DIY Home Improvements

[SpuffMonkey]

Are you sure its not just poor ventilation - we suffered a bit when we had a houseful of teenagers taking really long hot showers in the cold months. I fitted a powerful extractor and that helped a lot.

[featured_spectre]

There is poor ventilation in some areas, which will be resolved with the bathroom and kitchen refit, along with the refit of all other vents to make sure they're well fitting, and suitable for the job (2 adults, 2 children). But at the same time, the rebuilding from scratch means I can fix the problems now, add a whole host of value, and be under 100k. When its done, I will be quids in if I decide to sell, as there was a flat in a neighbouring block (directly next to us, same road), on the ground floor, identical layout to mine which sold for £128k and it had hardly any work done. I am hoping I can hit at least £135k value when its finished and just let it add value as I go on living there

 

The work right now is break the place down to its bare bones, and rebuild up.

[Ditto]

A new career developing properties . You'll be on Homes under the Hammer next!

[featured_spectre]

Ha! I wish. Nah the plan is, if possible...work up from 2 bedroom flat to 4 bedroom house in 10 years. Buying run down properties and redoing them within a set budget and time frame. It helped I had most of the mortgage covered anyway (in effect I took a 10 year mortgage because of the rates being better than a loan for the amount I needed).

 

The plan is to be done and dusted by 45, settled and have a minimal mortgage on the 4 bedroom house

[Smee]

Have you had to contact the local building inspector? if removing all plaster from walls I think you need to. Also any electrics will need a certificate registered with local authority as well. We are in to year 2 of a 5 year project. Downstairs finished now just up stairs to go

[featured_spectre]

@Smee yes I've done this. I contacted the relevant local authorities. This includes the council, the leasehold people, and such. Did it all and got permissions to get everything done properly. Even had an asbestos check just to be safe. With the electrics and gas etc, I have corgi registered companies working on it, and the building works and electricians are all compliance certified and the council will send someone out when the spurs are done and fusebox corrected etc. It's all in hand I've been on the case since the start of the buying process. lol

[featured_spectre]

All floors are now up. I have now got to clean it all, and have it all ready for the flooring to be done tomorrow won't take me too long to do, but the place is now barebones, and seems so empty!

[kennysarmy]

Photos!

[featured_spectre]

Will do when its done a nice before and after

[chazzy2501]

You may want to look into putting up a vapour barrier as the walls are bare right now. This'll stop your moist person hot air, condensing on the cold outer walls you can't see this is usually a basement fix though.

 

I'd also make sure that your double glazing has the correct and working trickle vents too allow that air to pass. Some people block these or never open them causing wet and mould issues. Mine don't have them so I have to leave my windows open a crack all the time or the cupboard in my bedroom gets wet!

 

There is a type of ventilation designed to combat black mould, called positive pressure ventilation. Basically pushes air into your house (usually from and attic) and forces the air out through gaps in the house. I'm not sure what the flat version would be.

[featured_spectre]

This is something I believe my builder friend is looking into. I have asked about everything to prevent this moving forward. The broken vent has already been replaced, as we had a burst of heavy rain over the weekend and it leaked again, so I got my friend to sort that now so that its done before the flooring gets started and underfloor heating is done.

 

I also managed to get good resale value on my radiators. I've also had a plumber in, and all copper piping that is "outer wall" (IE for the bathroom or kitchen etc) have now been fixed to be internal to the wall structure or stopped off, so there is now no piping or anything which will be outside of the walls. Looking forward to the floor at least being done

[woodham]

im hoping you meant gas safe and not corgi as they don't exist anymore even if that's what we all still call them you need to look at the location of that vent if rain can get into it then maybe it needs relocating