Window colours

Since we started looking at this project we have wondered on what windows to go for. We have seen various types and colours including some very expensive aluminium windows by Velfac which look great but are way over our budget. We also looked at wooden and composite frames but when you look about, the energy saving properties of PVCu combined with the Argon filled glass and the cost in comparison to aluminium, composite or wood make PVCu the best choice...for us at any rate.

The only thing we wanted to do was get away from bright white windows and through some google searching I came across a company in Elland (between Huddersfield and Halifax) called Nu-Fit Windows that would paint the frames to any RAL colour. The finish is guaranteed for the same length of time as the windows themselves and when we sent for a quote (off plan) I was pleasantly surprised on the price.

Richard at Nu-Fit has helped us out and we took a look around the Nu-Fit factory to see the Rehau frame profile they use and a few doors and windows that had been painted. The finish looked great and we would be able to take the frames up to an "A" energy rating if we feel it is warranted. The frames are manufactured in Elland so it's nice to keep it reasonably local too.

A little sample colour to help us decide on window frame colour.

The only thing we have to do is decide on a colour, so I'm getting a few RAL colours in some spray cans and have started spraying some sample pieces and positioning them on the window cill. At first we thought grey would be good but after seeing a few other houses with this and trying a sample thought it looked a little cold. It suits some more modern looking houses fine but don't think it will suit ours. So some more thinking and testing to do there me thinks.

New floor, more stone and a house number

The builders have been cracking on again and have got the house to a stage where one of the new first floor sections is in. Blockwork is nearly up to the roof on the front extension and stone is up to the first floor level.

The ashlar stone window cills are in in places and we also had a stone made with our house number on which has been put into the left side of the entrance porch.

Images are below of house the house is getting on. It's getting cold again so hope it doesn't disrupt things too much this week.

On the 21st January

And as it looks on 28th January

The right side extension with ashlar stone window cill

The front of the house with first floor put in and blockwork going up

The entrance porch with our house number

The house number itself

Inside the front extension. This part will become a section of the kitchen.

Our new front door will go here

The downstairs w.c. will go here

This will be the third bedroom and also have the master bedroom en--suite

Taken from where the en-suite will be, looking towards bedroom three

Blocks, Joists & Stone

So we went up to the house this weekend to take a look at how the work had been getting on and we were really happy with what we saw.

The block work is up to the first floor level on the front and the stone work is half way up that. The extension to the right is a bit further behind but there is a full gable end to take out there soon.

The stone work looks great on the house, even when it's still to be pointed. That's something we need to decide on as there are a few different types of pointing to choose from. There's also a house number to be carved in one of the stone pieces to fit to the left side of the entrance porch. That should be here this week.

Some images below show how the house looked on 21st January 2012. The wind has been bad over the weekend but everything seems to have held up.

The front of the house with front extension going up.

Side of house with side extension started. Gable end will be gone soon.

As it used to look last year.

Front extension - downstairs wc will be behind this wall.

Side extension - Bi-fold doors will go here.

New floor level takes us up quite a way. Space left for Bi-fold doors.

Stone work - still to be pointed but looks great.

Stone work head on

This area will be the downstairs wc and entrance hall.

From downstairs wc area looking to where kitchen will come through,
window frame will be removed and sections of wall to do this.

Soon to be the downstairs wc with window

The kitchen will come through to here to create a small dining area.

We're up to date

So since the Christmas break the builders have started back again and I hope to get some more images this weekend of the progress they have made.

We made a decision on the stone last week so that has been ordered in, along with the block work the builders need. They have made good progress so we can't wait to see the stone on the house. And so far the weather in Holmfirth has only interrupted a couple of days. Fingers crossed it stays mild.

More next week.

Concrete the front

The front section of the house was concreted and as it was coming up to Christmas the builders took a Christmas break and this gave the concrete plenty of time to set.

Work would pick up again in the New Year...if the weather stays good.

Knock 'em down

So following the news there were no foundations under the bits of the house we wanted to build on, it was time to take the original extensions down totally.

The builders got to work a couple of weeks before christmas and managed to take them down and get rid of the rubbish within a few days. We saved the real stone from the front and ditched the artificial stone from the side.

Jebson's then brought in the mini digger to dig out for the new foundations. And that's what the images below show with the side foundations concreted.

Have you seen any foundation's around here?

One of the first jobs was to dig a couple of test holes on the foundations for the two single storey areas we were to build on top of.

We hoped the foundations would be sound to build for a second storey...hopes were dashed!

