My Home Renovation Project.

KhalJimbo · 07-06-2009, 11:30 AM

Hi All

This is the thread for my home renovation project, I am redoing the entire inside, with new kitchen, new bathroom , new floors, basically new everything. It is a 2 bedroom massionette but since it is just me I am turning bedroom number 2 into a dining room that opens onto a patio. I am hoping to get this all done in about 8 months. I have moved back home to take over this place, currently my folks live here too but they are moving on and then I will stay here.

I am wanting to home automate this place as much as possible with new lighting in the living room (contolled by my Harmony 1000) and remote black out blinds in the living room and bedroom. In the living I am going to build a false wall to help with the sound proofing from the neighbours, will do the same with the roof.

The living room is going to open onto the dining room and the dining room is going to open onto a tiled patio area the runs onto the garden with a summer house / bbq area at the bottom of the garden.

The living room and dinign room and hallroom will be tiled with white porceline tiles while the kitchen and bathroom with have black tiles adn the bedroom will be carpeted.

The living room will have the theater system in it with the 50" plasma housed within the false wall, and am going to have a PJ screen housed in a pelmet so the screen will drop down infront of the TV.

The place is pretty small with the living room being about 3.5 x 4.3 m. I am going to to this one room at a time leaving the kitchen for last because that is going to be the most expensive room to do.

So here goes!! Not done anything like this before and my DIY skills are not the greatest can only really do the work at nights and at weekends, but its all part of the fun

KhalJimbo · 07-06-2009, 11:36 AM

Well, I started taking the wallpaper off the dining room last week, I am almost finished and should have it ready for painting next weekend. Not sure what colour yet but I am thinking white.

Anyway here are some pics of the progress so far.

KhalJimbo · 07-06-2009, 6:06 PM

Cool thanks for the link, thats exactly the kind of thing I am planning on doing in the living room to isoloate the sound.

KhalJimbo · 07-06-2009, 6:52 PM

Guys a couple of questions maybe one of the DIY experts can help.

1) How easy is it to remove a radiator and to change one?
2) I want to try get a light controller for the lounge (one of the touch / programmable ones) how easy is that to install, if it makes things easier there already is a dimmer installed but its one of the old turn style ones.
3) I want to change the thermostat to a digital one as right now the one looks like it is straight out of 1913, how easy is that to change out and would I need to change the boiler too?

Thanks in advance

(this DIY thing is quite fun

)

KhalJimbo · 10-06-2009, 11:12 AM

Actually just wondering if I shoudlnt rather have a fixed frame screen in the living room as the majority of my viewing in there will be movies anyway so the electric screen will be down 90% of the time and then move the 50" into the bedroom

What would you guys do?

If I did get a fixed frame it would be 2.35:1 ratio and I will get a lense to do the adjustment between 1.78:1 and 2.35:1, I have decided on the Mitsubishi HC5500 but what are those lenses called again that do the adjustment?

Edit: Note to self, its an Anamorphic lense

KhalJimbo · 10-06-2009, 11:42 AM

Scratch that idea, those anamorphic lenses are freakishly expensive!!

**inzaman** · 10-06-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthworm Jim

Scratch that idea, those anamorphic lenses are freakishly expensive!!

Does the HC5500 have power zoom? If so you could possibly use the zoom method (ala AE3000) for the 2.35 ratio

KhalJimbo · 10-06-2009, 12:13 PM

That is one thing I thought of but then it would mean fiddling with the zoom almost constantly, might be worth it though, I've just seen the HC6500 going for a decent price, anyway I still got time to think about it as the living room renovation is only going to start in september (I would rather do the outside jobs ie: summer house etc in the summer) so I have a bit of time to hink it all up

EDIT: Just seen an Anamorphic lense from Home Cinema Brothers for pretty cheap seems to be quite good and also a LG AH115 for pretty cheap too.

dunk05 · 10-06-2009, 10:05 PM

1. It's pretty straight forward & less messy if you can drain down the whole
heating system at once, but if you're careful you can just do the one if
you're not changing the thermostats. If the new rad is the same size,
you're laughing, if it's narrower or wider by much, get a plumber in unless
you're happy soldering.

