bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls

I'd say electrics first for safety, then heating, and that may sort out
the damp patches, too.

A quick check which costs nothing would be for earth built up outside
and bridging the damp proofing in the outside walls. Did somone put
raised flowerbeds by the walls?

Good luck.....

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

John Williamson ) wibbled on Tuesday 11
January 2011 10:45:

Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

I'd say electrics first for safety,

and the fact that will lead to much damage so best prior to decorating...



then heating, and that may sort out
the damp patches, too.

A quick check which costs nothing would be for earth built up outside
and bridging the damp proofing in the outside walls. Did somone put
raised flowerbeds by the walls?

Good luck.....


--
Tim Watts

On Jan 11, 10:45*am, John Williamson
wrote:
Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls

I'd say electrics first for safety, then heating,

Then ventilation

and that may sort out the damp patches, too.

MBQ

"John Williamson" wrote in message
...
Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

I'd say electrics first for safety, then heating, and that may sort out
the damp patches, too.

A quick check which costs nothing would be for earth built up outside and
bridging the damp proofing in the outside walls. Did somone put raised
flowerbeds by the walls?

that could be one cause of the dampness for the gable wall

p.s. is it advisable to get a job lot i.e. get reputable contractors to
price for the whole job

or lots of individuals doing their bit

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

that could be one cause of the dampness for the gable wall

I mean the end (of terrace) wall

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

Gill Smith wrote:

p.s. is it advisable to get a job lot i.e. get reputable contractors to
price for the whole job

or lots of individuals doing their bit

It depends on your level of organisational ability, paranoia and
personal skills.

I'd be chatting with personally recommended 'leccy, CH bod and probably
other tradesmen myself, but then again, I've got a reasonable knowledge
of how things can go wrong and what to check for.

A lead contractor will be using his own preferred subbies, who he will
know and trust, but will add a bit on to what they charge him.

Swings and roundabouts. Pay a bit more, worry a bit less.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

In message , John Williamson
writes
Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house
it's just about liveable-in
so, where to start?
central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at
the base of the sitting room walls

I'd say electrics first for safety, then heating, and that may sort out
the damp patches, too.

A quick check which costs nothing would be for earth built up outside
and bridging the damp proofing in the outside walls. Did somone put
raised flowerbeds by the walls?

Double glazing first - get the messy bit out of the way

If you have damp that needs and injected membrane next

then electrics and central heating - the stuff that needs the
floorboards pulling up. Include in this any other cabling you might need
(e.g. running telephone and internet cabling)



check the roof

from then on in, all the other bits in whatever order


--
geoff

On 11/01/11 10:32, Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls


Check the outside of the house to see if you can find out where the damp
is coming from. It could be caused by water leaking from downpipes or
overflowing gutters - both of which are simple to fix. Deal with the
damp before you decorate internally.



--
Bernard Peek

Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/


All part of the mix.

Start by making up a plan

For example, rewiring and replumbimg are best done properly and that
means messing up the walls, so it will need replastering.

Ad that means getting rid of damp FIRST.

Unl;ess that is condensation only.

I would say you treat it as a nearly new build: i.e. gut it of anything
that is loathsome, fix and structural or serious drainage issues, then
insulate it, then rewire and replumb it.

To be honest, these are all so interlinked... I mean you probably want a
mains pressure hot water system, a water softener, new bathrooms
etc..plus a rewire plus insulation, then add CH afterwards..oh, and are
the windows in good shape? might need DG units..


With luck the mortgage company will lend you the money to do it
properly, on the grounds that it will increase the overall property value.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/
All part of the mix.

Start by making up a plan

For example, rewiring and replumbimg are best done properly and that means
messing up the walls, so it will need replastering.

Ad that means getting rid of damp FIRST.

Unl;ess that is condensation only.

I would say you treat it as a nearly new build: i.e. gut it of anything
that is loathsome, fix and structural or serious drainage issues, then
insulate it, then rewire and replumb it.

To be honest, these are all so interlinked... I mean you probably want a
mains pressure hot water system, a water softener, new bathrooms etc..plus
a rewire plus insulation, then add CH afterwards..oh, and are the windows
in good shape? might need DG units..


With luck the mortgage company will lend you the money to do it properly,
on the grounds that it will increase the overall property value.

I've got £30, 0000 to play with from the sale of my previous house

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

Gill Smith wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/
All part of the mix.

Start by making up a plan

For example, rewiring and replumbimg are best done properly and that means
messing up the walls, so it will need replastering.

Ad that means getting rid of damp FIRST.

Unl;ess that is condensation only.

I would say you treat it as a nearly new build: i.e. gut it of anything
that is loathsome, fix and structural or serious drainage issues, then
insulate it, then rewire and replumb it.

To be honest, these are all so interlinked... I mean you probably want a
mains pressure hot water system, a water softener, new bathrooms etc..plus
a rewire plus insulation, then add CH afterwards..oh, and are the windows
in good shape? might need DG units..


With luck the mortgage company will lend you the money to do it properly,
on the grounds that it will increase the overall property value.

