What professionals do we need?
Steven McIntyre
2 years ago
We want to change the internal layout of our flat to make better use of unusable space and to upgrade and modernise the kitchen and bathrooms. The heating and hot water is currently electric with emersion heaters and individual boilers. We are quite interested in installing on demand hot water throughout the flat.
We are open to suggestion and have been thinking about removing one of the bathrooms and making the bedrooms bigger.
We don’t know which walls are load bearing and which can be easily removed and want to do minimum changes for maximum effect.
This is the first time we’ve taken on a project like this and need some advice about which professionals we should be approaching for quotes.
Do we need an architect? Do we need an interior designer? Do we need both?
Any and all advice is very welcome.
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Ricky Watkins
2 years agoSteven McIntyre
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Please help. I need suggestions for exterior redesign of house.
Comments (15)hello bonnielynn75 and THANK YOU! your comment put a smile on my face re the red on the interior side of the door. It IS red on the inside as well, he insisted on that when we purchased it. no one here has it red on the inside and I wanted it to be white on the inside. do you see my dilemma?;) I agree with everything you are saying, I suppose this is the reason why so far I was not 100% sure about the black for the door either, although I like black...Agree, there is too much wall and I find the house to be looking a bit 'bland' and would like to change that. I LOVE shutters, but read somewhere that you never put shutters on wide windows, so got unsure about that, too...but perhaps just the one as I stated earlier. Would the color on that shutter be the same as the door (if I ever settle on a door color)? Unfortunately window boxes are not an option as we have quite a few cats and they may be used as litter boxes;) please don't tell me to get rid of the cats;)... Regarding the stoop (entrance) : we need to add another step (made of cement) on top of the existing step: it was removed when the new door was fitted. We were thinking of putting slate tiles or something dark to match the roof, if that makes any sense.... It is porous cement so unsuitable for painting, I think. What place in Ireland did you visit, we are close to the Irish Sea in the country surrounded by sheep;)......See MoreWe all use Houzz - What other tools do you use?
Comments (12)I've had a look at free offerings for floor planning software. It depends on the level you want to go to. Sweethome3D http://www.sweethome3d.com/ is truly free because it's open source (no fees if you want to draw more than one plan etc). I've found I can get reasonably detailed with it from layout perspective but I doubt it would be good enough for a drawings for a building permit (although I'm not certain of this). As a graphic designer you'll have an affinity for graphics software. If you want to be able to draw more detailed drawings Id take the time to learn Sketchup. I know some architects use this as their software of choice. I'm definitely with you @Jason Carter - the only way to really control your budget is to plan ahead and choose and price everything that you can think of before you break ground. Otherwise you're in a situation where you have to make quick compromises during the build which leads to mistakes etc. In my work we use requirements tracking tools. I think it would be really helpful to communicate to the contractors exactly what is going to go on in the room - why the extra outlets are there and in the position they're in. That way they have a deeper understanding of why the specs are the way they are and they don't make decisions that detract from the design - they might even come up with suggestions that support the ideas behind the designs....See MoreTerrible tiles, what to do ????
Comments (22)I'm pretty sure they will have been put in to provide a non-combustable zone behind and around the stove. We are about to install a wood burning stove and the installation instructions specify an area that needs to be heat resistant. Removing or even painting them behind the stove would be difficult and potentially dangerous. I would either paint the rest of the chimney breast a dark green to reduce the impact of the tiles, or add a fire surround (checking with the manufacturer or a reputable installer about clearance) and some painted tongue and groove cladding over the chimney breast depending on your preferred style....See MoreWhy do we use SheepWool as Insulation for an attic?
Comments (0)We all know the importance of heating our home, especially when that cold, cold grip comes in those long winter months. Sheep don’t seem to worry about this, - if you think about it they are out in the most severe cold winds and rain and sometimes up high on mountain areas where it is even more harsh than we normally experience during those cold months. So how come Sheep dont’ mind? – because they have ... wool.... natural sheep wool is an insulator in itself so it’s no wonder that we now have decided to copy those sheep and use this beautiful natural wool as an insulator for our homes. It is the most natural thing in the world and we know that it works! Insulation in the attic is especially key, - because without that you lose over a quarter of the heat that you spend money on generating in the home – right out through the roof – heat rises as they say, and so do the heating bills. You might think you have enough insulation up there, - but when you actually go and look you possibly will find, that what you thought you had – is almost gone. That is why using SheepWool Insulation is so good, because once you lay it down it won’t go away, it will continue to keep your home warm for years and years as it does for those little sheep on the top of the mountain. SheepWool Insulation ‘Comfort’ rolls are ideal for attic insulation. They can be rolled out handled with bare hands – no need for masks or gloves – just 100% pure wool. The beauty of this product is that you can do it yourself – safe and easy to handle. The rolls can be laid down over existing insulation and ideally the attic insulation should have a layer of insulation between the joists and another across the in the opposite direction this ensures that you cover the joists so no heat comes up through them and it also ensures that you keep all that heat down in the living space and that you don’t allow heat to escape into the attic thus keeping your home snug as a bug. These 100% pure sheepwool insulation rolls come pre-treated with a moth repellent, and as the insulation is 100% pure you are sure that it is totally natural and totally breathable. It also absorbs moisture, and provides a clean air environment by continuously purifying the air, thus keeping your home and your family healthy at the same time as keeping you cosy.... and ...the sheep don’t mind!...See MoreJonathan
2 years agoSteven McIntyre
2 years ago
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