Change of use job

Here are a few pictures from what the planning department call a 'Change of use' job. A former bedroom has been converted into an en suite bathroom. It compries of a 760mm shower cubicle, a wash basin on a pedestal, a toilet and a towel rail radiator. We are just doing the finishing touches today.

We had to excavate the driveway and form a branch into the the main drain for a soil vent pipe to serve the new bathroom. We also replaced a broken rainwater gulley and resited it against the wall. I took this picture whilst waiting for the building inspector to pass the drains so we could stone it up and back fill.

 

All walls inside were tiled and the existing radiator was replaced with a chrome ladder style towel rail with concealed pipes.

The shower valve is a built in Mira with a variable riser kit. All pipework is concealed in the cupboard we constructed that backs onto the shower.

I had to stand on a step ladder to get this shot. The tray is also by Mira as is the fold down seat and the cubicle. The floor you will note has been over layed with plywood in readiness for a non slip vinyl covering which is getting fitted once we are completed.

The 450mm wide basin is rather compact and has been selected due to space being of a premium. The tap is by Bristan.

 

We carried out all the external drainage work, the plastering, joinery, resiting a boiler, electrics and tiling as well as the plumbing. Our customer had just one company to deal with; us. If you'd like another bathroom and aren't sure if it's possible or think it may cost too much or don't fancy dealing with lots of different trades or building inspectors please give us a call. We can take care of everything and it may not cost as much as you think.

Vertical Flued Installation

Here's a roof flue on a boiler change job we completed yesterday. It always brings back many happy memories when I get my lead dressing tools out as a large part of my apprenticeship involved working with lead. Note the two hidden lead straps which are fixed to a roof batten and fold over the bottom of the flashing to hold it in place. This is good practice in exposed areas. Once dressed to the contours of the roof tiles the lead is treated with patination oil. We get to see some shocking examples of poor workmanship by heating engineers when trying to fit these type of terminals. Only last month we were called to a boiler that was reported as leaking. It wasn't the boiler it was rainwater running down the incorrectly fixed vertical flue terminal. Here's how it should be done so it's aesthetically pleasing and most importantly weather tight.

 

 

 In the not so distanct past we'd have done this job using a cat ladder hooked over the ridge of the roof. Happily those days are gone and we now work from safe platforms and don't have to worry about lead dressers and other tools sliding down the roof.

 

Here's the access tower. John is on the lower platform terminating the pressure relief outlet pipe.

 

 

 

Here's the business end of the job; a Worcester 'Greenstar' 30Si, high efficiency combination boiler. It's fitted in the former airing cupboard so is hidden but easily accessable for servicing. An old Plumber who did some small jobs for a housing trust we work for once said to me "I can always tell when boilers have been fitted by you".

"How's that" I asked him?

Your pipes are always neat, straight and clipped" he replied.

"Well it's only how they are supposed to be" I told him!

I guess it's about having pride in your work. I insist on neatly routed pipework. Strangely a great friend of mine who I served my apprenticeship alongside and now plies his trade in the USA suffers from the same insistance on perfection. It has stemmed from our training at ICI which I still rate as the very best.

If you'd like to know more about my neat workmanship, high efficiency boilers, energy saving controls and how to keep warm whilst paying the very least possible for your gas then please do give me a call.