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S1 EP 12 | The £100k Bungalow Renovation - End of weeks 7 & 8
38 Plays1 month ago
It's a double this week as Nick and Dan discuss weeks 7 and 8 at Nick's £100k bungalow renovation. The blocks and bricks are flying up in the extension, we're ready for the roof work next week and Nick is on the hunt for a new plumber.
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Transcript
Introduction to Hosts and Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the DIY guys the podcast where home renovations, power tools and mild panic go hand in hand. I'm Nick Morris. And I'm Dan Dower. Each week we'll be chatting with some property pros, some DIY diehards, hopefully help you with some tips and tricks along the way.
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome back to the DIY Guys podcast. Nick, how doing mate? I'm very well, thank you. How are you? Good stuff, yeah, not too bad, thanks.
Project Delays and Builder Issues
00:00:24
Speaker
So we're doing something similar to what we did a couple of weeks ago where we ah combine in two weeks where things have moved a little more slowly. I'm blaming you. was just about to say, some would say we're doing this because I haven't done much work basically. You've been living the high life on holiday. You've living the high life. You don't have time for a little old me or your renovation. Or the creepy garage podcast studio. Yeah. So must admit, when I was in Mauritius, I did not think about being in this little garage podcast studio in the cold. No, you're just trying to hurt me. So yeah, that's what I've been doing. ive So week seven, and unbelievably, one of my two builders was on holiday as well. And I'd like to point out, not with me, like I previously said. But yeah, he was in on holiday in Spain, and I was in Mauritius. So not much work happened that week. But we did have the other builder there.
00:01:15
Speaker
And they're both capable of doing block work and brick work and insulating and stuff. So something's been happening anyway. He's the better builder as well. Yeah. Well, he's been getting a lot of stick, actually, because Dave, the main guy, is like, because he took our job early, he's now like still got these other jobs that he was supposed to finish before he got to ours that is kind of what everyone listening like, oh, builders, they're so annoying. But actually, in this situation, he was held up by like structural plans that came to us and the structural plans have all come through. So now he's like, the other day, like just drives around like job, to job, to job, to bits. So Toby, the other guy, has just been doing all the work. And then keep just like paying Dave. And I was just making a joke of it as in like, why am I paying Dave all the time and you're doing all the work? He's literally done nothing.
00:02:02
Speaker
But I think it's stressful doing it. I hate working like that. And I think surely anyone in any job in the world, if you've got too much going on, there's too much. And we're building, if it's like physical places as well, we've got a job in Tunbridge that we're doing.
00:02:16
Speaker
He's got our job in like Kent. He's got one in Dulwich, which is like, again, one of my friends, actually. um've We've got him so much work over the years, including your house and a couple of friends' houses. So he's all over the place. And I think he's got others that I don't know about as well. So I just, oh, that makes me just feel anxious when thinking about it. Yeah. those but It's true, isn't it? like I remember speaking to ah the plumber that i used in my house. It's like...
00:02:41
Speaker
he was having to rush off and he does like some ah emergency work every now and again. I was like, oh, I like. Let's not pretend he's Not going to Africa and like playing
Tool Rental Pros and Cons
00:02:54
Speaker
in Wales. And it's not charitable work. He's yeah probably getting like 200 pounds for an hour's work. Yeah, exactly. And I just sort of said, that oh, is it hard to go off and then come back and be like, oh, because I know in my job, like if I'm having to jump on somewhere else and then get back to it, you're like, oh, where was I again? It takes you a bit of time to adjust. And it it must be the same for like the builders as well, right? Yeah, exactly. i hate it. I have two hoovers on one job in Tunbridge. This a different job, a different Tunbridge job that was just speaking about as well. This is like a full rewire. And I have another job in Tunbridge where it's just a kitchen and a kitchen rewire. and I've got two hoovers over there, one like attached to a chaser and then one just for cleaning. and Then I have a third Henry Hoover at another job. And you go to a job, you're like, oh, I haven't got the hoover because there's two there, one there. And it stresses me out so much because it's like, I don't just want to shift around tons of stuff all the time as well with me everywhere I go. So I take chance leaving stuff. It's always the stuff you bloody need. And then you suddenly need. Yeah, exactly. I always think like the worst is always when you need to do a job at home. Yeah. ah Literally, that's all I've just lent to a mate, and now I then can't use it. now What did I pitch to you the other day? I just needed like a teeny drill bit. so i was doing I built a cupboard in my stud work in our en suite because we just didn't have any storage space. We realized after spending this money, we're like, oh, this house is brilliant. We're like, where do we put our toothbrush? Then you're just putting it on the toilet. You're like, can't do that. So built a cupboard. I just needed, don't even know what they're called, those things that hold up shelves, basically. Yeah, yeah. don't know what the technical term for those are, but yeah I just needed a specific drill bit. And I was like,
00:04:27
Speaker
They're only like a pound or something. bet Dan's got some. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well, the thing is, it's like you've then, I know that only cost a pound, but then you're like, well, I've got take time out my day to drive to wherever I'm buying it from. I then need to buy it, come back. And then, yeah, like you say, you're just like, I'm seeing you tomorrow. Can you bring a drill bit? Have we spoken about this previously? There's a website that started obviously not promoting, sort of app not promoting. There's a tall rental website now.
00:04:54
Speaker
And I think it's like ah guys like us who can rent your stuff. So say if you've got, especially DIYs, if you've got like 20, you've got loads of tools, for example. You even said you've got something to route out the door, like the router, which have in the past. And i was I was looking into buying one. You were like, oh, I've got one.
00:05:10
Speaker
God damn it, didn't know that. But say, for example, me in that situation, I could pay you like 20 to 40 pound or whatever. Just buy it for one day and it saves me spending, you must have spent 80 90 or whatever. But it's good for you as well. Yeah, exactly.
00:05:23
Speaker
I just saw that idea, was like, that's really clever idea. I guess it needs a lot of people on it, doesn't it? Because you don't to far for it. Yeah, and always think, like, when you're, like, leasing it out to someone, are they going to take great care it? Exactly. And what happens it does break? Who's that on? Yeah, that's true. So, but yeah,
Plumbing Challenges and Choices
00:05:40
Speaker
I don't know. No, it's...
