Friday 6 September 2013

DIY SOS - The kitchen floor

We all have these jobs/issues in our homes that linger, fester, keep you awake some nights, get steadily worse and just seem so potentially catastrophic that you put them off.  Well ours has been the kitchen floor.....last summer I noticed that the gap between the top of the washing machine and the work top seemed to have gotten bigger ?? no can't be.  But some delving around with torch and pulling plinths from the bottom of the cupboards revealed that there was a small (1cm) gap below the bottom of the skirting board and the actual floor along the wall underneath our kitchen sink.   Had it been like that since we moved in??? not sure so decided to keep an eye on it.

Well steadily over the last year the gap had become about an inch and a half, the washing machine had to be put on a board to bridge the hole in the floor underneath it and the units were beginning to drop.  So with thought it was decided it would have to be tackled.

So my other half had a day off work yesterday and my Mum and Dad (with the best nothing can't be fixed type of attitude) came down and we began.

You can see the gap


Sink disconnected, units taken out and very expensive lino carefully rolled back.

So looks rotten ......yes it is completely rotten and the floor joist at the back had actually broken

Floor ripped out 

Several hours later, joists replaced/strengthened, new flooring laid.

Floor down and yes I thought I'd just paint behind the washer whilst I had the chance

Finished, no leaks, no breakages or damage and a nice strong floor.  All in two days and thanks to my mum and dad we probably saved ourselves £500-£1000 by doing it ourselves
I can sleep soundly now knowing I wont fall through the floor.  Yes a lot of DIY of late and yes there is a reason for the sudden sense of urgency.....

2 comments:

  1. I bet your little helper enjoyed all the activity!! I'm sure she's good at DIY. Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  2. You could hire your parents out as odd job pensioners . X :)

    ReplyDelete

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