How often do you have essential repairs/improvements made to your home?

[Toomuch44]

We've owned three properties over 28 years.

Flat for two years - nothing as fairly new

Second home, lived there 15 years:
Brand new heating system installed
New boiler (turned out initial Ideal boiler, was far from Ideal!!)
New bathroom
New kitchen
New carpets, flooring
Replacing fuses with trip switch board

Current home, lived here 10 years (refurbished 14 years ago):

New roof next month.
New bathroom in autumn, looks tatty, a very minor toilet leak which three plumbers can't find and water probably running down behind tiles from leaking roof!
When funds permit, it'll be a new kitchen unless boiler goes beforehand
New flooring
(luckily wiring in only as done 14 years ago)

Depends on the age of the house, how they were maintained before and how long you live in them really.

last house. 12 years
news doors & windows
new boiler, radiators and fire
New plastering 2 rooms
new bathroom
new kitchen
new driveway
new flooring
decorated throughout
garden overhaul but done by me.

This house, 8 years so far
New windows and doors
new boiler and radiators
new flooring throughout
decorated throughout
new kitchen
new bathroom
new damp roof course and replastering to one room
new roof
garden overhaul (totally overgrown and neglected) done by me

it needs a new drive and the raised terraced patio (concrete) is sinking, so that needs doing too…one day.

New loft extension into 2 large bedrooms and a shower room in-between.
After 10 years we refurbished shower room.
New carpets throughout all bedrooms, landing and 2 flights of stairs.
Wooden floors into the sitting room, dining room and hall.
New kitchen and utility room.
New double glazing throughout.
Refurbished downstairs cloakroom.
Ripped out our ensuite bathroom and replaced it with a walk in double shower room.
Painting throughout three times.
Currently redecorating the sitting room and dining room. We are Having new blinds in both rooms, large rugs and lampshades and cushions. New 3 piece suite of furniture.
Our bedroom will be next.

We have lived in the house for 18 years.

Next year we might convert the large double garage to an additional sitting room for teen, and a larger utility with shower in. We are thinking longer term that we could change the second sitting room into a bedroom for us with shower room as we get older in case we struggle with the stairs.

We also had a new boiler at the time the loft conversion was done.

As and when required.

When things break and can't be mended.

Consumer unit was done to bring it to code as it was unsafe. Exterior lighting was halogen so used a lot of power.

A couple of floods which necessitated replacement of flooring (most of this was paid by insurance).

Just replaced a 1970s cloakroom suite as loo no longer flushed properly and tended to fill the bowl and flood. Bathroom done last year as nothing worked properly and the layout was dangerous for elderly parent.

Windows were replaced in two phases as they were wooden and single glazed.

We are lucky to have a range of good tradespeople to call on.

We've lived her for 27 years. Most rooms have been redecorated 3 or 4 times with new carpets 2 or 3 times. Replaced all doors and windows once. Exterior painted probably 4 or 5 times (white painted render!). Two new boilers, first because it was ancient and second was a conversion from cylinder to instant hot water. All radiators replaced ad hoc as we've decorated each room. Replaced kitchen twice and replaced main bathroom twice, only replaced downstairs bathroom once. Not re-wired, but various extras added by qualified electricians over the years (new lights, new sockets, etc). New light fittings in all rooms at least once, maybe twice in some rooms. Replaced our conservatory and front/back porches which were old when we moved in. Nothing major outside, just new fences really. No extensions. Basically it looks the same as it did when we moved in, but most things have been replaced/updated like for like. Easily spent well more on repairs/updating/redecoration/replacing fittings than the house cost us initially.

We’ve lived here 13 years and we’ve had a new boiler (back boiler was removed and replaced when we moved in), though I doubt it will be long before we need another new one.

All windows and external doors replaced.
All internal doors replaced. Some twice.
New bathroom
New kitchen
Full new roof
New flat roof on outbuilding (last week)
Every wall and ceiling replastered (some back to brick)
Every skirting board replaced - also some twice!
Every room decorated - again - some twice.

And we’re still not finished! Though most of what is left is mainly cosmetic and not ‘essential’.