I've got £30, 0000 to play with from the sale of my previous house


That SHOULD be enough

Strip to a shell, fix any major structural leaks and cracks, then
insulate next..the full monty. cavity wall, loft, and if it has
suspended ground floors, that as well. May be grants available here.

If windows are rotten or draughty, replace with DG units. But don't
waste money on DG if they are sound and can be draughtproofed. Double
lined curtains better and prettier than DG.

Rip out *all* plumbing and wiring. Install new Consumer unit. install
new mains stopcock and water softener. Install basic Combi if its just
you, or system boiler and pressurised tank if you have friends family
guests. Leave the actual rads and so on till later.




Then plan for complete rewire. And re-plumb. Hack into the walls madly
here to get a neat installation: expect to have to replaster everything,
be happy when its less..

Install basic sockets and plumbing everywhere, or leave wire or pipe
ends suitably capped off or insulated for later. Its easy to change a
plastic wall plate for something better, its hard to put a socket where
there is no wire.

Same goes for sinks and basins and so on. Easy to extend and hook up to
capped of pipes. Hard to get pipes there to start with.

Watch out for extra bogs tho. Sewer drains are a bugger to route. If
adding a new bathroom or bog, plan very carefully.

What this all means is get your infrastructure right. Its possible to
live on one bog and hand basin and a kitchen sink propped up on packing
cases in bare plaster walls and no carpets while you DIY the rest, but
you want to get pros in to run the pipes and cables and insulate the place.

And the rest is just spare cash and weekends. Tins of paint. Curtains.
Tiling the bog. Adding a basin and taps etc.

IME its better to have quality basic, and plain utilities (spend money
on tile, not china and fancy taps, in the bathroom)



--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

In article ,
says...
central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls


Well, if you're going to do the electrics you're going to create a lot
of dusturbance, likewise the heating. While it's all up in the air you
might as well bite the bullet and sort the damp all in one.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

"Gill Smith" wrote in message
o.uk...
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at
the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/



The absolutely FIRST thing is to check the condition of the roof and
gutters. Until they are sound anything else is potentially wasted.
Good tight roof over your head and everything else can be done at
leisure, but when water drips through ......well you see the point I'm
sure.

AWEM

On 11/01/11 13:52, Andrew Mawson wrote:

"Gill wrote in message
o.uk...
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at
the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/



The absolutely FIRST thing is to check the condition of the roof and
gutters. Until they are sound anything else is potentially wasted.
Good tight roof over your head and everything else can be done at
leisure, but when water drips through ......well you see the point I'm
sure.

AWEM

and the drainage, is there water from outside flowing under the house,
i had flower beds too high and drining IN through the ventilation grills.
Go out in the rain and see where the water's going.

Can you wait a few months whilst you check it in various weather conditions?

get a good book on insulation like
http://www.amazon.com/Insulate-Weath.../dp/1561585548

there are often insulation gaps between floors etc

[g]

"george [dicegeorge]" wrote in message
...
On 11/01/11 13:52, Andrew Mawson wrote:

"Gill wrote in message
o.uk...
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at
the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/



The absolutely FIRST thing is to check the condition of the roof and
gutters. Until they are sound anything else is potentially wasted.
Good tight roof over your head and everything else can be done at
leisure, but when water drips through ......well you see the point I'm
sure.

AWEM

and the drainage, is there water from outside flowing under the house,
i had flower beds too high and drining IN through the ventilation grills.
Go out in the rain and see where the water's going.

Can you wait a few months whilst you check it in various weather
conditions?

got lots of time since I'm now unemployed!

that's why I 'traded down'

my old house needed a *lot* doing but I'd no money

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

the first thing you need to do is go around each room and decide what needs
to be done.

if you are having it re-wired and CH put in, the chances are, every room
will need re-decorating afterwards, so the first thing on the list would be
to strip off all the wallpaper - this can be done by tradesmen, but
obviously they will charge you for this, another advantage of stripping the
walls is that you can identify other work that may be required (someone will
be plastering in there shortly, so you may as well find any bad patches now,
and he can do them all at the same time as the chasings etc).

secondly, you need to decide what revolting stuff is coming out and rip it
out yourself (shelves, rotten skirtings, rails arhitraves etc) - this will
save you time and money in the long run EG, an electrician puts cables
behind skirtings, rails etc and they get plastered in, and then you remove
the woodwork - this will leave a horrid mess which will need re-plastering.

If it's a 50's build, the chances are it's got a full dpc already. Quite
often just removing the bottom inch or two of plaster is enough to remove
the source of the damp (damp tracks up the plaster if it's plastered right
down to the floor - a common mistake at that time). Leave a 2 inch gap and
replace skirtings.

