A while back I mentioned that I managed to tile a utility room myself, my first attempt at tiling.
This week I have succeeded in putting up a 12.5m fence all by myself, digging holes, fence posts, boards, the lot!!
I even used my Aldi tripod Halogen light to light my driveway whilst I did it!
What have you achieved in your DIY lately that was a first for you?
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It is always a good feeling when you achieve something like that, mus thave required a lot of back ache and patience.
I haven't done much lately partly due to my parents situation, I keep convincing my parents to let me completly kit out the kitchen (including removingf the 1950s unit). Our kitchen is currently a mess of 1950s, 1980s and 1990s units although it is a very large kitchen.
All it needs is new units (I fitted many of the 90s ones with my dad) new sink, new floor etc. I replaced the 1950s light fitting and 1980 sockets a year before part P came in.
I don't consider myself a good DIYer but I know my limits which helps but here is what I have done in the past ten years:-
1) Fitted all the locks on the front and back doors, I had to actually fit the locks from scratch on the back door e.g drill the holes for it.
2) Fitted a new bathroom sink and fitted laminate flooring.
3) Replaced all the plug sockets in the house, added a couple of new ones, replace a lot of light fittings.
4) Replaced the internal shed ceiling with tiles - a bodge job but looks better.
5) Done several plumbing repairs, washers and the valve in the cold water tank.
6) Replaced the central heating timer unit.
7) Replaced some glass in a downstairs window.
8) Wall papering (my mum taught me that skill).
9) Built a new garden gate out of cheap B&Q value decking, the entire cost was £15.00 including all the fittings. I had the idea and my dad helped me a lot.
10) Replaced the alarm control panal and added some new zones.
11) Wired all the telephone extensions.
The next project reallyt does have to be the kitchen though, it really needs a proper fitted kitchen and its skills we all have in this house, its just nobody knows they have the skills until I rip the house to pieces!>
I have never done any plastering, cementing or any joinery which involves any skill level.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 15 Oct 10 at 00:37
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Rattle, if you hope to improve the resale cost of the house then a kitchen totally replaced with something from IKEA won't cost the earth. If you don't do it properly (i.e. rip out the 80s and 90s units too) then don't bother. Any buyer will factor this in. Do it properly (say £5k) and it might add £10k to the value.
If it's just for you and your parents then go ahead. Again IKEA seem to have good units etc.
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It would be done properly but it would not be a top of the range kitchen or anything. It would just look a lot better than it currently does. What ever we might put in probably just kit ripped out by the new buyer anyway.
At the moment it just a long way off but something I wantt o do at some stage. The 1950s unit looks ok as its painted in white and is very good quality but it is very old.
It isn't really about improving the value, but it is more about making it easier to sell.
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My next project is to convert what is left of my garage into a drinking den for me and some of my neighbours. During the summer we sit out at weekends with a lit chiminea discussing anything and everything over a beer.
Now its coming into winter I am going to get a mini wood burning stove, already have the beer fridge , kit out the rest of the garage with seating, dartboard etc and thats us got a haven for the winter!
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The beer drinking thing sounds wonderful. I wish I could do with with my lockup THE landlord might not like that idea as its supposed to be for storage.
What you going to do about the toilet? You might not want all of your neighbours and his dog using your loo!
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...My next project is to convert what is left of my garage into a drinking den for me and some of my neighbours...
Bobby,
A note of caution, doing stuff like that can bring the environmental health/planning jobsworths to your (garage) door.
Typically, a complaint will be made by a jealous neighbour who cannot bear to see the rest of you enjoying yourselves.
It needs some research, but I would try to keep the fixtures and fittings free standing and portable - as if you'd put them out that morning.
I don't know the location and layout, but you'll be less likely to get bother if it's not obvious to passers-by how much fun you are having.
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Iffy, the garage is now hidden round the back of the house, since we did our house extension to the side boundary it can no longer serve its use as a garage so thus time to make it worthwhile!
Have checked and we are not in a smokeless zone or whatever its called so can burn wood all day , every day with no problems (other than making sure neighbours have their washing in!)