00:05:42
Speaker
So yeah, so not much has been going on. Well, not ton, literally nothing internally um whatsoever. And I've even had a problem with my plumber. So being really transparent, um he's been my plumber for like 15, 20 years. And he's just got on a bit like older and stuff. and He sort of semi-retired and said he'd do this bungalow, just like nitpicking, nitpicking. But he actually just said to me, oh, like my health isn't, you know, as good as it used to be. And I don't feel as strong. So Yeah, so when I came back from holiday, i gutted all the walls before that, um which I spoke about previously, lock took down all the kitchen walls, and it just left loads of pipes dangling, like some old redundant gas pipes and then old redundant radiated pipes. and And I was like, oh, could you just get rid of those for me and put them lovely copper pile?
00:06:27
Speaker
And it just didn't get done. I was like, oh, you're okay. And he said, I just had some ill health and I just said, you actually want to do this? Because even though it is a small house, it's still... radiators in three bedrooms, a hallway, probably two in a hallway, um a kitchen, a living room, yeah and then an ensuite, which is obviously full of stuff, and a bathroom that's full of stuff, and a utility. So i was like, that's a lot of rooms for a 900 square foot house or whatever. I was like, can you actually manage it?
00:06:56
Speaker
So he hasn't actually said, no, I can't manage it, but I've just sort of like pushed it. was like, i just need to get some quotes out there. What's that called? Like a rewire... for I just say re-plumb, I have no idea if that's technical term. Yeah, I know. and Yeah, re-wire just sounds more natural, doesn't yeah but yeah it? Yeah.
00:07:15
Speaker
It is just a re-plumb in my head, but it's probably not a word. No, exactly. I don't think it's a word. Sights and plums at home, like, these guys are idiots. What was it you said the other way when you said the landscape garden? Garden people. Garden people.
00:07:27
Speaker
Yeah, so it's a bit like that. yeah So, yeah, so I'm looking into, so I know a few plumbers, obviously. um I've got several to choose from, but it's definitely going to be more expensive because um my guy was like old school where his prices weren't like, they never went up massively. There's all these new people coming in, quite rightly, like I charge as well, to be fair, like just a lot more expensive these days. Yeah.
00:07:49
Speaker
So I've no idea it's going to cost, but even just saying all those rooms out loud, it's like, wow, it is actually a lot, isn't it? And I just need to decide what to do because I like plumbing in copper, for example, but I just need to discuss what's more cost efficient. Because loads of people run plastic now, don't they, as well?
00:08:05
Speaker
But then I hear the plastic fittings, like the Click Speedfit ones are expensive, so just need to have all these chats. Maybe i can get quotes for like both or a mix or whatever. I need to get some advice now. Yeah, definitely. So obviously, it's quite interesting, something that you've never come across, well, you don't come across because you use the guys you trust. like yeah How do you go about finding like a ah new good plumber? I suppose you've got Dave the Builder, like maybe he would have someone to recommend. Yeah, so I'd always go with, if you're using a builder, I'd ask him first because surely they have someone. is is that Obviously, if you're using a crap builder, then you need to be careful because all of these guys are probably going to be crap because there's no way I'd work for a crap builder.
00:08:44
Speaker
No. um So if you're if you're happy with your builder and his personality and stuff and his work, I think definitely ask him for some advice. But otherwise, i would I'd always just, I start with my friends and family and get recommended from those, because even those you can be burned in, if you know, just people with different views on things. but I think friends and family is a good place to start. And we said previously, didn't we, about finding a builder that I think in the road as well, just look down the road, see who's had work and say, have you had in?
00:09:11
Speaker
Were you happy with them? What do they do? think that's a really good thing to do. But fortunately, um I think I know three I can think of that I can ask. um So I'm just going to get I'm going to get a couple in and actually I'll definitely get a couple in regardless and to see how much the prices vary.
00:09:27
Speaker
Sometimes friends and family can get a bit awkward. I know. think as well. It's like, you know, because you can have like a difference of opinion without someone being wrong, if that makes sense. yeah Yeah. Then to have that conversation with someone who's like a friend of the family can get awkward and not people like fall out over it. and I suppose awkward about wiring your house. You asked me to wire your house. and i was like, well, I'm happy to do But if something goes wrong, it's hella embarrassing. What do you do? Especially if you've got like a kid and a wife. i'm like, yeah, your friend's an idiot. He can't do his job properly. Well, do you remember when you were wiring my house and I sent you that video and it was like, you couldn't have been any worse than the last guy. Because I think the lighting in my bathroom was like um wire to wire to wire. And then it was wired into a plug that was then plugged in the loft. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I see i'll keep seeing a video from someone we're going to interview soon, OM Electrical.
00:10:22
Speaker
and he He always does the bathroom fitters. He said that, oh, another cowboy bathroom fitters. I think these but shops come in and one guy is like ripping it out, tiling it, wiring it, plumbing it, and he just slacks off the electric so much. and Yours was like that, wasn't it? It was literally a death trap in a room full of water as well. Yeah. It's like room. The one place, yeah. But yeah, that's one of those things I need to obviously shop around and not let money dictate it, but just obviously try and find the
Roof Work and Weather Timing
00:10:52
Speaker
right one. So I'll keep you updated on that. um So last last time I spoke about a little bit about removing the walls in the kitchen. i didn't go into massive detail, but I don't know if said to you, because i I used the builder's like grinder on one wall and then like his drill, and then I used my carpenter's little...
00:11:09
Speaker
Not an SDS drill. Well, it wasn't SDS drill, but like not one that's like two kilograms. was like four or five. I just found it so much easier than the builders one. Yeah. Literally just, i don't know why you're finding like the right tool that works for you. yeah And the builders one had like a pointy chisel.
00:11:25
Speaker
Yeah. And whereas the one I used with the carpenter's one was more like a, you know, like a spade bit, like a flat bit, but only tiny, probably like 20. and And I just think that just got into the bricks easier.
