That 'big project' I've been banging on about for a few years now....

[James Harrison]

With all the legal-y bits more or less tidied up, signed off and out the way, I can let slip now.  I've bought an Edwardian house- and here's the plan.  I'm going to take it back to something approaching its original internal appearance, or as close as I can reasonably achieve without causing myself undue grief (I don't want all electrical appliances plugged into a light fitting, for instance). 

I take formal ownership next Friday (February 7) and whilst I won't be able to move in immediately (completely lacking anything in the way of furniture, fixtures and fittings and the ephemera you need to live comfortably), once I've accrued the basics I'll be moving over and the Grand Project will begin. 

[Banfili]

Congratulations, James!!

What a project you have set yourself - there will lots of joy, a bit of frustration (more than a bit, really!) tears and tantrums, but the end product will be worth the stress and grey hair!!

[morozow]

Olee! Olee! Olee!

I don't know why that particular exclamation was made.

Congratulations, empty house, everything from scratch and even worse. It looks romantic and inspiring. But I know, actually, it's a lot of worries. But I know You can handle it.

P.S. Damn translator. He seems to have started again with denials. I believe In your skills and success.

[Sorontar]

Congrats for the purchase and good luck for the project! We moved house 6 months ago and our new place feels much more "us", much more comfortable and better matching who we are (but unfortunately not the steamy part). I hope your new place, with or without the changes, soon will feel that same for you.

Sorontar

[Miranda.T]

I have no doubt the outcome will be an unalloyed triumph I'm looking forwards to hearing updates on the project's progress.

Yours,
Miranda.

[The Bullet]

Congrats!

When thinking back, I bought my house in much the same condition and ripped out ALL electrice right to the main box where the "big" cable comes in through the wall.
Re-doing it all was the best idea ever. Now I know every wire has proper diameter, all fuses are the correct rating, and all cable routes are documented.

[James Harrison]

First order of business when I get in will be what I know as a measured survey; out with the measuring tapes, pencil and drawing board to produce a series of drawings of the structure in its current state.  I can foresee myself producing a few sets of these, one purely structural, one for services, lighting, electrical outlets, waterpipes etc etc etc.  Then a trip to the local records office to find any information about the house as originally built; one document lists it as built in 1900, another lists it as 1920, the local historical society place it 1900-1910 and the Ordnance Survey doesn't show it before 1923. 

When that's done I'll do some small scale investigation work to find any remnants of previous decor or signs of any panelling or railing that has been stripped out (it would surprise me if I find anything dating back to the time of construction, the walls must have been replastered at some point in the last 100 years).  Then I can start drawing up my own plans. 

[Banfili]

Go James!

[James Harrison]

I'm in! 

[Deimos]

omg...I am so envious!

Brick exterior and a bay window! Wood floors and high baseboards!  Very punky radiator grill!
(What is the black "surrounding" material on two of the grates? Steel? Painted Brass?)

You have landed a very attractive retro, non-cookie cutter house. It just begs for a Vic-wardian address plate and bell-pull.
But (a most delicate subject) I do hope the drains are good. (There's always something mentioned about "the drains"  in that era).

I repeat most emphatically: I am sooooooo envious!
     

[Darkhound]

Soooo nice! Excellent fireplaces (particularly the one in photographs 2 and 4), and the restoration looks more than feasable. Congratulations, Sir!

[Hurricane Annie]

That is a marvelous project you lucky so ann so.  Are you intending to do a fair bit of the work yourself?

{...slinks back to little bungalow thread...}

[Banfili]

Nice, very nice, James! You should have some fun with that!

[James Harrison]

omg...I am so envious!

Brick exterior and a bay window! Wood floors and high baseboards!  Very punky radiator grill!
(What is the black "surrounding" material on two of the grates? Steel? Painted Brass?)

You have landed a very attractive retro, non-cookie cutter house. It just begs for a Vic-wardian address plate and bell-pull.
But (a most delicate subject) I do hope the drains are good. (There's always something mentioned about "the drains"  in that era).

I repeat most emphatically: I am sooooooo envious!
     

Thanks!  The black material could be steel, iron or slate, I'm not sure which (and that's assuming they're original to the house if they're later additions they could be anything).  At some point the house was connected up to the main drainage, so I'm not too concerned about that as it's a water company/ county council issue. 

That is a marvelous project you lucky so ann so.  Are you intending to do a fair bit of the work yourself?

{...slinks back to little bungalow thread...}

I'm hoping to.  My background is architecture/ architectural conservation (and I'm a design engineer by employment) so I'm quite well placed to know what I want and see that I get it, even if my involvement is only drawing it up.  A lot of it (should be) simple DIY so I should be able to take a fairly hands-on role, at the moment my ideas don't run to ripping out the kitchen and bathroom.  My parents did that recently and it led to months of chaos- never again, at least not in the short term. 

Soooo nice! Excellent fireplaces (particularly the one in photographs 2 and 4), and the restoration looks more than feasable. Congratulations, Sir!

Nice, very nice, James! You should have some fun with that!

Thank you both!

[Miranda.T]

It really is crying out for a sympathetic restoration, so it's very lucky to have you as an owner 

Yours,
Miranda.

[Madasasteamfish]

omg...I am so envious!

Brick exterior and a bay window! Wood floors and high baseboards!  Very punky radiator grill!
(What is the black "surrounding" material on two of the grates? Steel? Painted Brass?)

