House extension/renovation in London. To AV or not to AV - that is the question!

Andyjc · 27-12-2008, 9:09 PM

After reading this forum for ages and being inspired by the likes of albriscoe, miniholic, mitsiturbo, yukichon etc I decided to chart the progress of my house extension, renovation and subsequent AV plans!

The house ( currently a 2 bed Victorian in West London) has room to extend at the side and rear ( which I'm hoping for planning permission first week of Jan)
I'll upload the current floor plan and then the proposed floor plans along with a few pics.

I originally bought the house to live in with my wife (and future family if all goes well!), but then 2 weeks ago I found out my job is moving from London to Geneva.

So this presents something of a dilemma! The plan now is to carry on with all the work and then rent out the house until we return in 2-3 years. But this obviously affects my AV plans, and I now need to re-consider what equipment or wiring I put in for the rental market.

I was originally looking at options to have audio and visual to all 3 bedrooms and the lounge. Then audio to the bathrooms and kitchen.

As things stand at the moment, I'm thinking of just putting the wiring in, so that when we return to London it will just be a case of plugging in the equipment with minimal disruption! So if you have any ideas - I'm all ears!

But I'm also thinking about the rate of change of technology and whether everything will be wireless in 2-3 years! If so - it would be a waste now! Would be great to hear what some of the more clued up members think!

Wiring would be easy now, as we're completely re-wiring the house and putting in new ceilings. And I also think the property would be easier to rent out if some AV things come with the property!

Anyway - here's a few pics to start with: This is the house we've bought before any changes!

more to follow...

Andyjc · 27-12-2008, 11:10 PM

here's the existing ground floor and first floor plans.

on the ground floor, the rooms are all quite small, so the idea is to build out to the space at the side of the property & then completely open up the space by making it open plan - flowing from one side of the house to the other.

Andyjc · 27-12-2008, 11:13 PM

here's the proposed ground floor and first floor plans.

moving the stairs to the side and then extending outwards, will enable us to have a really large living space downstairs.

it will also allow us to create an extra bedroom upstairs with and ensuite master bedroom.

Andyjc · 27-12-2008, 11:29 PM

the previous owner of the house had lived their for 40 years and judging by some of the decor, hadn't decorated for that long either!

Andyjc · 28-12-2008, 9:32 PM

The actual work started about 4 weeks ago with the gutting of the house! Moving the stairs from the middle of the house to the side, means we'll be able to make the downstairs room much bigger....

Andyjc · 28-12-2008, 9:39 PM

next step is to put some of the steel beams in, then make up the new hallway and stairs. . .

Andyjc · 28-12-2008, 9:57 PM

work has now stopped for 2 weeks until we get planning permission, due 6th Jan hopefully!

the first electrical fix should be approx 3-4 weeks away, so need to get my skates on working out the options! if anyone can lend a hand with some ideas for what I should do on the AV side, I'd be most grateful!

how many lots of speaker wire and cat 5 to each room etc?

GlynG60 · 29-12-2008, 5:39 AM

That is looking good and I like the plans.
I understand your dilemma about doing work and then not living in the house. Clearly now is the time to do any cabling, therefore I would suggest that your cable up for you original design idea. You would not necessarily have to fit all the kit you are planning, but then at least it is ready for your return. Having said that a well kitted out and well presented newly renovated house is going to go down well on the premium executive rental market.

Andyjc · 29-12-2008, 3:24 PM

Hi Glyn,
Many thanks for your reply.

It does make sense, as you say to wire now. I'm also going to live in it for 3 months before we leave for Geneva, so maybe I just go the whole hog now to enjoy it before we go!

I guess we'll see how the budget goes as the build progresses!

albriscoe · 29-12-2008, 7:17 PM

Hi Andy

I`d def wire it completely with full networking facilities to every room, its only cat5 which is very cheap at the mo. Don`t bank on full wireless capabilities mate, not yet anyway.

I`d run at least 4 cat5`s and 2 coax`s to every tv point from a central hub. As to speakers thats down to you but would run at least 2 pairs for stereo to each room, maybe in ceiling just in case you do multi room audio.

Its going to be good watching it grow mate

cheers and good luck Al

Andyjc · 29-12-2008, 9:29 PM

Thanks Al, sounds like good advice to me! Will keep you posted.

kumack · 30-12-2008, 3:43 PM

Great work so far mate as Al said looking forward to seeing it progress

Andyjc · 06-01-2009, 12:49 AM

phew! planning permission just granted at the 2nd time of asking!

builders will be starting again on the 12th, so will keep you posted on the build!

Andyjc · 06-01-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kumack

Great work so far mate as Al said looking forward to seeing it progress

thanks kumack!

Andyjc · 07-01-2009, 3:22 PM

are there any electricians on the forums? Or does anyone have any idea's what a house re-wire normally costs?

i've had varying quotes back for the same work.

They range from £2,500 for the cheapest, to £7,500 for the most expensive, with most coming in it around the £4,000

This is for a full house re-wire. ( 3 bed )
Also includes 4x cat 5 and 2 coax to each room
2 pair of speaker wire to each room
5.1 set up in the living area
(thanks for the advice Al!)

