[jambutty]

A couple of years ago or so Twin Valley Homes (Blackburn and Darwen) did my windows (living room, bedroom, kitchen and washroom), front door (I don’t have a back door), kitchen and re-wired my flat. This is my experience. This is all related to a ground floor flat so it will be different (more complex) for a house.

They sent round an agent to discuss the installing of a new kitchen, re-wring the flat, double-glazing and new modern front door. She brought with her samples of all the variables that would be involved and was very helpful as we strolled through the process of selection. I was done in less than an hour. But then aesthetics was never my strong point.

I had a choice of the colour and type of front door and I also had a choice of the style of doors and drawer fronts on all the new kitchen units, the colour of the worktop, floor, wallpaper and colour of paint that the wallpaper would be painted and woodwork. I had limited input on the kitchen layout. In fact there was only one possible layout to take full advantage of the limited floor space. The only variable was where the washer would go. I chose the place and they agreed with my selection.

On the appointed day at the crack of dawn – well it was for me but in reality it was 0830 - the guys arrived to do the windows and doors.

Tip – Make sure that you and yours are up and breakfasted BEFORE they arrive. It is too late once they appear on your doorstep.

Tip 2 - if your TV aerial and telephone leads come through your old window frame disconnect them and pull them through to the outside before they 'do' that window. They will replace them when the new window frame goes in but not through the frame. The wires will be routed around the frame.

Tip 3 - move any furniture that makes access to the windows from the inside awkward. If you don’t they will but may not take the same care as you would. Those guys were in a hurry. Must be a bonus thing.

Tip 4 – if your home is a no smoking zone tell them the minute that they arrive.

Each window was completed, at least on the inside before the next one was started on. The old windowsill was covered over with a new plastic one. Any gaps were sealed with that white silicon sealant stuff and a masking strip of plastic was stuck over the seal. Shoddy work really!

Then came the electricians to do the re-wiring and change the electricity meter to a modern one.

Tip – cover all your furniture with the dust sheets that they supply but only for the room that they are working in. If there are not enough, ask for more. They have to supply them. Keep the doors to other rooms closed and if possible seal the gaps around them. It is amazing how the dust can still get into a room with a closed door.

Obviously all power to the home has to be disconnected at some time and in my case I would have been left without power for nearly a whole day. Yet they had to have power for their work so I asked them to supply me with power to my computer so that I could stay on line and my fridge freezer would also be connected. They obliged.

As the electricians did their thing the kitchen wreckers invaded my kitchen. All appliances except the cooker are removed. Having just a small flat the fridge freezer went into my living room, the washer in the lobby and the gas cooker stayed where it was so that it was still usable in the evenings.

Tip – empty all your kitchen cupboards the day before they arrive and keep handy basic requirements like cups, plates, saucepans, cutlery.

Tip 2 - make room in your living room for your electric kettle and microwave etc. Keep a large bottle of tap water handy for brews during the day. They won’t take kindly to you trying to fill up your kettle whilst they are working in your kitchen. In any case the water will have been turned off for the whole house. Don’t even think about making a cooked meal during the day. Sandwiches and microwave are the answer.

Tip 3 – watch them work if you must but don’t get under their feet.

When they had finished the kitchen the socket for the washer was underneath the worktop and behind the washer when it is in place and there is a switch above the worktop to send power to the socket below. Apparently that is they way things are done these days. Crazy! What happens if the fuse in the plug blows? You have to pull the washer out and somehow get to the plug to change the fuse. Not easy for an apprentice geriatric.

Your cooker will be chained to the wall to prevent you pulling it out so far as to strain the gas pipe and maybe pull it out. I’m not sure if this applies to electric cookers.

When all the units had been fitted they put some stuff down on the floor that was supposed to make it smooth if not actually level. Being guys in a hurry the smoothness left a lot to be desired. Some time in the future the small ridges will be a wear point of the tiles. It needs overnight to cure so you will be barred from the kitchen during that time. The next day the tiles went down.

The whole process took four and a half days for the inside but it took a further week until the outside was sealed properly against the weather.

Some clown managed to cut the telephone cable along the wall but they got someone in (not BT) to repair it within a couple of hours.

They weren’t the cleanest of workers but there was a foreman who flitted from house to house to see how things progressed. Even so their idea of cleaning up behind them didn’t equate to mine and I’m not particularly house proud.

Finally if anything is not done to your satisfaction, tell the foreman before the workers finally leave. However if you notice something after they have gone try and find the foreman first. If you can’t find him or he takes no action then report the problem to your landlord.

One annoying factor, the kitchen wreckers brought in their own radio and liked to listen to some strange commercial programme. This clashed with my Radio 2 or CD’s but my system had more umph than their radio.

It’s amazing how long it takes to finally get rid of all the created dust.

On balance I was glad when it was all over and I could get back to my normal.

A couple of weeks later an inspector came round to inspect the work. If you have found any problems tell the inspector.