What have you ‘done’ to your house since you moved in?

[Theoldwoman]

DH thinks in the 15 years we have lived here, we haven’t done much. He works away so it’s me who organises tradies etc, we have an unwell DC who is in and out of hospital. And well life just gets in the way sometimes. Not to mention the cost of everything!

So far we have:

Completely renovated bathroom and laundry
completely painted throughout
New roof
Roller shutters on all windows
Added 3 security doors
Divided large lounge room into lounge room and study
Added 3 new built in robes to bedrooms
Add air conditioning in 3 bedrooms and replaced the one in the lounge room
Added ceiling fans throughout
Built an amazing garden and chicken coop
Added shelving to front cupboard

Thats all the main stuff. We still have heaps to do ( mainly renovation to the kitchen and new flooring throughout except bathroom and laundry)

im happy with what we have done so far. There’s always something to do!

That's loads OP!

We've lived in our house for just over 6 years, old wooden house that needed some work done. OH is an electrician so did all the electrical work himself including installing the solar panels.

We've removed a lot of insulation that was damp (kitchen pipe had a massive hole in it and leaked everywhere) and put in new pipes and insulation and a new ceiling in the affected areas in the basement.
Removed several layers of flooring in the kitchen to get back to the original wooden floorboards then painted them.
Re-wired part of the basement electrics because previous owners had done a DIY job of it and badly too (the shower kept giving me tiny electric shocks!).
Put in electric radiators in most of the rooms (I have no idea why we did that, perhaps because the oil heating was getting too costly or something)
New sockets in most rooms.
New pipes bringing water to the house and waste water out.
Worktop lights in the kitchen and an extra light in the hallway where the coats and hats and gloves are kept to make it easier to see what you're looking for.
Installed solar panels.

Also got a massive tree in the garden cut down as it was getting scary every time there was a storm as it was already brushing the house with its branches and a bad storm could have sent it crashing through the roof into our bedroom. Had an amazing man cut it down who climbs up the tree and cuts it down bit by bit from the top down.

Also turned one end of the lounge into a playroom with climbing bars, balance beam, swing and trapeze

Three years.

Rewired
New heating system (including boiler)
New bathroom
New en-suite
New kitchen
Plastering in some rooms
Redecorated throughout
New carpets/flooring throughout
Reclaimed the garden from the wilds
New patio & terrace in the garden
New shed
Raised beds

Next on the list are:
New windows
Loft conversion
Driveway
Front door
New lawn
Outdoor kitchen

And possibly some smaller bits around the edges. Built in cupboards/boxing in in a couple of the rooms, etc.

We're getting there!

OP that's some list you have there.
I've been here 13 years. Had to get decking as garden was unusable due to slopes. New front and back doors X2 (leaks from day one). I've redone flooring in hall, two of four bedrooms, hall, kitchen, dining room. I still have to do utility as we had a massive leak (new build and they didn't finish the plumbing properly in multiple places in the house, total mare). Will NEVER buy a new build again if we move. I've redone kitchen myself (hand was forced due to the leak, lots of damage). I've painted lots of rooms but the kids mess the walls up lol. There is soooo much to do still and I don't have the money at the moment. I sit and look at all the things that need doing still and it depresses me. Bathrooms are next on list but may be waiting some time.

Two years - rented house.
Bought furniture & storage
Added blinds, curtain rails, shelves as necessary
Pictures on the walls
Houseplants

Been here 18 months

Filled in the pond
Knocked down the knackered sheds
Got the garden ready for landscaping
New windows and doors
New guttering and downpipes
Replaced the wood burner
Painted my dd bedroom and replaced carpet
Painted my office and replaced carpet
Painted bathroom
Repaired the outside render (needs painting now)
Repointed chimney
Replaced the electric meter
Got rid of several wasp nests
Attic timbers treated for woodworm
Widened the driveway

Can I ask how you put a bathroom in the basement? Was it a special company?

We've been here for 4 years in August, it was a project and the exterior things, windows and roof, garden, new driveway, canopy etc. still need doing just need £££ to get them done!!

So far we've done...
New front door
Full rewire
Knocked through to make kitchen diner and put up wall to make lounge separate.
Knocked down old low chunky 'wall' bannister and put up spindle banister
Stripped and plastered most rooms and redecorated each including new skirting
Removed gas fire and put in new fireplace
Mostly new radiators throughout
New kitchen
New bathroom
New downstairs loo
New flooring throughout.
New blinds/curtains throughout
Boarded out loft
Landscaped back garden and put up fence to make it more private (still needs a ton of work)
Garage refurbished inc new roof, windows doors etc

We bought it knowing we'd need to do it all though and got it for a good price!

