the renovators thread
 

are there any renovators out there like me ?

how you finding it?

how are you getting on..

am i the only mad person who moved here to start banging in nails on my days off?

thanks ast

Re: the renovators thread
 

After doing renovation work in Canada, where the studs are all soft pine or aluminium Im just too bloody lazy to hammer nails into rock solid hardwoods used here to combat infestations.

Re: the renovators thread
 

We're doing our house up. Started with the kitchen around August time, and it's still not finished yet :mad::sneaky::D

Re: the renovators thread
 

if youve a spare week to read it ours is all here to date ;)

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...400962&page=12

Re: the renovators thread
 

We bought an old bakery and cottage and are planning to renovate but the plans are taking a bit longer than expected :mad:. Since we have moved in we have found that the old septic needs replacing so that will get done soon hopefully and the pipes from the well are disintegrating but we are hoping that they will survive until we start building. At the moment we are having to sleep in what will be a living room and it is wearing a bit thin. But it is all part of the game.
Nicky

Re: the renovators thread
 

Damn right, life's a big game............

Re: the renovators thread
 

Everything I tried to do went badly wrong, mind you I hate handyman stuff, so that may be a major contributing factor.

You should see the Qland sun room I stuck on the back of my 3 bed Victorian.... Gawd it's frigging ugly. The missus calls it my shed. Mind you at least it's served its purpose... housing teenagers..


We did do a half decent job of polishing the floordboards though, but hell did we make a moonscape out our larden plaster lol !

Hmm on reflection, the missus did most of the floorboards, I sort of helped ;)

Re: the renovators thread
 

Our living room has beautiful wooden floors but they are badly damaged (probably from when this part of the house was the lolly shop) so several boards need replacing or some serious filling. Plus the floor is held up by supports in our cellar (well more of a cave) and to be honest I really feel like these need checking out. I know the place has stood for a long time but the number of supports under there doesn't really fill me with confidence :blink: . I would also love to use the cellar space in time so it will need finishing off properly as dirt floors and walls really aren't my thing and are far too tempting to kids with spades :sneaky:.
More to add to the list of to do jobs but after 5 years of renting I am enjoying the change of being able to plan changes for the house ourselves.
Nicky

Re: the renovators thread
 

Nope, aston man, rest assured you're not alone.

We bought a 160 year old place and have dealt with asbestos, dry rot, white ants (little buggers turn wood to flour) taken out a wall, converted an out building to a guest annexe, rewired the place sorted out the shitty plumbing - who wants a shower that delivers 4 drips a minute? And are in the process of installing air con (thank the lord!!) All my spare time and money goes into this sodding cave. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

On the plus side - I don't miss the UK as I ain't got time, I've built up a fabulous collection of power tools, and the blokes at Mitre 10 make me sandwiches when I go there. :unsure:

Re: the renovators thread
 

We've just started renovating too!! I'm sure we moved here for an easier life!!! :D C x

Re: the renovators thread
 

we have started on the shed.;)
still trying to find things in boxes, so i nipped to bunnings today and bought a tOn ( really hate the way australians say it) of wood. started to at one end and have 4 and a half meters of shelving so far, next wall is 8 meters long and i start that tomorrow:unsure:

im with you ast, i think we are all mad;)

Re: the renovators thread
 

yep we have, here are some before and after of just the kitchen

Re: the renovators thread
 

Hi Ast,
Not sure whether you would call it renovation or pipe dream, i was planning on turning a shade house into a bar area, not a huge job but i have only done a patio and garden wall before... least if i cock it up no one will notice!

Re: the renovators thread
 

Yes! :curse: It's been ongoing for the past seven years and I am sick to the back teeth of it.

As soon as this place is finally finished I'm going to sell it and move into a nice, new place with F-all to do except relax and enjoy. :thumbsup:

Re: the renovators thread
 

mate if you need a hand give me a shout..;)

Re: the renovators thread
 

Thanks Marcus, Beware... I might just take you up on that... needless to say the fridge would be well stocked:thumbsup:. I have no experience of building as the only wall i built i did just before we sold the house in the UK and then we scarped as far away as we could!
Will start gradually as our priority is getting the elevated decking fixed before we lose an unsuspecting guest or friend through it, which will no doubt cost plenty of dosh. Had a guy round yesterday to give an estimate, wouldn't give me an idea so i will have to wait for the official quote except to say it is usually about $240 a square meter on the flat, not sure what being 3 meters up does to the price (except elevate it).

have to go for a :beer: sometime

Re: the renovators thread
 

chris we had a bloke round regarding decking,wa decking i think it was..was it the same chap,paul if i remember right..

Re: the renovators thread
 

Hi Marcus, Yup, thats the guy, has a distinctive lack of a finger on one hand and spent a year training in Henley and grew up in the Netherlands and lives down Kalamunda Road... pleasant guy, just wondering what his quote will be like. Did you reckon he was competitive? Guess you didn't get the work done? Did you get anyone else around to give a quote? One of the people a couple of doors down had a decking done by him so may pop round and have a chat. We have to put in for planning permission apparently even if it is just to fix up the veranda.

Cheers

Chris