1970's boiler cupboard conversion

[throbscottle]

Lived in the house for over a year now. It's taken me this long to realise there is a huge wasted space in the middle of the house, which used to be a boiler cupboard. Previous owners closed the whole thing in with splodge and stick plasterboard. No clue as to how thorough the closure is beyond that.

It would be a very useful bit of storage if it can be opened up, and have a door reinstated.

Does anyone have experience with these things? What to look out for? Is it worth doing?

Thanks in advance

 

[Bingy man]

hi - you can expect hot / cold water pipes ,, heating pipework and electric cables . The pipes could well be live ( still connected to the house supplies . Same with the electrics . Worst thing to expect is asbestos ( tanks , pipes , boiler base , linings on the wall etc ) so proceed with extreme caution and I’d consider an asbestos survey ..I’ve converted a few to shower cubicles so it’s definately worth it depending on the size .also you can expect the plaster to be in poor condition and same with the floorboards ..good luck

 

[throbscottle]

Hmm. I wonder if that's why they just closed it in...

Something to look at next year I think.

Thanks for the insight and the luck

 

[HOJ]

Bizarre, are you sure there aren't any bodies hidden in there! I would have to get in, just for my own peace of mind, even if it was a full of pipes/cable's or any thing else I should know about, can't you poke a hole in it and peak inside, for now..

 

[Bingy man]

A small hole and a endoscope camera could give you a little insight but yes just in case it’s the proverbial can of worms leave it until after Xmas .
Now everyone will be speculating what’s in there ( lord Lucan perhaps )

 

[ChaiLatte]

A small hole and a endoscope camera

My goto in a case like this is a 75mm square hole. You can drop a light in there before the camera and your arm will fit through if required.

Put in a single plasterboard pattress box with a blank plate to cover it.

 

[throbscottle]

Or both. A spy hole then a bigger hole if it looks worth checking more thoroughly. Good ideas.

 

[RogerS]

We live in a house built around 1750. It has a cellar with a vaulted ceiling but that is only half of the houses footprint. There is some walling in underneath the stairs. Part of me wants to explore it to see if there is a second cellar filled with gold bullion and old masters. The other part tells me the house will fall down.








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[Bingy man]

Could be escobars missing millions

 

[throbscottle]

Deep envy...

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Daughter bought a 1960s house a few years ago which had an unused boiler cupboard and hot air ducting.

The survey highlighted the possibility of asbestos - they decided rather than the aggro of getting an analysis done and the potential cost of removal, they simply closed it off.

It is not uncommon to skim plaster artexed ceilings with the risk of asbestos to avoid the cost of removal - this may be the same principle in practice.