The two sections of the house we planned to build on were built in the last 25 years or so, and I can only presume these extensions were never authorised by building regs or planning permission as both sections had little or no foundations. We had a feeling this might be the case but with the changes we would have been making it was easier and made more sense to knock the two single storey sections down totally and dig new foundations.

Front Single Storey Section

Side Single Storey Section

The Decision

When we received the quote we needed to trim back a little on costs and Marc was happy to work with us here to make sure they re-used the existing stone from the parts of the house that were to be removed (such as the gable end). We trimmed a few other areas too just to help keep to budget.

We would still need to get the house plumbed, wired and plastered and pay for a kitchen bathroom etc. etc. so we needed to keep things as tight as possible on the build.

We had quotes from other builders and found Jebson's to be the most competitive. So along with the work we had already seen by them we were convinced they were right for the job and let Marc know.

Builders

While we were waiting for the planning permission to come through we had plenty of time to look for a builder. We had a few recommendations from friends and family but a name that kept popping up without prompting was Jebson Construction a local Holmfirth builder.

They were on our list to ask for quotes anyway, but we kept getting good feedback from a few sources so they soon came to the top of the list.

Coincidentally Jebson Construction had built a new build house for a friend of my Aunty & Uncle in Huddersfield so we arranged to take a look, and they were happy to show us around.

We were very impressed and met up with Marc from the building company that day. We arranged for him to meet us at the house and we went through the plans.

He went away to put a quote together and we were impressed with what he had to say and his positive attitude to the potential job.

The planning application

Planning was applied for on 27th July 2011 with a quoted decision time of 8 weeks.

After the planning officer surveyed the site we were informed a neighbour was not keen on the bedroom window thinking we would have a view of his bedroom. We could not understand the complaint but the planning advised if we moved the window to the left side of the gable end we should be ok.

...and the 8 weeks came and went!

No particular explanation as to why we did not have a decision, I got the impression they just hadn't got round to it. The longer we waited the more money it cost us as we are having to run two houses at this time until the build is finished. Anyway this doesn't concern the council...and why would it?

We finally got the decision on 31st October 2011...over 13 weeks after original application. It seemed that when the planners did finally "set aside some time" it took about an hour to have it signed off. Why it took 13 weeks to "set aside" this time I will never know. But anyway we eventually got permission to build.

The plan

Now the house was virtually a shell it was time to get someone in to do drawings of the house to submit to the planning authority. We had a good idea of what we wanted to do to the house and where we wanted things to be.

Through a friend of my parents' we got in touch with an architectural technician who drew up plans to some sketches we had put together and we were able to modify as he drew them to scale.

Here is a rough drawing of the original house

Original House Sketch

...and here is the detailed drawing of how the new house will be.

New Plan

It's quite different, and downstairs gives us a w.c, large lounge/dining area, and larger kitchen using some of the original entrance room and knocking through to a storage shed at the rear of the house.

Upstairs we get an additional bedroom and all are now doubles and the master bedroom has an en-suite. The plan is to build off the current single storey areas on the house and this will almost double the upstairs area. We have also tried to make the windows a little more uniform in shape and improve the appearance of the house where we can.

The main bedroom will have a large window in the gable end and folding sliding doors in the lounge. Some parts of this was a concern to a neighbour so we had to move the large bedroom window to the left side as it was originally designed on the right. To be honest this was a better design when we looked at it and gave us more useful wall space in the bedroom.

And then the Kitchen...the last room to gut!

The kitchen was very small with only a small halogen hob to cook from. There were a few floor and wall units and a sink but this all came out quite easily with screw drivers, wrecking bar and brute force. We removed the carpet in the kitchen and on the staircase to reveal the original stone stairs which we hope to clean up and keep.

Under the stairs is a small utility room that was used for housing a washing machine and dryer as well as the boiler for the house. I removed the plumbing for the washing machine and then took out the boiler. Then I pulled the ceiling down along with the flourecent light diffusers and fittings illuminating the kitchen area.

Before...

...After

Bathroom

The bathroom was very small and as it didn't have a bath in it I suppose should be called a shower room. I removed everything but the toilet and prised all the tiles from the walls as well as removing the carpet and coving.

Before...

...After

Landing

On the landing I had to drain and remove the hot water tank and the cupboard it was in. While we were at it i removed one of the tanks from the loft also. The hot water cylinder was copper so I saved that to take to the good ol' scrap man. Along with copper pipes and steel radiators from all over the house I had a fair collection of scrap and got a few hundred pounds for it.

There were a few doors and frames to get rid of for the two bedrooms and bathroom too, along with the landing carpet, wallpaper and coving.

Before...

...After