00:11:36
Speaker
So then the wall, I think it came down way, it was like a point almost like crushes it, I think a bit or like, so yeah, that was one thing I just forgot to mention last week. So I was like, yeah. And then that wall all came down and I'm just left with those massive pipes. I'm just looking at it with my scrap money and wanting it.
00:11:51
Speaker
ah So yeah, and then, so Toby's doing really well. So we're basically um up to the stage where yet this week's payment has sort of gone towards next week's materials, which is all stuff for the roof. So like, I not never know where it was like, it's not a rafter on a flat roof, is it? I guess just roof choices.
00:12:07
Speaker
I think a rafter would be on a pitch roof really, wouldn't it? So it's pitched at the front. But so I guess from we six of one. But yeah, so we've ordered all the stuff now for like the roof joists and getting the insulation for that. So that's going to be happening in the next couple of weeks. So that's pretty cool. yeah that's And I've timed it pretty well because the weather's changing now, isn't it? So we shouldn't have any more rain. So it shouldn't get too like soggy. or hope That's it. I feel like you only ever really see like roofers in the summer and you're oh, I'd love to do that job. And then no one ever thinks of like roofers in the winter. it must be horrendous. Yeah. I think my mum's friend, son's roofer, he just, I think he hadn't changed career because he just had so many days off where at first like, quite nice. And you're like, oh, no, not earning any money. No, true. And I just wouldn't know how to do that.
00:12:50
Speaker
I hate going up. Well, it's quite fun going on the roof a little bit. And soon as you have a kid, you're like, i don't want to die. You're an orphan because you're your dad fell off the roof. Not an orphan. You've only got a mum. Emily fell off as well. That would be bad.
00:13:08
Speaker
I hate the ladders. The ladders are so freaky, aren't they? I know. I've got an old school roof. I don't know why I've got all my people at old, but he just doesn't use towers or He just gets a ladder, goes up there by himself, doesn't have his brain in a bit. I'm just like, he's been doing it for 50, I think he's been doing it since 16, 50 years, but I'm just like, that's me.
00:13:27
Speaker
tell you what's crazy, we had a similar guy, we had a log burner installed and he went on the roof and checked all the flue and stuff like that. And I was like, don't scaffolding? was like, no, I'll be all right. And he just set up a ladder and like before you know it, he's on there. you're like, how the hell did he do that?
00:13:42
Speaker
I just think that's terrifying. yeah I guess you're used to it and you're probably wearing the right stuff and everything, but ah I don't even like doing a ladder like if I was installing a floodlight, say, right up on a house. And there's someone footing it.
00:13:54
Speaker
I just don't like And everything's so slow because you've got so many things in your pocket. Oh, I just hate it. It gives me the heebie-jeebies. You always, always drop something. You're like, God damn it. I have to go all the way back down. You're like a screw that big and you'll never find it ever again.
00:14:11
Speaker
So, yeah, and then the window man, i think I said briefly last time has done the front two bedrooms and the back doors. That looks really nice. I'm really pleased with that. um I've just got to get to the next stage with him is going to be with the extension, which obviously when they do the roof and stuff, won't be a million miles away. yeah but And then the porch. um The porch is quite an undertaking because, yeah,
00:14:31
Speaker
I think it looks like there's no foundations on the old porch. I've spoken to a few neighbours, so again, that's good to do that.
Foundation Concerns and Aesthetic Choices
00:14:38
Speaker
yeah People at home, spoken to a few neighbours who have changed their porch from that horrendous hexagonal one. And I keep saying hexagonal and never looking up if it's hexagonal. But it's got five weird sides. I'm calling it hexagonal, I don't know. Like the Pentagon, basically. yeah But that is that one.
00:14:54
Speaker
had this conversation. Yeah, I think we had this conversation. I'm going to look it up when I get back. um and So we've got nothing think we've got to knock it down, obviously, and then redo the foundations. But the builders have warned me that the builders like the foundations for the porch to be the same the extension. It just seems mental to me because there's no load on it. It's a flat roof.
00:15:13
Speaker
It's not pitch roof or anything. So but hopefully it's not the case. But that means digging down. can't even think what they did in the end down the side. But it was like a mixture between 60 and a metre. That just seems insane for a porch. It's just going to, it's one of those things that's not really in the builder's quote either. The builders, i was looking it up early because I always say, okay, can I do these things and never do it? But the quote is a bit tricky because it was like 58,000 including VAT, but that included steel work and stuff, which I said, luckily i have none.
00:15:43
Speaker
Yeah. exactly um And that included insulating itreing it, screeding it in the extension, and then building all the stud work in the extension as well. So it doesn't include the little bit of stud work in the old house I need to do, but it does include all the stud So I was quite relieved when I looked at that earlier. and Hopefully that should come down, but it doesn't include the porch. So that could be, well, it's only going to let's face it, it'll be separate days, won't it? But they'll probably remove the porch one day, as in it won't take a whole day. but I imagine that's just how I would do it. Get the digger in the next day sort of thing, dig it out, and then pour the foundation. So ah it's going to probably tot up to, I don't even want to guess an amount, but maybe a grand maybe just to do all that. Might be my net with a digger higher and stuff. Yeah, that is true, isn't it? but
00:16:26
Speaker
and So you can't get something like you know a conservatory that kind of goes on the front that's small. Yeah, I know. I haven't looked into it, but I think all the neighbors have got brickwork probably like 60 centimeters high or 50. And then they've got the nice gray that's now matching my gray on the outside on on like glass. So they've got the door glass, glass, glass, glass. And it does really improve the house's look.
00:16:50
Speaker
And the windows already make the the house look nicer. yeah So I think it's one of those things you just have to find the money somehow. Well, it is like curb appeal, right? And where you are going to sell this property, you're like, well, you're not going to skimp on how it looks at the front because that's the first thing people see, right? When they turn up to look at the house, if you've got a Dodger, like,
00:17:10
Speaker
thing in the front, and they're going to be like, oh, this this isn't our house for me, or it's like something that annoys them. Yeah, it's like we said about the flat roof, isn't it? If it's just a flat roof stapled onto a house, it just looks crap, doesn't it? So that's why I'm doing that little false front, just to make it again look like, so the people are like, oh, okay, this is nice, let's see what's inside's like. yeah And then they're like, Jesus, Nick Morris did it all. So Why are the walls so wonky? And why do I get electric shock off everything? And why is no radiators in the room? So hopefully yeah they just light the outside just go for it. And just, yeah, don't even look. It's like, yeah, I'm sold. Take it.
