437 Amulree Street

When Paul & Jillian bought 437, it needed some work, particularly inside


01-Moving a Wall

02-Bathroom

03-Top Landing

04-Bedroom 1

05-Bedroom 2

06-Nursery

07-Stairwell

08-Downstairs Hall

09-Small Toilet

10-Re-designing The Kitchen

11-New Opening

12-Disappearing Doors

13-New Back Door

14-Wonky Floor

15-Kitchen

16-The Front Room

16-The Loft



Moving a Wall

Possible because the chimneys were no longer in use, and the space could be released.

First, remove the chimney

which was the wall between the bathroom, hallway and the bedroom

and now it's gone!

but the old bedroom cupboard has to go too.

Here's the new gap, as seen from the top of the stairs

and along the top landing

so, a new wall is required

and is expertly constructed by Jillian's dad, George

maybe with a bit of help from Paul?

or is that him hiding?

So, the wall is up now.

tidy work indeed

and looking good.

Here's how it looked before

And this is the work completed. Very nice.



Bathroom


Start taking out the old . . .

First, a new wall making the room wider

Insulated and ready to finish

Where's the bath gone?

Is that a new window?

and the sink has become a toilet.

The bathroom guy has been busy

and the floor's looking good

A wee problem matching the paint!

Last thing, a tall cabinet.

And it's all looking great.

and we're very pleased with it. (all 3 of us!)



Top Landing


This is the starting point

New, larger hatch in a mostly new ceiling

and a bit of new wall to move the bedroom door

walls stripped and the new ceiling plastered

A new boiler in the upstairs cupboard

with remote controls - the modern way!

The new ceiling hatch & ladder in use

The landing in one direction

and now the other direction

Painting underway

The bathroom guys don't half make a mess

Bathroom done ...

doors on ...

and a surprise visitor checking up from Bahrain

then the final result - all painted and carpeted



Bedroom 1


The chimney has gone, and the wall with it

Is there no privacy at all?

Where the chimney was. You can see into the kitchen through the floor

The replacement wall under construction

and still no privacy!

The wall is up, and the door has been moved to the right

and we are ready to move forward.

New windows

Now, here is the plan. Wonder how it will turn out?

Plaster going on.

including the roof

What's this?

New cupboards?

Yes, that's new cupboards right enough

and a wee hidey-hole for Jillian?

Misting paint coat going on

Door on, and painting underway

Painting continues

It all looks absolutely brilliant.

As the heavy team delicately finish off the room.



Bedroom 2


Stripped and ready for some action

but only useful for storage at this time

Now a coat of plaster applied

all round the room

including the roof

and finlly the "feature" wall retaining the old 60's fireplace

Jillian reveals who's doing most of the work here.

New window, radiator and a coat of misting paint

now we're ready for the top coat

even more painting . . .

Door on, painting done

and the carpet to finish it all off.

Now this can be the office (temporarily, perhaps)



Nursery


Another room used for storage at the start

Then a coat of plaster

Which took some time to dry

New window and radiator

then an undercoat of misting primer

and a last look at the old cupboard built long ago by Grandad Bill

Replaced by a lovely new cupboard and shelves

still using the sliding door principle, though.

Doors on, and wallpaper (now there lies a tale!)

Nursery furniture installed...

all ready for Sadie Jean's arrival.



Stairwell


The stairwell - stripped ready for action

Early attempts at the bannisters

Some complex "scaffolding" required

to access every nook and cranny

What would Health & Safety say?

But it's very effective, and look, a new window!

Someone trying to take the credit

but here is the real driving force.

So it's primed and ready

A concrete mixer? Surely not?

New cupboard at the foot of the stairs

Bannister next?

soon . . .

The cupboard interior looks good

Walls and bannister painted and carpet down

and it looks absolutely brilliant.

So, from this....

To this. Good Job!!



The downstairs hall


Before we start, but the heating's in.

The kitchen door has disappeared

Replaced by a new wall

This cupboard needs cleared

To be replaced by what?

Ah, ha! A secret compartment

In fact, two secret compartments!!

It looks very innocent...

but will anyone ever see the gas meter again?

New flooring going down

With the doors, all looking good.

with a very nice overall effect.



