The garden is a bit small to make it into a feature, if it is indeed a well and not just a big hole/part of the sewage system/a mine shaft. It was under a strange bit of raised patio that we decided to remove as it was a bit of a trip hazard. We knew there was a chance of something underneath (bodies etc) so it wasn't a total surprise. We had hoped that it had just been put there by someone wanting somewhere for a small table, for pots to go on or to cover over a big rock that they'd been too lazy to remove.
We need to get it checked out and if the capping stone can't be lowered below ground level we're thinking about decking the whole of that side.
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
Hehe. Thanks for noticing VBB I thought nobody had missed me. To say the new job is a little demanding is a bit of an understatement. Just thought I'd pop in to avoid any more macabre mentions
I missed you too Cherry - hope the new job is fun and not all hard work.
VBB ... did admire the photos and can see why you decided to rennovate and how much work you have done on the garden already!
'Spring will soon pounce [like a floppy kitten]'. Whalespace.
As a fellow teacher (well, not any more ) I presumed you'd been eaten by the planning, preparation and marking monsterCherry
Has anyone contacted any paint companies? I know about ecospaints, but wanted to get some competitive quotes.
Reply from Farrow & Ball - Friday 8 June 2007
Thank you for your email to Farrow & Ball.
I am sorry we cannot discuss the constituents of our paints.
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
drafty, easy use heavy curtains
heat use a woodburner, use waste wood, i have friend who does this and or a solar system or heat exchanger, have a composting toilet or reed bed soak away system. your possibilities are endless..
use organic local natural materials, look at old houses they are old
new crap houses and the wood and all the materials, i doubt if most of them will last 50 never mind a 100years...
good luck....
if you want to make money that's a different question!!!!!
by the time we can afford to do our house up in 18 months, we'll be able to afford them as the price will come down by then.
The naturist club we belonged to heated their pool by solar power - using a shed-type construsction with a currugated clear plastic facing. Inside this the pipes which the water travelled through was wound into a tight spiral. It worked a treat!
Born to Lose - Live to Win!
Hmm....my son and I made some enquiries about glue and received a similar response....my son (age 6 at the thyme) wrote back explaining why he needed to know (to avoid animal products) and they supplied the info we requested. I think they are being quite sensible from their own viewpoint....trying to protect their 'recipe' and 'secret' ingredients. They can let you know what you need to know without revealing too many secrets,surely.
My son got loads of free glue as well (which turned out, as far as we could discern, to be vegan-friendly).
If a company continues to withhold the info requested I would assume there was something yukky in the product that they are ashamed of.
"You can discover more about a person in one hour of play than in a year of conversation" ~ Plato
I just recently gave away my collection of bristle paintbrushes to someone who needed them.
I looked at them and realised they probably made from slaughterhouse by-product.
So instead of just giving her a couple I put the whole lot in the bag.
What do I buy now to paint my walls and woodwork with?
And which is the most vegan-friendly DIY emporium to buy them from?
See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/
most cheap paintbrushes are probably synthetic bristle, it seems the more you pay the more likely they are to be animal hair. i don't know if any of the major DIY chains are ethically better than any others to be honest.
I must admit i use most of the large DIY stores and building suppliers regularly, never really thought about how ethical they are as companies.
Regards paint brushes; most will say on them if they are brissle or synthetic. i know for example homebase stock both.
If you want to be good (and can afford it) there are several 'green' DIY places online (i'm sure if google it you will find some) also i think Ecos paints do brushes too.
I dont get crunchy people?
I'm glad to hear I can buy synthetic brushes etc from regular DIY places Gorilla and VBB. I have actually stopped doing work on the house recently because I was afraid to use brushes and paint I bought from B&Q.
What about paint, do you know if it is ok?
as far as i know the main problems with conventional paints is that they are made by people like ICI. Although the ingredients arent listed on such things, i know some of the 'green' paints contain milk products
i buy my paint from Ecos the paint is good and solvent free (so doesnt stink your house out) it is expensive though.
EDIT: i didnt mean just paint that is green, i mean eco friendly paints!