Best case scenario is close valves either side, brace them so as not to bend
pipes if the nuts are tight ( you can just hold or drop another spanner over),
open bleed valves, with tray underneath, unscrew nut connecting valve
to rad on one side (lift carpet if you can or put down towel just in case.)
fill tray, tighten nut, empty tray, slacken nut, fill tray & repeat till empty.
Remove nuts from both sides, lift off radiator, tip over tray to ensure empty,
dump outside.
Paint behind radiator, fit new one

open valves, bleed, check for leaks.
(If leaking tighten or drain down and put some ptfe tape on the threads)

Disclaimer - I'm not a plumber and your setup may be different from mine!

3. Don't see why not, may depend on the boiler, is it wireless or wired?
Can you get a model number from the existing one and google replacements
for it? I've a conventional gravity fed system, my programmer just provides
a current to the boiler on/off and to the pump when I want heating,
to swap themostats you may need to replace that controller as well as the
remote sensor.

It's only fun till it all goes wrong

Enjoy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthworm Jim

Guys a couple of questions maybe one of the DIY experts can help.

1) How easy is it to remove a radiator and to change one?
2) I want to try get a light controller for the lounge (one of the touch / programmable ones) how easy is that to install, if it makes things easier there already is a dimmer installed but its one of the old turn style ones.
3) I want to change the thermostat to a digital one as right now the one looks like it is straight out of 1913, how easy is that to change out and would I need to change the boiler too?

Thanks in advance

(this DIY thing is quite fun

)

KhalJimbo · 11-06-2009, 7:41 AM

Thanks Dunks

I'll keep all of that in mind

Going to start filling the wholes and painting the dining tomorrow

KhalJimbo · 12-06-2009, 9:41 AM

Got home last night from work and the builder had already started on the back patio area with raisign the drain so he can start laying the cement on the weekend. It was a bit to dark to take pics when I got home so I'll get some today sometime. Should be able to start laying the tiles next week now. Also going to start filling the holes and painting the dining room tonight

KhalJimbo · 12-06-2009, 1:43 PM

Just bought a new toilet and basin so that should arrive soon and I can then install it when I am finished with the patio and dining room

http://www.betterbathrooms.com/bathr...athroom-suite/

KhalJimbo · 13-06-2009, 12:38 PM

The builders are here again laying the cement for the patio so it should dry in a few days they say if the weather stays as well as it is now so hopefully next weekend I can start tiling it

Here are the before pics

KhalJimbo · 14-06-2009, 5:34 PM

Just a quick update here:

The patio is finished now and I can start tiling soon hopefully, I carried on a bit in the dining room too I put a layer of paint on but then realised that the walls were in a worse condition than I thought.

So the only thing I could do was go off to B&Q and buy a few bags of plaster so I have been replastering the walls in there all day I just need to finish the top 10cm between the wall and the ceiling but I will finish that when I get home from work tomorrow.

But I also went a bought some light controllers for the dining room that can also be by my Harmony 1000. Anyway I'll take some pictures tomorrow when I have charged the battery for my camera but for now I am so tired, this is harder work than I thought it would be, but hey ho, hopefully it will all look pretty good.

KhalJimbo · 24-06-2009, 8:47 PM

Well update here, I'm almost finished the dining room. Its been taking abt longer than I wanted since I have been here the past 2 weekends and also have been working late wuite a bit recently.

I finished the plastering and painting on the walls of the dining room, just need to put the new plug sockets and light switches on. Going to also get someone in to pull up the floors and lay the tiles for me here and also on the patio. I can do the tiliing myself but I just dont have the time and it probably wont look the way I want it too look. The light switch can also be controlled by my Harmony 1000 so that will be cool, also going to buy the fire to hang on the wall in there next month

Anyway here are some pics.

BEFORE!

AFTER!

PLUGS AND LIGHT SWTICHES!