Small Toilet


How about a wee toilet downstairs?

Knock a hole in the hall wall and fit a surround.

Put concrete on the Floor

and fit some minature fixings.

Get Grandad Paul going with the paint and paper

and it all looks really great.



Re-designing the kitchen


Here's wht the view from the kitchen window was via a security camera before Paul & Jillian bought the house.

Here's the startin point for the kitchen conversion.

Starting to remove the chimney and wall between kitchen and living room

Some different angles of the wall coming down

Another angle

And another

And yet another

This little visitor didn't fancy the work in store.

So, the wall is gone now.

Kitchen and living room opened up

Now there's a gap being made over the kitchen window

A beam goes up where the wall was

and is fixed to the adjacent wall

with another beam over the kitchen window

and an upright to hold it all together. Now the house shouldn't fall down.



New Opening


Quick Motion Video

Is knocking down walls becoming a habit?

Lets knock through to the front room

Looking at the "new kitchen-diner" from the front room

Front room and front door from the kitchen.

and the larder, but this is about to change.

Last look at the kitchen door?



Disappearing doors


Last look at the back door?

Back door gone, and replaced by a new window.

Now the kitchen door's gone as well, and the pantry door also!

radiator fitted and beam boxed in.

A clue to what's happening to the pantry.

Slapping on plaster.

and ready to be painted.



A new back door? - Wow!!


What is it with this guy knocking down walls?

My, that's a big hole in the outside wall!.

Covered up for the moment, don't want anyone breaking in and leaving us something.

Look! A new back door, this time a big pair of sliding doors.

and a very large window alongside.

This pair look really really good

Box everything in, beams and all.

Run a drain & water supply to the new location for the kitchen sink.

Need to finish the boxing-in.

And covered in new plaster.

And all ready to be painted.

but there's something else to be done before we're finished here.



Wonky Floor


Breaking up the old floor

There's a lot of it!

Start laying down a new base.

With a waterproof lining.

The top layer goes on.

Smoothed out and left to solidify.

And we're done. Very nice.



Kitchen


Well, here's the kitchen - in boxes in the garage

and here's where it has to go!

Off to a good Start.

Some help from Kev in starting the Island.

It's coming along.

Making good progress.

Adding some lights

and it's taking shape.

but Jillian is making sure all is satisfctory.

OK. What's next?

Doors, of course.

Looking great!

The worktops have arrived!

And are looking great.

The doors look good too.

Just needs some paint to finish it Off.

Really, really very nice.

One last thing to finish it Off.

The floor.

From the front room into the kitchen

And through to the back of the room

All looking marvelous

When everything comes together.

Looks great in any light.

and a pleasure to work in.

Wow.

View from the front room

View from the back door.

One last thing required.

The feature lights.

And here's a guy trying to convince us he was in charge all along. He, He.



The Front Room


A hole in the wall for the beam supporting the house!

now neatly cemented in

Starting to take out the wall for the dividing doors

Slowly progressing.

Quick Motion Video

Until it's all done. Neat job.

Bookshelves - Joiner No1 - Crazy Paul. Take a last look a the old fireplace

Here is the fire surround from the bedroom above as it was originally.

Here is the fire surround after it's ben tidied up.

And here is where they're thinking of putting it. Note that Joiner No2 has also tidied the book-cases

A lick of paint, and this is beginning to look really good.

More paint, and tiles in the fireplace.

The new bay windows looking a bit rough round the edges.

Some new surrounds and some plaster later!

Getting on with the painting.

Took some effort to get away from the original paintwork!

And now the floor goes down.

Looking really, really very nice.

We mean really, really, really nice.

Are we ready to move in?.

First fetch the plants from Jillians Mum.

Hoping they look as good in their new surroundings.

There's that guy again, taking all the credit!

But everything is looking brilliant.

From no matter which angle.

all ready for Sadie Jane to arrive.



The Loft


This is how Uncle John left the loft. Reasonably organised, but everything ages old.

Step 1, a larger hatch and a ladder to the loft.

The view from above

Hole where the chimney used to be

and the view from above!

The loft is now floored

And ready for a new gneration of "treasured rubbish"

The roof had been replaced in 2017, so all good there. No leaks!!



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Paul Reynolds - May 2021