Re toilet, I did contemplate putting one in during the extension works but thought that was a bit overboard.. however when you enter the house at the back the toilet is right at the door so very accessible and don't need to come into main body of the house!
Went down to local wood merchant to get timber for my fence and they had one in their office and the guy said the heat was great and, in effect, it was free heat for him as there was a ready source of wood offcuts to use!
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BBD, you have let me down!!
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Actually I did think about suggesting that you took some good photos of your handy work before the inevitable bush fire...
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...Iffy, the garage is now hidden round the back of the house...
Sounds good.
The other issue with having a bar in your garage is the number of people coming to visit, particularly if they drive.
I'm guessing most of your guests will arrive on foot to take advantage of your hospitality.
You mention a beer fridge which is fine, but you don't want to give any suggestion you are dispensing alcohol.
I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but I have seen a couple of cases of people who have done something similar to your plans, only to become mired in officialdom.
I would have an informal word with your local planning department before doing any work or spending any money.
Some might say that's inviting attention, but they will find out what you are doing sooner or later.
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>> It isn't really about improving the value, but it is more about making it easier to sell.
You're missing the point about selling. If it needs ripping out it has no value. THe buyer will factor this in. The fact it's a big kitchen space is the selling point then.
When buying we saw some nice big kitchen spaces - and with new kitchens that needed ripping out. We didn't want a glossy black kitchen as was in one. Or the remote controlled fake fire either!
Our kitchen in the house we sold was due an update but to do it right would cost from £5000-10000. But had we done it we would have upped the asking price to cover some of that.... so we didn't and factored it in the selling price. We got there in the end selling price wise :-)
Rattle drop me a line when you have had a chance to play with the SGS. Figured out how to reorder the applications in the application screens yet... if you were used to iPhone/iPod touch before you might have done like I did and created shortcuts to what you want on the SGS Touchwiz screens.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 15 Oct 10 at 01:28
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my skills as a diyer
paint
wallpaper
fix main sockets
fit doors
but like rats said you cant know wat your limits are if you are faced with doing some diy
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In my current house....
Decorated througout (twice I think)
New central heating / hot water system
New kitchen
New bathroom
New fire place with wood burner (including some pretty heavy duty tiling work!)
Various bits of new floors (they were rotten....)
Various bits of electric work
Various bits of plumbing
Lanscaped the garden
New front door, including step and frame repair
New back door
Shed / log stores built outside
Removed and boarded up (properly!) 2 internal doors that were surplus to requirements
New floor coverings fitted throughout (mostly bamboo)
New loft hatch (new HW cylinder wouldn't fit through the old one!)
Insulated the loft
Sometimes I wish I didn't have the inclination / ability to do this, as then I wouldn't have spent most of 2003-2008 working on it! Still, I got to buy a lot of power tools!
We also had a (stone) chimney replaced and a new fibreglass flat roof, but I subbed those out....
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...In my current house....
Richard, would you like to come and stay at Iffy Towers for a few weeks?
I'm sure there's plenty of things we can find to keep you amused.
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"... stay at Iffy Towers... I'm sure there's plenty of things we can find to keep you amused."
He could pump your tyres up
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Blimey Richard... we must have been seperated at birth... Citroens and houses.
Work with my own hands since we've been in the current (1920s) place...
New kitchen
All new plumbing from the cold stopcock upwards to new tanks in loft.
Build and plumb new airing cupboard.
Full gas C/h system.
Two new outside doors.
Remove large brick chimney throughout house from loft down to floor slab.
All new plasterboard ceilings upstairs, 2 new ones downstairs.
Remove & reposition 50% of upstairs internal walls.
Remove plaster from 8 internal room walls and replace with stud/plasterboard dry-lining.
Move landing & stair rail.
Replace 50% of upstairs/downstairs skirting.
Replace picture rail where missing.
Re-shelve pantry.
Divide large bedroom into two smaller ones with a new stud wall.
Create passageway to access new bedroom with new stud wall.
Insulate lofts to double depth.
Re-create original internal mouldings/cills for the 13 windows replaced with upvc.
Replace doorway architrave on half of internal doors.
Source 3 replacement 1920s doors and fit/hang.
