hello! permission to come aboard?

[tycarregydwr]

Hi everyone. I was directed to this forum by an acquaintance. We've just moved into a crazy house... well not as crazy as some of the projects on here but crazy for us. It's a semi-detached house in very rural west Wales, the original house is stone and just over 100 yrd old, and has been roughly doubled by new extensions. The new extensions - containing kitchen, master bedroom, a reception room, and another bedroom - are mostly finished, but the old part of the house is mostly not - bare concrete floors throughout, wretched single-glazed 70s aluminium windows, 70s polystyrene ceiling tiles, and 100 or so charming different horrid wallpapers. In some rooms the ceiling tiles appear to be mounted on plasterboard, in others, on original lath-and-plaster ceilings, and in others, they seem to have been installed on a dropped ceiling. Some of the original interior walls are render and plaster which appears in reasonable condition, some are plaster-and-lath which is in very poor condition, and some are slate. There are also two vomit-worthy 60s fireplaces. And oh so much more besides!

To be honest, when we bought it we weren't particularly thinking about it in terms of a conservation/restoration project. Our funds are, um, very limited, we've got two small children and we both work, and we are up for doing things ourselves but we don't have much experience with the particular skills needed here.

Our top priorities to get done in the next few months are essential repairs to guttering and fascia, some repair of external render, and rebuilding the main chimney stack above the roof line - all essential to stop water coming in. Once these are done the damp specialist says we should have a remarkably dry house - he was almost sad, he said he's never seen a house this age in this area without problems. Which is great news!

Downstairs floors we'll definitely be doing ourselves, most likely in the spring.

Then we come to the decisions - windows - obviously we'd prefer timber but it will depend on cost, awaiting quotes. And what to do about the ceilings (and in some cases, walls). We talked to builders and got a quote, but as I said, we weren't really thinking of a restoration project at that point so the plan was just tearing down all the ceilings and plasterboarding them. And trying to work out if we are up to doing that ourselves. Now we're thinking about investigating whether any of the original ceilings are salvalable/repairable. But I have my doubts.


Anyway that's quite a lot of whittering on, sorry. I'm sure I will have many many questions and you all seem like a very knowledgable group of people so I hope you will take pity on me and share your experience!

 

[Feltwell]

Bump! ( to get it back to the top of the list where it will get noticed)

Welcome. You'll get asked for pictures very shortly. You mention "damp specialist" which is often a worry - what have they recommended that you do? Guttering and fascia work is fine, what needs doing to your external render and are they looking at repairing with cement based render?

 

[LadyArowana]

Welcome to the forum. We love pictures, in case nobody thinks to mention it to you. Your plan to sort out the few big problems first seems like a good one. After that I would take a little while to live there and decide on an approach to the work before doing anything. Are the electricals in good order? What about plumbing? I would always want to get them checked before the more cosmetic aspects of decorating since they go through the whole property and dealing with them later might end up undoing things that have already been made good. You will probably find that a lot of the work you can do yourself and that your ideas on what you want will change as you grow into the place. Small children are a great source of free nimble fingered labour :lol:

 

[middi]

If the house is about 100 yrs old, lots of new additions, ceilings, decorations and windows in bad state and on top of that you are working parents with two young children and not a lot of funds, I suggest you do as much as you can yourselves in the easiest and shortest possible way.
Also, as you mention, the ceilings are in a bad state ( lath and plaster ceilings are labour intensive to restore anyway) just apply new ceilings plasterboard over the existing lath and plaster by using long plasterboard screws.
As to other repairs and improvements, it is a balance between your free time, confidence in your DIY and funds available to get builders to do the work for you. You, unfortunately, are the one who has to make that decision.
The only thing I can suggest, if you need work to be carried out by builders, is to talk to as many builders as you can as to how best to tackle the problems in the cheapest and most effective way.
Make sure you pay as much attention as possible to the insulation of the building.

Good luck

Middi

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Welcome, it sounds like you'll fit right in here!

Some pics would be nice... We call it PPUKPorn! Whereabouts in West Wales? Lovely house name by the way. For those, like me, who don't speak Gods own language, it means something like The Stone House by the Water.

Not quite sure what your first question is. But be reassured, many of us are doing this with limited funds, small kids and improving DIY skills. I'm not sure though, that many of us are crazy enough to combine all three! :wink:

The key advice is to take your time, most things can wait (one you've stopped the rain getting in, that is) , and ask lots of questions. There's a huge wealth of friendly and in many cases, expert, advice here.

 

[Lime]

Welcome from me too.
It appears you have got your priorities right, i.e. make watertight first.
IMO it is best to live in a property for a while before altering it.
Sometimes the first thing people do is rush in and change things which they later regret.
Try to use the same materials and methods that were originally used and avoid modern methods if you can.

