Our next renovation project - 1930’s semi!

We’ve started a new renovation project! This is a 2 bedroom 1930’s semi-detached house in the North East of England. It needs a substantial amount of work to bring it up to modern standards. This should be a really interesting project and hopefully useful if you’re ever thinking of doing something like this. Subscribe for future updates on this channel or if you want to see every detail of the renovation join the Member Zone for less than the price of a pint!

Gosforth Handyman

Gosforth Handyman

How to Salvage Your Valuables After Serious Flooding

                      Saving family keepsakes after a storm can be painstaking, but it's worth it

Heavy rain and severe weather can upend your life. And if you're faced with mucking out your house and tearing out saturated drywall, recovering keepsakes and family treasures might seem like a task for a later day.

But saving your valuables can be a race against the clock—mold can form within 48 hours. To help, the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, cosponsored by FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, has developed guidelines for how to salvage what you want and dispose of what can’t be saved.

The first step is to determine what type of water you’re dealing with—salty, dirty, or contaminated by sewage or chemicals. If your valuables have come in contact with toxic water during flooding, you might have to call a professional conservator because trying to clean them yourself can be a health risk. If the water was untainted, then take steps to reduce the humidity around your items as you work to clean and dry them. Here’s how from FEMA’s checklist:

Save Your Valuables

Prioritize. You may not be able to save everything after flooding, so focus on what’s most important to you, whether for sentimental or monetary reasons.

"We always hear about dollar-amount damages, but often the losses that affect us the most are the ones to which a dollar amount cannot be assigned," says Lori Foley, administrator of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force. "What do you own that you’d miss terribly if you lost it? Photographs of loved ones in frames, albums, or shoeboxes? Books and paintings passed down through generations? Grandma’s recipe box?"

Air-dry. Gentle air-drying indoors is best. Weather permitting, open your windows to increase indoor airflow. If it’s too hot and humid, use fans, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers. Avoid using hair dryers, irons, ovens, and prolonged exposure to sunlight, which can do irreversible damage.

Handle with care. Delicate items can be especially fragile when wet, so be careful when you handle them. Separate sodden materials by removing photographs from damp albums and taking paintings and prints out of their frames. Place white paper towels between every few pages of wet books.

Clean gently. Loosen dirt and debris on fragile objects carefully with soft cloths and brushes. Avoid rubbing, which can grind in dirt.

Salvage photos. Clean photographs by rinsing them carefully in clean water. Air-dry photos on a plastic screen or paper towel, or by hanging them by the corners with plastic clothespins. Don’t let the image come into contact with other surfaces as it dries.

Cold storage. Damp objects and items that cannot be dealt with immediately should be put in open, unsealed boxes or bags. If you can’t attend to items within 48 hours, you can put photos, papers, books, and textiles in the freezer and clean them later.

"In general, you can freeze many items that cannot be dried out in 48 hours – photos, books, documents, textiles," says Foley. "Freezing stops mold from growing, ink from running, and dyes from transferring. Freezing items allows you to buy some time to devote to other activities. When you are able, you can return to the frozen items and recover them on your own time."

Dispose of the Debris

Once the waters recede, residents will be able to go back into their homes and start cleaning up, and piles of ruined household belongings will be put on the curb. Cleanup can take months if not years.

Because mold creates a serious health risk, it’s important to remove wet items from your home as soon as possible. FEMA recommends not waiting for your insurance adjuster before cleaning up. Instead, document the flooding damage on your cell phone or camera. Before dragging debris to the curb, check with your municipality on how it wants you to separate items for the garbage haulers. FEMA recommends sorting items into the following six categories:

• Bagged household garbage such as food, packaging, and paper.
• Building materials and furniture, including drywall, carpeting, and mattresses.
• Vegetation debris such as tree branches, plants, and leaves.
• Hazardous household waste, including batteries, paints, and cleaning supplies.
• Large appliances such as refrigerators, water heaters, and air conditioners.
• Electronics such as TVs, computers, and stereo equipment.

For more information and resources, see FEMA’s After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures.

