RENOVATING A 1930'S HOME; OUR VISION BECOMES A REALITY
In the previous blog, I shared how we found our home and the decision to renovate, not extend. This continues the story, with the renovation process.
THE CHALLENGES OF HEATING A PERIOD PROPERTY
So where did we start? It had to be the heating! The old oil boiler kept packing up at the most inconvenient times and we had an unsightly oil tank located behind a shed which added a nasty waft of heating oil to all al fresco dining. One of the drawbacks of having oil delivered to your house is remembering to order the oil before running out. I was caught out several times and it was over a week before the oil was delivered. Friends and neighbours lent us electric heaters but we wanted to avoid this being a regular thing! On top of that, if you run out of oil you need to get a plumber to come in and flush out the pipes before you can use the boiler again. It is very trying when you’re used to gas central heating!
So, we started researching air source heat pumps. Our neighbour had recently rebuilt their house and had these installed instead of reverting to oil boilers. The initial cost was about 40% more than installing a new oil boiler, however, we realised that with the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive, we could claim back the full cost of an air source heat pump over time. To qualify, we had to live in the house and had it serviced every year – no problem! (I believe this scheme has now changed and grants are available for people wishing to install heat pumps). It is a greener way of heating our house, the smell has gone, I don’t have to remember to get the oil topped up and, in the long run, it is more financially viable.
Of course, installing an air source heat pump in an old house isn’t straightforward. They are designed for highly insulated new build houses with underfloor heating and this is where they work best. We needed to make sure the walls had cavity insulation, that the loft was insulated as much as possible and we took up and insulated all the floors which were going to have underfloor heating.
You also need space to house all the ‘kit’ associated with a heat pump, including a boiler-style unit and a hot water tank; tricky in a small property. We couldn’t afford to lose any internal space so we needed a fresh approach. After much deliberation, my husband came up with the genius idea of buying an old shipping container; one section could be isolated as the plant room and the rest as a studio for me. I wasn’t going to turn down that option!
HOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Our chalet bungalow had a curious combination of UPVC windows at the front, installed 10 years previously and original single-glazed windows and external doors elsewhere. It was drafty, cold and not aesthetically pleasing. We didn’t want all the heat to leak out, so windows and doors were the next steps in creating an energy-efficient, cosy home. With these major upgrades, we had spent half our budget, but it was worth every penny!
STRUCTURAL RENOVATION WORKS
The only structural work we carried out was in the kitchen diner. Originally, this had been two separate rooms both containing fireplaces. The previous owners had removed the chimney on this side of the house and partly knocked it through to make a kitchen diner. The space still felt cramped and a new layout was needed to make it work for us.
We removed the entire wall between the kitchen and dining room, closed up the door leading to the stairs and closed up the back door. We then installed gorgeous French doors opening right onto the patio at the back. It’s so nice having the doors open in the summer and having a sightline from the front of the house right through to the garden.
These alterations maximised the space and created a wider galley kitchen. The footprint has not changed at all, but it feels spacious and who needs a £100k kitchen extension anyway!
To finish off the kitchen diner we installed underfloor heating and an engineered oak parquet floor. We completely redesigned the lighting, installed a new kitchen, plastered and decorated throughout. We are not experienced enough, nor have the time, to do all of this. I project managed professional trades for the majority of the work, however, we did get hands-on – undertaking all the decorating ourselves.
THE ADVANTAGE OF SMALLER ROOMS
The rest of the house was quite simple in comparison. The ground floor bathroom was gutted, including taking up the flooring to install underfloor heating. We installed a larger shower and replaced everything else. It’s not a big space, but we have squeezed every inch out of it and it works perfectly for us.
An advantage of a smaller space is being able to splash out on tiles! I am a sucker for a pattern and I sourced some gorgeous black and white geometric tiles from Fired Earth for the floor. The tiler may not have agreed with my choice; his eyes might have gone slightly squiffy by the time he’d finished the job, but it looks amazing and it makes me smile every day.
There was an original 1930s fire surround in the living room which had seen better days. I am all for retaining original features, but this crumbling fire surround was a step too far. We replaced it with an efficient log burner. The whole room was plastered and decorated before new furniture was bought. This small double-aspect room comes into its own on a cold winters evening. We close the door, light the burner and put our feet up; bliss.
RENOVATING THE BEDROOMS
Over the last couple of years, we have replastered and decorated the kid’s bedrooms and made them into cosy spaces ideal for teenagers to hang out. They are both at university now, but I am pretty sure they still love coming home.
Our bedroom was a different matter. Located in the eaves, it was an odd ‘L’ shape made more awkward due to a couple of large loft cupboards. We squeezed in a king-size bed and a chest of drawers, but a clothes rail from Amazon was my only option for a wardrobe. To further complicate any redesign, the loft cupboards house our electricity meter and we were quoted nearly £5000 to relocate it.
After sketching out different ideas, we decided to knock down part of a cupboard to create a rectangular floor plan. We knocked through into the eaves on the opposite side of the room to create one long run of cupboards, which we now use as a wardrobe.
The only place we could fit our bed was underneath the window; a controversial decision according to family and our electrician!! We had no option and I liked the idea of sleeping under the window. We are not overlooked and have not had a window dressing in this room since we moved in. Honestly, the view is just too good to cover up, even at night!
REALISING OUR DREAM TO UNDERTAKE A PROJECT
So, it has taken us the best part of five years to renovate the house, but we have realised our dream. We have given an old property a new lease of life and have a glorious home. If we had stuck to the original plan, extending the house and pushing ourselves financially, I honestly believe we would still be living on a building site. Not extending was one of the best decisions we have made. We love what living in a small space has taught us, it is warm, cosy and welcoming; what more could we ask for?
