House renovations don't know where to begin?!!

[greenhouselight]

Hello everyone,

I will be moving into our first ever home after living with family and friends for a number of years (long story). It will just be DD and I.

We have been offered a property on the council. It's a terraced flat/Georgian style property, with my own door access (so no shared communal hall/door). It has two (potentially) three floors inside but due to its terraced style, the staircase is narrow- so feels a bit claustrophobic until you enter in the rooms.

It needs ALOT of work and trying to save as much as I can.

I don't know where to begin with decoration wise or the essential bits. The flooring has been ripped. I wanted to put in sound proofing but don't know how much that will cost!?

Also, I don't know whether I should carpet the whole flat or just partial? Would you carpet the hallway (which leads up into the stairs) or leave it wooden?

When I lived with family, my mother had a lovely Victorian style place, with periodic features (I.e. skirting boards). I would like to emulate this style on the new property I will
be moving into but will this be silly / waste of money? I would like to put skirting boards on our new property as the walls look unfinished ifyswim. Do you think it's best to get this done whilst also doing the flooring?

Is there any where that I can seek decoration advice? Although exciting. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Bump

Carpets are natural insulation. Skirting boards are not too expensive but if it's a council flat consider how much you want to spend as if you ever leave you would have to leave the skirtings.

I always thought a carpeted hall was the way to go, but actually it's really good having a laminate one. You can just walk in with your outdoor shoes and not worry about making a mess, because it's so easy to clean up

That's what I was thinking but it's unlikely that I will have enough to save to buy my own home- so I strongly suspect that we will be here for a very long time.

That's what I was thinking but it will look odd having a wooden laminate where all the stairs will be carpeted.

I hate carpets, so I’m biased. However, I would consider some form of carpets on stairs, landings etc.
Do you have neighbours directly below, if so, I would put carpets if that is the case.

I love having flooring in the bedroom. I put white laminate in my children’s bedrooms, and it has gone with every decoration and redecoration stage. Also very wipeable. You can put down extra insulation/ soundproofing.

I would find a pale, neutral colour you can paint the whole place including trim, right off the bat - ie some shade of white.

How exciting! Enjoy!

My parents have laminate hall and kitchen, with adjoining carpeted stairs, lounge, and dining. Looks fine: not odd at all. (Though if it were my house I would remove carpet in the dining)

@Dotcheck and @UnravellingTheWorld

We have neighbours below us, directly under our hallway, so due to this, I was thinking of putting carpet down on the hallway but wanted something that is not easily stained and easy to clean as the hallway directly opens to our front door.

I was also thinking to carpet the stairs due to
noise and easy to grip.

What soundproofing instillation is good? We had very noise sensitive neighbours so couldn't really do exercise without them complaining. So really want to enjoy my home without being too conscious about the neighbours.

Congratulations on your new home, it's sounds lovely, as it's going to be your forever home I would go slowly and do it to your taste, once you get your own bits it it will feel different

Sound proofing is expensive. I had it put in fairly cheaply years ago and it was still about £2k for one wall.

If you've got carpets it may muffle the noise?