Last edited by veganbikerboy; Jul 10th, 2007 at 07:15 PM. Reason: green paints only?
I dont get crunchy people?
Well, green is my favourite colour so I'm glad you cleared that up!
Are there animal ingredients in ordinary paint?
Yes, the thing is I actually ENJOY DIY.........................what am I like?
The other thing is these companies are animal testing junkies. As far as I can tell, all conventional paints including DIY store own brands are/may be tested on animals. Ecos state none of thier products contain animal products or are tested on animals.as far as i know the main problems with conventional paints is that they are made by people like ICI. Although the ingredients arent listed on such things, i know some of the 'green' paints contain milk products
Do you order Ecos stuff over the internet and would they deliver to Northern Ireland? If so, I'll be getting from them.
yes, you order online
http://www.ecopaints.co.uk/index.htm
not sure about delivery to NI, i expect they do but it will cost ya!
I dont get crunchy people?
Thanks VBB, I'll give them a go!
I've just been painting my office with ecospaint and I'm very impressed. It is more expensive, but it's great stuff. It's really thick and gloopy so you don't need loads of coats, and it hardly smells of anything. I like the clip on the lid as well.
A point to note when dealing with Ecos. They do not accept returns unless they send you the wrong item. I was a bit disappointed by this. I'm going to be doing my whole house inside & out with Ecos. When I phoned to arrange return of one tin of gloss (I changed my mind about the colour), I was told they wouldn't accept it but they would get the director to call me back. He never did. I sent the paint back anyway and they never replied to my enclosed letter either.
I am still going to use the product, but I expected better customer service from this sort of company.
I had my card details ripped off after using their online store. Could be a coincidence, but I now give my card details to them over the phone instead.
I seem to remember it does say in the terms of sale that there are no returns unless faulty/wrong item. You could try pulling the distance selling act on them if it's unopened and you returned it within the first x days.
Their antique pine wood varnish is terrible, we've a litre which is going to waste. We've just got the clear stuff this time, not tried it out yet. I used their plaster sealer for the first time last night; seems like good stuff. I've a feeling it's just pva and water mixed together (I was expecting it to be like special white paint), so it could be a bit of a rip off.
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
Hello VBB,
Have you come across http://www.greenshop.co.uk/ ? They're in Bisley, near Stroud. Is that near you? I've ordered stuff from them before and met them at the 'Homes for Good' exhibition in Taunton (last year I think). They have 'green' paints from a number of manufacturers, all sorts of green products and a solar panel company. I had no problems dealing with them.
Interesting site. Do you know if any of their paints are vegan? There doesn't seem to be any info. Ecos are so far the only manufacturer I've seen state themselves that all products are vegan
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
Mr Flibble
www.greenshop.co.uk site is perhaps not very intuitive to navigate first time. If you click on Paint at the top of the page, it opens a new page. Then click on PDF files, you get another page. Then click on Full Catalogue to download the 28 page, 3 MB catalogue. With that saved to your computer you can read it at your leisure. They do their best to be vegan-friendly; all the products that are OK are marked with a V.
I have bought books from them. Another site which is mostly books is www.green-shopping.co.uk - I counted 7 books on straw-bale building alone!
i've used Green Shop before, it was a couple of years ago but they were good.
'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'
mzee, thanks for the link. I found them about 3-4yrs ago, but couldnt remember what they were called and had hunted in vain for them.
I am sure it is them that state that some of their paints contain milk?? might be wrong, as i said it was a fair few years ago.
Its about 40mins from where i live, i might pay them a visit
got my eye on a set of 'globe' taps, on ebay, for my bath. they are an original victorian pair that have been refurbed
I dont get crunchy people?
I've been looking at the pictures of your house, VBB. Everyone so far has said you'd be better to refurbish your house, but then I thought of a more radical option...
If you can get approval from the Building Inspector, build your dream house to one side of the existing house, set back a bit, just leaving room for a drive. While you are doing it, carry on living in the present house. When you've finished, move into it. Then sell the big house, and it becomes someone else's problem! Or refurbish it to a decent standard first and make a profit!
