Got the keys to our new place yesterday and very excited it was all a lot better than we remembered and possibly less doing to it than we thought. I will get a reno thread going as I know everyone thrives on it, either your own or at desperate times, someone elses. One thing though, does anyone know how to remove that grey film off the windows. It is there to block out the sun but makes the whole house look dingy. Would appreciate any advice how to get it off
picked up the keys - Yayyy
- Thread starter fernfurn
- Start date
Congratulations ! Now the fun begins.
I have never tried it but this site reads OK http://www.tintingsolutions.net.au/tinting-solutions/how-to-remove-window-tint/
good luck
I have never tried it but this site reads OK http://www.tintingsolutions.net.au/tinting-solutions/how-to-remove-window-tint/
good luck
This is a rare thing:
They're always worse than I remember when I get the keys.
They're always worse than I remember when I get the keys.
Ordered the concrete cutter to come Thurs. He will take the existing short windows in the dungeon down to 1800L each and we will replace with new windows with clear glass instead of opaque. He will also cut a new entry door and this and an existing solid door will have new glass doors. We will then rename the dungeon "guest quarters". Concrete cutter will cut away all concrete steps and patio from the back (ready for a new 2 storey deck) and cut away all the added in patterned concrete bits and garden bed edgings out the back. Out the front we will cut away some of the miles of concrete apron which I will replace with white stones, sleepers and grasses. 3 skips arrive Mon, Bobcat arrives Tues and will demolish the overgrown front garden and load all concrete bricks etc. Note: it was cheaper to hire 2 skips for concrete and bricks and one for garden waste than pay for one big one and the ton loading for concrete etc.
Once garden is cut down we will actually have 'sea glimpses' from the front which I didnt realise before. Out the back we have a amazing views over wetlands, Corio Bay and out to the You Yangs. Surprisingly I also have views from my studio which I didnt expect
Once garden is cut down we will actually have 'sea glimpses' from the front which I didnt realise before. Out the back we have a amazing views over wetlands, Corio Bay and out to the You Yangs. Surprisingly I also have views from my studio which I didnt expect
Warn the neighbours about the concrete cutter. They are such incredibly loud machines.
Scott
Scott
They are actually a low grinding sound not a high pitched whine, so not bad at all. All over in 2hours. Very pleased with result. Hubby siliconed the wall cuts up until we get the new windows and door, so no bugs in. Getting sunblock off windows a nightmare, everything suggested does not work. I think its been there for 30 years and probably baked on in Western sun. Have tried thinners, turps, metho, acetate, windex, Lift Off, nothing works. Latest suggestion is soapy water but I think I will put gladwrap over it and let it soak.
soapy water evidently stops theglass being scratched but that and a razor blade and just hard work seems to be the only way to get it all off. Probably have half the windows cleared, what a difference. Bobcat came and decimated the garden. Didnt get the main stump out but I am going to pile dirt over the top so that wont matter. Concrete cutter needs to come back and make some more cuts as bobcat couldnt lift some of the concrete also we filled 2 bins with concrete and bricks and a large bin with trees and shrubs and we have just ordered another 3 bins.
Have decided to keep lounge/stairwell wall (mainly because it is major support wall) and cut big open oblong holes in it down to handrail height, also in the stairwell/kitchen wall. Pulling out the front entry/lounge wall and bifold doors and switching the doorway, thus making the passage through the lounge against the stairwell wall and allowing space for the dining room table. Building a new L shaped wall in the downstairs bedroom (which I will have as a studio) leading to the garage. As it is now you have to enter the house from the garage through the bedroom. All will be framed up, and plastered by the end of next week.
the lounge/stairwell wall turned out to have a massive support beam 400mm deep hanging down into the wall so have made the 'windows' open between handrail and door height. All the plaster off and framing up today. The kitchen was only open to the lounge by the doorway so have taken out the bifold doors, framing and the 800mm wall between and the difference is incredible. All of a sudden the kitchen looks part of the living area, not some totally isolated room off to the side. The front entry wall turned out to have a dropped hanging beam in it so have taken the wall out to 2100h only but the difference there is amazing too and you dont notice the header. Framing up the L shaped wall in the bedroom/studio downstairs today, all ready for theplasterer Thurs. Sold 3 sculptures at one exhibition and one at another exhibition. Very exciting week
Hubby has pulled out the 2700L window at the side that only looked out onto the wall of the house next door and cut it down to 900L. This gives us a whole lot more room to install a gas log fire and the tv. I have finished the upstairs window cleaning of the solar film. Painted the rims of the downlights (were gold!) white, and the teak casing of the light fitting in the kitchen. Painted the bedroom ceiling white. what a difference as all ceilings are a dingy light yellow. Plasterer tomorrow and I will post before and after pictures after that
Sounds like you guys are going "All Out" - looking forward to the pics. It's given me a ton of ideas. Cheers
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Well, the move in nearly killed us. Last 5 moves have been done professionally so forgot how bad they are. Not only that but my 3 sons couldnt help and 2 of his got involved in renovating their mothers house. So one magnificent son and his (fairly useless brother and 2 sons helped us) In the event had to hire 3 people in a hurry to finish off. Hubby ended up with a bad back he still has. Moral: never shift again. But now, 3 weeks later and after a week away on a painting workshop, I have reverted to: we will get the professionals next time. dont tell hubby though
He has nearly finished installing a huge gas log fire. Oh the ambience. this time we have the space for a little log storage area next door. lovely! Installed the big tv on a rotating arm (get your priorities right). spray painted my studio which consists of rugged dark bricks with nearly black grout and one wall of feature teak panelling. Looks a million bucks better with just the undercoat. was going to do it a fairly bright green, but having second thoughts and will try one feature wall first. All the plastering upstairs is finished and have worked out final plans for pulling out most of b1, toilet and bathroom b2 and kitchen, next big stage and repositioning walls. plumber and electrician coming again fri, lord knows what the bills will be but we can only do this as we go. electricl hws died so have the new hws in, but I dont think we can get the big old hws through the doors, it must have been built in. anyone know if you can cut up an old electric hws.
He has nearly finished installing a huge gas log fire. Oh the ambience. this time we have the space for a little log storage area next door. lovely! Installed the big tv on a rotating arm (get your priorities right). spray painted my studio which consists of rugged dark bricks with nearly black grout and one wall of feature teak panelling. Looks a million bucks better with just the undercoat. was going to do it a fairly bright green, but having second thoughts and will try one feature wall first. All the plastering upstairs is finished and have worked out final plans for pulling out most of b1, toilet and bathroom b2 and kitchen, next big stage and repositioning walls. plumber and electrician coming again fri, lord knows what the bills will be but we can only do this as we go. electricl hws died so have the new hws in, but I dont think we can get the big old hws through the doors, it must have been built in. anyone know if you can cut up an old electric hws.
got the plans for the new double storey deck yesterday but not the engineers comps. we will try to go to the bldg surveyor with just that and see what happens. we would like to get it done before xmas but need to order windows and steel fast. as a matter of interest we masked up and spray painted heavily raked rugged brickwork and I reckon it would have been faster to do it with a long haired roller. Masking up took a day. Spray painting used over 10lts paint for a room approx 5mts x 3mts.and we still had to go over the grout with a brush. Topcoat on today with a long haired roller we will see how that goes
this is my fifth reno, built 2 storey house and 2 townhouses and I'm 70. One should not assume. these pictures show the old entry to the kitchen, quite isolated from the lounge dining room and the massive difference taking out the doors and 800mm of wall made. Also the 'windows' cut into the stairwell bring it into the rest of the living area. It used to be a dark well into the void below
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