As an older person (62 in a month), I love seeing these old properties being modernised, those light fitting haunt me. You have plenty of work on your hands there Cameron, best of luck with not finding too many nasties that need too much work. Looks a really nice family house in the making. Looking forward to this series.. Paul..
@@TheDIYGuy1you should have a 2 way heating system so your stove if you get a multifuel stove you can dock it in to your heating system if you get a back boiler stove
I'd say the house isn't really a 'mess' as such, far from it actually. Just old decor wise due to being lived in by an older person with a few things to be rectified leak wise etc. Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll transform it into a great modern home :)
Agreed! Also, for being vacant for an extended period, it’s in great shape! It hasn’t been infested with mold, insects or vermin. So it’s fairly intact, save for the water issue in the utility room wall. But this place is a gem! I’m excited to see how you update this wonderful home.
Exactly. My elderly mum has just moved into a care home, leaving her bungalow empty. It has no known faults but is in a similar "in need of modernisation" condition. Perhaps her avocado bathroom suite will be back in fashion soon?
I've never understood why people are anxious to get rid of fanlight windows above internal doors. Their purpoe is to throw daylight in to a generally dark landing. I alo found when my kids were small the fanlights meant that we could turn their bedroom light off completely, and they got residual light from the landing until we went to bed (by which time they were asleep) and didn't need night lights in their rooms. I look forward to seeing your renovations here.
The problems start when people want to sleep in a dark room but the hall light keeps shining into the bedroom. Blinds should take care of that issue though.
my sister was almost in hospital after slamming her door. mine was always covered so the landing light didnt shine in. my dad soon got rid of them all after my sister smashed hers.
Those windows are called “ transom” windows and originally they were operable, for ventilation in the room. But they also share daylight. Shame to get rid of them!😟
I'm not sure why that house stood empty so long. I find it quite lovely, minus the operational issues. I love the stair rails, and the beautiful wood surround on the interior walk thru. The kitchen has a great layout. If the cabinets are in good shape, maybe a new stain or paint would spruce them up. I also like the fanlights above the doors to allow the house to have some great natural light throughout. My favorite is the garden. I would spend a lot of time out there. We have different tastes but it is your home and I am looking forward to seeing how you make it fit your family.
I thought that too, was expecting the house to be a mess but it isn’t that bad, I’m guessing the price wasn’t realistic but in this market there’s tons looking for a do upper. Doesn’t quite add up
This house is a time capsule of my 1960-70’s childhood. My mother would have loved the carpet in the lounge. Single sockets in each room was normal. An electric kettle, radio, tv, razor and hair dryer were the main things you would have plugged in back in the day. Looking forward to your renovation. Have fun. 🏡👏🏼🇦🇺
We have a similar aged house (1968) and also renovated whilst living here. We are not DIY experts, so we had professional help. The carpet and fireplace were similar to yours, but ours was gas. One socket per room, terrible central heating... One thing we did and I can highly recommend is put in Underfloor Heating. We used a system by Wunda, where we laid styrofoam panels with grooves in them, which we then 'walked' the pipes into. It was easy to lay (we did this bit ourselves) straight over the cement underfloor and meant we didn't need any radiators on the wall, which makes a surprising difference. We just lost about an inch in height, as that is how much the floor came up. The heating is also lovely and even throughout each room and controllable by room. I think this was one of the best decisions we made :)
When you remove the plants you don't want, you may be able to sell them. Lots of people want mature plantings. Same with the units in the utility room and kitchen. The better ones can be repurposed for your workshop. It's a nice house all in all. I'm surprised it was on the market for so long.
I love a good reno DIY and yours seems like it will be a nice one. I have read many of the existing comments, and I agree with those who say that all the "tearing out" and "throwing in the skip" isn't necessary. This house simply needs updating. If you can rethink some of your destruction then you won't be having to put so much in the landfill. The last I heard, England wasn't getting any bigger!
@@TheDIYGuy1probably too late to suggest you put in a separate wardrobe and have a close matching door to whatever you choose for the closet that's already there
Wow this house gives me nostalgia for my childhood. The carpets and the brick fireplace are beautiful and the kitchen so homely. I prefer this look to the modern minimalist drab grey I see everywhere now.
This is a lovely house . I particularly like the carpet in the dining room. A real treasure from the 1970's when proper patterns and wool carpets were bought to last, non of this grey plastic stuff you get today. The wood is also great and definitely a 1980's kitchen from when the sheds in the town were a new idea. Yes sheds! Do not destroy your sheds Reuse them. You are handy with tools remake them into something new for the children to play in! Remember old is not all bad & think before you throw because you will have better quality than your mates and different. "Do different" like a Norfolk boy would!
I love the light fitting in the lounge! I personally like the retro vibe - sick of the predictable white/clinical/high gloss/grey identikit interiors that everyone does now. Some more sympathetic carpet, make a feature of some of the retro details mixed with updated wiring and services.
Aw I would keep some of the 70’s features, the brick hearth, the archway to the diner, the windows at the top of the doors… really quaint and add a bit of something not many houses have any more. Can make them look pretty nice too with the right decor. Good luck with the project
The kitchen is definitely a 1980s replacement - the style of the wooden cabinets, the cooker built in across the corner with the built in oven under the hob and of course the extractor hood - that style was very popular in the 1980s. The units in the utility room would be original to the house and indeed might have been the original kitchen units at one time.
At one house I lived in we had bathroom carpet that was very light & easy to take up & machine wash, on top of lino. It was made of springy fibre that more or less spread itself out after washing. was brilliant, dried quickly & made the floor warmer in winter.
Absolutely, late 80s by the looks of it, maybe even early 90s if the owners were a bit conservative. I inherited a 1987 kitchen with an almost identical brown sink a while ago. My units are Scandinavian pine though (the whole kitchen was made in Denmark and shipped here) and in really good nick, I love them! All I did was replace the sink because it was quite grubby and worn, it's some kind of composite material and had some permanently discoloured and rough spots.