00:17:44
Speaker
wonder if anyone's ever done that. Just like seeing it. Imagine if you actually could do that where you're going to just demolish it. Yeah. Just go and see it. be like, cool. Yeah, done. Yeah. Yeah. I think I've seen on Homes Under the Hammer before, um where people have gone to an auction lot, but missed the likes timings, just like looked in the window and stuff and just bought house. Pretty mad. Yeah, that is mental. I'd love to do that.
00:18:06
Speaker
Yeah, that would be pretty cool. I did buy one house at auction, do you remember? Yeah, I do. I mean, my brother were on the Homes Under the Hammer, but not like we didn't feature. No, yeah. And when I won, but because we we lost out the house. And then when I won one previously, Homes Under the Hammer asked me to be on it.
00:18:22
Speaker
And it was the first house I ever bought to do up. And I was like, right. don't know what I'm doing. Even now I panic sometimes. don't know what doing. And I've been doing it for like... 15 years i imagine doing your first run there can you imagine yeah they'd be like what's your budget i'd be like um four thousand pounds yeah this is gonna be easy it's gonna be done two months yeah as seven years later i swear on all those shows i always do go ah we're gonna be done in six weeks and our budget is like 2k and then fast forward to the end they're like actually
00:18:54
Speaker
And they always get pregnant. They're like, it's been going for so long, we've got six kids now. You're like, Jesus Christ. And like, half our family died as well. You're like, oh, God, you poor people. actually their grown-up children showing them around. Oh, yeah, they died ages ago. They're finishing a building They're trained as builders and plumbers.
00:19:11
Speaker
So yeah, I'm making those like aesthetic choices at the front, which is cool. I just, um I don't know what it's going to look like because obviously the dilders, the builders have dug up the front yeah and it's that crazy paving hole of Kenton to have that's like so unattractive.
00:19:25
Speaker
So I'm guessing I have to like repair that because I'm not doing the driveway or the patio, which surely for crazy paving, it's quite easy because it's crazy. but iss Crazy paving just like smashed up bits and you just like put stuff in between it. But again, it's like, it's one of those things I don't like because curb appeal straight away will be like, oh, there's a drive that's 35 years old that my gran never touched.
00:19:46
Speaker
and then there's this random new bit. It just looks naff, doesn't it? ah And then there might be a nicer solution in the back where they put in the drain, um like, I don't know, some shingle or something, or like a little decking tile step down from the extent, something like that that could hide it.
00:20:02
Speaker
But the front, was... planning a bit earlier like don't know if that's going to look rubbish and one thing i did think was like a flower bed is kind of an easy solution yeah that's true um obviously it just depends how much they've like destroyed because they've got so much stuff there at the moment i can't really tell but yeah i thought that was quite a nice solution could even you get like sleepers or something and make it like a proper thing yeah otherwise and it's under a bedroom window so it could look quite nice and then i was thinking that's a cost efficient way of doing it because i was i don't like the idea of this crazy paving being different
00:20:33
Speaker
Yeah, but then again, maybe it'll be like, you know, we spoke last week about the, taking the rendering off and bits and pieces and you've found bricks that are similar to, like, the property. Maybe if you find, like, I know if they have reclaimed crazy paint in Oh yeah, maybe just to match it in. Yeah, true. And then there must be some skill to make it look like it's been there for a while and stuff with the pointing and stuff. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, this is probably the last job, I was just thinking out loud, was like, like you were saying about the windows and the porch. I just want it to look like instantly good. Yeah. and But again, maybe someone moves in and they just demolish it, like the front, and might do all the drive. it's so difficult to know what to do. But probably my budget will dictate this anyway. I tried to tap up Emily, my wife, the other day. was like, how much do you have? And she was like, basically wouldn't tell me. And I was like, is it in a good number? Is bad number? She's like, it's not as much it should be. was like, damn it.
00:21:29
Speaker
And i was like, can I have it all? And she seemed very reluctant to give me anything. So I think I'm alone on this. So if you've ever met me, I might be tapping you up for the next yeah six months. And I've heard you sing, and I doubt that this is going to be an option for you to go out busking. Yeah, exactly. So, oh, another thing, talking to money, though, I did get a refund for something from Thames Water.
00:21:52
Speaker
no I don't know if this podcast is actually going viral or something because I was slagging off the council and they came back really quickly and did a site inspection really efficiently like the next day twice they did that actually um and then I was slagging off Thames Water for making me pay for a build over requirement which is basically the drain was in the middle of the garage I knocked down so I had to move the drain to the back of the garden and I had to pay them 500 pounds for the luxury of doing that And he literally got in touch with me, asked for some more details. And I was like, oh, God, was I even allowed to do this? Because it's already been done. yeah And then he replied saying, oh, I've raised a partial refund of £390, as this is a build over class one instead of a class three.
00:22:33
Speaker
This should be with you in two weeks. was like, £390? I only paid £110. was like, wow, this is podcast podcast. Yeah, exactly. Someone's listening something's happening. I don't think we've got that power. No, that's it, yeah. was delighted. I just filled it I don't remember typing anything into doing class one. I don't even know what either of those things are.
00:22:50
Speaker
was absolute touch. I put that on the spreadsheet this week. It's my only bit of red coming back in so far. lovely. And then on the spreadsheet... So at the basically, my builder obviously gave me a bit of an easy run because he wasn't there for one of weeks.
00:23:05
Speaker
So he only charged me £900 for one of the weeks, but presumably just paid for like Toby and some miscellaneous stuff because it would have been mental if he was on holiday and I just got £9,000 build. So I'm glad it was like that. was oh God. You're paying Exactly, exactly. And then the other one was £3,000, which was just ordering. I think it's ordering all the things for next week, like talking about for the roof. So the builder only so far like £28,100. And then my other things are basically hair over like £3,000. So we're like 30, just under 32,000 basically so far. We have obviously like 10% of it is basically me, isn't it? And yeah stuff to do with the house, like structural caps. And the build is the big one. And as I say, I think I'm about halfway with the builder stuff minus the porch and extras I sort of give him. But so it's all right. i was looking okay. I'm not like devastated about all these other costs. And the builder's one is the builder's one, right?
