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Futureproofing house and recommended house upgrades
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Afternoon all,
Currently awaiting for an agreement in principle in mortgage for my first house.
Been reading into ways to save money (rising bills and cost of living)
Is there anything you would recommend i.e requiring house, underfloor heating, condensing boiler etc
As far as I know the house has double glazing and attic insulation but not sure about floor insulation and had a newish boiler
Any advice would be beneficial |
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Try and lock your household staff into long term pay contracts. There's a terrible tendency afoot for even the most useful domestics to keep asking for a rise.
Given the forum interests, you could consider converting a part of the cellar into a sex dungeon, with a view to saving money on club visits. Just a thought. |
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"Try and lock your household staff into long term pay contracts. There's a terrible tendency afoot for even the most useful domestics to keep asking for a rise.
Given the forum interests, you could consider converting a part of the cellar into a sex dungeon, with a view to saving money on club visits. Just a thought."
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"Afternoon all,
Currently awaiting for an agreement in principle in mortgage for my first house.
Been reading into ways to save money (rising bills and cost of living)
Is there anything you would recommend i.e requiring house, underfloor heating, condensing boiler etc
As far as I know the house has double glazing and attic insulation but not sure about floor insulation and had a newish boiler
Any advice would be beneficial"
Get a good surveyor, they'll be able to give you all the recommendations you need. |
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"Try and lock your household staff into long term pay contracts. There's a terrible tendency afoot for even the most useful domestics to keep asking for a rise.
Given the forum interests, you could consider converting a part of the cellar into a sex dungeon, with a view to saving money on club visits. Just a thought."
•
Alternatively swap the dungeon for an oubliette, if the foundations allow. I find the path of egress less problematic once your playmates are safely ensconced in there.
Transfer the wine from the cellar to the vestibule. Cellars have other practical uses. |
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"Afternoon all,
Currently awaiting for an agreement in principle in mortgage for my first house.
Been reading into ways to save money (rising bills and cost of living)
Is there anything you would recommend i.e requiring house, underfloor heating, condensing boiler etc
As far as I know the house has double glazing and attic insulation but not sure about floor insulation and had a newish boiler
Any advice would be beneficial"
Congratulations!
I'd say move in and live a first winter there. You'll find out how efficient your heating and insulation is and which parts of the house are warmest. You can also get to know your neighbours and what they've done.
Once you've established that you can look in to ways to make savings.
One problem with a lot of insulation is condensation which can lead to damp or mould so watch that.
Good luck  |
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Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them "
Ooerrr Mrs,I love a nice pelmet and flowery curtains. |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them "
Good shout!
Op if you look at the sales on some sites like Next you can get decent thermal curtains fairly reasonably |
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Don't put in cavity wall insulation.
Buildings are designed to have air circulation and one of my rental flats is soaking with damp.
Make your towel rail in the bathroom heat up by either the boiler in the winter or by an electric element in the summer. That way you can dry your towels in summer without putting on your central heating.
I'll explain it in more detail if you don't understand. |
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By *bi HaiveMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Cheeseville, Somerset |
Put a bucket in the corner and camp bed in each spare room and rent them out to desperate migrant workers for extortionate rates.
A
*seems a popular way to generate income and reduce bills in London, so hey....  |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them "
What if one doesn't want Australian pelmets?!  |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them
Ooerrr Mrs,I love a nice pelmet and flowery curtains."
I have white curtain rods and the invisible pelmet is white plastic on top. If you don't know it's there you can't see it. |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them
What if one doesn't want Australian pelmets?! "
You can have visible frilly floral pelmets. Or deal with heat loss |
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By *bi HaiveMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Cheeseville, Somerset |
"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them
What if one doesn't want Australian pelmets?! "
Turn them upside down.
Badum tisch....
A |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them
Ooerrr Mrs,I love a nice pelmet and flowery curtains.
I have white curtain rods and the invisible pelmet is white plastic on top. If you don't know it's there you can't see it."
Swing, have you put Tesco carrier bags up with your curtains, claiming they're antipodean fashion?! |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them
·
What if one doesn't want Australian pelmets?! "
•
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them
Ooerrr Mrs,I love a nice pelmet and flowery curtains.
I have white curtain rods and the invisible pelmet is white plastic on top. If you don't know it's there you can't see it.