I grew up in a house built in 1973 in the states. We had some lovely plaid carpet along with different colored carpet in all the bedrooms, bathrooms and dining room (thankfully not the kitchen like our neighbors had). The entire house also a various wallpapers...just the closets were painted. We also had an avocado green stove and the phone in the kitchen with a cord that probably stretched 100 feet. Certainly not the style now but it does bring back some fun memories.
That house has got massive potential, even if you’re not a competent diyer. I’m surprised it been on the market that long! Looking forward to the rest of the series.
As a heating engineer of twenty years, heres my opinion for what its worth. On the whole combis arent that great for homes with multiple bathrooms. Youd be far better off with an unvented cylinder which will future proof your install for when you have your extension built. Also you cant just decide on a combi installl without other checks and a proper site survey. Combis use a lot more gas than the heat only you already have. So you will almost certainly need a renewed gas run unless you can site the boiler very close to the meter. Have you checked the incoming water pressure and flow rate? You need to know these before deciding on a combi. If you have a cylinder fitted instead then you could also have solar fitted in the future and then have free hot water for a good few months of the year. You could also have a twin coil cylinder fitted and heat it from the wood burner. You cant do either of these with a combi. Dont just jump into a combi install. On a personal note i wouldnt touch a Worcester with a barge pole. Bang average boilers backed up with a world class marketing team. Plastic pigs. As someone who has serviced and repaired probably 10K+ boilers in my career, IMHO get a either a Vailant or and Ideal Vogue with a cylinder. Hope this gives you a bit of useful guidance. All the best. Should have added. That if your current heat only boiler is actually in good condition. Then why not relocate it and use it to heat an unvented cylinder. That way you save on the cost of a boiler and are only paying out for the cylinder. Plus it’s less waste and better for the environment to not be scrapping a perfectly good boiler.
That's a really nice house, incredible how it went unsold for so long, round here they'd rip your arm for something like that! I do think the boiler is quite expensive. It's fairly easy to take an old tank out and prepare everything ready for a plumber to come in and fir the boiler. That's what I did and it came in around £2k all in (although that was about seven years ago).
Nooo don’t get rid of the niche by the wardrobe in the master bedroom!! Use it for a few pretty, modern, thick wooden open shelves, deep ones. The wood adds warmth, the depth adds spatial interest and Positive/negative to what otherwise is a box with straight walls and above all they’re useful for putting the odd plant on or some interesting books, etc. Adds character, warmth, interest. Have the wooden shelves end a few inches before the wardrobe so they aren’t level with it - will look much better/ more pleasing to the eye. Generally awesome though - you’re doing a great job! 😊
Depending on how deep that alcove is, could even put hinges on the shelves and put some bulky storage in behind; like suitcase or formal clothes on hangers, stuff you don’t necessarily need quickly but don’t want cluttering up the usual space.
Keep the Alcove unit, put a massive CRT telly in it. 😂 The bedroom lights, was probably built with the one nearest the window so that shadows weren’t projected on the curtains when getting dressed etc, the other potentially a later add on to create more light. I have a 70s house and all the luminaries are by the windows in the bedrooms.
Hey. Great video. An idea for the bedroom alcove… the fitted wardrobe could be widened into the alcove space, and then the (bigger) wardrobe front could be flush with the wall to the left. The whole place looks like a fantastic project. Good luck with it all 👍🏻
Seems like a very nice house in good order considering it has been empty for a while. All the quirks in the original house is common to a property of its age, ie lack of sockets, glass panel above doors etc. A perfect house for you to renovate. Probably built considerably better than modern builds. Was there no immersion heater fitted to supply a bit of hot water. I’m sure you are aware textured ceiling coatings could contain asbestos. Good luck with the project.
Your right!! I saw massive potential as soon as I walked in. Yes there was immersion however I had a feeling the zone valve would be a quick fix. Yes on the asbestos…. Funnily enough I’m geared up in an FP3 mask taking the tops off some today 😀
You’re right about the ceilings. Asbestos could also be in floor tiles too, it was in our house, plus surrounding the old dry air heating system and plaster beneath the old immersion heater that was originally in our 70s build property.
Looking forward to this, especially having lived through all these 'trends' which were so popular in their time. We are just coming to the end of renovating the 1960 house that we moved into 11 months ago. I think the best thing about older houses is that they had so much space compared with modern ones but of course, there is always a lot of renovation work to do.
The idea of having the ceiling lights near the window was to give privacy as you wouldn’t be silhouetted in front of the light and visible from outside.
I LOVE the cover built around the extraction in the kitchen, we had the same style in the house I grew up in, absolutely beautiful with the shape and tiles, definitely a feature id want to add into a house.
This is going to be fab! We moved in January and have exactly the same style and layout for modernisation. Really looking forward to watching and learning from your progress as you work through. Fantastic!!!!
Wow! That carpet is pure 1970s! We also had one of those awful brick fireplaces, with all the wee nooks and inlays, also 1970s. The kitchen is 1980s, that style of cooker hood was very popular although totally naff. Looking forward to watching the rest of your series. Best of luck.
I'm just done doing an occupied renovation, so good luck. In the long run, you will probably be better off rewiring the complete property. Any decent sparkie will be able to do the rewire in stages for not a lot more, then tie everything in properly to a new board at the end. All I need to do now is replace the back door, and fit a new kitchen. Our current kitchen is pretty much like yours, so we just upgraded doors etc. until we decide what we want to do with it. Check your cabinets though. They look very like some of the Moben units I fitted back in the day. Those were originally ply rather than particle board. We also installed a wood stove. We bought a Contura inset stove which fits straight into the builders opening. No need for register plate etc. Our installer also filled between the stainless liner and the fireclay one with waterproof vermiculite. Looking forward to the fun beginning.
