We moved in

[Sonyaclegg]

Hi all,

Long absence so quick update and I promise I will post pictures later. We bought our 22 room Home in July 2012 and finally got to the stage where we moved in last November. Visiting and renovating this property and living in it are very different things. Single glazing has been an eye opener. I didn't sleep properly for weeks when we had the gales and now the lovely tweeting birds wake me! Condensation is interesting and everywhere. Learning how to resolve damp patches, getting to grips with lime, breathable materials, draughts, and cold have all been part of the experience. We have done the kitchen, three bathrooms, study, library, five beds, pantry, utility, snug, family lounge/snooker room. We have one bed and bath to go along with the formal dining room and formal lounge ( poshest rooms where the kids can't roam)and four cellars. We have had highs and lows but nothing that could not be solved. I have learnt so much from this house and all of you with your extensive knowledge which I am grateful I had access to. We had never owned a listed building before, let alone a shell of a building at plaster and partial first fix stage. We are a couple who play it safe but got to 40 and after a lot losses in the family, thought we should give it a go and if we failed, at least we had a go. I've stored up quite a few questions so I will be posting in the next few days. Next is the landscaping! I think we will be finished September 2015, if all goes well.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

We had stove fitted yesterday and lit it today. It's gorgeous and quite hypnotic!

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Restored fireplace in the formal lounge

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Lots of cleaned chimneys

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Question. Where the plaster moulding has shrunk, do we refinish with plaster to the beam or is there a product that can be used that will tolerate movement without cracking?

 

[plasticpigeon]

I remember your amazing house! Congrats on moving in. I bet it is the beam that has shrunk rather than the mouldings. I'd have thought caulk if the gap is small, but I wouldn't say that with much confidence.

 

[Keithj]

That is seriously beautiful!

If it's new timber, it's more likely to be that than the plaster moulding that has shrunk. I left mine to shrink some more before filling the gaps with lime. I don't know how long oak takes to stop shrinking - it's more than one year, and less than a hundred (those are the limits I've found so far).

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Shrinkage has occurred around the mostly original beams and the new ones. You are right, it's the wood which has shrunk, not the plaster. There is so much oak in this house and we have seen lots of movement since we put the heating on

 

[paulb33]

Shrinkage has occurred around the mostly original beams and the new ones. You are right, it's the wood which has shrunk, not the plaster. There is so much oak in this house and we have seen lots of movement since we put the heating on

Stunning. Young team of carpet layers.

Do you have a photo of the outside?

Paul

www.redhousrestoration.wordpress.com

 

[jackpoint]

It's looking really lovely! More photos please

 

[LadyArowana]

Great to see you back again and house looks fabulous, you must be thrilled after all the hard work.

 

[davidbrac]

That looks nice.
The stove looks like a woodwarm fireview, which we have and l must say its the best multi fuel stove l have come across.

 

[88v8]

Superb.
And you've done in months what takes many people years.
Perhaps a new career awaits....

I'd do no filling around that beam until ... well, until all the timber has stabilised in relation to the new heating and humidity environment. The could be a couple of years. When we had central heating we kept it no higher that 62F to avoid damage to the house.

Do you have a humidity meter in each room?
It will be interesting to see/plot the pattern across the year - ours is highest, in the high 70%s and therefore the internal wood most swollen, at the end of summer, and lowest about three weeks ago when with both woodburners lit in the evenings it touched 45%. Now, around 56% and rising.
When humidity is lowest is the time for filling, although filling cracks around any element that shrinks and swells with the seasons is liable to be rather futile.

Although it is in a way regretable to introduce modern gadgetry, you may find that there are parts of the house that will benefit from the permanent presence of a dehumidifier. We have an Ebac in the cellar, where it takes ten points off the readings and has banished the mould.

Ah, yes, the mould... if/when/where it appears will indicate where artificial dehumidification may be beneficial.

Ivor

 

[kreyszig]

Wow. It looks stunning!Congratulations on moving in and I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to more pictures!

 

[tobydog]

Very impressive in such a short period of time. I still remember the saga regarding the doors! I bet the stone walls around the wood burner are an amazing heat store once they get going.

Out of interest, did you finally find a solution to your rainwater down pipes? I vaguely remember them pouring directly onto the grass alongside the house.

 

[PeterI]

Looks nice,I particularly like the chimneys for some reason.

 

[Zebra]

Oh
my
word.
You've achieved so much. Now please go away again and stop putting us all to shame!! :wink:

 

[elizabeth]

Wow!!!, what an achievement, as everyone has said you have covered so much ground and it looks beautiful. We too were motivated by similar reasons and we took it that if we never tried we might regret it. So here we are, three years on, in a cob and stone, thatched property, never owned a period property; with a long list of work to do but we have learnt so much and met some very skilled people doing so.

Well done and great to follow when you can.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

That looks nice.
The stove looks like a woodwarm fireview, which we have and l must say its the best multi fuel stove l have come across.

It is a woodwarm. Never having owned a stove, I did lots of research and we are pleased with our choice. It's a 16kw to help warm up the biggest room which is about 20mx12m. It's a hungry beast and had demanded to be fed at an alarming rate but it's doing the job of keeping us warm!

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Great to see you back again and house looks fabulous, you must be thrilled after all the hard work.

Hello Lady A. It's a labour of love, as are all our houses, but I can say the house is loving us back. It's such a peaceful homely place despite its size and it has been, and continues to be, our greatest adventure!