Swing, have you put Tesco carrier bags up with your curtains, claiming they're antipodean fashion?! "
A colourful friend may have found some scraps in her garage |
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By *bi HaiveMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Cheeseville, Somerset |
"My advice is wait two years and your mortgage will be a hell of a lot cheaper than it is now "
Just in time for house prices to start rising again.
Swings.....roundabouts....slides.....
A |
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"My advice is wait two years and your mortgage will be a hell of a lot cheaper than it is now "
Or a hell of a lot more expensive.
House prices might go through the roof if the ice caps melt and half the country is flooded.
Or might fall through the floor if pandemic 2.0 kills 98% of the population and anyone who is left can have a mansion by just walking in and taking possession...
Moral of this story: No point in waiting forever. |
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"Thick thermal curtains, particularly for winter.
Controversial, but apparently pelmets are coming back into fashion. I've adapted the idea of the "invisible pelmet" (Google will show you an Australian site that sells them) and DIYed it onto my curtain rails. Stops some heat loss out the top and you can't see them "
I'm about to make a wooden pelemt thingy because the sun in the morning is annoying me too much. Currently using joggers to stop the light coming in, which isn't the best option |
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By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago
Dubai & Nottingham |
"Afternoon all,
Currently awaiting for an agreement in principle in mortgage for my first house.
Been reading into ways to save money (rising bills and cost of living)
Is there anything you would recommend i.e requiring house, underfloor heating, condensing boiler etc
As far as I know the house has double glazing and attic insulation but not sure about floor insulation and had a newish boiler
Any advice would be beneficial"
under floor heating if you can control it room by room it makes a lot of sense sense in the uk
air source heat pump , you can get £5K of the government but choose well there are sine crappy pumps being sold.
maybe put a 4Kw battery in your loft a few panels and economy 7, octopus will charge your battery for just 7p per kWh and move to electric heating
Do your own design ,pay an engineer to help the calculations and buy your parts direct the companies selling and installing this stuff will just design what makes them money and sell you inferior products
Typical ROI, spend £25K payback in 5-7 years. No it makes no sense stuck with overpriced gas |
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attic insulation
double it, current recommendation is for over 300mm of insulation.
if it is an old house it will be old insulation so replace it.
i did mine over a weekend, when one side was done it was 5 degrees cooler than the side not done. less heat escaping.
loft hatch
£40 or so will get you a good insulated loft hatch to replace the one that is there.
radiators
get a radiator cleaning brush to clean down the backs so the fins are clear.
thermostatic radiator valves on each radiator
LED lights
replace the light bulbs with LED ones, they use a fraction of the electricity |
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OP, for goodness sake - whatever you do in your orangery, make sure you keep the vines from coming through the mortar to the main house. It’s a nightmare to patch up the rear pantry if you don’t catch it early!
I’d caution against a second summer house for the garden. People working from home during covid sent the prices sky high and they still haven’t dropped. Perhaps just a pagoda with a couple of rose arches for now. |
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"My advice is wait two years and your mortgage will be a hell of a lot cheaper than it is now
Or a hell of a lot more expensive.
House prices might go through the roof if the ice caps melt and half the country is flooded.
Or might fall through the floor if pandemic 2.0 kills 98% of the population and anyone who is left can have a mansion by just walking in and taking possession...
Moral of this story: No point in waiting forever."
Yep not for ever just two years |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"OP, for goodness sake - whatever you do in your orangery, make sure you keep the vines from coming through the mortar to the main house. It’s a nightmare to patch up the rear pantry if you don’t catch it early!
I’d caution against a second summer house for the garden. People working from home during covid sent the prices sky high and they still haven’t dropped. Perhaps just a pagoda with a couple of rose arches for now."
God I love a pantry. Do you have a cold meat slab.  |
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"OP, for goodness sake - whatever you do in your orangery, make sure you keep the vines from coming through the mortar to the main house. It’s a nightmare to patch up the rear pantry if you don’t catch it early!
I’d caution against a second summer house for the garden. People working from home during covid sent the prices sky high and they still haven’t dropped. Perhaps just a pagoda with a couple of rose arches for now.
God I love a pantry. Do you have a cold meat slab. "
Fnarr fnarr!!
But yes, I do. And some hams and a couple of sides of beef hanging at the back. |
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