We moved into a very similar house in 1988/89. Had same pretty much everything that’s in yours. It was built in 1970. Leaks from pipes, damp areas, lovely Artex ceilings 😳 crumbling sheds, falling down extension. Then after about a month I came downstairs and stepped into ankle deep water (from rad pipes covering all the downstairs area and it ruined the 1970’s carpet 😣😂 This took me right back. Once you’ve updated it’ll look fantastic!!! They’re well built houses! 👍🏻
It looks like a house with great potential and although dated it’s liveable. We are renovating our house and everything was like this. Done most of it over the last 18 months but have just started knocking through the kitchen and dining room and putting in a downstairs loo. Great channel for lots of how-to guides and general knowledge, thank you.
To be honest the property doesn’t look too bad at all. I live in a 70s property so can relate to some of the nuances that may annoy you. We’re also in the process of buying a 70s bungalow which is in a far worse state than this house. I think you’ve done well to pick this up. There will be challenges, but you’ll get it to how you want it. Without knowing how much it was or what your refurb budget is, someone could have missed out on what could be a nice house. Their loss is your gain.
Just stumbled upon this and looking forward to watching. Looks like a great house, loads of potential and I can already see how great a wrap-around kitchen / diner extension would look.
That's a great looking property you've got there Cameron, I think your going to provide a lot of useful information info and help, as well as inspiration throughout your journey. Best of luck as you uncover all the hidden horrors. 👍 👍
Great video. It reminded me of when we moved into our home in 2009. It had been empty for about 3 years and was very much stuck in the 80. The first thing British gas did was to condem the boiler(with red and white warning tape).it took me about 10 years to get the place fully updated and how we wanted.looking forward to watching your journey.
Really looking forward to this series. Question: why are you going with a combi rather than an unvented system? I believe the unvented system is better for larger properties, and since you are planning a future extension that might be a better bet.
A recent high-end combi would probably perform just as well, as it can power multiple bathrooms and a large number of radiators simultaneously. Plus you no longer need to worry about hot water cylinders and their maintenance & space.
I live in Australia and I have always been envious of the conservatories that many English homes have. Looking out to the garden with a cup of coffee. Just blissful
Be wary of putting in a wood burner in, especially with a baby in the house. Do some research on indoor air quality especially PM2.5 particles. Wood burners are not good for air quality. The main bedroom has MFI bedroom furniture, can't remember the name of it, but remember selling it in the early 90s. 15mm pipework will work with modern ASHP, have a look at a Vaillant AroTHERM for example. They are super quiet too, quieter than a gas boiler. ASHPs have moved on leaps and bounds in a very short space of time, worth revisiting what it currently on the market.
So much more modern and standard than the house we've just bought. Every surface has to be either cleaned, replaced or repainted. You would love it ! It's even older than yours, and has been remodelled to a very unique taste. Not ours 😬
Yeah. I could have sworn I saw a mini schnauzer through the glass at the bottom of the front door. And it moved slightly. So it couldn't have been one of them porcelain dogs. I thought great. Let's meet the friendly dog. But the diy guy walks in through the door and the dog was nowhere to be seen. 🤷♂️
My first thought about the electrics is that there are so few sockets (which are almost certainly not split between sufficent separate circuits), is to start from scratch. Leave the existing sockets as they are, install a complete new system with copious numbers of sockets then swap over from old to new and remove the disconnected old stuff at your leisure.
Oh shit, my heart sank for you when you said the fam will be living in the house while the renovation happens. I’ve just been through two years of this and it’s so much harder living it. Best of luck buddy, hope everything goes smoothly with few surprises along the way.
70s houses are satisfying to renovate because they usually come out the other end looking convincingly modern. Plus there are picture windows, quality hardwoods, proper timber floorboards and a solidity that many modern houses fail to deliver.
What a gem of a house! Has sooo much potential. I hope you are able to keep one or two part(s) of the original of the house that are appealing just for memories. All the best for the renovation!
Timely. I've just bought a 1982 house, one previous owner smoked 60 a day and barely updated anything. So far.. carpets and ceilings out, total new heating system being installed this week. Every time you look you find something else that needs doing. Need to get it liveable ASAP! Look forward to seeing how yours develops.
I've got 2 pendant lights in my utility room that's maybe 3m squared. neither of them are central. Then I have a switch for each in the kitchen that leads onto the utility room and then another switch for just the 1 in the utility room alongside a mystery switch. Being a house owner is certainly fun.
With the many additions to the house square footage makes it a large house. The rear garden is quite large as well. With modernization of the electrical, plumbing and heating I think you found a great house. From Toronto Canada good luck with the renovations.
About the ugly bathroom window install, I’ve found retro fitted new windows and frame often don’t line up with the old original frame outline, installers like hiding this gap with a pvc decor trim, solution is when redecorating remove the bodged pvc trim and re-tile or re skim up to the frame, the wall or reveal then looks like a nice original normal wall finish.
For the bedroom wardrobe/alcove area, I’d take everything out, wardrobe & adjacent, check the full space created and design a new floor to ceiling wardrobe interior, put new sets of modern doors on with mirror on a door interior, plus interior lights and sockets inside wardrobe for a hairdryer/tv/shaver/charging, reinstate full width coving & decorate.
Very inspiring! I'm taking in a old pit house that was built in the 50s and had the same owners till they passed a few years ago. Hopefully going to take on some of the work myself and leave the structrual/electrical work to the experts
Great video and looking forward to the series. Moved recently and nearly took on something similar to this but having done the maths and soul searching I/we (the wife) decide we were not up for the challenge both financially and mentally and we ended up with a ……. new build. I agree new build are not everyone’s cup of tea but we love it and with not much to do it gives me lots of time to watch YT channels like yours and get all those hints and tips for jobs that can eventually be done. In fact I’ve just watched this one sitting on my new patio rather than having to lay it first !
For the bedroom alcove you could create a fitted vanity station with mirror and maybe planting above. All cabling for hair dryers and stuff could be in the vanity drawer so it's all neat and tidy
It gives good ideas and what to look for when buying older property The master bedroom built in wardrobe etc takes over the room .plenty of storage space but it will be very interesting to see what you do with this room,and the updates videos
That's a lovely house, and will be amazing when it's done. Following this series with interest, having recently (I think/hope, lol) finished renovating a mid fifties house. I would say do definitely get a full rewire done, though. By the time all the alterations are done, there will be not much of the original wiring left, so now is the time to make sure it's all in good shape, and ready for the next 50 years. We found some really genuinely dangerous bodges and hacks hidden under floors and in walls as I was pulling out the old cabling - really quite scary.