Draught-proofing will be important this winter.
Don't be afraid to use simple but reversible temporary methods... wide sellotape can solve many problems.
Don't be tempted to use the quick fix such as expanding foam... you may regret it later.

 

[tycarregydwr]

Hello

Thanks for the replies. I don't have many good pictures yet, I will work on that this weekend!

The 'damp specialist' said that we needed to sort out the water ingress points - chimney, broken guttering and fascia, and exterior render. The front of the original house has been pebble-dashed and actually the front is all fine, in terms of it being weather-proof and not causing problems on the inside . At the back (in the lee of the prevailing, very wet, weather), is the original stone. The first floor is unrendered and the ground floor has some sort of thin render on, tbh I don't know what. Anyway at the ground level it is damaged, and on the inside we clearly have water -well not water, but obviously penetrating damp- splashback possibly, so he said to have that repaired. The builders who we talked to didn't mention how they would repair it, but I assume cement-concrete render.
Further, he said there was no need to do any injection, just keep the house well-ventilated and replace the windows - he recommended hardwood timber if we can.
He did say that pebble-dashing was common around here as it's very weather-proof - I gather you all aren't so keen on the idea! We know the house was originally unrendered stone as we have old photos, but restoring it to that condition is not currently on the agenda (and, sadly, would look ridiculous next to the new extension).

Plumbing work is all brand new, previous owners (who built the extensions, did a bit of work, then gave up), were plumbers so it's all top-notch as far as we can tell, yay! A few rooms don't yet have radiators but the pipework is all in place for them.
Electrics are a mixed bag, new house fine, old house needs rewiring. We've got one quote and waiting on another, doesn't look too awful. Obviously if we do decide to get builders in to take down the ceilings all at once, that makes electrical work much easier and could save a day on that.

Slapping plasterboard over the existing ceilings hadn't even occurred to us. Although I guess this might have happened in a few places - the house is definitely a 'hodge-bodge', of generations of owners taking the quick-and-cheap way out! Are there any drawbacks to this? We'd still have to remove the polystyrene tiles first though as they're such a fire hazard.

As to insulation....really, who knows?! I will try to get some pics. There might not be any. And oh yes, that reminds me, has anyone used this stuff, can't remember the name of it, interior insulation that's 1 cm thick and comes in rolls and you put it up like wallpaper, then decorate over? Does anyone know what I mean?

Thanks again, and my apologies in advance because I think I'm going to be all take-take-take for a while

edited to add, in response to Lime - I definitely agree! We'll be forced to take a wait-and-see approach by finances, but it really is the best way anyway (is anyone here into permaculture? we're doing the 'live with your land for a year' approach outside too...). We're armed with draught-proofing and lots of thick curtains :lol:

edited to add again, I meant to respond to a previous question, we're in the Preseli hills in north pembs

 

[JanJonWestWales]

welcome aboard the good ship "moneypit".
Where in West wales are you?. we are renovating a farmhouse between Llandeilo and Carmarthen(near Brechfa).
J&J

here is ours...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/86394362@N07/

 

[tycarregydwr]

Wow, those are impressive! We're not that far away, north Pembs, in the wettest place on earth :lol: (well, ok, in light of the current floods in the NE perhaps not.... but the local reservoir gets 1.5 METERS of rain per year, I nearly fell over when I read that)

 

[Flyfisher]

. . . and my apologies in advance because I think I'm going to be all take-take-take for a while

Welcome aboard!
Don't worry too much about being all take-take-take for a while, it's inevitable with a new project. Just post a few photos from time to time and we'll forgive almost anything. :wink:

It sounds as if your 'damp specialist' has given you sensible advice and you're not rushing into things so, all in all, it all sounds very promising.

It also seems that PPUK is building up its Welsh contingent and will soon be rivalling the East Anglians at this rate.

 

[JohnB]

He did say that pebble-dashing was common around here as it's very weather-proof - I gather you all aren't so keen on the idea! We know the house was originally unrendered stone as we have old photos, but restoring it to that condition is not currently on the agenda (and, sadly, would look ridiculous next to the new extension).

Is that the sharp stuff that rips any flesh that brushes against it, and destroys bike saddles leaned against it? Mine has quite a few cracks, and when I started removing it found that most was just about blown, and came off easily. My house doesn't have a real damp problem, but the walls were wet.

As I understand it, houses were normally limewashed, and wouldn't have been bare stone. The earliest photo I have of my place is 1967, and by that time it appeared to be bare stone, but there are traces of limewash showing it wasn't always like that.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Wow, those are impressive! We're not that far away, north Pembs, in the wettest place on earth :lol: (well, ok, in light of the current floods in the NE perhaps not.... but the local reservoir gets 1.5 METERS of rain per year, I nearly fell over when I read that)

Speaking from the NE (of Wales), yes it has been rather damp of late.