00:24:04
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. So, but yeah. Yeah. It is a little bit like everyone must have this who does their own house when you just look at how crap the house looks yeah and how much money you've spent. That is the thing, isn't it? Where it's all the money's in the ground or the walls or the drains or whatever. You've paid 30K to make it look worse. Make it look Make it unsellable. It's currently unsellable. You couldn't get a mortgage on there's no kitchen, no bathroom.
00:24:30
Speaker
Literally, there's not even a toilet or a sink or anything. So yeah, 22 grand to make it awful. yeah It's my speciality. If anyone wants to book Nick Morris yeah renovations, I do this for a living. 30K will make your house worse.
00:24:43
Speaker
So, yeah, that's all I've got to really talk. I mean, I guess what I'd say why I haven't been there as well is i've did ah wrote it all down because I was on holiday for a week and then I did three days at my kitchen renovation wiring that. and That's for a friend. as zo That's one of those ones where like, please don't be awkward. Yeah, yeah. But I've wired it at this stage just too early to say. Yeah. um But there they they found it hard because – like people we've spoken with, they've got like two kids and a dog and working from home and they ripped their kitchen out, I think a couple of weeks ago. We've just taken, well, I say we, it's my builders again, Dave and Toby are doing, working for them. They've ripped out structural wall, put in a steel. This is all in this week, by the way.
00:25:24
Speaker
um They built some stud work and yeah, they've just got stuff everywhere with the two kids. The kids like collects Lego. The other a girl does something else. She's like, just mad, absolutely mad. And you can just see they're like, at like, witset. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. but I don't know who wouldn't be like that. No. You have to be like almost psychopathically calm. Yeah. And I wonder what do you think's worse? No kitchen or no bathroom?
00:25:49
Speaker
Oh, probably no bathroom, right? Unless you were close to a gym or something, and then you could just go to the gym. If you've got kids, you need a bathroom, don't you, well? Yeah, that's true. And a toilet with kids. Imagine every time. In my case, Lydia needs a poo. What the hell do we do? Just in the garden. In the garden again, yeah. Like a fox. Fox is like a smart house. Out there digging a hole. How did it get to this? There's got to be bathrooms worse, hasn't there, really?
00:26:13
Speaker
But yeah, I mean, kitchen, they've set up like a temporary kitchen, like most people do. And actually, you know the old air fryers now? They're like a lifesaver because they're so small. So I was like, I'll wire up a temporary oven for you. And he was like, oh, don't we've got air frowns? I was like, One less job. But what's been really hard for me is, um and all tradesmen must feel this, is keeping everything going for them because they're living there. Yeah. um And then obviously ripping trying to rip out and put in new stuff but keeping everything going because they still need a fridge and a freezer and what was they got around?
00:26:44
Speaker
Oh, a boiler and then something else. And i was like, oh, but that's going to be in the way in like a day. But I need it there now to give them. is that's Honestly, I reckon I lost one day just from trying to think about keeping everything okay for them. They've had like where they've taken out the wall, another wall, stuff just like dangling down in the middle of the living room. And they're like bumping. The kids are bumping into it. So I was trying to sort all that. for And i just didn't start basically for a day. And then I got settled and moved in. But it's so stressful for people, isn't it?
00:27:13
Speaker
Well, that's the mental side of things that people don't really think about. It's like, oh, yeah, you want to do all this work, but you also have got to live there at the same time. So you're going to have to do, like you say, times about a kitchen, times about like bathroom bits and pieces like that. And it's just juggling it. And then, like you say, then your thought process is like, well, you need to have a boiler. It's like freezing cold at the moment.
00:27:36
Speaker
But then that's got to go at some point. Yeah, and they're putting in an air pump. So we'll talk about that in coming weeks as well because I've actually never installed an air pump. So this plumber who I'm going to try and tap up for Grand's House um is installing it because he did a course.
00:27:49
Speaker
He's never put one in either. He did a course. Sounds bad. I'm wiring it. It's plumbing it. Neither of us have ever done it, but he did a course on it so because he thought they were coming in and then never got one off of it.
00:28:00
Speaker
um But I do hear that more of them yeah and that more environmentally friendly and cheaper and stuff. So um I've had to run a cable the outside, out the back for it. And they're putting it out the back and then feeding it back in. So obviously it just works the same as a boiler per se, obviously. Yeah, yeah. You just have to see how it works. So I'm quite intrigued about that. Yeah, definitely. I'll definitely be interested to hear about that as well. don't think I'll do that for granted.
00:28:23
Speaker
No. I think it'll be a standard combi boiler. Utility wall, surely. oh maybe going up into the loft or something. Yeah, surely. I've heard they're really good on like new builds that are really well insulated. Exactly. Yeah. So it has to be like a certain level for you to then start getting the money back. Exactly. I don't think I'll have any cavity insulation or anything in the old part of the house. no I think it's a bit of a waste of time. Yeah.
00:28:46
Speaker
But yeah, and I'd be interested to see what that's like. I can uptate you on that as well. I'm uptating you more on other jobs.
Project Progress and Renovation Insights
00:28:53
Speaker
Which is quite depressing. My notes are literally like this for week seven and eight of two stuff. And it's just me having like ice cream and giving our daughter, who's four, double desserts and then like wandering an hour later she's not going to Yeah. like, why is she not sleeping? And like, oh yeah, we gave a double dessert the buffet because we wanted stay at the buffet longer. I think that's also good to talk about, right? Because when you see stuff on social media, people are like, oh, and things fly up. Yeah. And only send pictures to them. But...
00:29:24
Speaker
life has got to continue right yeah you're have holidays like you say your builder's on holiday like sometimes you hit a snag and you're like you have to wait a bit time so this is like normal for every single project right there's always parts i remember on our extension It was done over the winter. It snowed.