What an amazing house, amazing garden!! Looking forward to next episodes. What are you doing now is what one day, hopefully, I will do. Very inspiring!
Looks like the doors and windows are in great shape. Same with the pavers. Fence, yard are good. Easy to change fixtures, everyone does, and yes, someone might buy those old light fixtures. I don’t know why no one bought it before you, but it’s not a mess.
I agree with you regarding the interior 'time-warp'. Although I have never liked the 1970's suburban street architecture, I must say that the exterior (minus the brick colour) of the house is quite a handsome and holds its own. I see this with black exterior aluminium frames, doors etc, and some dark coloured/ burnt effect weatherboard cladding. The interior just needs to be opened up with good flooring , bathrooms and kitchen. On the upper bedrooms I would vault the ceilings (I saw a 'single storey' bungalow that had it done in the kitchen, lounge and diner, and it looked incredible!. Then , with the correct landscaping, this could end up being a prime property on the street. (but then you are flipping property, so I get it is a controlled budget). I will be interested to see it when you have completed the reno.
alot of decent space, as a techie, I'd look to add a couple of network points per room to add either a small hub in each room for either smart (IoT/home assistant) devices or media devices
18:57 Diverter valve/Zone Valve. I have one of those next to my boiler, and apparently the quite prone to breaking, depending on how much constant use they get. Enjoying the video.
Brilliant looking project, and can't wait to see how it develops! That alcove looks like it'd make a really good wardrobe unit if you extended what's already there across the whole wall? Worth warning people to get a professional asbestos check before touching older artex ceilings.
Hi, I will certainly be watching this that is the type of house I have always wanted ( on the outside) I reckon when it's renovated that would be my favourite type of house. Xx
The staircase thing, we had a metal frame, the house was built in 1964, I used to love swinging on it. Then my mother upgraded to what you see in this house in about 1980.
It’s deffo all 70s fixtures and fittings .. but wow such big rooms .. fab!!!… weird that there is so few sockets for 1970s house…. There was at least one socket in all our bedrooms in our family home my parents bought back in the 60s
Hope you guys like episode 1! The scene is set and there’s loads to come in episode 2!
As an older person (62 in a month), I love seeing these old properties being modernised, those light fitting haunt me. You have plenty of work on your hands there Cameron, best of luck with not finding too many nasties that need too much work. Looks a really nice family house in the making. Looking forward to this series.. Paul..
@@Mclaneinc thanks 👍
Really looking forward to this series. My wife is planning her extension. I’ve said go ahead so long as my garage workshop gets an upgrade. 😀
@@TheDIYGuy1I quite like the kitchen cupboard colours and you can't beat a utility room but our utility room is single brick
@@TheDIYGuy1you should have a 2 way heating system so your stove if you get a multifuel stove you can dock it in to your heating system if you get a back boiler stove
I'd say the house isn't really a 'mess' as such, far from it actually. Just old decor wise due to being lived in by an older person with a few things to be rectified leak wise etc. Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll transform it into a great modern home :)
Thanks 😊
Exactly. Most houses on the market are similar.
Agreed! Also, for being vacant for an extended period, it’s in great shape! It hasn’t been infested with mold, insects or vermin. So it’s fairly intact, save for the water issue in the utility room wall. But this place is a gem! I’m excited to see how you update this wonderful home.
Exactly. My elderly mum has just moved into a care home, leaving her bungalow empty. It has no known faults but is in a similar "in need of modernisation" condition. Perhaps her avocado bathroom suite will be back in fashion soon?
Agreed. All it needs is new carpets throughout and some paint on the wall and it’d be fine!
I've never understood why people are anxious to get rid of fanlight windows above internal doors.
Their purpoe is to throw daylight in to a generally dark landing. I alo found when my kids were small the fanlights meant that we could turn their bedroom light off completely, and they got residual light from the landing until we went to bed (by which time they were asleep) and didn't need night lights in their rooms.
I look forward to seeing your renovations here.
The problems start when people want to sleep in a dark room but the hall light keeps shining into the bedroom. Blinds should take care of that issue though.
my sister was almost in hospital after slamming her door. mine was always covered so the landing light didnt shine in. my dad soon got rid of them all after my sister smashed hers.
Yeah, i love those windows above the doors
Those windows are called “ transom” windows and originally they were operable, for ventilation in the room. But they also share daylight. Shame to get rid of them!😟
If the light bothers you, just stick one of those window film on it?!
I'm not sure why that house stood empty so long. I find it quite lovely, minus the operational issues. I love the stair rails, and the beautiful wood surround on the interior walk thru. The kitchen has a great layout. If the cabinets are in good shape, maybe a new stain or paint would spruce them up. I also like the fanlights above the doors to allow the house to have some great natural light throughout. My favorite is the garden. I would spend a lot of time out there. We have different tastes but it is your home and I am looking forward to seeing how you make it fit your family.
I thought that too, was expecting the house to be a mess but it isn’t that bad, I’m guessing the price wasn’t realistic but in this market there’s tons looking for a do upper. Doesn’t quite add up
This house is a time capsule of my 1960-70’s childhood. My mother would have loved the carpet in the lounge. Single sockets in each room was normal. An electric kettle, radio, tv, razor and hair dryer were the main things you would have plugged in back in the day. Looking forward to your renovation. Have fun. 🏡👏🏼🇦🇺
Thanks for sharing 😊
What a bloody lovely house! Can see masses of potential and what a great plot! Looking forward to seeing the progress on this :)
Thanks a lot 👍
It looks much sturdier and higher quality build than Australian houses.