Article Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/cleaning/how-to-salvage-valuables-after-flooding/

Boost Your Home’s Selling Price: 5 Pro Secrets | Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports’ latest survey of real estate pros reveals low-cost fixes that can raise your home’s value when you go to sell. Plus, find our recommended appliances, paints and flooring that will help you update your house for less money.

How You Can Benefit From Hiring Fire Damage Restoration Professionals

Home and property owners who have experienced property damage of any kind have felt distressed especially with the expenses from fire damage restoration and other finances. After suffering from money losses due to the expenditures, taking the restoration alone will most likely be a personal choice.

But did you know that personal restitution projects are not recommended? Although it seems more cost-effective to personally address the problem, several of these homeowners choose to abandon the project and hire professionals instead. It's mainly because they don't know what to do or have worsened the situation instead of improving it.

So before you decide to do things on your own and make matters worse, here are some benefits you can gain from hiring fire damage restoration companies.

• Expertise and skills

- Professional fire and smoke damage restorers have many years of field experience. They have seen different types of fire damage situations through the years which gave them ample knowledge in tackling unique problems. Deciding to restore your own property will require of you to learn the ropes which will take too much of your time. Fire damage restoration work is more effective when immediately done by the experts.

• Insurance assistance

- Aside from dealing with the expenses, you will also need to deal with the insurance company, with some who might be uncongenial of the situation. Instead of being helpful, they'll bury you with too much paperwork, and a long, frustrating process.

Fire and smoke damage experts, on the other hand, will provide insurance specialists to take the burden off your shoulders by doing the process on your behalf. Additionally, they will work to come up with an agreeable claim amount to cover the losses. Many insurance companies undercut homeowners but fire damage restoration companies will do otherwise.

• Right tools, manpower, and approach

- With regards to restitution works, specialized equipment and approach is necessary. Professionals sent out will work together to address the situation in the best and most effective way possible. Such companies will also have the equipment the problem asks for.

• More personal time

- Doing the restoration by yourself may result in you losing valuable time by leaving work or being unable to attend to your business. This, furthermore, results in more financial problems and headaches. But hiring fire and smoke damage experts will give you enough time to go on with working and living your daily life. Peace of mind and assurance is well on your way with these professionals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Justin_L._Cook_/1408542

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7732444

Alltek Restoration Provides 24/7 Emergency Services

Emergency Services

We are here to help when you need it. Providing first response to your needs 24/7. Our team will be dispatched to your loss, will assess the damages, explain the course of action required and with your approval start immediately preventing further loss and damages.

The post-loss condition of a structure or dwelling can vary and is specific to each type of loss and the severity of the damage that has occurred. Determining the cause of the loss and the affected area is the first step and often most important. How and what steps are taken can have a significant impact on further damages and what is necessary to prevent or limit further damages to a structure. Alltek Restoration, Inc. provides all emergency or temporary services which your property may require.

Board Up Services

Are very common requirements after storm or fire losses. The damages caused by the actual fire and tactics use to extinguish can leave your property with broken or blown out windows, burnt doors or broken doors, ventilation holes in roofs, and structural deficiencies all of which leaves the property open to access, in distress, and insecure. We will secure all loss related openings with temporary measures securing the property and temporary structural repairs to help prevent further damages.

Temporary Weather Proofing

Your property may require temporary weatherproofing as a result of a loss. Both storm and fire damages can leave your property exposed or vulnerable to weather elements which will cause further damage to your property. Preventing additional damages is key as secondary damages can exceed the preliminary damages.

Content Services

Depending on the type of loss and severity will determine what needs to be done.

Services can include the following: manipulation, both salvageable and non-salvageable / total loss inventory, packing for on or off-site storage, cleaning and restoration, and pack back after repairs.


Mitigation Services

Includes initial loss assessment, determination of cause and source, water category/classification, moisture mapping, and determining the affected areas that require structural drying. Removal of both salvageable and non-salvageable building components, and the placement of required drying equipment as well as monitoring the drying progress until completed. After the drying process, repairs may proceed.

Temporary Utility Services

After a loss, a structure's utilities can be interrupted or shut off until safe operation and use can be confirmed. All utilities are subject to interruption which can make your home uninhabitable or unsafe. After a fire, if the electrical system is damaged emergency personnel will have the utility provider interrupt service to prevent the risk of injury and further structure damages. We can provide emergency repair or provide temporary utilities that are required so repairs may begin.

