At this time of year, we love a good horror or two. Halloween is the time of year that we look forward to things going bump in the night. Nothing is better than a good ghost or ghoul in the dark corners. It’s all part of the fun. But if you have ever started renovating or working on an older kitchen or bathroom you will know the most frightening discoveries have nothing to do with the supernatural.
Behind the walls, beneath the floor or inside the cupboards there could be a plumbing problem. Outdated installations, water damage, or even a collection of previous DIY attempts waiting to be discovered. Fortunately, unlike a ghost, most of these horrors can be dealt with.
The leak that nobody noticed
Water has a habit of finding place where it really doesn’t belong. It lurks beneath a sink; it slithers around a bath or behind a concealed pipe. And whilst we are unaware of it, it gradually damages surrounding materials.
By the time the problem becomes obvious, you could be dealing with damp. It could be damaged flooring.
There could be mould eating at the cupboards and units. One of the advantages of a refit or renovation is that areas that have been haunted in the shadows can be inspected properly. It allows underlying problems to be identified rather than simply covered again.
What is cowering behind the tiles?
Removing old tiles can reveal considerably more than just the bland walls you expected to find underneath. Old attempts at alteration might have left poorly installed pipework or evidence or historic leaks.
This is particularly common in older, spookier, properties that have been renovated more than once. What began as a perfectly sensible bathroom or kitchen may have accumulated several generations of changes and repairs.
Taking everything back and starting again provides an opportunity to address those haunting problems rather than leaving them hidden behind a fresh layer of tiles.
The terrifying DIY job
There is nothing inherently wrong with having a go at some DIY but plumbing and bathroom fitting are particularly unforgiving when things go horrifyingly wrong. An improperly sealed connection might appear fine when the work is completed, only to come back and scare you later.
Renovations sometimes uncover creative solutions that seemed perfectly reasonable to whoever installed them at the time. Pipes routed in strange directions, horror fittings and makeshift repairs can all become part of the story of an older property.
The problem is not simply that these terrifying installations look untidy. They may make future maintenance more difficult. They increase the chances of something disintegrating.
When the layout becomes the real horror
A kitchen or bathroom doesn’t become a good space simply because it all seems to work.
Older layouts are often designed around different needs and antiquated appliances or a completely different way of using the room. You might find yourself working around awkward cupboards, poorly positioned plumbing, insufficient storage or a bulky bath hogging the available space.
A renovation provides the opportunity to rethink the room. You don’t simply need to replace everything exactly in the same position. Moving plumbing or changing the layout may create a much more practical space. Certainly, when the existing arrangement was never efficient in the first place.
Damp is often a spooky symptom
Another unwelcome discovery during renovation work is the scars of damp and moisture. Whilst the temptation might be to clean the affected area and soldier on. That is not going to address the reason it happened.
Moisture could be getting in through damaged plumbing or inadequate ventilation. Simply replacing the visible damage without dealing with the cause risks leaving the trapdoor open for the same problem to return.
This is one reason renovation work is about more than making a room look better. It provides an opportunity to investigate problems that may have been hidden for years.
You do not have to live with the horror story
The good news is that most horror stories have a happy ending. The slimy monster is thwarted, and things are put into place to stop the ghoul returning. A leaking pipe can be replaced. Mould can be cleared. Layouts can be redesigned. Old, haunted rooms can be brought up to date.
In fact, discovering the problem during a planned renovation is probably the best way to discover it. Better than a ceiling collapsing or a cupboard coming away from the walls.
Halloween may be the season for things hiding in the darkness, but there is no reason to let a forgotten plumbing problem, poor renovation or questionable DIY job remain hidden behind your walls for another year.
If you wish to talk to us about renovating your home call us on 01604 708971 or email us on enquiries@northamptonh2opropertyservices.co.uk with any enquiry.
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