold to outside: two cocks plumbed into a single mixer pipe
with a single hose thread on the end - if the kids need warm water (or I
want some to wash the car) it's now on tap, so to speak

I should add that my HW will be mains pressure and potable - less of a good
idea connecting tank water and mains together!!!

I'll put my check valves next to the main shutoff valves too, in case I want
to take another outside supply off that circuit.

On an aside, I'm putting a float switch in the heating header tank - then I
can safely turn all water off when away, but leave the heating programmer
running. That limits the damage in the event of a pipe problem, but
safeguards the boiler should a leak run the header tank dry.

Cheers

Tim

Thanks all for your answers on this,

I think we have decided on this place, so I guess there will be many
months/years ahead for me and DIY and digging deep in my pockets.

Lets see if I can haggle a good price to make it easier.

Thanks again for all your answers and I'm sure I'll be back when I'm
stumped on something.

CJC wrote:
Hi all,

I am in the process of purchasing a new house, this house is little
more than I hoped to spend but too good an offer to turn down also.

My problem is the whole house could do with gutting and starting
again, electric, windows, bathroom, kitchen and so on and as money is
premium already I wondered if anyone had any good tips/know where to
go for getting low prices. Even if I had to buy in bulk i.e. get all
radiators at once...

Any tip would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks,

The only tip I can give is this, when you decide on what you are having and
get prices, don't forget to factor in everything, as all the 'bits' that you
forgot about will catch up with you and leave you in financial ruin,
example: most people think, 'bathroom, right we want a new suite, say 500,
and 200 for a plumber, 250 for tiles and tiler, so about a grand will sort
the bathroom' - wrong!! - it will almost certainly need a plasterer for at
least a day, plus materials, the ceiling will need something doing to it,
either plastered over or a suspended one installed, you'll probably need a
new door and other related joinery work, IE floorboard replacement or
plywood sheets for the tiles, and what about an extractor fan? and the
window frame? and window cill?...before long, that original guestimate of
£1000 has doubled, the same applies to the kitchen, what starts out as a
5000 kitchen will usually end up costing over 8K.

If you are using outside labour rather than DIY, I would strongly reccomend
you use an all round builder who does this kind of thing for a living,
rather than a kitchen fitter, an electrician, a plumber, a tiler etc,
because none of them care about the other's job, they just come in, do what
they are getting paid for and leave and they aren't interested what happens
after that and the end result is usually a shambles and extremely expensive.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008