00:29:42
Speaker
So you're like, well, you can't lay bricks. It's snowing. And then they started laying bricks. Then it started raining. Then they were like, oh, it's actually too much rain to lay cement and stuff like that. It's just like, this is quite common, right? And that you do come up against it. And then before you know it, in like two weeks' time, you're like, we're gonna have to do a seven-hour episode because I've done much this week. Exactly. And actually, you've got to realize in my situation how lucky I am because this is not even a house I'm living in. Whereas 99% of people, unless you've got 300 grand to do on this rather than 100 grand and you you're living there and you just go right, I'm going to have 30 people in rather than three. yeah It just can't be done quickly. And so, yeah, not living there is an absolute result. I do not take that for granted, trust me. Yeah.
00:30:26
Speaker
But yeah, no, so good, doing doing well. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and I actually need to get back in there, um think about what I'm going to do next. I think I going might ask the builders to prioritise, well, I don't know if I should do that or not. Because I was thinking if they prioritise putting in the lintel in for me where I've opened up all these walls,
00:30:44
Speaker
um and do that, then I can like board ceilings in the, like I've done a bit, but I can board all the ceilings. I can even like f throw in lights in the kitchen and things like that. yeah And then maybe do that stud work on the other side of the kitchen as well. And I can really like push on and start to think, if I get my plumbing sorted,
00:31:00
Speaker
um I could actually start to think about plastering some rooms as well. And again, ah I'm not cocky enough to do this with plumbing. I just don't, I'm not as like advised on what to do, but I could run like one pipe down to each room for the radiator, obviously one feed in and one return. Yeah.
00:31:16
Speaker
And then hopefully if I can't get a plumber and then say, oh, I've done these radiators, drops are really easy. It's like radiator. It's a pipe in and a pipe out. Because we've got the loft above, leave it in the loft and say, I've done that you and can be plastered. I'm also a bit scared, you know, because it has actually got to be certain size radiator in a certain size position.
00:31:34
Speaker
so maybe that's a bit. i always worry that like. there's something that I'm not thinking about when you're like, I've put this in. And then the amount of, I've seen a few videos where people are, oh, I've set this all up. And then the actual person that's done it has come around and gone, you're actually best to move it here because of and I remember when fitted our kitchen and and your chippy came around and he was like, I know you've sort of marked out here, here, and here for these bits, but you're actually best to move this here and move that there. It's like people do this all the time. Yeah. Those little extra things
00:32:07
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Even like on my job, really this is really tiny thing, but I just say about like USB sockets next to the bed. yeah Because how much stuff, I've got so much stuff plugged in next to my bed, like the Apple Watch and then the iPhone and then like Sonos speaker. It's just mental how much stuff you need. So like little tips like that, think go with the professionals. and So yeah, but I'm actually, I've said it out loud, um there's no way I'm doing it. Because it is so precise, isn't it with the radio I know you have to like get the radiator size and then come out like a certain amount, don't you? Up a certain amount for valve, it's such a like like perfect thing. mass i just don't think it's worth the risk of ripping it all out. Speaking of USB sockets, do do they do USB-C now? Yes. Because yeah everything's changing over.
00:32:48
Speaker
Yeah, they don't do, well they might do, but they I always buy the ones um for my clients, especially my brother my guard own his garden rooms, they always have loads in his garden rooms. Yeah. and That's what I've also done this week, that's why I'm not here at the Ponger at all. They do the USB, normal whatever the normal one is, and then the USB-C is the one, isn't it? I don't know what the old one's called, it's USB-C, it's always just USB. So they do both, and I think that's quite good while you're like trans transitioning over. Yeah, because there's always that one thing you've got and you've had for ages.
00:33:19
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Have you ever seen that video of the guy trying to plug into USB? It's really funny. You know, it's just like, for some reason, the world's hardest thing. And it's like, I'm saying, round your bed, you like try and reach down and he like always gets around. He pretends. There's a hand. It's just so funny. It's always behind the TV. Yeah, exactly. Like, damn it, trying get in. You can only go two ways and you'd like try. Like, how's this not going in? I always find that with HDMI. I'm like, right, that's the one. Yeah, yeah, exactly. How's this not working?
00:33:46
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. So yeah, so we've got some exciting stuff coming up as well, haven't we? We've got Lucy next week from Home Poppy Lane. Man, her interiors are so good. Yeah, was just about to say, she's going to hopefully give me some tips because interiors are not my strong. And her how her like well her feed, for example, looks just like amazing, doesn't it? Just looks like picture perfect. And she also does loads of tips and stuff. So going to be speaking with her.
00:34:11
Speaker
then hopefully i can update you a bit more on my bungalow as well because i have no idea what's going to be going on but i don't have at the moment as much client stuff lined up because my kitchen's being plastered so i don't i don't need to be there the kitchen's coming in like four weeks there's no rush to like go back and do much um and then on my rewire i'm like second fixing now so again it's a bit more like i'm jumping along yeah so i'm hoping for a little bit of a spell it's just my brother's garden rooms that i need to pop back because he does so many of them and stuff but hoping to crack on soon yeah do they take long to wire it's so easy and then my brother makes it so simple for me like even today they set out all my back boxes and stuff got the laser out set it all got the noggins set it all out for me so i just had to run the cables so yeah i mean one person can do it in like three or four hours easily Or if you're doing everything, it'd be like six or seven. but yeah yeah Dave even drilled another Dave. like Everyone in the building industry is either called Dave or like Tom or something. there um
00:35:13
Speaker
He even
Value-Adding Renovations
00:35:14
Speaker
drilled the holes for me in the ceiling because he was like, oh, I want to plasterboard the ceiling. i had to get there at 7 a.m. because he said, i want to plasterboard the ceiling about 11-ish. Can you like do the ceiling first? And i was like, yeah, fair enough. So I got there early and just like whacked it out. So he's like, I drilled all my holes. I measured it perfectly. was like,
00:35:30
Speaker
He's like, no, they've got to be perfect. He is a perfectionist. He is an perfectionist, yeah.
00:35:37
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. so And also we've got a question. We've got a question. So I'm glad we've got a lot of questions coming in because, as I say, this week I'm struggling. Yeah, yeah. And we'd love to hear from you. We'd love to hear from you guys. so the address is hello at DIYGuysPodcast.com for anyone who wants to email in. And Chloe has emailed in. She says, Hi, Nick and Dan.
