When I was renovating our first house I was fortunate enough to be able to access second hand materials, which made a big saving.
My empire of dirt...
- Thread starter Chizel - Founding Father
- Start date
I get 2nd hand and seconds where I can. Got 5 windows for $50 each and the ply flooring was 2nd grade but nothing wrong with it. Also have a mate who works for a fixings outfit so I get all my screws and bits for just over cost. Made some planters for his boss so he really looks after me.
5 months this Friday not 4... my maths is teriyaki
Yesterday I removed the front door, framed out the opening and boarded it up.
What a mess... all sorts of boards and packers in there, hundreds of nails and all the studsmade up of 2 or 3 pieces..
Took alot longer than expected as always but got there in the end.
Today I have a few small bits of ply to patch in the floor, put some guttering up, mow the lawn, tidy the garage and do an oil change on the car before heading down to auckland...
easy.....
What a mess... all sorts of boards and packers in there, hundreds of nails and all the studsmade up of 2 or 3 pieces..
Took alot longer than expected as always but got there in the end.
Today I have a few small bits of ply to patch in the floor, put some guttering up, mow the lawn, tidy the garage and do an oil change on the car before heading down to auckland...
easy.....
Did you expect anything different in an old house chiz? It's always a patchwork quilt of many years fuckups
it will be super in the end 
Section of guttering up.. the routing of the downpipe is only a temporary measure to get the water away from my lovely new piles!
At some point I have to remove some of the decking as those piles need attention also and whilst I'm under there I will run a pipe and connect the downpipe to that...
There is no storm water drains on the properties in this street but many years ago, my neighbor, Mark, ran a pipe from his house, across our lawn and into the other neighbors swamp.. he put a tee in this to take the water from our house. I found that pipe when I cut the deck back..
Dam handy!!!
It also runs directly under the end of the lean to I built on the back of the garage so that gutter can be connected to it as well...
At some point I have to remove some of the decking as those piles need attention also and whilst I'm under there I will run a pipe and connect the downpipe to that...
There is no storm water drains on the properties in this street but many years ago, my neighbor, Mark, ran a pipe from his house, across our lawn and into the other neighbors swamp.. he put a tee in this to take the water from our house. I found that pipe when I cut the deck back..
Dam handy!!!
It also runs directly under the end of the lean to I built on the back of the garage so that gutter can be connected to it as well...
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You can see in the second pic that the grass seed we put down 2 weeks ago has started to sprout!
Happy days! More lawn to mow....
Happy days! More lawn to mow....
Given the time and money, you could have torched that house and built another, in the time it takes to patch that one up.
Once you've put so much soul into it you'll be reluctant to move it on and start again.
Once you've put so much soul into it you'll be reluctant to move it on and start again.
Yep, it would be way faster to build from scratch.. not sure it would be cheaper, depends on the spec. Didn't have that option though given our budget and the difficulties of even finding a place. Also b loves these old houses.
As for moving and starting again, I'm to old for all that!!! It could be a good way to make money though.. I think just repiling and a tidy up would see the most profit...
Rebel
Well-known member
Chiz, wouldn't you collect the rain water into a silo and seperate tank with pump in < this bit for washing down your car/bike/s house & garden Skip to ''Backyard'' section of the video Then to T off to filteration system for drinking water
We are on mains water which ain't too expensive.
Not sure about around here but in some areas it's illegal to collect rain water for drinking if mains is available.
Tank would be pretty costly to set up and takes up space.
Was going to put a water butt (200ltr drum) at the garage lean to for watering garden, washing bikes ect but is it worth the bother? 1000 ltrs cost around $4.33 atm plus a standing charge of $170 odd per year..
Still might do the water butt thing if for nothing else but having a water supply out the back for the chickens ( when we get em) with out having to run a hose or walk to far...
Rain water collection is very common in nz though. Even on the out skirts of the bigger cities alot don't have mains water.
Mains water is for queers, we have a private supply
Probs cost a fortune compared to council tax reduction
Yesterday I started cleaning what remained of the wallpaper in our new bedroom. Waste of time as it was hanging off most places so I stripped it all. Took just over an hour.. then I trough a couple of coats of paint on. Walls are fucked but it's a bit better.
Today I've just put skirts back on temporarily and am going to paint the ply floor.
We have laminate for the bedrooms but there is no point laying that yet. The paint is just to make it easier to clean in the interim.
