IMPROVERS HOMES

In a series of case studies we take a look into the homes of our readers.

In this case study we follow the journey of Hannah and the House, an ongoing full home renovation. I fell in love with Hannah’s Instagram story and couldn’t wait to get this featured in the magazine! As an ongoing full house renovation, we will be following Hannah and her family in the next few editions of Improve Magazine, so bear with us for the ‘after’ pics’!

Hannah and her husband (with the help of their four children) have completed the majority of the renovations themselves, calling in the professionals as and when required. This feature covers the story so far and includes works on the windows, sliding doors, glass walls and roof lantern. So, let’s start with some family and project background! Is this your first renovation Hannah?

Hannah: Goodness no! In fact we’ve moved house 16 times! My husband is a now a consultant cancer surgeon but while training as a junior doctor he had to work in many different hospitals, hence a lot of house moving! Some were rentals but the ones we bought we always renovated. Each time putting money aside in order to buy and renovate the dream house. We have had to forgo nice holidays and new clothes but always make a home that really works for us and our noisy family.

So it’s fair to say you are an experienced renovator?

Hannah: I learnt pretty quickly that many jobs (as long as you are prepared to get your hands dirty) are quite easy! So armed with a Reader’s Digest DIY manual, I’ve become the project manager, the buyer, the designer, the insulator, the plasterboarder, and I also do basic electrics and plumbing, just bringing in the professionals if there’s something I physically can’t do myself. We even put in the roof lantern ourselves (which automatically closes when it rains, a feature we absolutely love)! When I met my husband I was an options broker. Wearing suits, heels and going to the gym every day. Now I put on yesterday’s filthy clothes as I know I’m going to get dirty again! I installed all of the underfloor heating myself and have done the majority of tiling in the whole house!

That’s some achievement! Will this particular renovation be for your forever home?

Hannah: I never say never! We have put our heart and soul into this renovation and we’re turning it into the perfect family home for our four children. While it was uninhabitable (and during the pandemic) we lived in ‘the shed’ a two bedroomed bungalow in the garden. Now we are currently enjoying the space of being back in the main house. We still need to save for carpets and we can’t do a new roof over the oldest bit of the house until this coming winter. This is due to bats in the tiniest space above the attic bedrooms, at the west end of the house. Once the new roof is in we can put on our external wall insulation. I still don’t have a kitchen and I don’t expect it to be completely finished until 2022, but yes, I believe this will be our forever home!

What tips and advice could you offer to someone else who is thinking of renovating?

Hannah: Well this is the first time I’ve ever used an architect and I’m glad I did. Sam Organ of C02 Architects was our choice and we asked Sam to take us out of our comfort zone as I’ve only ever lived in period properties. He said the planners would want to see a big contrast between the old part of the house and the new extension, so we went very modern with lots of glass. The layout is all my design, however, Sam was definitely the glass wall / glass void instigator, which I totally love! It means I can see the kids playing in the garden almost wherever I am in the house and the light is fantastic. Some of the rooms were very dark and damp and now everywhere is light and warm.

So your top tip would be to appoint an architect?

Hannah: We started this project with a local contractor who had the gift of the gab. He promised it would all be completed by August 2019. But sadly he just told lies, didn’t ever turn up when he said he would, put nice guys but very inexperienced workers on the job and I knew more than them! Every invoice had mistakes on! For example they would claim for people who had been on site but who I have never met, slightly strange given I’m here every day! Probably the most important thing I’ve learnt is if they don’t turn up when they say they will and you no longer trust them, then don’t be frightened to ask them to leave. You will find another builder.

How do you manage the renovation, without a contractor?

Hannah: I don’t have a contractor because I do most of the work myself, but its still really important to pull in the professionals when I need them. I have a handful of people for specific jobs, brilliant Bryn Rees, Digger Jones, Jaden, Olly, Marek, WDS for my renewables and Green Park Power. David Davies did my wooden sash windows, who is a local guy and has made windows for Prince Charles in the past, so I knew I was in good hands! Glasshouse have done all of my aluminium windows. Covid put a spanner in the works and delayed things and pushed the price up on lots of materials, but my husband and I just rolled up our sleeves again! I chose Glasshouse because I could afford their quote and I loved the fact the doors were so light and easy to slide. I actually went to the showroom to test them which is not something I often do! So in general, without a contractor, just call in the specialists when needed, and if they are too busy, we just crack on with it ourselves!