We have a similar aged house (1968) and also renovated whilst living here. We are not DIY experts, so we had professional help. The carpet and fireplace were similar to yours, but ours was gas. One socket per room, terrible central heating... One thing we did and I can highly recommend is put in Underfloor Heating. We used a system by Wunda, where we laid styrofoam panels with grooves in them, which we then 'walked' the pipes into. It was easy to lay (we did this bit ourselves) straight over the cement underfloor and meant we didn't need any radiators on the wall, which makes a surprising difference. We just lost about an inch in height, as that is how much the floor came up. The heating is also lovely and even throughout each room and controllable by room. I think this was one of the best decisions we made :)
Loving that mirror on the bathroom wall, angled down , so you can watch yourself whilst sat on the toilet!
😂😂 me too. Maybe it’s a thing
I like the slats on the staircase as those are popular right now. If it had an extra slat added to make it safe it would be fine!
I like it too! Maybe change up the size/shape of the in-between slats to make it look purposeful.
I agree
When you remove the plants you don't want, you may be able to sell them. Lots of people want mature plantings. Same with the units in the utility room and kitchen. The better ones can be repurposed for your workshop.
It's a nice house all in all. I'm surprised it was on the market for so long.
I love a good reno DIY and yours seems like it will be a nice one. I have read many of the existing comments, and I agree with those who say that all the "tearing out" and "throwing in the skip" isn't necessary. This house simply needs updating. If you can rethink some of your destruction then you won't be having to put so much in the landfill. The last I heard, England wasn't getting any bigger!
Thanks 👍
I would consider extending the built in wardrobe into the alcove. Looks great.
Good idea that! Need to see if the joists sit on the wall there.
@@TheDIYGuy1probably too late to suggest you put in a separate wardrobe and have a close matching door to whatever you choose for the closet that's already there
Wow this house gives me nostalgia for my childhood. The carpets and the brick fireplace are beautiful and the kitchen so homely. I prefer this look to the modern minimalist drab grey I see everywhere now.
Yes modern homes at any price are pretty deathly. Bad architecture, crappy materials, degassing and generally unwholesome.
Excited to see how this goes. For the alcove in the bedroom, I would expand the wardrobe and make it a walk in one.
That's exactly what I was going to say, extend the built in along for a bigger wardrobe! Shouldn't cost much either.
This is a lovely house . I particularly like the carpet in the dining room. A real treasure from the 1970's when proper patterns and wool carpets were bought to last, non of this grey plastic stuff you get today. The wood is also great and definitely a 1980's kitchen from when the sheds in the town were a new idea. Yes sheds! Do not destroy your sheds Reuse them. You are handy with tools remake them into something new for the children to play in! Remember old is not all bad & think before you throw because you will have better quality than your mates and different. "Do different" like a Norfolk boy would!
👍
I love the light fitting in the lounge! I personally like the retro vibe - sick of the predictable white/clinical/high gloss/grey identikit interiors that everyone does now. Some more sympathetic carpet, make a feature of some of the retro details mixed with updated wiring and services.
Aw I would keep some of the 70’s features, the brick hearth, the archway to the diner, the windows at the top of the doors… really quaint and add a bit of something not many houses have any more. Can make them look pretty nice too with the right decor.
Good luck with the project
The kitchen is definitely a 1980s replacement - the style of the wooden cabinets, the cooker built in across the corner with the built in oven under the hob and of course the extractor hood - that style was very popular in the 1980s. The units in the utility room would be original to the house and indeed might have been the original kitchen units at one time.
Thanks 👍
Definitely an 80s kitchen.
At one house I lived in we had bathroom carpet that was very light & easy to take up & machine wash, on top of lino. It was made of springy fibre that more or less spread itself out after washing. was brilliant, dried quickly & made the floor warmer in winter.
❤ the 1980s kitchen might be fine, just cleaned up ? or parts of it kept. Depends what look you want etc
Absolutely, late 80s by the looks of it, maybe even early 90s if the owners were a bit conservative. I inherited a 1987 kitchen with an almost identical brown sink a while ago. My units are Scandinavian pine though (the whole kitchen was made in Denmark and shipped here) and in really good nick, I love them! All I did was replace the sink because it was quite grubby and worn, it's some kind of composite material and had some permanently discoloured and rough spots.
I grew up in a house built in 1973 in the states. We had some lovely plaid carpet along with different colored carpet in all the bedrooms, bathrooms and dining room (thankfully not the kitchen like our neighbors had). The entire house also a various wallpapers...just the closets were painted. We also had an avocado green stove and the phone in the kitchen with a cord that probably stretched 100 feet. Certainly not the style now but it does bring back some fun memories.
Thanks for sharing!
That house has got massive potential, even if you’re not a competent diyer. I’m surprised it been on the market that long! Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Absolutely 👍. Thanks a lot
Same! I think its beautiful. Just needs doing up
As a heating engineer of twenty years, heres my opinion for what its worth. On the whole combis arent that great for homes with multiple bathrooms. Youd be far better off with an unvented cylinder which will future proof your install for when you have your extension built. Also you cant just decide on a combi installl without other checks and a proper site survey. Combis use a lot more gas than the heat only you already have. So you will almost certainly need a renewed gas run unless you can site the boiler very close to the meter. Have you checked the incoming water pressure and flow rate? You need to know these before deciding on a combi. If you have a cylinder fitted instead then you could also have solar fitted in the future and then have free hot water for a good few months of the year. You could also have a twin coil cylinder fitted and heat it from the wood burner. You cant do either of these with a combi. Dont just jump into a combi install. On a personal note i wouldnt touch a Worcester with a barge pole. Bang average boilers backed up with a world class marketing team. Plastic pigs. As someone who has serviced and repaired probably 10K+ boilers in my career, IMHO get a either a Vailant or and Ideal Vogue with a cylinder. Hope this gives you a bit of useful guidance. All the best.
Should have added. That if your current heat only boiler is actually in good condition. Then why not relocate it and use it to heat an unvented cylinder. That way you save on the cost of a boiler and are only paying out for the cylinder. Plus it’s less waste and better for the environment to not be scrapping a perfectly good boiler.
