I ordered new glass for every window in the apartment apart from the semi circles in the tops (which couldn’t be removed without breaking the whole window frame) more on how I intend to resolve that later.
So this is Gary’s’ team from ‘The Window Doctor’ sorting this huge job out. We watched the weather all week and although it was forecast for wind that day, it got progressively worse as the day went on.
The job was booked to take 2 days but they actually managed to get all of the glass replaced apart from one set, the winds just became too strong and it was unsafe to continue. The weather the next day was even worse. There are 2 pieces to replace and new French doors from the lounge onto the balcony are booked to be fitted in a couple of weeks.
When I looked at the floorplan, I initially thought that I would move the kitchen into the next room (currently the dining room) as it was a better size and shape, however upon further consideration, I thought that the huge second bedroom, was rather a waste of space.
The old bedroom cupboards, no takers for this furniture, unfortunately 😦
When considering a floor plan, you should consider the rooms you use the most. Usually, this tends to be the lounge and the kitchen. Yes, most spend a lot of time sleeping, and bedroom 1 is a fantastic size but the second bedroom could be put to much better use as a fabulous large kitchen.
Firstly, I had to think about the location of the boiler, it was suggested that I leave the boiler where it is (the old kitchen will now be a bedroom) and place it in a cupboard and save myself £2000. I thought about it but I ultimately considered, if I wanted to buy this flat, what would I think of a boiler in the bedroom? I would not like that at all personally and didn’t like the thought that the next owner would potentially have to pull all of the floors back up to relocate the pipework if they too don’t like the boilers location. So out it came.
This was the start of me using scrap to lay out a potential kitchen plan (ignore the bath)
I also considered where the new waste pipes would go from the kitchen. I could run a new waste pipe to the outside wall, or alternatively run it into the waste in the ensuite bathroom next to the new kitchen (Which will be the family bathroom) therefore avoiding drilling even more holes into the façade of the building.
This is the hole drilled to the outside ready for the new flue to be fitted for the boiler. Can you see the streetlight?
Then the kitchen layout; I played around with this for ages. To help me visualise the potential of the kitchen I had removed a lot of pieces of dado rail from the hallway walls so I laid them out on the floor measured to the size of the cabinets so I could correctly space everything and make sure the location of the appliances worked. Thinking about your kitchen triangle (cooker/fridge/sink) and also the space between units for walking and working. I left a space of 1.5 meters. For reference, the total perimeter of the triangle should be no less than 3.9m and no more than 7.9m. The distance between each working area should be set between 1.2 and 2.4m.
This apartment currently has 3 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms which doesn’t seem like a good use of space to me.
All are dated suites which are well past their sell-by date. So removal was a priority. I asked a local plumber to remove them, professionally capping the pipes to ensure there were no leaks then asked my trusty, reliable guys from ‘The Redcar & Cleveland Scrapman’.
Bathroom 2
The plan is to keep the ensuite in Bedroom One but really bring this up to date with modern fittings, replacing the bath with a walk-in shower. Bathroom Two will be a utility room and Bathroom Three (which was also an ensuite) will become the main family bathroom, this I’m thinking should be a traditional bathroom with Victorian style fittings. These are the ‘before’ pics. I can’t wait to show you the ‘after’ pics!!
The answer is ‘yes – but not much’ The outer façade of the building front has generally stood the test of time and three-quarters of the original balconies still exist.
When this building was converted into apartments in the early 90’s any original features were removed from the apartment. It appeared that the only features which still exist are the window shape and the fire breasts (though all are now capped off).
From the inside, you could be standing in any 90’s apartment which, using an estate agent’s language ‘is in need of updating’. It would be easy to replace the carpets, put new light fixtures in and give the place a lick of paint – job done! However, I find that the most interesting properties have big challenges.
The architecture of Regency Mansions reflects the class divides of the Victorian Era. Victorians liked to keep up appearances, floorplans were all about appearances.
The front rooms were the hotels’ public face with the rear and the basement being utilised for kitchens, laundry and servants.
Although Regency is no longer a hotel, this apartment has the capacity to accommodate a shift in trends – the way we live. Open plan/large living areas are back on trend with cooking, entertaining and working from home being the popular choice.
I have come up with a change to the floor plan to incorporate contemporary living.
Like and follow my blog as I meet all of the challenges to bring this apartment back to its former glory.
I decided to tackle this room first basically because it’s in the worst shape. The ceiling sagging, damp walls, a really old bathroom suite, non-loadbearing wall between the gas meter and the bathroom suite which serves no useful purpose, blocking light from the window.
This left the bathroom in complete darkness when the lights weren’t on. The lights don’t work at the moment so I used a headtorch. The wall is constructed of lath and plaster. I went all in, sledgehammer, crowbar and hammer. This was the before and after pictures.
So the final 2 panes of glass and the French doors have now been replaced in the lounge. This truly is the most perfect view.
That’s the window and door part of the project complete. The Window Doctor did an amazing professional job and I can’t recommend them enough. It’s so great to look out of all of the windows out to sea and watch the world go by below on the promenade. It’s fascinating to see how popular those penguins are.
I will be working on cleaning the frames up so they are all looking great. New handles on all of the windows and over 15 metres worth of trim.
Part of me absolutely loves this room empty, it reminds me of a ballroom with the shape, the height and the wooden floorboards. I have a reproduction Victorian fireplace to install which will be in keeping. All of the chimneys are capped off now so there will be a capability to place an electric fire in it or perhaps an ethanol fire? Or maybe just dressed with candles?
With kind permission of the previous owners, I accessed the apartment prior to the completion of the sale and started making plans. Plan, plan and plan some more.
Here was my list:
Make a floor plan of the apartment, including load-bearing walls, radiators, electrical points, water points, windows and doors. I didn’t have access to an official floor plan at this stage and it was not easy to draw out due to the unusual layout.
Assess remedial work to be carried out as a priority.
Check windows/frames and locks.
Rubbish and items to be disposed of.
I want to try to be sustainable wherever I can and recycle as much waste and unwanted items as possible. There were some fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms which are in unbelievably good condition for their age, so onto Facebook Marketplace they went, and have been rehomed to new loving families. My goodness, it took four of us, 4 hours to dismantle and load one bedroom’s worth of furniture! It’s definitely worth the effort to save it from landfill.
Some waste is unavoidable so I sourced a reputable waste contractor. I chose ‘The Redcar & Cleveland Scrap Man’ who is fully insured and registered with the Environment Agency – no fly-tipping here! They arrive tomorrow to start clearing the apartment….watch this space.
Victorian Vibes 