00:35:56
Speaker
Great show. I love the episode with Eve and Ty. So that's the Bram Hall build, was it? Lovely guys. And they're knee deep in their renovation and the realities of DIY building.
00:36:07
Speaker
I'm wanting to add value to my house to sell in a few years time. Number one, which room would you renovate to add the most value? And number two, would you renovate a certain room first?
00:36:18
Speaker
Do you want to lead it off? Obviously, you would build a podcast studio. Yeah. What a of time. For £200, you can have the perfect podcast. And you will look so creepy and you have to explain it to so many people.
00:36:34
Speaker
But yeah, do you want to go first? Which room would you rent in? Well, what what would you actually do first in your opinion? I think, yeah, it's a tough one really, isn't it, really? Because you've got to look at your property and see which room needs the most work.
00:36:49
Speaker
I personally think that having a nice kitchen is like a game changer. I know it's so expensive, so maybe it doesn't need to be a full refurb.
00:36:59
Speaker
It's more like... you know I know some people like have got like proper wooden um cabinets, they just paint them and just completely changes everything, the way it looks, looks nicer, and or maybe new bit of tiling. You've got those wraps these days as well, couldn't You've seen the kitchen wrap as well. Yeah, you can rewrap them and stuff like that. I just think kitchen, you spend a lot of time in, right? So i always think having a nice kitchen that looks new is like a real game changer. Yeah, I agree, actually. And I think um it's hard.
00:37:33
Speaker
I haven't seen many brand new kitchens that aren't nice as well. Whereas if you like get a bathroom, which is probably another good one if you want it add value. But I think your bathroom taste can really be like fluctuating. Yeah. Man, so did your foot just go? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. Like bathroom styles and stuff and really fluctuate. You can get florally ones on the floor and stuff. I don't think my parent or our parent's generations would like, for example. And wacky colors and stuff or just too boring. Like white was kitchens. I don't think any of our friends who have had a kitchen. They've just got their own choice. Yeah.
00:38:08
Speaker
um Like even in Tunbridge, they're choosing like a dark green kitchen, which I would choose in my house. But it's it's just nice. yeah I don't dislike it. i'm just like, it's not for me. i don't know what your, can't remember what color yours is. gray.
00:38:20
Speaker
Oh, gray, yeah. One of our friends, Ross, chose one that i was totally against. It was like muscle, which is like, I'll describe like a beigey, beigey sounds, makes it sound bland. Snow.
00:38:31
Speaker
Yeah, sandy coloured. And it didn't even look nice on the website. Genuinely. and we're Sorry, Ross. yeah I did tell him this. And when it came, it looked so good. It looked so good. And all these fittings and stuff were like brushed brass.
00:38:46
Speaker
And it just went with a white worktop a bit of marble. It just looked really brilliant. So again, I think like... A good kitchen always looks not like good obviously. Yeah, yeah. um But like you said, it's very expensive. It's it's kind of budget dependent this answer, isn't it? Yeah, and I feel like you can...
00:39:02
Speaker
Do a kitchen slightly cheaper if you just want to improve certain bits. But think if you do a bathroom cheap, like it looks cheap. Yeah. Like you can tell straight away, you're like, oh, it's clearly like cheap, like fixtures and things. Yeah, definitely. Whereas like kitchen, like said, you can paint it, it looks really cool. Or, you know, you can change just the worktop. So I know some stuff can be quite expensive, but you can just easily change it for something a little bit cheaper and it doesn't actually look so bad. Yeah, definitely. Like you said about the cabinets, sometimes you keep the cabinets, but yeah, change the work. So that makes a big impact or the wrapping or the painting. But yeah, again, if it was like, oh, I've got 10 grand, say, and the kitchen's all right. Like say you moved in, it's like something that's not like expensive, but quite attractive, like a handleless kitchen. Again, you can't go wrong with a handleless kitchen. We haven't got a shake, but I don't dislike a handleless kitchen. No. Maybe that money would be better spent getting carpets throughout the place or painting yourself throughout the place.
00:40:03
Speaker
um Because um I always regret when we moved into our flat in Brixton, it was a money thing. We did the bathroom and the kitchen and then never did the carpets. And the carpets were kind of grotty. like Then they were just like brown, not brown really bad. Yeah. looks like shit everywhere they were like brown in patches where people just been up and down the stairs because it was flat up and down the stairs up down the stairs and they sort of felt thin um and I was like oh just want to change those I think I got a quote it was like 3000 or something didn't have the money never did it and And we lived there for like nine years or something. And then you're like, oh, just wish we did it. And I think when we sold it at the same time, I was like, we still didn't do it. I was like, if we would have spent, I think it would have sold a bit quicker. yeah That first impression would have been much nicer. And maybe people wouldn't have noticed but there's always something. Yeah. i did So yeah, it's a tricky one, but I agree with you, I think. I think if if you can afford to like a wow kitchen, even like opening up kitchen seems to be what people do. So if that was in the budget to like knock a wall down and open up a space, that could be another one where you're like oh the kitchen's all right, but it's pokey. Yeah. Whereas you bring down a wall, putting a steel, and it open it up, that could be yeah one that could be good. i always think like also like,
00:41:19
Speaker
You could do so much to a kitchen, but for that same budget, you could probably redecorate your lounge like a bedroom and the hall. So if you're like looking that, you're like, oh, actually, like free rooms are now renovated compared to just the one. I think sometimes that might be the better option.
00:41:34
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. Do you think people actually, they must realise, I'm saying that loud, but like if you had like four amazing bedrooms and like the kitchen's rubbish, do you think people would realise that bedrooms are actually, you know, cheaper to renovate and that's kind of the wrong way around? Because I think I would, because I think a kitchen is more aggravation and more cost, whereas a bedroom, not including like an ensuite or anything, fantastic. Fairly basic, you can sand down the walls, paint the walls, paint the wood, and it just popped more, wouldn't it? New carpet, that could probably like £2,000 if you were doing it yourself. Yeah, definitely, yeah. Whereas a kitchen, you're never going to do anything for £2,000 in a kitchen. I think that's it. And I think a lot of people go into a house and they look at kitchen, bathroom, because they know that's the most expensive. So if the other rooms aren't to their style, they could be newly renovated, but not to their style. They're like, we're going to repaint this anyway. So yeah, maybe it is like kitchen and then maybe bathroom.