You know we are so excited to see your ‘after’ pics?! When do you expect the renovation to be complete?

Hannah: Well we still have the roof to finish, carpets to fit and the external wall insulation to do. We envisage the property will be completed by Summer 2022 and you will be the first to see the photographs! We’ve tried to be as eco friendly as possible with a ground source heat pump and solar panels, so each part of this project has taken longer than your average house renovation! We’ve got a rental at the back of the property which I’m concentrating on at the moment, in order to earn some money to fund finishing the rest of the house!! All of the house is going pink too, as it was originally, so once I’ve got that done and cleaned the windows, I’m hoping to have some great images ready for you and your readers!

Hannah comments: “Our first process was to get in as many quotes as we could but so many were out of our price range! Glasshouse were one of the affordable ones. I went to visit the Glasshouse showroom in Cardiff and just loved the way the Reynaers doors opened. They work on a lift & slide system so are easy to manoeuvre. The fact you can lock them shut a bit, whilst leaving open, means you don’t have to have ugly window vents and they are so light and easy to open and shut. The staff at Glasshouse couldn’t have been more helpful, including the fitters. I would definitely recommend them!”

The wooden windows were produced by a local company who has carried out work for HRH Prince Charles, so Hannah felt she was in good hands! The front door is a red composite door and a Portico is currently being built around the entrance. The frontage of the property is to be finished in pink.

With eight bedrooms, this renovation needs a lot of windows!

Sliding doors installed to Master Bedroom and Dining Room

ROOF LANTERN & GLASS WALL

Lantern roofs are a modern home improvement that allows homeowners to let natural light flood into their property. These innovative roofs can be installed into a wide variety of conservatories, orangeries and properties to bring a bright and spacious feel throughout. Hannah chose this type of roof lantern because of the generous glazing areas and slim sightlines which maximises the amount of light coming into her home. The minimalist design gives a modern flair, offering a roof design that offers the very best in both function and form.

ANR specialists ltd supplied a full contract lift package to install a curtain wall at Hannah’s house, the weight of each glazed unit was 285kg. Each section took perfect planning and made easy work to this amazing project. It’s going to be an amazing view!

I can stretch, but I can’t reach the top! An example of a completed roof lantern installation, as provided by Glasshouse Ltd, Cardiff

Roof Lantern is in!

SLIDING DOORS & GLASS GOING IN

Hannah chose these large span sliding doors to make the most of her stunning view of the Welsh mountains. Manufactured by Glasshouse in Cardiff, the Reynaers CP 130 lift and slide doors are a premium insulated sliding system combining great aesthetics with high weather performance with enhanced security. The system glides smoothly on durable, stainless steel wheels that are lifted into place with a simple rotation of the handle before opening and closing. This reduces the friction and makes the operation smooth and effortless. In the

Master Bedroom Large Span Sliding Doors - cavity is ready to be installed

Cranes and Careful Handling Required! closed position, the lift and slide door is lowered onto the track, providing the additional weather resistance. The CP 130 lift and slide door can be even be opened and locked when just a few centimetres ajar, allowing a little fresh air in. Glasshouse have combined the first floor doors with an integrated, frameless glass balustrade so that the doors can be opened wide to enjoy the panoramic view. A sliding door opens up a multitude of possibilities, discover more of the Reynaers product range at reynaersathome.co.uk.

And the glass is going in!

An example of a completed sliding door installation, provided by Reynaers At Home

You can follow Hannah’s journey on Instagram: @hannahandthehouse

To keep up to date with our Improver’s homes, please follow us: @improve_magazine

PUB SHED AND GARDEN MAKEOVER

on a budget and all under £6k…

Over the course of the last 15 months or so, the restrictions on movement and travel have had a positive impact on the home and garden improvement market. With so much time spent at home, some of which on furlough, combined with the restrictions on hospitality and holidays, homeowners have utilised the time and disposable income to improve and renovate their living space and accommodate their new-found lifestyle.