That's a really nice house, incredible how it went unsold for so long, round here they'd rip your arm for something like that! I do think the boiler is quite expensive. It's fairly easy to take an old tank out and prepare everything ready for a plumber to come in and fir the boiler. That's what I did and it came in around £2k all in (although that was about seven years ago).
Unflexible on price simple as that
Exactly! Its like that here too. I would love a house like that and loads of potential
@@jusb1066probably
Nooo don’t get rid of the niche by the wardrobe in the master bedroom!! Use it for a few pretty, modern, thick wooden open shelves, deep ones. The wood adds warmth, the depth adds spatial interest and Positive/negative to what otherwise is a box with straight walls and above all they’re useful for putting the odd plant on or some interesting books, etc. Adds character, warmth, interest. Have the wooden shelves end a few inches before the wardrobe so they aren’t level with it - will look much better/ more pleasing to the eye.
Generally awesome though - you’re doing a great job! 😊
Depending on how deep that alcove is, could even put hinges on the shelves and put some bulky storage in behind; like suitcase or formal clothes on hangers, stuff you don’t necessarily need quickly but don’t want cluttering up the usual space.
Keep the Alcove unit, put a massive CRT telly in it. 😂 The bedroom lights, was probably built with the one nearest the window so that shadows weren’t projected on the curtains when getting dressed etc, the other potentially a later add on to create more light. I have a 70s house and all the luminaries are by the windows in the bedrooms.
Hey. Great video. An idea for the bedroom alcove… the fitted wardrobe could be widened into the alcove space, and then the (bigger) wardrobe front could be flush with the wall to the left. The whole place looks like a fantastic project. Good luck with it all 👍🏻
A great idea thanks
I agree just extend the wardrobe
Seems like a very nice house in good order considering it has been empty for a while. All the quirks in the original house is common to a property of its age, ie lack of sockets, glass panel above doors etc. A perfect house for you to renovate. Probably built considerably better than modern builds.
Was there no immersion heater fitted to supply a bit of hot water.
I’m sure you are aware textured ceiling coatings could contain asbestos.
Good luck with the project.
Your right!! I saw massive potential as soon as I walked in. Yes there was immersion however I had a feeling the zone valve would be a quick fix. Yes on the asbestos…. Funnily enough I’m geared up in an FP3 mask taking the tops off some today 😀
Dont mind the transom!
@@TheDIYGuy1 you’re probably aware but x-tex is textured coating removal.
You’re right about the ceilings. Asbestos could also be in floor tiles too, it was in our house, plus surrounding the old dry air heating system and plaster beneath the old immersion heater that was originally in our 70s build property.
Looking forward to this, especially having lived through all these 'trends' which were so popular in their time. We are just coming to the end of renovating the 1960 house that we moved into 11 months ago. I think the best thing about older houses is that they had so much space compared with modern ones but of course, there is always a lot of renovation work to do.
Great comment. Good luck with your property 👍
The idea of having the ceiling lights near the window was to give privacy as you wouldn’t be silhouetted in front of the light and visible from outside.
Omg we have this in our house !!! That explains why the hanging lights are not in the middle of the room:’)!
We have them in our home that was built in 1941 ex council house they are called Modesty lighting for the reason you mention 👍🏼
😅😅😅😅
I LOVE the cover built around the extraction in the kitchen, we had the same style in the house I grew up in, absolutely beautiful with the shape and tiles, definitely a feature id want to add into a house.
This is going to be fab! We moved in January and have exactly the same style and layout for modernisation. Really looking forward to watching and learning from your progress as you work through. Fantastic!!!!
Thanks a lot 😁. Good luck with yours
Wow! That carpet is pure 1970s! We also had one of those awful brick fireplaces, with all the wee nooks and inlays, also 1970s. The kitchen is 1980s, that style of cooker hood was very popular although totally naff. Looking forward to watching the rest of your series. Best of luck.
Really looking forward to this one Cameron,as a diyer myself you can't beat a good house renovation that covers all aspects of home improvement,
Appreciate the encouragement! Now the scene is set I’ve so much to cover in episode 2!
I'm just done doing an occupied renovation, so good luck. In the long run, you will probably be better off rewiring the complete property. Any decent sparkie will be able to do the rewire in stages for not a lot more, then tie everything in properly to a new board at the end. All I need to do now is replace the back door, and fit a new kitchen. Our current kitchen is pretty much like yours, so we just upgraded doors etc. until we decide what we want to do with it. Check your cabinets though. They look very like some of the Moben units I fitted back in the day. Those were originally ply rather than particle board.
We also installed a wood stove. We bought a Contura inset stove which fits straight into the builders opening. No need for register plate etc. Our installer also filled between the stainless liner and the fireclay one with waterproof vermiculite.
Looking forward to the fun beginning.
Some great experiences shared there. Thanks
Great house, can't wait to see what you do with the place.
Thanks!
7:23 flourescent lights 😍😍😍😍😍 especially that small one! What a beauty!
My son and his wife would love a 70's looking house.
👍
We moved into a very similar house in 1988/89. Had same pretty much everything that’s in yours. It was built in 1970. Leaks from pipes, damp areas, lovely Artex ceilings 😳 crumbling sheds, falling down extension. Then after about a month I came downstairs and stepped into ankle deep water (from rad pipes covering all the downstairs area and it ruined the 1970’s carpet 😣😂 This took me right back. Once you’ve updated it’ll look fantastic!!! They’re well built houses! 👍🏻
Thanks for sharing
It looks like a house with great potential and although dated it’s liveable. We are renovating our house and everything was like this. Done most of it over the last 18 months but have just started knocking through the kitchen and dining room and putting in a downstairs loo. Great channel for lots of how-to guides and general knowledge, thank you.
To be honest the property doesn’t look too bad at all. I live in a 70s property so can relate to some of the nuances that may annoy you. We’re also in the process of buying a 70s bungalow which is in a far worse state than this house. I think you’ve done well to pick this up. There will be challenges, but you’ll get it to how you want it. Without knowing how much it was or what your refurb budget is, someone could have missed out on what could be a nice house. Their loss is your gain.