Dealing With Disaster and Planning Restoration

Disaster can strike any commercial building or residence at anytime. Whether it is a storm that strikes or a fire that engulfs the building, disaster in any form is often severely damaging to the property, as well as to the people who live or reside inside it. However, for a quick and efficient recovery, restoration needs to be taken up in a professional manner, at the earliest possible time.

All across the US, there are thousands of commercial and residential buildings that fall prey to unforeseen disaster, like fire or water that infiltrates walls and floors, and floods the entire facility. If your home or office has suffered from mishaps like these, then you are at the receiving end of emotional trauma and financial loss. A water or fire disaster may lead to destruction of interior structural materials, furnishings, and electrical equipment and in the worst case, precious metals, jewels and cash. That is why, in the case of any sort of disaster, you need to gather your wits and focus on restoring as much as you can.

You need to act immediately to stabilize the loss and mitigate damage. Only then can you achieve the maximum recovery of items like furniture, carpeting, electronics, machinery and documents. Rapid action is needed to minimize replacement costs, as well as prevent the facility or home from getting exposed to further damage like mold. In most cases, restoration is best handled by professionals. They can carry out the entire task speedily and effectively. Add to that their trained crew who use the latest equipment, and you will see the logic behind hiring a restoration company as soon as damage occurs on your property.

However, when one does need to look up a disaster restoration company, they are often quite shaken up, even more so in the case of residential disasters. However, choosing a restoration company needs to be done very carefully as it is probably the one chance you get to fix whatever you can, post disaster. That is why we've listed below a few essential services that you must expect from a damage restoration and maintenance company.

• Providing The Solutions: The company must have skilled staff that can judge the amount of damage and determine what can be saved. They must also be able to recommend the equipment required for restoration, the process and the expected results of the same.

•Managing The Operation: The damage control company must be able to have a dedicated team that will be able to handle your case. They must also define a time period within which the restoration work will be completed with guaranteed results.

• Using The Latest Techniques: Whether it is to remove soot and clean the smoke laden walls after a fire,or dehumidification and drying of a facility post a flood or seepage, they must be able to limit indoor air quality problems and make the room/office/facility habitable quickly.

• Comprehensive Cleaning and Disinfecting: Post disaster, there are chances of allergies and infections due to remnants left behind. The company must sanitize, disinfect interior surfaces, and also eliminate contamination from mold, bacteria, mildew, and other potential biological hazards.

• Efficient Disposal and Minimal Demolition: The company must try to save as many items as it can. If however, certain portions have to be demolished, then that needs to be done in a cautious manner.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Ulwe/1190208

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6668048

Timelapse of our entire 1920’s house renovation

I wanted to document our entire 1920’s house renovation and extension in a single time-lapse video. This is everything so far from start to finish excluding the garden.

Gosforth Handyman

Gosforth Handyman

Tips on Hiring a Contractor After a Flood Disaster

What type of contractor do I need to repair my flooded home?

If your home has been damaged by a flood, you may need to hire the services of professionals to mitigate the damages, handle any damaged personal property, or perform repairs. Typically, contractors who specialize in flood mitigation and repair are most familiar with the techniques and processes that this type of work requires. Contractors who specialize in flood damage remediation or "flood restoration contractors" understand the proper procedures necessary to restore and/or dry out a home or building and its contents. Some of the specialized equipment they may include: truck mounted and portable vacuums or water extractors, high-velocity air movers, dehumidifiers, and moisture meters to monitor the drying process.

Residential home re-modelers or custom home builders may not have the experience that flood restoration contractors have in this field and may not have the expertise to properly mitigate the damage and/or prevent increased levels of microbial growth (mold). If mold becomes a concern, you may need to hire a certified industrial hygienist to test for mold and provide a restoration protocol or guidelines to mitigate any mold issues. Keep in mind that if you have insurance, your homeowners' insurance policy may have very little or no coverage for mold remediation, so contact your insurance company to find out if you have coverage and what your limits are. Mold remediation can be very expensive!