Replace 4-way telephone/broadband system from master socket.
Replace 5 radiators to suit room size alterations.
Knock out 1950s tile fireplace, open out to original steel lintle and fit wood burner.
Replace failed plaster as needed.
New bathroom (twice).
Establish two loft hatches... part board loft.
Create cloakroom within utility room (stud wall) and fit toilet.
Replace utility room units and fit belfast sink.
Plumbing and vents for tumble dryer and washer.
Loft mounted powerful ducted timer fans for bathroom and toilet.
Lengthy run of roof terminating duct for kitchen ckr hood.
Replaced all switch/socket fronts plus carried out all work allowed to enable electrician to certify a rewire.
Fit fully hidden 6-room TV aerial system.
Build a 24ftx14ft workshop, pony stable, horse stable, hay store, tack store.
Mix and lay concrete for all building slabs.
Erect 3 12ft farm gates plus more than 500ft of post/wire horse fencing. Mix/lay stable yard concrete.
Now it's within a week or two of being finished.... and she's talking of moving!
Last edited by: Fenlander on Fri 15 Oct 10 at 13:34
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Fitted a bathroom ripped out old and did all new plumbing & waste pipes fitted shower cublicle with aqua boards and plumbed in shower and tray.
Fit new bath and sink and loo tiled around bath and sink but not shower.
Over the past 13 years made new wrought iron railings & gate, welded in decorative baskets and leafs.
Fit new fence posts 4" x 4" & fence.
Learn to hang doors & learn to decorate with fitting wall paper.
Your better to learn as much as you can the cost saving is one thing but the pride you have in yourself when it's all finished and it looks good is something else.
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The only way to make anything easier to sell these days is to drop the price to a level at which the vultures will bite.
Our place owes us 225,000€ and we can't get genuine offers at 135000€ asking price.
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Richard and Fen....we must be triplets !
....and I've had Citroens !
Wiv me own hands....1925 semi, been here 40 yrs.....cost me £3750 !
Decorated several times,
Re-wired the whole house
Bui8lt a single storey brick extension.
Flagged the garden and made new 6' fencing from T & G.
Landscaped the front garden with new period red brick
wall to match the house.
Made and fitted wooden window frames to replace cast iron ones.
Fitted UPVC to replace all the wooden ones.
Fitted new UPVC front door.
Designed and made coloured motifs for the glass in door and transoms.
Fitted new hardwood banisters and spindles.
Fitted 3 kitchens' The last one involving removing the chimney breast all the way from the roof and putting an RSJ in to make kitchen and dining room open plan.Fitted bathroom with bath and shower cabinet. Did all plumbing and electrics.
Tiled bathroom and kitchen.
Fitted a new boiler...got a CORGI pal to do the gas.
Painted the outside a few times.
Moved the concrete garage acroos the end of the garden, put a new roof on.
Built a wooden one where it had been and linked the two.
Built new 6' side gate this year.
Blocked off a fairly useless alcove in the bedroom and opened it up from the landing.
Put a false ceiling in above the stairs.
Built a raised brick patio.
Cut down and disposed of two dangerous 50' poplars.
Chopped out the bricks and fitted a small UPVC window in the side of the front bedroom to get the morning Sun.
Probably a lot more but that's the end for me. The Tyrant Queen has had new fitted bedroom furniture put in this year...cost more than the house !
Decorating is now in the very capable hands of Phil from Stockport.
I've had enough...don't mind pottering about and keeping the evergreens trim but most of my time now is spent in the garage/workshop/caravan.
I also have a vast array of tools and ladders. I'm not allowed up the top now although I've put Rawlanchors in around the walls to ratchet the ladders to.
She's such a spoilsport !
Ted
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...Richard and Fen....we must be triplets !...
Richard, Fen and Ted, I've got plenty of spare rooms at Iffy Towers....
(I'll get the damn place rebuilt if I persevere here.)
Last edited by: Iffy on Fri 15 Oct 10 at 18:53
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What a shame, Iffendi. I would love to but I'm busy here that day.
I expect the others are as well.
Ted
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Have finally achieved some DIY ! - RattleandSmoke
