Whole Flat Refurb - Starting Soon!

[dahokolomoki]

Just about to complete on a 2-bedroom maisonette purchase, and looking a total refurb job. Liveable at the moment - but current vendors haven't really updated in 10+ years and we wanted modern and new fittings.

About to get my builders in to take a look to assess the financial damage and the time needed - and once I get started, I'll definitely be posting pictures on diynot.com as well as probably trawling through all the threads for advice

Just wanted to get a sounding board on this forum to see if my time estimate of the following work is reasonable:

2 bedroom maisonette, 1 living room, 1 kitchen diner, 1 small bathroom (total 90sqm):

• 
  Taking out existing carpets, kitchen units, bathroom units, bathroom tiles, wallpaper throughout the house
  Complete replasting of walls of almost every room (the current plaster is blown in most places)
  Painting every wall (except bathroom)
  Floor and floor to ceiling tiling of entire bathroom
  Complete electrical rewiring of the house
  Replacing 5x living room windows with double glazing
  Touching up remainder of sash windows in the house (circa 5)
  Putting in new internal doors
  Putting in new wood flooring throughout (except kitchen and bathroom)
  Installing a new kitchen suite and bathroom suite

As a newbie, I'll get contracting most of the work out but being on site most days to help out and oversee.

If you've done a similar almost all-house refurb before, I would like to hear your timescales to get a rough idea of how long I should put aside to managing this project!

 

[ajrobb]

I think if you replace more than 25% of ANY layer in a thermal element (outside wall, floor or roof) you have to bring that element up to insulation building regs Part L. This includes replastering. The downside is you can lose about 70mm and you probably have to rework the door and window reveals.

 

[dahokolomoki]

You have a good point which I haven't thought about before - the 25% thermal element rule. I did a bit more digging - so the building regs will only apply to the walls in each room that are external walls (where temperature on one side is expected to be quite different from the other).

Damn, looks like more work to be added plus smaller rooms. I'm pretty sure that if I start stripping the wallpaper - bits of plaster is going to come off with it. And it would be better to change all than just <25% of the surface area.

Thanks for the tip ajrobb!

 

[ajrobb]

I'm not a fan of putting gypsum plaster on solid walls. I've just been flicking off 20-year old plaster (judging by pages of The Sun in the holes) from one such wall. I've broken the 25% limit and the BCO is on my back so I'll be insulating. &#8541; of the wall is rendered and that is fine.

 

[dahokolomoki]

ajrobb: you've mentioned something interesting. So if the external brick wall is covered in render (on the external part), then you're free to do whatever you want with the plaster on the internal facing part of the wall? Is that right?

And roughly what is the process of getting the BCO involved - and how long from notifying BCO till you get the go-ahead to start plastering?

 

[OwainDIYer]

If it's a mainsonette then there may be block or freeholder restrictions on the type of windows.

There may also be a lease condition requiring carpets in living and bedrooms (because of noise)

 

[dahokolomoki]

If it's a mainsonette then there may be block or freeholder restrictions on the type of windows.

There may also be a lease condition requiring carpets in living and bedrooms (because of noise)

No worries about the windows... they are already double glazing, but two have had their seal broken (condensation inside) and the other few look to be cheap double glazing, so replacing like for like (but with better quality).

I'll get on my solicitor's case to check the lease about the carpets - you're absolutely right!

 

[MarkWG]

Someone's going to slap me for this; but if you're doing the plastering yourself, how is anyone going to know what percentage has been replaced unless you tell them?

 

[Geps]

It's easier just to get the building notice signed and then hack off the plaster.

I'm updating all insulation and probably set me back by £1500 so far on a 3 bed semi.

 

[dahokolomoki]

MarkWG - I thought about that!

Surprisingly, all the builders I've brought round said that I don't need to get Building Notice to replace the plaster? I live under Lambeth Council in London by the way.... is this requirement done on a council by council thing?

Geps: insulating all the plaster? I know this is a daft question - but have you considered all the space you will be losing, especially if all four walls of each room get thicker?

 

[Geps]

No - carry out all the work that needs BC approval (if any) so you can get the Certificate then when you've got it, hack the plaster off.


You only need to put it on external walls....so you don't lose it off every wall. I'm losing 100mm (I went for larger batterns so it's sturdier and can put larger backboxes in) off my living room and bedrooms so hardly significant...Then when you consider that it'll reduce heat lost by 6+ times it makes good financial sense especially when the fuel prices just keep going up.....

 

[MarkWG]

have you considered all the space you will be losing, especially if all four walls of each room get thicker?

I think this only applies if you live in a square windmill.