From the pictures, the house is rather wider than normal, so you could partly demolish, perhaps to about 2 thirds of the present width, leaving your new eco house with more frontage. Either way, keep most of the garden for yourself! Doing it this way gives you what you really want, with less rubble to dispose of. Just an idea!
I'm trying to improve my house's energy efficiency and have had my plans approved,but I'm more restricted in what I can do, as it's a mid-terrace bungalow. I like this as we all help keep each other warm - only 2 walls to lose heat from. Another plus is that it faces due South, ideal for solar panels. It had a roof conversion some years ago, with a single-glazed dormer almost the full width of the house - at the back, facing North! So my grand plan is to take the dormer out and put the roofline back to the original. Instead of the dormer I will put in Velux windows in the front only (facing South). A lot of work!
haha the energy rating on mine is 18/120 cat G (the lowest you can get).
I do plan to improve this with loft insulation, new windows etc..
re: your ideas for my house, the main problem is I love it! it is odd, and different but simple and traditional. I have also had it for three yrs now so am part way through renovation. The main problem of starting again is having the working capital
I dont get crunchy people?
Sorry, I didn't realise you were part-way into the renovation. If you love it, it will turn out to be great; the only trouble, in my experience, is that you'll want everything to be perfect, avoiding the short-cuts taken by the average cowboy buider, and it'll take you years to finish it. I loved my previous house in Wiltshire and it took me 20 years to get it right. I won't have 20 years for this one, but at least it's smaller, so I'm in with a chance.
You're right, but I ordered by phone and I don't remember them saying anything. If it were any other company, I would take it further but as I support what they're doing, like the product and havn't found any other company where all the products are vegan, I'm just taking it on the chin. I have since spoken to them about other things and they've been pretty helpful.I seem to remember it does say in the terms of sale that there are no returns unless faulty/wrong item. You could try pulling the distance selling act on them if it's unopened and you returned it within the first x days.
We have also just used this but the plaster still seemed to suck in a lot of emulsion on the first coat. Maybe we used it too sparingly. My wife thinks we should have just used watered down emulsion for the first coat and she's probably right. Ecos say not to water down thier paints, but we did when doing the outside with thier masonary paint a couple of years ago and it was fine. I fact, the paint dried out quite quickly in hte sun and would have become unusable without. Interestingly, the pure white was brighter & whiter than some conventional stuff we'd been using previously.I used their plaster sealer for the first time last night; seems like good stuff. I've a feeling it's just pva and water mixed together (I was expecting it to be like special white paint), so it could be a bit of a rip off.
A lot of the work is almost done now (thank god). The main structural work we've had to do is ripping out 2 walls downstairs (1 structural, 1 stud) and built a new stud wall (ironically where a structural one used to be 20+ years ago!) making a 17x15 dining kitchen. We took up the original completely (completely - no reclamation yards were interested) knackered slate and quarry tile floor and replaced it with a new slate one. The cellar staircase that was originally covered by a trap door is now open with a banister. We had to redo all the electrics downstairs and have completely changed the lighting scheme. We re-plumbed; changing the radiator layout (requirement of moving the wall) and supplying water to the american fridge. We've tried to keep it as traditional as we can, whilst modernising where needed to fit our lifestyle. We've done most of the work between ourselves/family (using structural engineer/builders where legally required) and used vegan certified products where ever possible (ecos paint, plaster sealer, varnish etc).
Here's a pic of Cherry making Sunday lunch today (in a room which used to be 3 separate ones, with 4 different colour schemes!); can post before/after pictures if anyone is interested:
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
That is one fine kitchen/dining room.
Ever thought about designing rooms for people?
I Think, Therefore I Am A Vegan
Yes please! A 'before' picture would make me feel so much better and less jealous! In my building site/slum my current ambition is to get the central heating going before January!
Very well done to you and Cherry - I'll be round for Sunday lunch!
your kitchen looks fab Mr Flibble. I find a huge sense of satisfaction when you complete a project, having done the majority of the work yourself.
