It all costs so much! A thread to moan.

[GrendelsMum]

So, renovations on the house.

BLOODY HELL IT COSTS A LOT!

It's not the obvious things that add up (i.e. walls, brand new kitchen, floor tiles), it's all the extra things, the constant trips to B&Q / Screwfix / Travis Perkins.

So far, I have discovered the following cost incredible amounts:

window fasteners
window stays
light switches
paint
undercoat
paint samples
replacing rotten window frames
plug sockets
light fittings
lagging for hot water pipes
sandpaper
grout
tile adhesive
acoustic underlay to cut down noise
door to match your other doors rather than existing cheap B&Q door
door handle to match other door handles
skirting boards

On the other hand, the following was surprisingly cheap:

wallpaper steamer

So I'm pretending this is a thread to inform people who are thinking about doing renovations about the unexpected costs, but really it's just a moan.

Feel free to join in the moaning!

[jeanjeannie]

Ooo can I add a 'doing our garden' gripe? HOW much to hire skips and get hardcore taken away??? [fainting emoticon] We definately under-budgetted for the huge rise in the cost of dumping...and my dp is a builder & we got mates rates and trade accounts

If you have a sloping garden and want to flatten/terrace it....see if you can live with it as it is...it'll cost you less

[HerHonesty]

oh yes electical accessories (light switches, plug cover thingies in particular dolly switches) and door handles especially. nice lightfittings. recessed halogen spotlights. Taps oh my god taps!

that said i always notice now when i go to peoples houses and they have cheap ones.

and agree totally about getting rid of hardcore and gravel and stuff. wtf!!

also just spent 80 quid on a house sign. i am probably mad.

[rebl]

Out of interest how much is a skip? I was thinking that at our new house I'll 'just' hire a skip and rip out the front hedge and front garden and "just" put some hardcore down and "just" hire a compactor to make some off road parking. Thought £150 should do that job but am I'm living in a make believe world?

[jeanjeannie]

rebl It's the best part of £200 for a 6 yard skip - and then if it's on the road you need to check for license fee. It's amazing how little you need to fill 'em

Taps!!! Oh God - yes! When did they start costing more than a small bungalow?

[rebl]

OMG . That is ALOT for a skip. Guessing I need to rebudget that job.

I remember taps being expensive when we did our existing kitchen. And sinks were expensive as well I remember.

[cece]

WE've just had an extension built. The light fittings alone were over £500

Oh and taps.... had a cloakroom, en suite kitchen and utility to buy for

I was also at tiles and all the adhesives and grout and so on...

[toja555]

Oh don't tell me about that. Before I bought a house, I thought I will just sand and varnish the floor (myself) and move in. After the former owners moved out, I can see months and months endless work for which I have not even planned any budget The house has potential but I can see myself involved in upgrading for the next 10 years. Did not want any advice here, just would like to moan too!

[HerHonesty]

depends on how much stuff you have to get rid of hippo bags can work out cheaper.

[expatinscotland]

My landlords need to spend about 50 grand on this place.

To double glaze the windows alone their quote is for 12 grand.

And there's damp in here big time.

They've also got a lot of foliage growing under the house and causing drainage/pipe problems.

It needs a new kitchen and total redecoration.

This is the last time I'll ever live in an old house.

They're money pits and freezing.

[noddyholder]

I have just renovated an old house and it is a money pit but lovely!I think because I have done so many over the years I have boxes of switches and fittings etc which I always buy if I see them on offer.Can't your builders get trade for you Saves ££££££.I agree though the little things add up.

[expatinscotland]

These places are only lovely if you're minted or you buy it after someone else has totally renovated it and done all the messy, expensive hard work (of course the price will reflect that, hence, minted) .

Otherwise they are usually damp, dank, dark, depressing and freezing.

Never again!

[ADriedFrogForTheBursar]

We've just had a quote for having our chimney lined and a wood burning stove installed (we've just moved house). DH is freaking about the cost (£1500 including lining, fitting, hearth and the stove) but I KNOW it will be worth every penny when we're cosying up in front of it in the winter.

At our old house our chimney needed re-lining which was going to cost about £1300 and for about 3 yrs we kept saying shall we have it done and then not bothering because of the cost so for 3yrs we had the fireplace we had bought completely redundant. We are NOT doing that here!
I do sympathise though, every little thing seems to cost more than you expect.

[beaniebgivesupontheDMarsery]

We've just been quoted £2290 for replacing 6 windows I could cry.
It's a tiny two bedroom terrrace and I have no idea where I'll get 2 grand from!

[aJumpedUpPantryBoy]

I feel your pain!

We have been in our house for 2 years and even tho' the previous owner did quite a lot of renovation we still seem to be spending a fortune.

I just keep reminding myself that it is my dream house (the house is 400 years old and I love it) and we are never ever moving!
This winter's projects include lining a chimney and putting kitchen units in the utility room.
We were meant to have a new kitchen, but I think that will have to be posponed for a couple of years.

Mind you, our last house was falling down around our ears and it was grade 2 listed. It was such a huge job we couldn't afford to do anything.

[civilfawlty]

DONT go to b&q - look at franci and get a trade account...

[HerHonesty]

builders getting trade prices are fine for the cheap/basic stuff, but in my experience builders rarely have access to any better discount than you can negotiate yourself for higher end products.

[civilfawlty]

I disagree and fwiw, i used to run a house renovation company. all the high end stuff is supplied by someone earlier up the chain with whom you can get an account.

[GrendelsMum]

Thank you! I'll have a look at that.

Part of the problem is that we're renovating an old house (also Grade II listed) and quite often I'm trying to match existing fittings, so I'm quite constrained in the options. The previous owner tended to use the nearest equivalent from B&Q etc, but of course they aren't actually particularly similar...

[HerHonesty]

my point exactly civil. how many builders have those links earlier up the chain or are willing to make them. and fwiw i have renovated several properties and have beat my builders on costs every time.

[BerylCole]

We renovated our house two years ago. Did the whole shebang - re-plastering, painting, new kitchen, new bathroom, extension etc. We ran out of money to do all the nice little furnishings/knick knacks etc

Cushions! Who'd have thought cushions would be so expensive? Our front room still doesn't have a blind/curtains as the windows are an awkward shape and we can't afford specially made ones. No shelving up yet as neither of us are handy and bloody handymen are extortionate round our way

[goldenpeach]

Curtain poles for bay windows are expensive. Curtains are too, luckily I make my own and buy end of the roll beautiful fabrics to save money.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

We are just strting (I hope) in November. Our kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, plus converting a coach house and sorting out the garden.

It is an old house but lovely and we will be here until our dying days.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

I get my curtain material of Ebay, have had some really good bargains from there.

[Northernlurker]

Yes taps and door handles are outrageously expensive also paint brushes if you want decent ones.

[fanjolina]

Agree about paint brushes, but good ones make suc a difference. The ones our builder uses cost minimum 35 quid each and that's trade price!