@PumpkinPastiez I'm in the US so it is pretty normal here. Our builder did it but basement is full ceiling height and plumbing wasn't a problem - the sewer pipes and water pipes go out of the basement anyway.

Been here eight years, not planning anything structural (except maybe converting a bedroom into a bathroom to "future proof" for our dotage.

In the first year:

• New kitchen
• New bathroom
• redecorate throughout (and outside)

Since then:

• Hall and landing redecorated
• New windows
• New flooring throughout downstairs

Next job to do something to our frontage which is not pretty.

I think we've done loads, it's actually helpful to be reminded of this when I'm feeling frustrated about something not being done yet. We've recarpetd and painted, changed all the light fittings, turned the old garage into a gardening and mancave sort of place, replaced garage door, added a garage door, changed one of the back doors, the front door, remodelled the kitchen, removed a chimney, remodelled two bathrooms and a WC, we're about to replace the roof, we've done the pointing. What I would like is either an awning or a permanent patio covering and to extend the little roof over the front door. The garden is magical thanks to DH, I've got the inside decorating responsibiity and love how it looks.

Well we have been here 23 years so
2 new kitchens (one associated with the extension below and a replacement just finished)
Ground floor extension
Relocated bathroom
2 new decks
Completely changed front and back gardens - more planting space and less lawn
2 new front doors
Additional woodburner
Dug a pond
New dining room floor
Recarpeted upstairs and stairs
Redecorated throughout several times
Replaced all windows

I would be looking forward to a quiet summer except that next door are planning a extension 🙄

Moved in a year ago but did own the house before that so a bit of a head start on planning what to do- since I moved back in

• crowned massive tree ( needed pp)
• cleared the garden of bamboo and yukkas
• new garage door
• new main bathroom
• fitted out sitting room with shelves and cupboards
• replaced the roof on the conservatory with a solid roof
• new electric roof blind over a skylight.

currently planning new boundary fence/ wall combo but then that’s it. I’m out of motivation for anything else. The kitchen is a bit dated but great quality and whoever designed it was a kitchen genius and I’m terrified I’ll change it and it will never be as good again.

Been here 26 years. House belonged to DH gran,it passed to his Mum when she died and we bought it off her. Was a very old fashioned 2 up, 2 down- lounge and kitchen downstairs, 2 beds and bathroom upstairs.
We have....
Replaced all the floors due to woodworm
New Windows and doors
Lounge and kitchen knocked through, kitchen extension and conservatory added downstairs.
Completely slabbed and decked back garden,and added raised beds. Large workshop built. Front garden turned into block paved driveway with dropped kerb. Fences front and back replaced 2 or 3 times.
Loft converted into 3rd bedroom.
All carpets replaced with laminate flooring throughout.
Shower added over bath, tiling and flooring changed a couple of times in the bathroom.
Central heating added as there was none.

Been here (400 year old house) five years. It was a repossession so needed lots done. So far we've -

Had a borehole drilled
Rewire
New boiler (and relocated it)
New accoya windows at front
DIYed a new frontage on existing extension
New roof to existing extension
Swapped kitchen and living room
Removed several load bearing walls/added rsjs
New lighting everywhere
Reconfigured upstairs layout
Two wood burners installed
Panelled dining room walls
Fitted fireplaces
New kitchen
New bathroom
Created downstairs toilet space (not fitted yet)
Some replastering
Redecorated throughout
New timber external gates x 4
Landscaped big chunk of 0.5 acre garden

This is quite helpful. Dh and I always worry we haven't done enough as there is so much to do but not doing too badly based on this...

12 years

Removed old "conservatory" and re-paved patio.

Removed shed and concrete block, built-in raised beds, replaced fencing all round.

Loft conversion including new bathrooms and built in cupboards.

New kitchen including converting kitchen-dining room to one room. New floors.

Painting throughout. Twice in some places.

New boiler.

Redone electrical throughout and modernised lighting system.

New flooring throughout except in dds bedroom.

New bannister and a wall separating hall and lounge.

New shower in family bathroom.

Next is New French doors at back, New front door and new driveway. We are also in process of sorting all New furniture downstairs.

Over 7 years:

Converted integral garage to home office
Some rewiring
Bedroom 3 replastered, painted, new carpets.
Bedroom 2, new window, new plaster, paint, carpet and alcoves turned into storage cupboards
New boiler
Bathroom completely gutted - new tiles/bath/shower/sink/loo
Kitchen completed gutted, new units, plaster and paint

Still 3 rooms to go. Then we can turn our attention to getting the driveway repaired.

Here for 7 years 150 year old moneypit house 4 double bedrooms 2 reception rooms 2 bathrooms downstairs loo, large kitchen and cellar.

