edith ROAD PROJECT

18th October 2019:

For something that looks very simple and straightforward, the glass privacy screen for the balcony took way too much chasing and took way too long to install. That said, all done now, I am sure to the relief of the neighbour!

13th September 2019:

With the exception of a privacy screen for the balcony and some paperwork… we’re done!

10th September 2019:

As seen on TV! Check out our latest ‘Homes Under the Hammer Episode’, showing the Selhurst Project at about the three quater stage of completion. Don’t worry we finished filiming the show for the finished project last week, so coming to a TV near you soon.

30th August 2019:

Thought we were almost finished but building control decided that we needed a wall for fire seperation between the kitchen and bedrooms. So we built a wall!

23rd August 2019:

Now we have the water connected, we’ve been able to lay the driveway.

16th August 2019:

Its a tiny bit sad towards the end of a project because although we are working as hard as ever it the pace of progression seems to slow right down.

So besides a lot of painting we have started paving the front of the flats, the lack of a water connection to the upstairs flat happering us finishing though.

We’ve also gor door handles, the nice JigTech ones too.

9th August 2019:

My most favourite part of the whole project, the bi-fold doors are in, which leads to an amazing balcony area creating a fantastic extension to the living space.

Speaking of doors, the internal doors and mostly fitted. Gotta love the ingenious door holding device knocked up by the builders.

Bathrooms pretty much finished.

As are the kitchens, just a few sockets to screw back and the plastic film to peel off. Love the white tiles and grey grout combo we’ve used for the splashbacks.

The front driveway getting prepared for the paved driveway. Using interlocking blocks that allow the rain water to sock between the gaps.

1st August 2019:

Back from holidays, so while I was relaxing on the beech progress has been proceeding nicely. Although now we are more or less at the decorating stage things look a little slower, but plenty is still happening.

The rear patio area, looking nice now that it has been paved. It’ll look even nicer once the concrete mixer and bins have gone!

The side patio looking a small but lovelly space for relaxing.

My very favourite part of the flat, this amazing balcony and out door space, directly off the kitchen reception room so really makes the whole space fantastic. It’ll be a great entertaining space in the summer.

Bathrooms are mostly in.

As are the kitchens..

We have radiators too.. not connected when I was there although will be by now.

2nd July 2019:

First room where we have started the plastering, only quite a few to go!

Front double glazed windows are now finished;

The rendering is also finished;

A little tidying up of the now much smaller perimeter wall;

28th June 2019:

The balcony roof/floor to the rear, the start of the GRP roof.

Yet more coats of render, with a lovely white final coat. Great as this never needs to be painted.

A few repairs to the boundary wall as well as making good what is left of the garden wall, soon to be the parking space entrance.

On the inside most of the partitioning has been done and we continue to board it out ready for plastering. Red boards are fire resistant and green are moisture resistant.

Most of the windows have been fitted now, just the front and bi-fold doors left to go.

20th June 2019:

Might look a little ‘scruffy’ but this is going to be a nice mini-courtyard.. no really it is.

The bathroom is taking shape, plumbing is in place and the maoisture resistant boards are all up. There is a bath some where ready to go in!

The electrics are almost finished, nice good qualty MK consumer unit. The electircs to the left are still the old stuff that will come out.

14th June 2019:

It has been terrible weather and delayed us a little getting the roofs on, but the pitched roof is finally complete and we’re not far off being weather tight now.

After ripping all the walls out and replacing the structural-ness of those walls with steel beams, we are fairly free to divided the footprint up as we like, or as suits the layout of the flat the best

I’m really looking forward to the doors and windows going in as I think this room will be amazing and the best in the project, so light and airey.

10th June 2019:

A fantastic opening for the big bi-fold door for the upper flat, it will look amazing once installed.

Side extension from teh inside, and we’ve even got some doors to get into it now

The side extension on the outside has reached the second floor and it is only the current bad weather stopping the roof going on.

More on the inside the heat insulation and acoustic barriers going in, all topped off with fireproof board.

The ground floor starting to get divided, the bedroom’s stud wall is in.

30th May 2019:

The side extension has been started, and we’re quickly up to the ceiling height with the supporting steels for the 2nd floor going in.

On the inside, the 2nd floor seeing lots of insulation and fireproof board going in, as well as the start of the rear wall foundation and the some room partitioning.

As soon as the steel work is in, the build for the 2nd floor begins.