Usually, after a flood, the restoration process will have three main components:

1. The first is the structural drying phase. This is where the water and moisture are removed along with any materials that cannot be saved such as warped or damaged flooring, baseboard, wet drywall, etc.
2. The second component is the handling of any personal property. This may entail packing up all of the contents of the home including clothing, furniture, or other items and storing and/or restoring them offsite until the structural repairs are completed. This phase also may require the creation of an inventory to document or list any personal property that may have been damaged beyond repair and that needs to be replaced.
3. The third phase in the restoration project is the structural repair. This entails the restoration of building elements that need to be repaired or replaced, including insulation, drywall, baseboards, cabinetry, flooring, painting, etc. In some cases, a single restoration contractor may offer to perform all three phases or you may want to choose one company to handle the drying while other companies handle the contents and structural repair.

Before you sign a contract for flood remediation services, consider the following:
 

• Read every word of the contract and be sure you understand the terms and conditions.
• Review any fee schedule that details what the charges will be for labor and equipment.
• Get an estimate of what the drying process may cost before any work begins. Any costs or charges that your insurance company does not cover or pay for, you may be held personally responsible to pay.
• Obtain copies of certificates of general liability and workers compensation insurance and be sure the policies are current and in force.
• Obtain copies of any Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) if the contractor intends to use any chemicals, anti-microbial agents, or other substances in your home that could cause adverse health effects.
• Check references and affiliations with trade organizations and the Better Business Bureau.
• Photograph and document your home, its contents, and the extent of any damages prior to anything being done or moved.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sean_Monroe_Scott/1290184

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6908220

ASK This Old House | Preventing Plumbing Disasters

Richard explains how, where, and why plumbing systems fail. Richard gives a deep dive on when and how plumbing pipes and connections can be repaired or replaced. Ross explains and demonstrates how to prevent plumbing failures with new technology. Preventing Water Damage Kevin O’Connor and damage prevention specialist Michael Milligan toured a home to identify ways to prevent plumbing leaks and other flood damage. How a Frozen Pipe Bursts Richard demonstrated that pipes, when frozen, expand in volume, which exponentially increases the water pressure and forces the pipe to burst. In these circumstances, shut the water off at the main and immediately call a plumber. To prevent the pipes from freezing in the first place, Richard recommended keeping cabinet doors open and insulating the pipes with pipe insulation. This can be found at home centers. How to Replace Polybutylene Piping with PEX Richard travels to Richmond, Virginia to help a homeowner replace her polybutylene piping with conventional PEX. Where to find it? Polybutylene pipes are no longer to code and need to be replaced by a licensed professional. Richard was assisted by Capital Mechanical. The tools and materials required to replace the pipes, including the PEX lines, fittings, and the expansion tool, can all be found at home centers and plumbing supply houses. The PEX piping for this project was supplied by Uponor. Future House | Smart Automatic Water Shutoff Valves Ross travels to Los Angeles to learn about innovations being made to automatic water shutoff valves.

Large 1930's semi renovation - What did we do to this house? (Part 2)

Welcome back to this little mini-series about past renovation projects. Watch part 1 first if you haven't already where I explain a bit more about this property. In this video I'm condensing a 2.5 year renovation down to 40 minutes-ish. Sorry, couldn't make it any shorter and believe me I tried! So what did we end up doing to this large 1930's semi? Did we swap the living room and dining room around? Let's find out...

Gosforth Handyman

Gosforth Handyman

This Old House | House Fire Reclamation

The back porches are brought to code. Ice blasting is used to get rid of the fire odor. New vinyl siding gets installed. Homeowner Carol considers new accent colors to match. Framing begins inside.

A lingering smell is one of the biggest problems faced by victims of a house fire. Kevin finds our demo expert Ron Peik addressing that problem with a unique solution—ice. The old siding dates to the early 80’s and finding a match has been difficult. Carol has decided to put new vinyl siding on the entire house and change the color. Tom works with Charlie and siding installer Diogenes Porto on the side of the house that received most of the damage. The new siding color gives Carol a chance to change accent colors on the exterior. She meets with Mauro Henrique to pick new colors for the columns in front. In the second floor apartment framing has begun. Kevin finds Russ and his crew erecting a new wet wall between the kitchen and bathroom and moving a bathroom wall to make space for a laundry room.