Reclaimation yards - has anyone else used them? I bought my bath and high level cistern+toilet from one but have been hunting for about 6mths for a sink.
I find them ridiculously expensive, although I am really into reuse / recycle it is annoying when reclaimed stuff is more expensive then new
Homebase currently have a sale on kitchen and bathroom stuff and they have a sink that would suit for 1/2 price (about £80 off) very tempted!!
depending on time/energy levels/alcohol consumption I have a little plan to rip out the staircase, and saw cut a door in the upstairs landing over xmas.
I dont get crunchy people?
Is anyone else intending to visit the Homes for Good exhibition?
It''s on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th of March 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet and should appeal to all Vegan DIY-ers.
I went in 2006 when it was in Taunton and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I missed it last year, but the Bath & West Showground is very close to where I live, so I'm determined to go this year. (I'll go on the Saturday.)
If anybody else from VF is going, we could arrange a meet-up.
Info on www.homesforgood.info
My sister and I used to have design competitions on holiday when we were kids, but that's about as far as it got. I'm pretty good at visualisation, but I don't think i'm arty enough for a career.
I don't have any shots of direct comparison, as I didn't have a lens that wide when we got the house. I also, quite impressively don't have any shots of the house before the walls came down. Quite efficiently the first of the work happened within a couple of days of getting the keys and my camera had a problem at the time. Looking from almost the same spot as the above picture (forward a few steps) but with a different lens:Mzee
You can obviously see into the lounge as the stud wall hadn't been put up. You can see the original quarry tiles, which were too knackered to keep. Behind me in this pic is the original slate floor (also knackered before both charm and repair) that we ripped up, replacing the lot with new slate. We'd also ripped out half the kitchen units by this point, but you can see the orange, lilac and green walls. Standing from the lounge looking into the kitchen:
I've been putting up coving over the past couple of weekends which makes the lounge look a lot lot better (the ceilings aren't massively high but higher than recent houses and do look better with coving). I guess the original coving was taken out in the past when it wasn't trendy
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
Has anyone tried using google sketchup for planning rennovation work? I first started using it about a year ago and it's actually really good for making quick models. I've used lots of 3d programs before (blender, alias|wavefront maya, 3dsmax etc) but sketchup lets you make things super fast (almost as fast as overpriced room designer things, but with loads more flexibility). It's got lots of annoyances; thou I'm not sure how many of which are due to my incompetance in using it vs limitations of the software.
I find it really useful for getting proportions right and laying out furniture. Before we moved into our house I used sketchup for the living room layout and understanding the proportions of the kitchen with the walls moved around. This weekend I've been building shelves/cupboards in the alcoves around the fireplace in our bedroom. The model took about an hour last weekend but is accurate to 5mm and allowed me to figure out how much of which wood I needed to buy and was really useful this weekend when cutting. It's mostly up now and looks remarkably like the model. Will post a picture when a bit more complete:
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
i used to use autosketch, I have also used the IKEA free planner you can download which was good for a 'plan view'.
I am just in the process of downloading sketchup to give it a go.
tbh i much prefer pencil and paper and am always doing 3d sketches of hows things might look (oneday!)
I dont get crunchy people?
I've used autocad in the past (my dad used to sometimes bring back huge tablets with loads of cool overlays from work), but found it a bit too much like hard work for quick drawings. I found the IKEA one quite restrictive/more like a sales tool for their gear than a creative outlet. I like using paper too, but I lack talent and like to be able to move things around without lots of cut outs and bluetack
The above picture, but slightly wider angle and about 9 months on. Since this pic I've put up coving (which makes it a lot better) and Cherry's launched a malicious hate campaign against my coffee table, which is getting replaced shortly by a rug. We'll be acquiring a cealing rose shortly. We've been told the walls are the wrong color, but aren't convinced. That is a real stuffed tiger by the fireplace, Cherry made him.
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
wow, i'm very jealous.
'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'
Very beautiful house Mr. Flibble!! I love it.
Bookmarks