Project Plumbing
The very first project that we undertook in our new (old) house was a complete re-plumbing. The main reason for this was because the existing heating system was a not-very-hot hot air system with vents in the walls throughout the house. The heat it produced was dry and stuffy, didn't seem to make it as far as the bedrooms upstairs, and once it was off, it was back to freezing again! (We moved in on 6th January).
Ugly hot air vents which are throughout the house:
Inside the vent (dust central):
So we started contacting plumbers immediately (i.e. moved in on Friday, first plumber round for a quote on Saturday!); we really wanted this changed. The plan to get a combi boiler also meant getting rid of the enormous hot air boiler from the kitchen cupboard and water tanks in the upstairs cupboard and loft, giving us space back for our remodelling plans. After getting three quotes, we picked our favourite (£7000) and set the date for work to take place during the first week of our holiday to Sri Lanka in early February. This seemed like a good idea at the time, being out of the house while it had no heating and full of mess (the laying of new pipes downstairs meant drilling through the concrete base of the house), but it later proved a little tricky...!
Hot air boiler and cupboard, taking up valuable kitchen space:
Plumbing Problems
The work didn't get off to the best start, with a lightbulb blowing the fuse for the downstairs lighting at 10pm the night before we left for airport. Like the rest of the house, the fuse board was dated and used fuse wire, which needs to be completely replaced in order to restore the power. Setting off at 5am the next morning, we texted the plumber to let him know with a link to fuse wire he'd have to buy in order to see what he was doing!
First mishap over, we jetted off to Sri Lanka via a connecting flight from Dubai, followed by a 4 hour drive to the jungle. After breakfast, a jet-lagged nap and a safari to see the wild elephants, we returned to our hotel ready for a rest. Ugly House had other ideas however, when we heard from my Dad (nominated plumber contact person!) that the plumber had come across some asbestos. With a house built in the late 60s, we knew about some asbestos surrounding a pipe, but had agreed the removal of that with the plumber beforehand. What he'd now found, after removing the cold water tank, was apparently the worst type of asbestos (as diagnosed by an asbestos removal company called in urgently to test it); 2 narrow boards of about 60cm in height around pipe casing. Without much of a choice to remove it or not, given the plumbing work couldn't be completed with it being there, we gave the plumber the go ahead to investigate how to get rid of it. He got a couple of quotes from removal companies and phoned us to give us the quote... £1700, including a notification to the Health and Safety Executive with a 14 day notice period. Not the best thing to hear a day into your holiday!
In the end, all the plumbing was completed and radiators installed when we got home, just a few minor bits to finish up once the asbestos was removed. However we did get home to carpets up everywhere, dusty floorboards and mess from the plumbers (apparently they thought the house was going to become a building site and all work carried out immediately... if only money grew on trees. This building site is our home).
Bye Bye Asbestos 👋
Fast forward a week or so and the asbestos removal company arrived. Some pictures of the process below:
Step 1: Removal unit arrives
Step 3: After asbestos removal, mobile analysis van arrives (spot the man sitting in the desk chair inside the van) and tests that all asbestos particles are gone.
And now we're asbestos free! 👌
Ugly hot air vents which are throughout the house:
Inside the vent (dust central):
So we started contacting plumbers immediately (i.e. moved in on Friday, first plumber round for a quote on Saturday!); we really wanted this changed. The plan to get a combi boiler also meant getting rid of the enormous hot air boiler from the kitchen cupboard and water tanks in the upstairs cupboard and loft, giving us space back for our remodelling plans. After getting three quotes, we picked our favourite (£7000) and set the date for work to take place during the first week of our holiday to Sri Lanka in early February. This seemed like a good idea at the time, being out of the house while it had no heating and full of mess (the laying of new pipes downstairs meant drilling through the concrete base of the house), but it later proved a little tricky...!
Hot air boiler and cupboard, taking up valuable kitchen space:
 |
| Industrial-looking pipes |
 | ||
| Disgusting cold water tank in the loft |
Plumbing Problems
The work didn't get off to the best start, with a lightbulb blowing the fuse for the downstairs lighting at 10pm the night before we left for airport. Like the rest of the house, the fuse board was dated and used fuse wire, which needs to be completely replaced in order to restore the power. Setting off at 5am the next morning, we texted the plumber to let him know with a link to fuse wire he'd have to buy in order to see what he was doing!
First mishap over, we jetted off to Sri Lanka via a connecting flight from Dubai, followed by a 4 hour drive to the jungle. After breakfast, a jet-lagged nap and a safari to see the wild elephants, we returned to our hotel ready for a rest. Ugly House had other ideas however, when we heard from my Dad (nominated plumber contact person!) that the plumber had come across some asbestos. With a house built in the late 60s, we knew about some asbestos surrounding a pipe, but had agreed the removal of that with the plumber beforehand. What he'd now found, after removing the cold water tank, was apparently the worst type of asbestos (as diagnosed by an asbestos removal company called in urgently to test it); 2 narrow boards of about 60cm in height around pipe casing. Without much of a choice to remove it or not, given the plumbing work couldn't be completed with it being there, we gave the plumber the go ahead to investigate how to get rid of it. He got a couple of quotes from removal companies and phoned us to give us the quote... £1700, including a notification to the Health and Safety Executive with a 14 day notice period. Not the best thing to hear a day into your holiday!
In the end, all the plumbing was completed and radiators installed when we got home, just a few minor bits to finish up once the asbestos was removed. However we did get home to carpets up everywhere, dusty floorboards and mess from the plumbers (apparently they thought the house was going to become a building site and all work carried out immediately... if only money grew on trees. This building site is our home).
 |
| Lovely new radiator 💓 |
 |
| Fancy new smart thermostat |
Bye Bye Asbestos 👋
Fast forward a week or so and the asbestos removal company arrived. Some pictures of the process below:
Step 1: Removal unit arrives
Step 2: Air lock zones constructed - one to go into and get changed, one where the asbestos-containing cupboard was
And now we're asbestos free! 👌
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