Home DIY

I re-read your initial post and i guess you're planning on having the slab as the floor?
In that case, you're probably better off re-pouring if you have doubts about the existing slab.
My building is primarily for working in, although bikes are stored here too. I wanted to raise it (actual floor is about 20cm off the ground) so i could insulate the floor and heat the room without worrying about condensation, but you presumably wouldn't have those issues.

Yeah, I'm leaning towards the same direction too. Could install a slope and gutter and ground anchors at the same time that way too.

The fireplace installer visited yesterday, all good except he said they wont dispose off the old fireplace. It looks like cast iron, surely there is money to be made if scrapped right? I might have to sell it on gumtree/ebay ..

Any pro tips regarding the wood burners @hoops @Dammit ? Still in two minds about multi fuel and wood only and cast iron vs steel ..

I literally just got a text comfirming my appointment with them - what was the issue?

Keen to avoid being fucked over if poss!

I'd love a woodburner but like @hoops wont be in the house more than 2/3 years so seemed excessive

wouldnt it easily add value though? Thats what we though :P plus our current fireplace is shite.

Can't you put your wood burner in front of the existing fireplace with the flue running back into it then up the chimney?

I'd preserve original features such as a fireplace surround if at all possible - and also the wood burner works better if it's in the room as opposed to in the fireplace, as the heat can radiate out from it rather than up the chimney/into the walls.

Our choice of burner was dictated by the clean-air rules in our borough - approved smokeless units only, ours was pretty cheap (£400ish), works fine.

I love ours, one of the simple pleasures of coming home is lighting the fire.

Just leave it like that and make a mini-motocross or speedway track. At least for a while.

Can't you put your wood burner in front of the existing fireplace with the flue running back into it then up the chimney?

Not 100% sure what this means. Soz.
Basically by getting rid I mean just the cast iron shit fireplace thats there the 'hole' remains .. we will get it rendered.

I will ask about 'in the room' thing you mentioned. They will be putting the liner after a chimney sweep sometime in next couple of weeks.

Do you have a multi-fuel or wood only? Can you remember which brand/model it is?

apparently it can add up to 5% to the value of your house but skeptical about that

5%

haha really? defo skeptical

If I don't get my shutters from Hilarys then anyone got any experience using another company?

shutters

another one of those 'value add' things innit? How much do they cost approx?

@Tenderloin they are a seriously fucking bad company.

Measured up after giving quite a hard sell , quoted about 800 quid odd for our bay window. The price was fair enough.

Paid them a deposit which was half of the amount due and was told a surveyor would come out and measure up.

This bloke turns up and is meant to be a specialist. Measures up again and says no problems I'll now send them off to be made.

4 months later they arrive with the installer. He starts to install them and then tells my wife they are no good, there are gaps everywhere and they are fucking useless.

Instead of trying to sort it, he basically says something like ' fucks sake now I won't get paid for the job' to the wife, then fucks off and basically told her its her problem now.

We contact Hillary's blinds who arent apologetic at all, basically say we install thousands of these a year and it happens from time to time. No apology at all. Say you can wait another 4 months to get some more with a 10pc discount or cancel the order.

I called them up to give them a last chance to sort it. I wasn't bothered about the money really I just wanted to expedite the process noone can be expected to wait 8 odd months. The woman on the phone basically told me to go and fuck myself.

So I told her where to shove her shutters and I have vowed to steer as much business away from them as possible. This has mainly been done via their Facebook page but they ended up banning me posting on there a few weeks back.

They also took nearly 2 weeks to refund me my 400 quid and I had to threaten to sue them to get it back.

Use them by alp means as they are cheap and can't fuck up every order but I would seriously recommend you don't.

@Tenderloin kellys blinds in the hood come recommended but I haven't used them myself

Also u should consider a wood burner. I installed mine for 700 all in including building control sign off. Pop over and take a look!

I dunno. I don't like curtains or blinds really but don't want people looking in from the street, shutters seem like the best looking option.

They cost a lot, thousands

Tell the estate agent to collect your fucking sold sign !

We used a chippy from MyBuilder, he was alright but nothing too special.

Stoves: gonna splurge on a Dovre in our new place:

Shutters: try Starbuck Upholstry in Brockley

I want to do some floor plans. Easy to diy? Or does it need a professional? I need to start fixing things. Not sure where to start.

That looks nice. The 4.9KW model is actually not far off from the one we are getting in terms of the price .. I wonder if our guy does Dovre. Will check!

Cheers dude - I've called a couple of local companies to get a quote from them. Not sure if Kellys Blinds do shutters

You mean drawing your own floor plans? Easy with a distometer.

We're using Shades of Chingford. They came recommended by the entire street. We felt like the odd ones out not having their stuff fitted.
It all comes out of China these days so it's all about the service.

My stove is probably the best thing I've ever bought - maybe including bikes/house/cats/really really good beer after long rides.
I think mine's dual fuel, but I've only ever used logs in it. Coal stinks and the pollutants are bad. Fuck coal. Can't remember exactly what I paid - something like 600 quid for the stove, and 1500 for the fitting maybe?
If you're sarf, I've got a decent log supplier if you want it.