Obviously, everything depends on your budget

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Phil L ) wibbled on Tuesday 11 January 2011 16:13:

Gill Smith wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

the first thing you need to do is go around each room and decide what
needs to be done.

if you are having it re-wired and CH put in, the chances are, every room
will need re-decorating afterwards, so the first thing on the list would
be to strip off all the wallpaper - this can be done by tradesmen, but
obviously they will charge you for this, another advantage of stripping
the walls is that you can identify other work that may be required
(someone will be plastering in there shortly, so you may as well find any
bad patches now, and he can do them all at the same time as the chasings
etc).

Agreed. Stripping and washing down is a tedious job but not arduous and can
be shared with almost anyone - SWMBO or have a mates' strip-n-BBQ/beer party
(you know what I mean, perverts!). And the tools cost bugger all, even if
you allow for a small garden sprayer and a nice steam stripper.

Once the OP gets to the replastering stage, especially if going for a full
skim, it is essential to sound the walls (I used a small spanner) and locate
the loose bits (skim or undercoat - you learn to tell by the sound).

Chop that off too. You will miss many bits, but you will at leat end up with
about 95+% of your walls sound compared to possibly a lot less if you don't
bother.

And the bits you miss will probably be small isolated bits a few inches big
which won't cause any problems, rather 2 foot long bands of skim (areas
where picture rail has been pulled off are the worst IME).



secondly, you need to decide what revolting stuff is coming out and rip it
out yourself (shelves, rotten skirtings, rails arhitraves etc) - this will
save you time and money in the long run EG, an electrician puts cables
behind skirtings, rails etc and they get plastered in, and then you remove
the woodwork - this will leave a horrid mess which will need
re-plastering.

And for electrics:

conduit, conduit, conduit. 20mm oval costs absolutely sod all - there is no
excuse for not specifying it for all buried sections.

Platic rad pipes can be run inside flexi tube (corrugated conduit) which
makes repairs easier.

--
Tim Watts

"Gill Smith" wrote in message
o.uk...
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/


As NP has alluded to somewhere, planning is the key.
Read and re-read these posts, there's lots of sound advice here.

My 2c - once you are clear on the basics required, create a flowsheet
showing the jobs to be done and any dependencies (ie what jobs need to be
complete, or part complete, before others can start). This will help you
stay focused when things get hectic and show which trades will affect
others. You can also add timescales to the tasks to give an idea of
calendar schedule. If you intend to DIY though, don't punish yourself if
the schedule slips - things tend to take longer than anticipated
(particularly if this is your first major project).

Phil

"TheScullster" wrote in message
. uk...

"Gill Smith" wrote in message
o.uk...
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the
base of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/


As NP has alluded to somewhere, planning is the key.
Read and re-read these posts, there's lots of sound advice here.

Absolutely

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

TheScullster wrote:
"Gill Smith" wrote in message
o.uk...
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/


As NP has alluded to somewhere, planning is the key.
Read and re-read these posts, there's lots of sound advice here.

My 2c - once you are clear on the basics required, create a flowsheet
showing the jobs to be done and any dependencies (ie what jobs need to be
complete, or part complete, before others can start). This will help you
stay focused when things get hectic and show which trades will affect
others. You can also add timescales to the tasks to give an idea of
calendar schedule. If you intend to DIY though, don't punish yourself if
the schedule slips - things tend to take longer than anticipated
(particularly if this is your first major project).

Phil


+1

On Jan 11, 10:32*am, "Gill Smith"
wrote:
bought a 1950's ex-council house

it's just about liveable-in

so, where to start?

central heating, electrics, or the damp patches I just noticed at the base
of the sitting room walls


I tend to start with what I call multiplier jobs, ie those that if not
done will add further ongoing costs. Doing them early reduces total
cost.

The other first job is surely planning. If you can take the time to
work the plan out not just quickly, but after a fair bit of thought,
you can end up with a rather better result. Especially is this true in
the area of space, often some patch of space can be repurposed for a
significant improvement.

Insulation is well worth it with cavity walls, and if you're going to
chop lots of holes/grooves in walls, you can inject the stuff via the
inner leaf so it doesnt disfigure the outside. Ensure you keep the
relevant piece of paper, as there will be no physical evidence left
behind that its been CW insulated.

It will seem a bit trivial at this point, but if not done it'll annoy
you for decades: network wiring. Get it in there before plastering.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...Voltage_Wiring

Also if you bury conduit, put your cabling _outside_ the conduit. See
the above article for why.

There's a good thread on kitchen fitting:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk....3f56d113a73ccc

Some good tips:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Rewiring_Tips

Lastly a bit of soundproofing of stud walls can make life better, and
isnt too hard to do.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...oise_reduction

I'm sure there are many other things to think of.


NT

Tabby wrote:
The other first job is surely planning. If you can take the time to
work the plan out not just quickly, but after a fair bit of thought,
you can end up with a rather better result. Especially is this true in
the area of space, often some patch of space can be repurposed for a
significant improvement.

The other thing is to use this time for is budgeting. No point spending
lots of money on insulation if you run out of cash for the heating and have
to use electric fires until you can save up enough to have it done properly.
Worth including a certain percentage for contingency: things will go wrong
and cost more than you expected (see countless Grand Designs etc programmes
passim)..

Theo