00:42:34
Speaker
Yeah. Because that really sells. Imagine moving in and you're like, oh, we don't need to do anything to the kitchen. Yeah. But yeah like I said, I think bathroom is just too tricky. If I only thought one, would be kitchen. And then this is, would you renovate a certain room first? She asked second.
00:42:48
Speaker
So that was a really poorly worded. Second question was, would you renovate a certain room first? and i've Obviously, in principle, that's like, oh, we're doing quite a lot. Which one would you do? I think it's kind of a tricky one. What would you say? Well, I think...
00:43:02
Speaker
Maybe it's similar, I'm just going back to the Brown Hall build, where it was just like get one room done that you can then shut yourself away and while all the other renovations are being done. And always think of either your bedroom, yeah because you spend the most time there, or like a lounge. Because after a hard day's graft, and if you are doing it yourself, then you can then go and shut yourself in a nice room. It's all comfy, watch a bit of telly or read a book or something like that. Yeah, and everyone works from home these days, all these or you dossers who work at home, like you. I guess the office slash office could be in the lounge or the bedroom as well, couldn't it? I mean, ideally two spaces, like you say, like it almost like a live-in space and a like sleeping space.
00:43:47
Speaker
But yeah, I agree. That's what I would do. for And again, i don't think it's that complicated. um I don't think people will be like ripping not i'm doing ripping skirting and stuff out. So hopefully you're just like redecorating new carpet and done and you can just seal it off and then every night you can sleep. i mean Although the guys are even tight. What did they say? They no boiler and they were nearly thrown to death. Yeah, exactly. um Unless you've got that situation. It's not going to be pleasant wherever you First thing you do, boiler. Get the boiler in. Your boiler got stolen in your People haven't heard, Dan's renovation midway, someone come in and stole
Renovation Challenges and Upcoming Interview
00:44:21
Speaker
the boiler. Can you believe it? The house was a complete wreck when we bought it. And then the one shining light was, oh, the boiler looked all right, to be fair. And then, yeah, and when the house was open at the back, we had taken the boiler off the wall because that was on a wall that was being knocked down somewhere.
00:44:38
Speaker
Very nice person came in and took it from us. That's why I'm really allowed to swear on this. Yeah, yeah. That is unbelievable. It's such a hard thing to steal. Heavy and cumbersome. And then like the police came around. and And to be fair them, they came around quite quickly. But it was like...
00:44:53
Speaker
But how much are they going to get for a boiler? Yeah, and I wouldn't buy a second-hand boiler because you wouldn't it's it's just one of those things you don't trust. It's like um someone offered you a child's car seat. yeah You're like, well, I'm not going to put my child in something I don't know has been in like a crash or something. You're not going put a boiler on the wall.
00:45:08
Speaker
you just don't know where it's going to be. It could be so much effort. and yeah Unless you can do it yourself, presumably. But then you just wouldn't. Well, that's what they said. They were like, not to point the finger at you guys, but a like maybe a tradesman. A plumber? It can only be a plumber. Surely this was the easiest case to solve ever. A plumber who lives in the area obviously needed a boiler. Offering new boilers around like they're going out fashion. It's not going to be me doing it. I even know what to do this air-sauce heat pump.
00:45:35
Speaker
yeah But yeah, thanks, Chloe. Hopefully we helped you. Anyone else um wants to get in touch and say we're either ah advising really poorly or have your own questions, it's hello at DIYGuysPodcast.com. Or if you know where my boiler is. Can you imagine? It would be like one of those stories when someone gets their bike back from when they're the found it again, or like their first car. Yeah. Get your boiler back. What was the brand?
00:46:00
Speaker
It wasn't one of those positive ones that I had. No, it wasn't. I can't remember what brand it was now. The Potterton one that I spoke about in Gran's house that my my plumber was like, oh, they're amazing. They lasted 30 years. Clearly he was right. My Gran was there 30-odd years.
00:46:13
Speaker
And then the house I'm doing the kitchen on, their boiler, I'm talking about, I have to keep going. And they're replacing for their peep pump. That's Potterton as well. And that's really, so we should just all been buying these. Like 30-plus years, all of them. So the things we buy now is that yeah, 10 years, and it packs up. You're like, why? oh Yeah, exactly. What a big picture in the old days.
00:46:33
Speaker
God damn it. Terrible way to end the episode. It was what? Down that. Have a moan, have a moan. But we've got bit of uplifting news. Next week, we've got an interview with Lucy at Home Poppy Lane.
00:46:45
Speaker
So we've got that to look forward Exactly. So she's got 194,000 followers on Instagram. DIY tips, she does loads of the DIY herself and lots of indoor and outdoor stuff as well. So not just the interiors, there's loads of external stuff as well, isn't there?
00:46:59
Speaker
It's such a good like, like variants of stuff she goes over and like, she does like, she knows she's not like an expert and she's like, this is how I do it. And the tips and tricks you can get are just great. Yeah, and again, just living in the madness of doing your own stuff and how slow it can be. I've been doing my chimney breast stud work thing for like, I looked the other days, like four months. Like four months ago, stud work went up and then I insulated and plasterboarded it.
00:47:25
Speaker
And then literally painted it two months later and then the fireplace corks is on it now. Still haven't done the skirting, still haven't done the corners. It just takes forever. What is it with you and fireplaces? Grands wanting you ages to take it down and now this one. To be fair, this was money as well. I wouldn't have got a quote from the corks. was like, yeah, going have to wait. This is it, yeah.
00:47:44
Speaker
And going on holiday. Again. Yeah. again But yeah, thanks everyone for tuning in and hopefully I might have actually done some work next time um we speak to you and maybe we can grill Dan and what he's up to as you're always doing something and not enjoying your weekend. Yeah, exactly. yeah Always something.
00:48:03
Speaker
But yeah, thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next week.