Whole staircase (3 double flights) repaired by specialist joiner.
Every room repainted including cellar
New carpet for stairs and landings, all other rooms new flooring fitted
New light fittings in reception rooms and bedrooms
Made to measure blinds for one lounge and main bathroom
New curtain poles and made to measure curtains in dining room and bedrooms
Fitted wardrobes in main bedroom
All doors either stripped and dipped or replaced with reclaimed period doors from local yard
Plus general maintenance and putting right some bodge jobs from previous owners

New front door,
Built in wardrobe
New kitchen
Redecorate throughout .

Got mine 2.5 years ago.
Did all the work before moving in:

Making it open plan
New kitchen
Turned 1 bathroom into 2 (one is en suite),
new wiring, plumbing and gas pipes
New windows
Painted walls and doors.

Left to do:
Decorate the spare bedroom (currently a dumping ground), which will be a nursery.

I moved in here as a council property and I bought it once I had the right to buy after three years.

I have done

Replaced kitchen - old one was all dog chewed on the cabinet doors

Replaced all flooring in every room - every room was bare boards.

Back garden - has it paved with new paving flags and sleepers at the edges - it was rat infested before and uneven from the back door to the end fence so that it couldn't be mowed. It was grass with broken slabs mixed in with grass on about five different levels.

Replaced skirting boards in all rooms - they were gouged to actual fuck and painted over for over forty years.

Bathroom - replaced. Toilet (clean water) was leaking behind the pipes they had boxed in.

Front garden - slate put down as the grass was dead and full of weeds. I covered it in plastic bottom and covered that with grey slate as a temp but it's still there

Doors - all internal doors replaced as all had been kicked through or were dog chewed.

Plastered - nearly every room as once the wallpaper was off the walls were fucked

Cost me a fortune and anything I paid to have done was definitely more than my discount to buy.

We've done all of this ourselves.

It was like a crack den when I was given the keys. Got a £75 voucher for paint.

Our house was only about 11 yrs old when we moved in and I think the amount we've done is actually quite ridiculous but we've made it warm and cosy and there was a lot of cheap stuff in it and just wasn't wearing well I hated it. We rented it for 2 yrs then bought it when the landlord sold it and we couldn't find anything better. I actually love the location and it's so much nicer than our last house but it's not the house I dreamed of either. We've owned it coming up to 6 years now and we've done the following

built a detached garage / gym
installed 6ft steel & composite gates for privacy in our garden
replaced all external doors and windows with composite/triple glazing
doubled the attic insulation & partially floored it
pumped the external walls with insulation beads
installed a PIV ventilation system
replaced the flooring in every room with new tiles / commercial grade laminate
new kitchen
professionally painted the external and internal of the house, including all internal woodwork.
Installed 2 sets of wardrobes
installed understairs storage
Lots of planting of hedges and trees, shrubs and flowers

to do:
add master bedroom wardrobe and reconfigure the walk in wardrobe
new bathrooms
new utility
remove existing decking and do a paved patio
fitted alcove shelving and tv unit for main living room
replace fireplaces with marble as we've two, one is a horrible wood and the other is a crap moulded plaster type thing.

My mom things I'm insane. She'd probably have recommended I buy a new fridge as the existing one was falling apart and just left it at that. The laminate peeling off the old kitchen wouldn't have bothered her in the least.

The price of every single thing has been shocking to me to be honest. I basically fall over every time I get a quote, ask around, realise it's normal and then go ahead with it.

6 years slowly sorting out the worst house on the lane.

Replaced

• All flooring throughout
• Boiler and new radiators
• All rooms skimmed including airtex ceilings
• All rooms redecorated
• 2 x bathrooms completely refitted
• New fireplace and log burner installed
• Revamped kitchen (saving for an extension/new kitchen diner
• Windows
• New garden fencing, lawn and removed old shed
• New door/entrance and front patio, repointing and external plastering.

We are now just turning our utility into a second office and putting a getting a wardrobe installed in our bedroom. Then the main work will be finished!!! It’d been a complete moneypit.

We haven't done much at all in 12 years:
one new bathroom (en suite)
one shower replaced
most (not all) rooms repainted
a couple of new radiators
new carpets (not the whole house)

and endless discussions about replacing the fire place ... but seems such a massive task that we just avoid it

Replaced

Wooden flooring all upstairs rooms
Plastered nearly every room
Replaced carpet
Replaced kitchen
Replaced bathroom
Built a bar
Replaced skirt tong boards and doors
Had the back garden done
Done a cheap makeover for the front garden myself
Tiled all downstairs floor
Installed French doors off the kitchen
Built a gazebo off the French doors with a permanent roof

The best thing we did was built that gazebo as I can sit in it like an additional living room when it's warm and I can dry washing if it's raining