Sitting here I can see the cows doing breaststroke in the flooded fields below me. :shock: I had calculated that at 800ft we were safe from rising sea levels for about 65,000 years. But I hadn't thought the valley might flood with rainwater. I think we might only have a couple more British summers before I need to start filling sandbags...

 

[tycarregydwr]

He did say that pebble-dashing was common around here as it's very weather-proof - I gather you all aren't so keen on the idea! We know the house was originally unrendered stone as we have old photos, but restoring it to that condition is not currently on the agenda (and, sadly, would look ridiculous next to the new extension).

Is that the sharp stuff that rips any flesh that brushes against it, and destroys bike saddles leaned against it? Mine has quite a few cracks, and when I started removing it found that most was just about blown, and came off easily. My house doesn't have a real damp problem, but the walls were wet.

As I understand it, houses were normally limewashed, and wouldn't have been bare stone. The earliest photo I have of my place is 1967, and by that time it appeared to be bare stone, but there are traces of limewash showing it wasn't always like that.

I think that's the stuff you mean, yes, it's pebbles embedded in, I assume, concrete/cement (forgive my ignorance, I'm not really clear on the difference?) There are no obvious cracks in ours and it sounds solid when you tap it.
We have a photo of the house from about the turn of the century, so it would have been quite new, and one from the late 1920s, and they appear to me to be bare stone, but I am clueless!

 

[angrybird]

Wow, those are impressive! We're not that far away, north Pembs, in the wettest place on earth :lol: (well, ok, in light of the current floods in the NE perhaps not.... but the local reservoir gets 1.5 METERS of rain per year, I nearly fell over when I read that)

Speaking from the NE (of Wales), yes it has been rather damp of late.

Sitting here I can see the cows doing breaststroke in the flooded fields below me. :shock: I had calculated that at 800ft we were safe from rising sea levels for about 65,000 years. But I hadn't thought the valley might flood with rainwater. I think we might only have a couple more British summers before I need to start filling sandbags...

welcome to PPUK they really are a lovely bunch (watch your spelling when Penners is about :lol: )
I thought at 1000ft we would be safe from flooding, what I hadnt planned on was the rain running down the mountain and running straight into my kitchen :shock: yet another job I hadn't planned on!!!
maybe this is what they meant by underground stream :roll:

 

[jackpoint]

Dropped in to say all the best with your project.
I think this renovation thing is fantastic, you buy a house and get a hobby for life thrown in for free
I don't have any advice for you as such, but mine this forum for information - the little hints and tips are priceless (and free) and have made a massive difference to our place in a few months.
We don't have any particular skills in this area either, but like us I'm sure you will surprise yourselves if you have a go.....and what's the worst that could happen :shock: :lol:

Good luck!

 

[Smithtrae]

Yes, hello, we have just joined as well and so far our little stone house is looking very bare now we have stripped everything down to its surviving lime plaster and laths where no plaster survives! We are just finding our way with the help of loads of people on here and have masses still to learn but peeps are really friendly here so im sure they can help. Look forward to seeing some pics!

 

[dalivar]

Welcome!
The day I googled 'damp stone cottage' about 13 months ago was life changing! Its like there's a whole other world out there where lime rules and the mention of 'cement' sees you at the recieving end of raised eyebrows! To be honest, it does show you how much you can do yourself when you own an older house that needs more care, cement and other modern building materials are so unforgiving that you would ruin your first attempt and never try again! At least you get a second go with the proper stuff!

 

[MatthewC]

The 'damp specialist' said that we needed to sort out the water ingress points - chimney, broken guttering and fascia, and exterior render.

Well, I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that a "damp specialist" was recommending the right things for once, and so the issue is exactly how he proposes to do that.

Further, he said there was no need to do any injection, just keep the house well-ventilated

Now he's sounding like our sort of damp specialist! Where did you find him? I'm impressed.

 

[tycarregydwr]

The 'damp specialist' said that we needed to sort out the water ingress points - chimney, broken guttering and fascia, and exterior render.

Well, I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that a "damp specialist" was recommending the right things for once, and so the issue is exactly how he proposes to do that.

Further, he said there was no need to do any injection, just keep the house well-ventilated

Now he's sounding like our sort of damp specialist! Where did you find him? I'm impressed.

:lol: He was recommended by our builders. I guess maybe it helps that he lives in the area, in a period property himself? (he mentioned it in passing, I've no idea how he's treated his own house)

We are getting the builders to do the repairs to the guttering and fascia, and as I already mentioned, to repair the very small area of damaged render. I didn't discuss this in detail with them, I assume they will use something modern as that's what's there already (I *think*, I really don't know I'm afraid to say!)

With the chimney... actually do you know what I think I'll do a separate post about that.