Today I've just put skirts back on temporarily and am going to paint the ply floor.
We have laminate for the bedrooms but there is no point laying that yet. The paint is just to make it easier to clean in the interim.
I said this before I think you need to explain it properly to himIt's a new room. You know what to do!
So yesterday we drove to south auckland to pick up the rest of the sheets of flooring we need then to west auckland for some French doors.
With the pick ups and a stop for a burger and a beer it was a 10 hour round trip!
We have a friend that is a sales rep for a builders merchant down there and she let us know that the flooring that normally retails for $210 was on clearance for $50 a sheet so we snaged the 14 sheets we need to finish and saved a good chunk of change!
They also had a few specials tables with things like roller sleeves that retail for $11 going for $1 so we filled a large box of bits and bobs, over a grands worth for $116...
Then out west to see a guy that has stacks of demo stuff. Mostly windows and doors.
Been looking for french doors for both bedrooms and the dinning area.
The prices are insane for second hand stuff ( worse for new obviously) we talking 2k for a reasonable set around 12-1500 wide.
Anyhu, I put a cheeky bid of 450 on a nice 1300 wide set for the master bedroom and won so off we went.
While there I snagged a smaller set ( minus frame) for the spare bedroom for $100! They do need a bit of work and one door is 40 mm narrower than the other so slightly smaller panes of glass. Took me a while to notice this and don't think anyone else will..
They have identical moldings and had been used as a set before..
He also has a large 4 door bifolding set ( 2.4 wide by 2.2 high) that wold be awesome in the dinning area that he will let us have for $1200. A demo yard would have 4-5k on these, from what I've seen recently..
Trailer was full and we needed to think, have a measure up at home and do a budget so we asked for a day of 2 to make our mind up with a view to picking up next weekend if we want em.
No problem, he's gunna hold off listing em till he hears back from us..
Money is running very low, but I think we would be mad not to buy them. ..
Pics a Lil later we b wakes up and sends em to me....
With the pick ups and a stop for a burger and a beer it was a 10 hour round trip!
We have a friend that is a sales rep for a builders merchant down there and she let us know that the flooring that normally retails for $210 was on clearance for $50 a sheet so we snaged the 14 sheets we need to finish and saved a good chunk of change!
They also had a few specials tables with things like roller sleeves that retail for $11 going for $1 so we filled a large box of bits and bobs, over a grands worth for $116...
Then out west to see a guy that has stacks of demo stuff. Mostly windows and doors.
Been looking for french doors for both bedrooms and the dinning area.
The prices are insane for second hand stuff ( worse for new obviously) we talking 2k for a reasonable set around 12-1500 wide.
Anyhu, I put a cheeky bid of 450 on a nice 1300 wide set for the master bedroom and won so off we went.
While there I snagged a smaller set ( minus frame) for the spare bedroom for $100! They do need a bit of work and one door is 40 mm narrower than the other so slightly smaller panes of glass. Took me a while to notice this and don't think anyone else will..
They have identical moldings and had been used as a set before..
He also has a large 4 door bifolding set ( 2.4 wide by 2.2 high) that wold be awesome in the dinning area that he will let us have for $1200. A demo yard would have 4-5k on these, from what I've seen recently..
Trailer was full and we needed to think, have a measure up at home and do a budget so we asked for a day of 2 to make our mind up with a view to picking up next weekend if we want em.
No problem, he's gunna hold off listing em till he hears back from us..
Money is running very low, but I think we would be mad not to buy them. ..
Pics a Lil later we b wakes up and sends em to me....
In between beers today I started stripping the wall in the bedroom where the French doors will go..
It has rimu sarking on it behindc the plaster board..
spent a Lil while running a bit through the thickneser but as it is so bendy it takes an age and is killing the machine.. comes up fucken lovely but probably too good for the look we want. Have decided to sand/wire brush it to clean it up and use it for a feature wall.
It has rimu sarking on it behindc the plaster board..
spent a Lil while running a bit through the thickneser but as it is so bendy it takes an age and is killing the machine.. comes up fucken lovely but probably too good for the look we want. Have decided to sand/wire brush it to clean it up and use it for a feature wall.
Gunna sound proof the wall it's going on as it's backs onto what will be the guest room... can't have my very limited fun time messed up just cause we have mates over!!!!