We loooove African fabrics. Mother in law has a whole stash she's bought from Cape Town and she's offered me some to use for dresses if I want, but I should take a look at them at some point and see if there's any we might use for cushions and the like. Our stairwell is decorated with boards that gsv basically stapled a bunch of cool shwe-shwe fabric onto that we bought on a Cape Town jaunt - did it years ago and they still look great. Best cheap decor ever!No idea if this is your kind of thing or not, but this kind of colour scheme would work. (I made these from African fabric).
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Sounds like you have some solid walls. Having any solid walls at all points to a traditional build rather than timber frame so all your perimeter walls will be solid (walls to outside and your neighbours).Ah ok. How do I find that out? I have noticed that in some rooms it's really hard to even get a nail in the wall. So far I've just been using whatever nails/picture hooks were left up.
Can any DIY type give me some advice on extensions?
Planning to buy a house that has no downstairs toilet, a tiny kitchen and a couple of extensions already and trying to work out what we could do to the layout.
Here’s the floor plan
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This is the current kitchen and utility, so initially would plan to put fridge, freezer & tumble dryer plus coats and boots in the utility bit.
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Then there’s the weird conservatory/greenhouse on the back of the dining room. It’s not really a conservatory as not accessible from the house.
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I’m thinking it would be possible to extend along the back of the house and include utility & toilet in there but not sure about layout and where the toilet would go.
Ah yes, I hadn’t thought of that but there’s a little pantry bit between the stairs and kitchenMe neither, but looks like there's space behind the stairs before the kitchen for a toilet? Then extend across the back fullly and make the existing kitchen a utility and bootroom.
I think we will probably try to squeeze a loo under the stairs soonish, and then when we win the lottery the little kitchen can become a utility and the extension across the back can become a big open plan kitchen/dining space.
Who would I need to speak to about building a downstairs toilet? A builder? Or a plumber?
If it needs new walls and a door and stuff then a builder. A decent builder will know enough to check out the plumbing situation and tell you what's feasible.Who would I need to speak to about building a downstairs toilet? A builder? Or a plumber?
Be wary of those macerating toilets that are often advertised on TV as 'suitable for anywhere', they're not worth the effort.Who would I need to speak to about building a downstairs toilet? A builder? Or a plumber?
I've got one of those never had a problem with it. Is a bit noisy though.Be wary of those macerating toilets that are often advertised on TV as 'suitable for anywhere', they're not worth the effort.
I know people who have one and there's four of them in their house - they reckon it's not up to a high throughput, shall we say.I've got one of those never had a problem with it. Is a bit noisy though.
When I did my garage conversion, I got a total price from the builder and he subcontracted the plumbing & electrics. Just make sure you get to choose your own toilet or they'll just get the cheapest one from a builders merchant.Who would I need to speak to about building a downstairs toilet? A builder? Or a plumber?
I inherited a saniflow and it has been fine, but it is noisy. Basically it liquidises the shit and pumps it away down a relatively narrow pipe so can be installed in places where you can't access the main waste pipe. Mine is in an ensuite bathroom so only used by one person, and I agree it might be hard pushed to deal will a family of 5.Be wary of those macerating toilets that are often advertised on TV as 'suitable for anywhere', they're not worth the effort.