General (main property discussion here) - splitting water question

ok, reading through it looks like i can get a plumber to split my water 3 ways?? (conversion to 3 flats) What do i tell the water board as i will need 3 seperate accounts and will there be enough pressure for all 3 flats. any help greatly appreciated. Lou

no you get water board put 3 meters in as this will be cheaper, make sure the plumber T's in as close to the stop tap as possible 1 T connection for each flat.

Alex M

Thanks Alex,Any idea on how much i can expect to pay?? Lou

Think you maybe missing the point here Lou, 1) you will need a plumber anyway to install the other flat water like basin, shower, kitchen sink, ect. 2) You will need an electrician to split electrics 3) if you are installing central heating upstairs then you will need a gas supply, which a plumber can do for you.

You have to make a decision as to weather you are doing a full split, i.e. the most expensive way. or a part split the cheapest way, with a part split you will have trouble selling them to the general public only investors may buy.

Part split = shared gas connection, shared electrics or main connection .

A part split will save you thousands no 2 ways about that.

Thanks, I realise that i will have to split the whole lot and have a few rough prices.Was just unsure about water. I will ring them Monday to find out. Alex what do you know about sound proofing? Lou

Sound proofing, you have 2 choices 1) go in from above the ceiling i.e. take the existing upper floor boards out and replace them with new boards whilst putting the sound proof slabs under them between the joists. 2) if the hieght downstairs is good you have an option to go under the ceiling, i.e. creating a second ceiling, you will need at least 10 inches. The existing celing stays as it is ok, your sound bars get screwed into the joist, then the sound proof slabs go between them, and then you cover them with the sound board.

Now the materials are the same weather you go above or under apart from the sound proof bars which are not needed if you go above.

The are many different options around, it's really upto you to decide which way you go, i can tell you one thing there is no cheap option. However take note of the following:

sound proof test = £1000 roughly. lets say you go with the cheapest option ok, i.e. rubber mat covered with just a soundproof board, this will be a very cheap option ok, but if it fails then you will have to find out how and why it failed and correct it if possible, and pay for another test.

Remember with the water they would have to T in somewhere for the water upstairs just get them to T in as near to the stop tap as possible then run it direct to upstairs as iut enters upstairs a second stop tap is installed, job done you now qualify for 2 water meters. also if upstairs gets a leak the guy down stairs can just switch him off.

thats good to know i was led to believe that i needed to do both the ceiling and the floor above,but its just one or the other... right? The tests are well expensive,are they hard to pass? any ideas on rough costs Alex, did you do yours yourself or did yore builder. Many thanks for your time to answer it is greatly appreciated. Lou PS. if i decide to do the floors is it before or after electrics have been done.

Hi Lou, yes it's one or the other mate, you have the choice to go it below the existing ceiling or above i.e. replace existing floor boards.

Costs depend on how much material you use i.e. i had to sound proof my stair walls as they ran in between the down stairs living room and bedroom also had to do under the stairs, so this added more cost. all you need to do is measure all your ceilings and then get quotes. Problem with going above is that this involves more work so id say more expensive & everything will have to come out skirting boards door frames as you have to get the boards up tight against everything so that there are no gaps, however its probably easyier.

Also if you were going above then yes defo do the job after all electrics and water have been done as these boards are not easy to get up they are very heavy and not made of wood and once put down they can be near impossible to get up as they interlock into each other, thats another reason i decided on below.

no i did not do the works myself, i paid a builder. This is not an easy job beleive me, like i said the boards have to be well uptight against the walls your arms will feel like there dropping off, its fidly and easy to get wrong.