You have landed a very attractive retro, non-cookie cutter house. It just begs for a Vic-wardian address plate and bell-pull.
But (a most delicate subject) I do hope the drains are good. (There's always something mentioned about "the drains"  in that era).

I repeat most emphatically: I am sooooooo envious!
     

Thanks!  The black material could be steel, iron or slate, I'm not sure which (and that's assuming they're original to the house if they're later additions they could be anything).  At some point the house was connected up to the main drainage, so I'm not too concerned about that as it's a water company/ county council issue. 

Well based on my experience of working in historic houses I'd suggest that it was built turn of the last century (1890-1910ish) based on what can be seen from the exterior, although the title deeds should give an exact date) and I'd hazard a guess at the 1st and 3rd fireplaces being original (judging by their size and design, I assume they're in upstairs rooms) which given the probable date of construction would most likely mean they're likeliest to have been removed whenever central heating was installed, and I can't see someone reinstating them without opening the flue (or replacing it with a modern fireplace). The last fireplace is certainly historic (but could easily be a reclamation job) the other I can't be sure of without getting a good look at it in person.

[James Harrison]

Fireplaces 1 and 3 are upstairs in the bedrooms.  I believe they're cast iron, and I can only ascribe their survival after some radiators were fitted to someone looking at them and then at the impossibly steep stairs and then back at them and back at the stairs and thinking 'nah'.  I believe the flues are open but neither have hearths, which begs the question where then the ashes are expected to fall.  Both downstairs fireplaces have decent hearths. 

The downstairs fireplaces as you say could be modern replacements-by which I mean reclamation yard jobs- they're certainly very very nice but somehow they don't 'gel' with the feel of the rest of the house.  They don't really strike me as the sort of thing you'd expect to find in a terraced house built for a footplateman.  They're not going anywhere though.     

[Hurricane Annie]

 

Knowing what you want and how to get it puts you 2 steps ahead of the game. Your well equipped for the task with that professional background. Enjoy the journey and all its  rewards and punishments.   

[Madasasteamfish]

Fireplaces 1 and 3 are upstairs in the bedrooms.  I believe they're cast iron, and I can only ascribe their survival after some radiators were fitted to someone looking at them and then at the impossibly steep stairs and then back at them and back at the stairs and thinking 'nah'.  I believe the flues are open but neither have hearths, which begs the question where then the ashes are expected to fall.  Both downstairs fireplaces have decent hearths. 

The downstairs fireplaces as you say could be modern replacements-by which I mean reclamation yard jobs- they're certainly very very nice but somehow they don't 'gel' with the feel of the rest of the house.  They don't really strike me as the sort of thing you'd expect to find in a terraced house built for a footplateman.  They're not going anywhere though.     

Well, from my recollection fireplaces in bedrooms were only rarely (if ever) lit IIRC the only time a fire would be lit in a bedroom would be lit in cases of sickness.

With the extra information I'm inclined to say fireplace #2 is most likely to be a replacement (the house would probably have been built to accommodate a range and the alcove would have been subsequently filled in to comply with the clean air act at the latest, but you'd need to take the wall back to the brickwork to confirm).

[James Harrison]

Fireplace 2 was definitely built as a fireplace; the wall is stepped out (ie- there are alcoves either side) to get the chimney flue in.  Assuming there was a range, the likely place for it would have been the party wall in the kitchen, or if not there an alternative (albeit an unlikely one) would be the back wall between kitchen and scullery/ WC, which was knocked through to create a longer room.  I'm hoping to book some time at the local records office in a few weeks; there might be an original plan I can find. 

 

[Hez]

Do let us know when the housewarming party starts.  I'll bring scones.

[Deimos]

Do let us know when the housewarming party starts.  I'll bring scones.

Excellent idea.
James, if you'll provide the tea I'll bring the brandy.

[Darkhound]

Fireplaces 1 and 3 are upstairs in the bedrooms.  I believe they're cast iron, and I can only ascribe their survival after some radiators were fitted to someone

You mean they're not the same fireplace? You have two of those?

(Smoldering Envy.)

[Banfili]

That is a marvelous project you lucky so ann so.  Are you intending to do a fair bit of the work yourself?
{...slinks back to little bungalow thread...}

I shall slink back with you, Hurricane!
Wouldn't mind something like, but do really need a bungalow-style cottage or cottage-style bungalow - stairs and I are not the best of friends. Anything more than one level and I need a lift (elevator) if I am going to be up and down all day in my own home!

And I will smoulder with envy alongside Darkhound! No fireplace in my little weatherboard bungalow, but I did put in a wood-burner!

[James Harrison]

The move-in has begun; a couple hundred books have gone over (and it still looks like I've three times as many to actually shift...)

In other news, a television stand arrived (that's going in the alcove in the front room), as did a rather nice table and chairs (for the dining room) and a bed is turning up tomorrow.  So I have at least the rudiments of some furnishings.  I'm looking at a nice leather Chesterfield sofa too- if it can be made to fit- but that's a purchase for next month.  

Some outline design ideas....





First thoughts for the front sitting room/library.

For the dining room I have in mind lighter colours (it faces north so needs all the help it can get) with a picture rail and frieze, a nice arts and crafts style wallpaper (probably not a Morris original as they're £80 a roll at least) down to chair rail level and then matchboard panelling below that.