It appears that gardens have now become more of an extension to the home, an entertainment or place of respite and relaxation or for those working from home, a working space or office away from the distractions, which they may encounter in their house. Mark Walker of Coseley, West Midlands, is one of the many who got the home and garden improvement bug! When Mark’s company temporarily shut down, owing to the pandemic, on 26th March 2020, he started to take advantage of his new-found free time to catch up on some internal home decorating. Initially Mark started to tackle the larger internal decorating and DIY jobs, that the wife had very kindly reminded him that he had put off owing to previous work and social commitments.

It wasn’t long before Mark found out that DIY jobs weren’t as demanding and arduous as he first thought, and it became apparent that a greater challenge was required! Eventually Mark decided to start the garden renovation at the end of April 2020, something he had had on his wish list and planned to fit in around work and other commitments.

Mark explains, “I had already drawn up plans and designed my new external recreation area and relaxation retreat. A new decking area, artificial grass, BBQ shack and the coveted ‘man cave’ / pub shed were all part of the plan. Having begun my research online, watched many videos and tutorials, joined social media groups and pages for gardens, man caves and pub sheds, I was amazed at seeing the volume of projects on the go and the timescales for delivery of materials and of course the desired ‘man cave’ / pub shed. I was working to a relatively tight budget, considering the work I had in mind and so I planned to carry out all the work myself, although my experience of carrying out works like this was very limited! YouTube and Google became my trusted working companion over the months and I learnt so much about myself and what can be achieved just from watching videos and my on-line research.” Rubble, rubble, toil & trouble! The hard work begins!

Mark Walker, proud Proprietor of The Piston Broke!

A cosy cabin, fresh green lawn and sturdy, secure doors.

Insulation is key for staying warm and cosy when sat at the bar!

“After engaging in conversations with many suppliers of garden rooms and summer houses, it became apparent that there was indeed a big surge in demand and I finally settled on a design and supplier, but inevitably I would have to wait until the end of July 2020 for delivery and installation. I was prepared to wait for something that I wanted, rather than compromise. I had contemplated completing the build myself, but after prepping and stripping the garden and building the base, I decided on purchasing one so that I could carry on with the rest of the garden makeover. The 4.8m x 3m (16x10) pent roofed summer house was purchased from a garden room manufacturer in Telford for £1775, which at the time was very reasonable and not much more than buying the materials and carrying out a self-build. The cost was for the ‘shell’, delivery and installation as I planned to insulate, board and build the interior myself.” “Whilst waiting for the ‘man-cave’ to arrive, I continued with the garden renovation, with a 2.4m x 2.4m wooden decking area attached to the already prepared man-cave base with materials coming in at just over £200. Next, I built a 2.4m x 1.8m timber BBQ shack with a pitched felt roof at a cost of approximately £300, which was to serve as a mini outside bar too.”

“I spent time shopping around for artificial grass and settled on a 42mm pile, which had good reviews from a local supplier and was to cover an area measuring just over 7m x 4m. The area was prepped, with approximately 75-90mm of hardcore laid and with the use of a compactor hired for just £30 for the weekend. A weed barrier was put on top of the hardcore followed by 75mm of sharp sand, with the compactor used to provide a nice flat finish. The artificial grass was pinned down and secured with a timber frame surround, with a slate path and sleepers separating the two areas and the perimeter of the grassed area. Allin-all, with the slate, sleepers, timber, hardcore, sand and artificial grass, it came in at a very reasonable £750!” “I remember my excitement on the day of the summer house arriving and watched as the structure was installed on my ready-made base and couldn’t wait to start to turn it in to a pub shed. I’d arranged for a commercial double sliding door beer fridge, my most expensive buy for the inside at £450, to arrive the same day as I set out my plans for the internal build. I’d already found some bargains on Facebook marketplace, with two pub tables for just £12 and following a pub closure 11 chairs, 6 stools and 2 bar stools for a bargain £80!” “I started the internal renovation of turning it in to a pub by insulating the walls and ceilings with a lightweight thermawrap, a bubblewrap type of insulation which was the equivalent to 65mm polystyrene insulation. Electrical cables were run around the internal walls for four ceiling lights, one bar light, two external light fittings and eleven double plug sockets – you can never have too many plug sockets, trust me! A mini consumer unit was fitted with armoured cable to the house unit, which was carried out by a qualified electrician – luckily we have a member of the family who did this for me.”

