Underfloor heating in period houses

[Lostgardensof]

Thanks Feltwell. It has been empty ten years and has not been a home since the 1960's/70's. The roof has been done about 5 years ago although it wasn't felted or insulated at the time. No gas, no electricity, windows are rotten in places but will last the winter. First job is getting the electricity switched on and the rewire started and then second job is to get
a working bathroom up and running along with gas and boiler installation so that we have hot water. We are foolishly moving in, in January with 3 smallish (but very hardy) children but we love the house so much that we couldn't leave it in the current state.

I will try to add some more pics later this evening.

 

[Lostgardensof]

Here are a few pics. As you can see we have quite a project. No cracks anywhere are the roof is good so nothing urgent.

 

[Feltwell]

Thanks Feltwell. It has been empty ten years and has not been a home since the 1960's/70's. The roof has been done about 5 years ago although it wasn't felted or insulated at the time.

Bit odd - building control wouldn't usually let you re-roof without putting a roofing membrane under the tiles/slates (the modern equivalent of felt) and insulating. However, if it's not leaking now and the water damage in your earlier pictures has been halted then that is a huge bonus. it doesn't look like it was too badly butchered for it's commercial use from the pictures you post - a local authority premises I'm guessing? One of the few virtues that local authorities have is whilst they don't tend to maintain old buildings too well they also usually only spend the bare minimum on conversions, I've seen quite a few where the original features are still intact, just covered over.

An intriguing project, do tell us more!

 

[Socksitis]

Having been empty more than 2 years does mean you can claim 5% VAT I believe on certain repairs where contractors are agreeable - but I expect you already know that?

 

[Lostgardensof]

Feltwell there is a bit of damp on the ground floor near the back door but I think that is because there was a leaking pipe in the outdoor loo which has now been fixed. I am hoping that if we clear the mud away and reinstate whatever drainage exists underneath that the wall will dry out. The other damp bits look historic and haven't got any worse since we first saw the house in May.

It was ex university so has been looked after relatively well until it became empty. They are a law to themselves so did the roof with no listed building consent or building control as far as we know but we have used this to negotiate the price down and I am aware that we will be responsible for putting anything right once we move in.

I have been in contact with someone who used to play in the garden as a boy and have some photos of previous residents and the coach which used to live in the coach house.

I am relying on this forum to keep my excitement levels up whilst we get through the the first year which I suspect will be quite challenging.

Socksitis thanks for the info about the 5% vat. I am aware of this but not sure what we exactly qualify for as it will also be a conversion as it is currently a commercial property. One of them is 5% and the other is 0% but stops of we move in. I think we will be doing most of the work once in so most will be 5% I think?

 

[Flyfisher]

The VAT rules allowed a 0% rate for listed building alterations until a few years ago, but there was no mechanism for claiming back any VAT actually paid. Thus, it was imperative to discuss things with any contractors before work started and to confirm that they would be happy to NOT include VAT on any of their invoices (or rather include the VAT, but at a 0% rate). In our case, any contractors we used were happy to take a copy of our listed building consent for their files just in case they were audited by the VAT-man and they could then justify why they had not charged VAT. Unfortunately, it was no possible to reclaim any VAT on everything spent doing a lot of the work ourselves.

I don't know if the rules are different in this case but thought it worth mentioning anyway.

 

[Lostgardensof]

I think the 0% for vat for listed buildings is no longer available.

 

[Lostgardensof]

A few more pics

 

[Flyfisher]

I think the 0% for vat for listed buildings is no longer available.

Correct (apologies if I didn't make this clear). My point was that, when it was available, there was no mechanism to reclaim any VAT already paid, even if the relevant work was eligible for 0% VAT. It was therefore essential to ensure that contractors invoices did not include VAT.

I mentioned this in case there is a similar situation regarding other non-standard VAT schemes.

 

[Socksitis]

Here is the link to the relevant VAT page, section 8 is for properties that have been empty for 2 years, this is what we are working under, even though our property is listed. This has certainly helped with the bills.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-notice-708-buildings-and-construction/vat-notice-708-buildings-and-construction

 

[Lostgardensof]

Thank you socksitis I will have a good read and check out the rules.

 

[Socksitis]

Without meaning to hijack the thread, I have an additional question. We are intending to replace the concrete on earth floor that we currently we have with a membrane, glasscrete, membrane,UFH (wet) limecrete screed and then it was going to be reclaimed stone floor but with the price of reclaimed slate at £240/m2 that is just not going to happen. So we will replace the stone where we have it and try and find some additional to make up the room, but for the parlour we have had a flash of inspiration - what about oak? Solid oak? Is this a bad idea or workable?

 

[livias]

Wood is quite a good insulator so it is not ideal
If we had not been in such a rush to get the place habitable and I could have taken time out from being project manager then I might have experimented with a polished concrete floor which ought to be quite a cheap option. As it was we laid mexican terracotta tiles

 

[88v8]

...for the parlour we have had a flash of inspiration - what about oak? Solid oak? Is this a bad idea or workable?

As Livias observed, wood is a good insulator, if you wanted to sabotage your ufh, wood would be a suitable method.
Quite apart from the fact that it would eventually shrink, crack and warp.

Bradstone have a slateish offering, although it looks what it is - new.
https://simplypaving.com/bradstone-natural-limestone-paving-blue-black-patio-pack-15-30-m2-per-pack.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy_Hz1f2z2AIVCD8bCh0ZvQh-EAAYAiAAEgInFvD_BwE

Reclaimed quarries might be a better idea. A chequerboard mix of red & black looks good.
We eventually found some on eBay.
Laid and pointed in lime.

Ivor

 

[Socksitis]

Thank you - I think you are both right, why I am I chasing something that is not achievable, the house continues to tell a story and that is a new floor- whatever stone is laid....