Absolutely, great comment there. Thanks and good luck with yours
Same. Im in a victorian house (Rented) but needed to do some work myself to it but I dont mind as I love vintage and landlord doesnt mind lol.
I hope the reeded glass doors will be saved or sold! Reeded glass is so expensive now!
Yes don't chuck them out
Just stumbled upon this and looking forward to watching. Looks like a great house, loads of potential and I can already see how great a wrap-around kitchen / diner extension would look.
I like the 70s house including the carpet.
That's a great looking property you've got there Cameron, I think your going to provide a lot of useful information info and help, as well as inspiration throughout your journey. Best of luck as you uncover all the hidden horrors. 👍 👍
Thanks a lot! 😃
Great video. It reminded me of when we moved into our home in 2009. It had been empty for about 3 years and was very much stuck in the 80. The first thing British gas did was to condem the boiler(with red and white warning tape).it took me about 10 years to get the place fully updated and how we wanted.looking forward to watching your journey.
Thanks a lot 👍
Really looking forward to this series. Question: why are you going with a combi rather than an unvented system? I believe the unvented system is better for larger properties, and since you are planning a future extension that might be a better bet.
A recent high-end combi would probably perform just as well, as it can power multiple bathrooms and a large number of radiators simultaneously. Plus you no longer need to worry about hot water cylinders and their maintenance & space.
I live in Australia and I have always been envious of the conservatories that many English homes have. Looking out to the garden with a cup of coffee. Just blissful
Don’t be envious, we don’t have the weather that you do over there 😂
Sunrooms are such a dream, my grandmother used hers as a sewing room and it was easily my favourite room in her house.
Be wary of putting in a wood burner in, especially with a baby in the house. Do some research on indoor air quality especially PM2.5 particles. Wood burners are not good for air quality. The main bedroom has MFI bedroom furniture, can't remember the name of it, but remember selling it in the early 90s.
15mm pipework will work with modern ASHP, have a look at a Vaillant AroTHERM for example. They are super quiet too, quieter than a gas boiler. ASHPs have moved on leaps and bounds in a very short space of time, worth revisiting what it currently on the market.
Great info. Thanks
The conifer hedge behind you has recently been cut back,,someone did a good job on that,,neat,tidy,tight..💯👍
it's a nice house actually !
Thanks 😊
So much more modern and standard than the house we've just bought.
Every surface has to be either cleaned, replaced or repainted. You would love it !
It's even older than yours, and has been remodelled to a very unique taste. Not ours 😬
I think this place will be spot on when you’ve finished! And what a great way to bring some good content to your channel. 🎉
That’s what I was thinking, thanks 😊
I was born in the early 50's, I'd say the gold/orange carpet is from the 70's not 80's. What a great project!
Yes! Thank you!
The previous owner left their dog 😂
Hahaha love this comment
Yeah. I could have sworn I saw a mini schnauzer through the glass at the bottom of the front door. And it moved slightly. So it couldn't have been one of them porcelain dogs.
I thought great. Let's meet the friendly dog.
But the diy guy walks in through the door and the dog was nowhere to be seen. 🤷♂️
My first thought about the electrics is that there are so few sockets (which are almost certainly not split between sufficent separate circuits), is to start from scratch. Leave the existing sockets as they are, install a complete new system with copious numbers of sockets then swap over from old to new and remove the disconnected old stuff at your leisure.
Every home of that age needs rewiring it’s a given. Not an issue. Similarly plumbing. All expected when purchase is below replacement cost.
how was cutting the grass
Oh shit, my heart sank for you when you said the fam will be living in the house while the renovation happens. I’ve just been through two years of this and it’s so much harder living it.
Best of luck buddy, hope everything goes smoothly with few surprises along the way.
In saying that, the house is in great condition for no one living in it for so many years
If you think this house is dated, you wouldnt believe the place i recently bought lol
Great video and looking forward to the next one. We live in a 1970's Semi Detached so good to see what can be done.
70s houses are satisfying to renovate because they usually come out the other end looking convincingly modern. Plus there are picture windows, quality hardwoods, proper timber floorboards and a solidity that many modern houses fail to deliver.
Yep absolutely
Brilliant video, great knowledge and experience. Subscribed.
Welcome aboard! Thanks
What a gem of a house! Has sooo much potential. I hope you are able to keep one or two part(s) of the original of the house that are appealing just for memories.
All the best for the renovation!
Thanks a lot! I aim to keep some character 👍
Timely. I've just bought a 1982 house, one previous owner smoked 60 a day and barely updated anything. So far.. carpets and ceilings out, total new heating system being installed this week. Every time you look you find something else that needs doing. Need to get it liveable ASAP! Look forward to seeing how yours develops.
Good luck, sounds like you’ve a busy time ahead just like me 👍
that house is in pretty good shape. except for wiring and some water damage.
Great intro. Looking forward to the updates. All the best.
Glad you liked it 👍
Fantastic old decor that will prob come back into fashion in 2033. Love that carpet.
Haha shall I wait ten years and see 😊
I've got 2 pendant lights in my utility room that's maybe 3m squared. neither of them are central. Then I have a switch for each in the kitchen that leads onto the utility room and then another switch for just the 1 in the utility room alongside a mystery switch. Being a house owner is certainly fun.
With the many additions to the house square footage makes it a large house. The rear garden is quite large as well. With modernization of the electrical, plumbing and heating I think you found a great house. From Toronto Canada good luck with the renovations.
Thanks for sharing!
About the ugly bathroom window install, I’ve found retro fitted new windows and frame often don’t line up with the old original frame outline, installers like hiding this gap with a pvc decor trim, solution is when redecorating remove the bodged pvc trim and re-tile or re skim up to the frame, the wall or reveal then looks like a nice original normal wall finish.