*scodav* · 08-07-2009, 9:08 AM

how easy did you find it doing the plastering m8 any tips or advice cause one of my roooms needs doing and if i can save getting someone in to do it then i would prefer to do it myself

thnx in advance

KhalJimbo · 08-07-2009, 9:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scodav

how easy did you find it doing the plastering m8 any tips or advice cause one of my roooms needs doing and if i can save getting someone in to do it then i would prefer to do it myself

thnx in advance

Plastering I didnt find to hard to do just alot of effort, although I cheated and got someone in to finish the second half of the room as I just did not get enough time to finish it off.

There was a website I used that gave the pointers for how to do it though I'll try find it and PM you with it.

Update though:

Just finished the tiling in the dining room going and to put the new bathroom in now. Cant really do anything else untill after september since I now have family coming to stay from now untill september. But it gives me time to start buying everything for the living room like the PJ and Screen and so on. I'll post some more pics tonight

*scodav* · 08-07-2009, 9:42 AM

i no its a messy job but waned to no if it was hard to do thnx again

KhalJimbo · 08-07-2009, 9:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scodav

i no its a messy job but waned to no if it was hard to do thnx again

This is the link I used and it helped alot

how to skim with plaster

I only did the main parts of the walls though I found it far to hard to do the corners and the tops by the roof, thats when I called the pros in.

Go for it though, I am really enjoying this whole DIY thing

KhalJimbo · 20-08-2009, 7:31 PM

Update:

The patio got finished about 3 weeks ago (been a while since I posted on here lol)

Here are some pics of it now also got some pimping solar lights

Some stuff for the bathroom came too

The main wall tiles

The side wall tiles

The Floor Tiles

The Basin Tap

The Bath tap

Thats all for now folks, should be getting the bathroom done halfway through september so will post more pics at the next update

Da_Rude_Baboon · 21-08-2009, 1:07 PM

I don't see any pictures.

KhalJimbo · 21-08-2009, 1:57 PM

Bloody ImageShack

I'll go upload them locally at home tonight

KhalJimbo · 21-08-2009, 2:57 PM

Well another update, I have just ordered the underfloor heating to be used in the bathroom. so that should be arriving soon.

also going to go get the rest of the tiles for living room, kitchen and hallway tomorrow. Exciting times, actually is it meant to be this exciting? I'm not sure if its "Manly" to get excited about buying tiles and having underfloor heating

KhalJimbo · 21-08-2009, 3:39 PM

Another question guys but next month when the bathroom is getting installed I am going to go about getting the living room set up but how go I go about chasing the speaker cables into the walls? Is there a speacial kind of drill bit that needs to be used or is it hammer and chissel time?

I want to try use speaker wall plates for all the speaker connections like these ones

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Wall_plate_C.../NX-WP-337.jpg

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Wall_plate_C.../NX-WP-361.jpg

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Wall_plate_C.../NX-WP-309.jpg

KhalJimbo · 21-08-2009, 6:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da_Rude_Baboon

I don't see any pictures.

Fixed the pictures now

spocksbeard · 22-08-2009, 5:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthworm Jim

I'm not sure if its "Manly" to get excited about buying tiles and having underfloor heating

Underfloor heating = gadgety and swish so yes its allowed

Super Andy H · 22-08-2009, 6:10 PM

You have got me thinking about tiling my patio now. But I bet it's slippery when wet. I'm not sure how my kids would handle it.

KhalJimbo · 23-08-2009, 7:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Andy H

You have got me thinking about tiling my patio now. But I bet it's slippery when wet. I'm not sure how my kids would handle it.

It is quite slippery but I just think it looks so much nicer than decking as it makes it look more like an extention on living space to the house rather than a seperate outside area.

alz2605 · 23-08-2009, 1:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthworm Jim

I'm not sure if its "Manly" to get excited about buying tiles and having underfloor heating

Its common in nature for the males to have a good nest building instinct to attract a partner (or partners

) Good AV selection instinct has been an additional evolutionary trait in recent males too!

Your work is coming along nicely mate

I'll be following with intrest!

velveteer · 23-08-2009, 2:06 PM

You seem to be enjoying doing the DIY. Like you, I didn't have much experience before we bought our place, but a little enthusiasm goes a long way.

Top job so far!