Now £2,500 seems incredibly good value, maybe too good, so just wanted to know if anyone had any experience here.

Many thanks!

albriscoe · 07-01-2009, 6:41 PM

If the price includes the cable Andy £2500 is very good mate

My only advice to you is when they/anyone runs the cat5`s ask them to be really careful, ie. try not the get them snagged and pulled on owt and especially kinked, we found that all our cables so far and believe me their was a lot and I mean millions of `em are so far all ok.

I`m sure that has a lot to do with the fact that care was taken when they were run.

Lastly make sure the joiner and plumber knows exactly where they are, infact nail a plan to their forehead as someone will damage one I`ll bet.

Anyway keep us posted and updated Al

vex · 07-01-2009, 10:03 PM

Hi AddyJC

To be honest that does not look like a traditional re-wire it looks like it would be cheaper and easier to treat it like a new build and start from scratch.

(Also posted on your other thread)

HTH

V.

Andyjc · 08-01-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albriscoe

If the price includes the cable Andy £2500 is very good mate

My only advice to you is when they/anyone runs the cat5`s ask them to be really careful, ie. try not the get them snagged and pulled on owt and especially kinked, we found that all our cables so far and believe me their was a lot and I mean millions of `em are so far all ok.

I`m sure that has a lot to do with the fact that care was taken when they were run.

Lastly make sure the joiner and plumber knows exactly where they are, infact nail a plan to their forehead as someone will damage one I`ll bet.

Anyway keep us posted and updated Al

Hi Al,

yes - it's to include all the cables.

good advice on making sure all the workmen know where the wires are going!

will keep you posted!

many thanks

Andyjc · 08-01-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vex

Hi AddyJC

To be honest that does not look like a traditional re-wire it looks like it would be cheaper and easier to treat it like a new build and start from scratch.

(Also posted on your other thread)

HTH

V.

thanks vex. I've pm'd you.

softrice · 08-01-2009, 10:22 PM

Love to see how the finish house would look like

Andyjc · 19-01-2009, 11:08 PM

well. . . have decided to go with the cheaper quote, as money is extremely tight on the project! I hope I don't regret this!

Anyway - work has restarted and the guys are doing a good job so far, although it's slightly unnerving to see a huge hole in the side of the house!!

The foundations are being dug and all the junk is being carted away!

bardel · 19-01-2009, 11:27 PM

Andy,

fantastic rip out mate... Now that's what I call decorating!

Looking forward to the end results, looks like you've got it all under control so far. Bit risky doing the internal rip out without the planning permission wasn't it?

Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Barry

Andyjc · 19-01-2009, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bardel

Andy,

fantastic rip out mate... Now that's what I call decorating!

Looking forward to the end results, looks like you've got it all under control so far. Bit risky doing the internal rip out without the planning permission wasn't it?

Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Barry

hi Barry. thanks for your reply!

it was a little risky, but the rip out had to happen anyway. We'd have just had to have a thin living area had we not been granted the permission! Oh and the guys on the opposite side of the road had built at the side, so I was hoping the council would see the precedent! (praying, not hoping) !!

Andyjc · 19-01-2009, 11:53 PM

I should have mentioned the good news from yesterday! My wife and I went to the house and as we stood in what will be the master bedroom, we looked up into the large loft.

We decided it would be a good idea to fit out the loft with some insulation and plasterboard so it could be at least used for something. (we don't have enough in the budget to do the whole loft properly!)

.....when we went through the options we decided if there was any money left, we'd turn it into a cinema for the 3 months we get to live there

So budget management is going to be even more important now !

andy900uk · 20-01-2009, 8:40 PM

is your sparks part P registered £2500 sounds cheap to me especially down the smoke, i would get every thing in writing what he has priced for.

Syphonic · 20-01-2009, 9:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy900uk

is your sparks part P registered £2500 sounds cheap to me especially down the smoke, i would get every thing in writing what he has priced for.

I'll second this. My in-laws just had a 2bed bungalow on the West Coast of Scotland fully rewired with a basic PIR alarm installed. Sparky quoted £1700 but now he has done the work is asking for about £3300. Needless to say, he has been told to take a running jump!

Andyjc · 21-01-2009, 3:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy900uk

is your sparks part P registered £2500 sounds cheap to me especially down the smoke, i would get every thing in writing what he has priced for.

hi Andy,

Yes - It's all down in writing. exact numbers of sockets, lights etc. And yes - Part P registered.

Will keep you posted how it goes!

andy900uk · 21-01-2009, 10:59 PM

nice one, hope it goes well, keep the pics coming

Grangey. · 21-01-2009, 11:13 PM

fingers crossed that it all goes well for ya bud, look foward to seeing this progress

Andyjc · 23-01-2009, 9:42 AM

thanks Grangey & Andy.

i'll keep a few pics coming, as we progress!

Yesterday was foundations time! Not sure what the new neighbours will think of me, as I blocked the roads off for a little while! Strange that I was quite excited to see 3 huge trucks!