For the bedroom wardrobe/alcove area, I’d take everything out, wardrobe & adjacent, check the full space created and design a new floor to ceiling wardrobe interior, put new sets of modern doors on with mirror on a door interior, plus interior lights and sockets inside wardrobe for a hairdryer/tv/shaver/charging, reinstate full width coving & decorate.
One of the best UA-camrs with a proper exciting series. Can't wait to see how this pans out, you've helped me with so much so wish you all the best 👍
Thanks a lot for the g up! That’s why I do what I do. If I help one person then it’s worth it!
Absolutely fantastic sized house. This will be a lovely family home eventually
Thanks a lot 👍
Brilliant mate can't wait for episode 2 well done 😂
Thanks 🙏
Very inspiring! I'm taking in a old pit house that was built in the 50s and had the same owners till they passed a few years ago. Hopefully going to take on some of the work myself and leave the structrual/electrical work to the experts
You can do it!
Great video and looking forward to the series. Moved recently and nearly took on something similar to this but having done the maths and soul searching I/we (the wife) decide we were not up for the challenge both financially and mentally and we ended up with a ……. new build. I agree new build are not everyone’s cup of tea but we love it and with not much to do it gives me lots of time to watch YT channels like yours and get all those hints and tips for jobs that can eventually be done. In fact I’ve just watched this one sitting on my new patio rather than having to lay it first !
Haha great comment and all the best with your new place
The original look of the house is quite good to me😂
😂 fair
Agree with you. So much better than the soulless trend nowadays.
Can't wait to watch the journey, somewhat envious!, good luck fella
Thanks I hope you enjoy it and get some inspiration
@@TheDIYGuy1
I think that is Guaranteed!
👍
For the bedroom alcove you could create a fitted vanity station with mirror and maybe planting above. All cabling for hair dryers and stuff could be in the vanity drawer so it's all neat and tidy
That’s a possibility! Thanks
It gives good ideas and what to look for when buying older property
The master bedroom built in wardrobe etc takes over the room .plenty of storage space but it will be very interesting to see what you do with this room,and the updates videos
Thanks 🙏
I would love that house as is and wouldn't change anything
@18:23: Ironically, pigs hardly sweat at all. They have very few sweat glands, which is why they wallow in heat.
I hope you just moved the garden shed to another spot ...it would make a great play house for the kids if you have any.
That's a lovely house, and will be amazing when it's done. Following this series with interest, having recently (I think/hope, lol) finished renovating a mid fifties house. I would say do definitely get a full rewire done, though. By the time all the alterations are done, there will be not much of the original wiring left, so now is the time to make sure it's all in good shape, and ready for the next 50 years. We found some really genuinely dangerous bodges and hacks hidden under floors and in walls as I was pulling out the old cabling - really quite scary.
Thanks for sharing 😊
What an amazing house, amazing garden!! Looking forward to next episodes. What are you doing now is what one day, hopefully, I will do. Very inspiring!
Thanks. Glad to have inspired and all the best
Yeah the gardens lovely too. Massive! xo
Other than a rewire, tidying up the decore and updating the plumbing, does it really need a complete refurb?
Yep it does.
Looks like the doors and windows are in great shape. Same with the pavers. Fence, yard are good. Easy to change fixtures, everyone does, and yes, someone might buy those old light fixtures. I don’t know why no one bought it before you, but it’s not a mess.
Look forward to seeing your creative and hard work, no doubt ! ❤
I agree with you regarding the interior 'time-warp'. Although I have never liked the 1970's suburban street architecture, I must say that the exterior (minus the brick colour) of the house is quite a handsome and holds its own.
I see this with black exterior aluminium frames, doors etc, and some dark coloured/ burnt effect weatherboard cladding. The interior just needs to be opened up with good flooring , bathrooms and kitchen. On the upper bedrooms I would vault the ceilings (I saw a 'single storey' bungalow that had it done in the kitchen, lounge and diner, and it looked incredible!.
Then , with the correct landscaping, this could end up being a prime property on the street. (but then you are flipping property, so I get it is a controlled budget). I will be interested to see it when you have completed the reno.
Absolutely, thanks I agree
Great house with so much potential. Looking forward to following your journey 👍
Thanks! Completely agree
Love this project. I am fond of 70ties buildings.
I think it's a lovely house and with your skills it will turn out beautiful, will definitely follow the progress.
Thanks a lot 👍
alot of decent space, as a techie, I'd look to add a couple of network points per room to add either a small hub in each room for either smart (IoT/home assistant) devices or media devices
To save space in your skip/thrown away you could put stuff on Freecycle. The built-in bedroom unit & summer house etc.
Good idea 👍
Congratulations! That house got loads of potential! Looking forward to see the final result! Loads of amazing content coming!
Thanks a lot! I saw potential as soon as I viewed it…. Sometimes you just get that feeling
This is a great shift in the channel by personalising it. Makes it more watchable than just the fixes themselves.
Guessing you come from Norfolk 👍
That’s my thinking 😊. It’s great to connect with people a little more. Yep I do 👍
Thanks, I was wondering about the slight accent. I would like to move to Norfolk perhaps.
18:57 Diverter valve/Zone Valve.
I have one of those next to my boiler, and apparently the quite prone to breaking, depending on how much constant use they get.
Enjoying the video.
I really like this house for what you have planned for it... it will be stunning.
Brilliant looking project, and can't wait to see how it develops! That alcove looks like it'd make a really good wardrobe unit if you extended what's already there across the whole wall? Worth warning people to get a professional asbestos check before touching older artex ceilings.
Hi, I will certainly be watching this that is the type of house I have always wanted ( on the outside) I reckon when it's renovated that would be my favourite type of house. Xx
The staircase thing, we had a metal frame, the house was built in 1964, I used to love swinging on it. Then my mother upgraded to what you see in this house in about 1980.
It’s deffo all 70s fixtures and fittings .. but wow such big rooms .. fab!!!… weird that there is so few sockets for 1970s house…. There was at least one socket in all our bedrooms in our family home my parents bought back in the 60s