20th May 2019:

Some nice progress on the inside this time, the loft rooms taking shape, with even some plastering and tiling done. It is also really nice to have the stairs as saves clambering up the scaffolding!

GRP loft roof done, that’ll last longer than the house!

Another step closer to being weather tight as the first new window goes in.

Although as we seal the upper floors we are still demolishing and opening the ground floor.

Rendering fisished on the side of the old house, can you see where the new build will fir in!

17th May 2019:

First coat of render is on…

Roof done…

Dorma loft extension almost there.

12th May 2019:

Roof Prepared for tiles with battens and breathable membrane.

8th May 2019:

Been a great week, we’ve made some great progress on the job, all the demolition is out of the way and with the foundations in the next job is the loft conversion.

Loft floors going in…

Old roof tiles removed, getting the roof ready for new roofing felt and battens..

New roof felt and battens…

New tiles going on..

Tiling Done, and Velux roof lights are in…

1st May 2019:

The main structural work all done, foundations are in and now the steel work too. With that done the scaffolding is all up and we are ready to work on the loft conversion.

30th April 2019:

Trenches prepared and ready for the pour…

Then the concrete pour itself, foundations are in…

29th April 2019:

Foundations are well underway, well practically completely dug out, so easy with that digger! Took me ages to dig those test pits with my little spade, I’m very envious of the kit!

What building site wouldn’t be complete without a portaloo! Might give it a miss though on my site visits! And see those Genie lifts, steels are ordered and should be in this week.

24th April 2019:

You know things are getting serious when the digger gets on site! First bit of foundation digging outside, meanwhile the foundations holes inside have been filled with concrete.

Small adjustment to the original structural plans, too many windows and things getting in the way so we are going to add a steel across the side walls to support the loft floor.

16th April 2019:

Works started proper now, ironically it involves digging big holes and then filling them in again… OK, concrete foundations the structural team needed us to install. Demolition has been moving quickly too, lots of ceiling, walls and garages are now no more!

10th April 2019:

Hot on the heals of the building plans, we now have the structural plans..

5th April 2019:

Things starting to move a little quicker now… building plans are in…

1st April 2019:

Trying to figure out to over and move or around the manhole for the drains.

20th March 2019:

As you can see from the lack of comment not much been happening while we were in the planning stage. But now we have planning it is time to make the building plans proper, so I’ve been digging a few holes for the structural engineer to per into…

4th March 2018:

We have planning permission!!! ???

14th December 2018:

Planning consultation period over, and ‘only’ five objections from the neighbours. Not sure if that is a high or low number though, hope just Nimby-ism and not serious objections.

21st November 2018:

Planning application validated, the application is finally live!

30th October 2018:

New plans drawn up, pulled back from the 3 flat project on the back of the pre-planning meeting and now have an amazing 2 flat proposal. Positive noises from the council about that but fingers crossed because who knows what might happen.

1st October 2018:

Pre-Planning meeting with the council today, chancing our arm for a 3 flat development but that received fairly short shrift, as we expected it would.

Whilst a great concept it was very much to go and get the measure of what we would be allowed, and that was a fairly positive meeting, with (fingers crossed, touching wood) no obvious objections to the two flat proposition that we’ll be putting in for the real planning permission application.

24th August 2018:

As we waiting on the architect to come back with a definitive plan for the project progress is slow and we’ve just started cleaning up a little.

We’ve tackled the front garden, hacking that right back, maybe too much! I am sure it will be fine once it has had the opportunity to boiunce back a little!

The jungle out back has also been taken to task, which has already created a lovely open space even though it need a bit more weeding and tidying.

Inside the house, we’ve been busy getting rid of the old smelly carpets and are now neatly folded in a couple of piles waiting on skip to throw them in, similarly for the room doors.

Where I regret my “do it properly” philosophy was definitely in the kitchen though, three layers of glued on vinyl that needed scraping off. Stubborn and sticky the whole three layers! But we got it all off in the end, dosn’t look amazing but ready for a damp proof membrane to be applied.

14th August 2018:

Of course for all I say about the first important jobs on a new project, the most important is of course filming the BBC’s Homes Under the Hammer!

6th August 2018:

Just a few of the first jobs done so far, alarm, coffee machine, first aid boxes, changed locks, some weed killing. Waiting on architect to come and have a chat about what we can and can’t do. The plan is to knock the garage down and build something, but quite what and how big will the council let us go?!

Anyway in the mean time, first look at the property and plot;

31st July 2018:

Yeah, only a day late we finally have the keys to the new project.