Owning your own home

Hmmm, there's logic here.

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Speaking of damp, I've had some issues arise after the latest pissing rain.
Any suggestions on what/who I should be getting in to look at this stuff?

Have a look at the sealant around the outside edges of the window frame. Also, any frame fixing screws going down through the cill that don't have any sealant around the heads.

That's possible causes for below the window(s) but unlikely for the fireplace. Breaks in the pointing may be the culprit as you suspect.

Rookie question here but it is doing my head in. How do these radiators work? Are you meant to have both taps open?

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Both taps open, yea.

After nothing for months, we've had a spate of viewings in the last week and accepted an offer on our flat.

amazing news! we’ve had a bunch of viewings and one low ball order that was upped to still-to-low but more viewings yesterday and today..

First quote back for renovating the front door and leaded lights/stained glass windows. It's in a sorry but stable state. Don't see the point in Banham locks with all the glass panels. Just invites smashy smashy.

1) FRONT DOOR AND FRAME RESTORATION :

A) draught-proofing : £250
-routing a groove either in the frame / in the door or supply new door stops with draught-proofing
(whichever is more appropriate and works better)
-fitting draught-proofing to the underside of the door

B) restoration : £1350
-paint burning and sanding the whole door back to natural wood
-repairing the door and frame where necessary and treating any rot affected areas with liquid wood
hardener or epoxy resin ( whichever is more appropriate )
-fill , sand and prepare the door and frame for further decoration
-refit the door in the frame
fit new locks and other furniture (would go with keyed alike ERA locks at £300 fitted)
-supply and fit new hinges

C) painting and decorating of the door and frame:£1150
-painting and decorating of the door (4-5 coats of paint , 1 coat of primer , 2-3 coats of undercoat
, 1 topcoat )
-painting and decorating of the frame (3-4 coats of paint , 1 coat of primer , 1-2 coats of undercoat
, 1 topcoat )

D) glass repairs in the door , side panels and fanlight : £1580
-replace broken panes of stained glass and leadwork repairs , glass cleaning , removal of all leaded
lights ( some panels will be taken away for repairs )
-repainting of the numerals 120 and writing FERN BANK
-board up door and frame panels and leave secure
-reglazing of all leaded lights
-supply and fit new glass beads

*OPTIONAL 1: £725
-supply and fit clear safety laminated glass in front of all leaded lights in the door and side panels and
fanlight

*OPTIONAL 2 : £220
-supply and fit a custom made step nosing

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repainting of the numerals 120 and writing Live, Laugh, Love

That's extra. Trying to work out how to hide a cock and balls in one of the stained panels.

That quote is from https://www.asashrepair.co.uk/

Any other recommendations gratefully received.

Wonder if it’s worth looking at more general repair services for the door and the frame then going to a specialist for the glass? They seem to want a lot of money for the wood work. Are those costs inc. vat?

Very nice even in unrestored state.

All of the glass needs a good clean (tar stains - you can see the difference in colour between the 120 and the Fern Bank panels, the former I just wiped with a wet wipe). My dear is if I'm too heavy handed it will all fall out. Some of the panels don't have security glass either so would like fall in with a less than beefy shove. Plus the wood work on the outside all needs a good going over.

Good point re: vat. I'll get mrs_com to double check as she arranged the quote. It doesn't say on either the quote or email.

My worry is more general repairers will either not touch it due to the leaded lights, or bullshit and say it's fine then end up fucking it all.

That door is so beautiful.

Get something modern instead made from plastic, and stop worrying about glass falling out maybe?

If I had this door I'd sit in the hallway admiring it all day.

The glass does need repairing, and like you say, it's worth getting someone in who'll do a proper job to do that. So get the glass repaired (and cleaned, if you feel like you can't do that yourself - but could you not cut some supportive material to size, and brace one side while cleaning the other?), get the door draft proofed and put the rest off indefinitely.

The leaded lights are the big concern, and there have obviously been some modifications done if there is security glass added to some of the panels.
Probably boils down to deciding if:

1. The work on the leaded lights can be done in situ
   
2. The leaded lights need removing for a major overhaul
   
   

Option 2 is going to be pretty spendy, but in either case it might be better trying to get separate quotes for the woodwork / glass mainly because the glass is a much more specialist job and I would expect any firm quoting for the woodwork is probably subbing it out to someone else - and you'd possibly get a clearer picture knowing the extent of each piece of work?

how much for this

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It's a fungus so doesn't eat brains.

Unless you're immunocompromised/unlucky

https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/fungal.html

We've had to slightly adjust our expectations due to gestures at world, but we've ended up with a figure that is fair for both parties.

I'd expect all initial offers to be low ball, I think buyers expect you to be desperate at the moment.

Good luck with the other viewings, my experience in the last couple weeks is that there are not many tire kickers at the moment, everyone we saw is keen and in a strong position to buy. So hopefully you'll get the right person.

Ouch. I shall be avoiding large piles of bat droppings from now on.

Regency antiques seem to do a few judging by IG (not on this scale maybe)
But #stainedglassrepair seems to throw up a fair few results to look through

Is there any forum approved builders?

The fixed rate period on my mortgage is finishing soon. I've forgotten everything mortgage-related since the last time... What do I do now - see if the same lender can give me a better deal, at the same time as shopping around? I have an appointment next week with a mortgage broker who we used when first buying (not the current mortgage), what should I be asking/preparing? My wage has gone up, slightly.

I've also been thinking more seriously about doing Work to the house in the last year or so. I've been slightly over-paying the mortgage, because I can, but I've realised that I should instead be saving for these works... Is it a good idea to borrow additional to pay for some of the works?

Has anyone done full EnerPHit or similar? (PassivHaus for retrofit). I'm not that interested in certification, but I am considering aiming for a similar standard - would involve a huge amount of disruption. Ground floor insulation, a mix of internal and external wall insulation, which will precipitate re-doing the bathroom and kitchen. The windows probably need changing. If I can get the envelope up to a decent standard I'll be looking at air-source heat pump and ducts to all rooms... It's a bit of a terrifying prospect. I'm not a person that yearns for new kitchens etc but I'm increasingly conscious of how much heat is leaking into the sky, and spending so much time at home has made me more conscious of comfort too. The only 'upgrade' I'd do at the same time is pushing the loft insulation from the floor to the ceilings so the loft is more useable - has anyone done this on an old property? It's a mix of battens and original 1920s close-boarding up there, with tiles. Nice and breezy and therefore always dry. Apprehensive of issues that could come from pushing all the envelope requirements into a much thinner zone. Rear roof was redone a few years ago. Front and side are original tiles, I think.