Archive for the ‘DIY’ Category

Lounge, Stairwell and Landing Decoration (Before)

Monday, April 16th, 2007

Since we moved in last August 2006 after having the damp course fixed, we’ve been waiting for the walls to dry out, before we could decorate. A decorator has been found, and we’ve decided to have all the walls lined in the lounge, stairwell and landing, and then painted with antic white paint. (almost white but not quite). Esther’s booked into the cattery, and we are off to Plymouth for 10 days, whilst the decorator is in residence. Here are some photos before:-

Lounge

Lounge1 Before Decor

Lounge3 Before Decor

Lounge4 Before Decor

Lounge5 Before Decor

Lounge6 Before Decor

Stairs and stairwell

Lounge2 Before Decor

Stairs2 Before Decor

Stairs1 Before Decor

Stairs3 Before Decor

Landing

Landing1 Before Decor

Landing2 Before Decor

Bathroom Decoration (After)

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

The bathroom decoration is almost finished and I must just mentioned 99.9% completed by Lindsey.

Bathroom 9
Look, my 0.1%, I’ve installed a new light fitting!

Bathroom 10

Bathroom 11

Bathroom 12

Bathroom 13
The original idea by me, was to sand the floorboards and wax, despite Lindsey disagreeing. After test sanding the floorboards (not an easy job), I noticed that there were large gaps in between each board, which would require filling with woodbeads and resin, and I’ve been told, I would need to rewax the floor every 12 months. So we’ve decided to floor with wood effect vinyl, after we’ve had a visit from the Bathroom Doctor to checkout whether the wash basin can be saved, we will decide on fitting the vinyl flooring.

Bathroom Decoration (Before)

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

Lindsey started decorating the bathroom in November 2006, I just forgot to upload these pictures to the blog! She stripped the wallpaper, removed the fixtures and fittings. I helped remove the carpet in the bathroom, who has carpet in the bathroom! and with the electrics, removed a knackered fan heater from the wall.

Bathroom 1
Ceiling has been painted, covering the wood effect, with eggshell paint.

Bathroom 2
Note the original colour of the wooden unit under the wash basin!

Bathroom 3
Note the original colour of the wood panel on the airing cupboard.

Bathroom 4

Bathroom 5

Bathroom 6
It’s been painted green.

Bathroom 7
Umm, didn’t like the green, eh, It’s now been painted blue.

Bathroom 8
It’s now been re-painted another shade of blue!

More DIY photos shortly…

Saturday, December 16th, 2006

Lindsey’s been decorating the bathroom, while I’ve been sitting on my but!

Wanted: glass cover for lamp

Saturday, October 21st, 2006

Light
Wanted: glass cover for this victorian lamp, if you got any ideas, contact me.

I’m a lumberjack, and I’m okay …

Saturday, October 21st, 2006

I’m a lumberjack, and I’m okay.
I sleep all night. I work all day.

I cut down trees. I eat my lunch.
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shoppin’
And have buttered scones for tea.

I cut down trees. I skip and jump.
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women’s clothing
And hang around in bars.

I cut down trees. I wear high heels,
Suspendies, and a bra.
I wish I’d been a girlie,
Just like my dear Mama (or Papa in later versions)

But only at the weekends! God Bless Monty Python!

Axes
I’ve been working out chopping up firewood and kindling for a few hours today, with my new long and short-handled axes.
Very enjoyable, a friend has just had a Rowan tree cut down, and had some spare logs she need to recycle. Another name for Rowan is Mountain Ash. It is said that rowan wood will increase one’s psychic powers, and its branches were often used in dowsing rods and magical wands. Maybe she shouldn’t have had it cut down! Will it make my fire better!

Firewood
Cut firewood stored to dry in an old coal bunker.

Privay 1
This has been used as the wood shed, it used to be an old outdoor privay, that was purchased by the previous owners from the neighbours. One of few outdoor s**thouses in the UK, that has it’s own Land Registry title! It’s actually quite common, in this area, that neighbours toilets are connected to their neighbours buildings.

Privay 2
Unfortunately, when the extension was built on the house 30 years ago, the neighbours refused to sell it, and hence why only half-an-extension was built on the house.

Consumer Unit Cupboard

Thursday, October 19th, 2006

The consumer unit cupboard in the kitchen hides the following items:-

  1. Incoming electric armoured cable.
  2. 100 Amp fuse. (protects the local substation or transformer from my household electrics!)
  3. Siemens Digital Electricity Meter.
  4. Horstmann Radio Teleswitch – this switches on “day” and “night” rates on Economy 7.
  5. Henley bakelite junction box.
  6. Henley bakelite Earth Leakage Current Breaker. (This actually works, but probably should be in a museum, it also has a patent number on it).
  7. Wylex six fuse consumer unit (fuse box). I’ve replaced all the wired fuses, with Wylex circuit breakers, handy when I’m completing DIY electrics in the house! No longer need to re-wire fuses with fuse wire.
  8. Mem four 15 Amp cartridge fuse consumer unit. (fuse box). This supplies four storage heaters on Economy 7.
  9. Mem single 15 Amp cartridge fuse consumer unit. (fuse box). This supplies one storage heater on Economy 7 – I don’t know which one yet!
  10. A few connectors, earth straps etc

You are probably asking yourself, why I’m detailing such a boring item, a sparky-friend has offered in the future to replace my consumer unit and wanted to know the details of what’s currently in the cupboard, there’s alot in the cupboard. I’m looking to replace all the consumer units and earth leakage current breaker with a modern Dual/Split bus, RCD/MCB MK unit, space permitting, because I cannot move any of the other items without gettting the supplier to move them! I’m also thinking of having a Generator Transfer panel installed, so I can connect my 3.5kW Petrol generator to the house supply, when the power dies, throw the switch, connect my 3.5kW Petrol generator and I’ve got power for the entire house. Just need to work out the Grounds!

Here are the pictures

Fusebox One

Fusebox Two

Fusebox Three
Original larger image

Carpet fitted just in time.

Thursday, August 24th, 2006

On the eve of moving house, the carpet fitters finished fitting the carpet at 7.30pm. They eventually arrived at 3.15pm with the carpet, and told me, it would take a couple of hours to fit!

The carpet is a 100% wool, neutral beige, Lindsey thinks the colour is wrong! and I’ve now got to take my shoes off at the front door before walking around, so remember that when visting!

As you can see from the photographs, the fitters left all thier rubbish for me to take to the tip! It looks a bit more homely, despite the rustic look of bare walls!

Landing Carpet
Newly fitted landing carpet.

Lounge Carpet 1
Newly fitted lounge carpet.

Lounge Carpet 2

Lounge Carpet 3

New Stair Carpet
New stair runner.

Carpet removed!

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

Before the carpet fitters fit the new carpet, I’ve got to remove the old carpet!

Old Carpet Stairs
Old Stair Runner

No Carpet Landing 1
Landing Carpet removed

No Carpet Landing 3
Different view of the landing!

New Painted Ceiling

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

The carpet fitters arrive tomorrow to fit new carpet to the lounge, stairway and landing, they’ve been difficult to pin down to a day. So hopefully new carpet after tomorrow.

No Carpet Lounge 0
Lounge carpet removed, note new painted ceiling

No Carpet Lounge 1

No Carpet Lounge 3

No Carpet Lounge 2