“The walls and ceiling were boarded using 9mm plywood, with the total cost of insulating and boarding coming in at around £700. The floor was insulated, and I laid laminate flooring at a total cost of £200. It meant I could start to build the bar, although I had already started to build the frame so that I could position and plan around the main feature of the build.”

“I used 47x47mm timber for the framework and boarded the exterior with 9mm plywood. 75x25mm timber was used to make a wooden panelling effect, which I carried on around the bottom part of the build and painted it a shade of grey. The bar top was made from scaffold boards! At just £13 each, they were a bargain and once sanded, a wood dye used and three coats of yacht varnish they provided a lovely looking and simple bar top.” “Decoration consisted of using a brick effect wallpaper on the top, with the grey wooden panelling effect on the bottom as the project started to take shape and look like my planned pub. I added a traditional hand pull beer pump, which is great for beer in a box ales and ciders, with the pipework going through the side of a small beer fridge I purchased off marketplace to keep the ale chilled at the right temperature. Heating comes from a 2kw electric fire, which has been enough to keep it toasty during the winter months.”

“It was now all about adding those extra’s to the project with a surround sound system added, 32” tv, projector and screen and of course the obligatory dartboard! Luckily, I used a surround system and tv that I already had whilst I purchased a projector from Amazon, which was a bargain and does a good job for the money. I’m quite into my music and a former DJ so adding disco lighting was a must! The addition of seven lights and lasers with a smoke machine enabled to create great lighting effects for when the party starts. You can get some great lights from the likes of Ebay and Amazon for anything between £25 and £50 each,

which create great lighting effects. I’ve also added a retro arcade games system to relive my youth with the likes of Pacman and Space Invaders, whilst also moving the Playstation in to create a father and son entertainment area.”

“I work for Selecta Systems, who are a PVCu window and door systems supplier and so being in the business, I’ve recently replaced the existing wooden French doors with new Advance 70 PVC French doors, for better security, thermal performance and noise reduction. The windows are next to be replaced with double glazed Anthracite Grey ones to match the doors.”

“With a lot of blood, sweat and beers the whole project was completed at a steady pace over six to seven months, but I must admit I’m still adding and buying Nik Naks to put on the walls or features within the pub shed and the garden. Many others have also proclaimed that you never really finish your pub shed and you just add, change and develop what you’ve got. I must agree, it’s definitely the case as it becomes a hobby and passion!” “This project has been so enjoyable and I’ve learnt so much about myself “Electrical cables were run around the internal walls for four ceiling lights, one bar light, two external light fittings and eleven double plug sockets – you can never have too many plug sockets, trust me!”

and what you can achieve with perseverance and the right mind set. I’ve done things I never thought I could do, but have a new found confidence to tackle DIY jobs and projects that I would never have considered doing previously. The garden and pub shed build has so far cost approximately £6000 and is in my opinion the best thing I’ve ever done and money well spent! In fact, plans are already afoot to extend on to the side with an under cover outdoor seating area, for those summer evenings. For those of your thinking about tackling a project like this, give it a go, you’ll be surprised what you can do and achieve, much like I was…”

In this case study we take a look into the home of one of our readers, who has shared a Front Door Renovation.

Helen Park-Weir loves a bit of DIY, so when she decided to strip her front door, she thought maybe the 4 day Easter weekend would be enough time to complete the project. Little did she realise that 80 hours of sanding later, the door still needed much more TLC to bring it back up to its former glorious condition. Once the sanding was done, the door frame needed some attention and a local carpenter was brought in

Helen Park-Weir

to replace this. Next on the agenda was to protect the beautiful bare wood. Seven coats of varnish later and voila! When chatting to the carpenter about this unique door, Helen discovered that it is thought to date back to around 1970 and would probably of been a bespoke hand carved commission, at that time.

Needless to say, Helen is delighted with the final result and loves her new front door. We agree, we love it too, and how pleasing to transform something into its original state. Take a look at the video, which shows the full renovation in quick time.

BEFORE

You can follow Helen on Instagram: @helenparkweir Keep up to date with our Improver’s Homes and follow us on: @improve-magazine

Do you have a renovation project you’d like to share with us? Please email: christina@improve-magazine.co.uk.