To ask for help in furnishing a home.

[Makingahome]

We've unexpectedly been awarded a social housing home.

We've been on the housing register for years and very surprised to have a been successful in a bid for a three bedroom new build. Technically our housing needs are met as we are in a three bedroom now but the bedrooms are tiny. As long as the bedrooms are bigger we will be taking it but don't get to view just before Xmas.

Unfortunately being a new build it means we need to carpet it, need to buy a cooker ( electric ), curtain poles, curtains, towel rails lampshades etc etc.

Lounge carpet, kitchen vinyl and then cooker are the priority areas. Saving as much as we can but with Xmas, needing to paint existing house for deposit etc money is tight!

Advice on what flooring to get would be much appreciated. I've been to two carpet showrooms and both have said £300 ish for lounge based on 13 5m squared. Not even nice carpet - just hard-wearing but stain resistant!
No idea what colour to go for. We have dark brown sofas. White walls! Needs to be comfy for a toddling nearly one year.

The cooker - I'll need to pay to get installed so want to get kitchen flooring down first. No idea what to expect to pay for Vinyl.

The rest of the house we'll do bit by bit. Prob need to do mixer taps and shower hose too.

So grateful for this opportunity. The security of tenancy will make a huge difference to us. Just a bad time financially as despite working we have no spare cash!

This is such a great and useful thread. Following all the carpet tips.

OP we have been lucky enough to buy a new home with a lot of work to do that we totally can’t afford! We found buying, cutting and fitting Ikea blackout roller blinds a very cheap way to get the windows coverable until we could crack on with curtains (which can get v expensive!). Took the pressure off (although so boring to fit).

I'd pay extra for decent underlay, really makes the difference!

It's happening but the local carpet shop measurements are illegible. Brought my child some slippers are lounge will be a while as removal costs are so high.

I used house of Fraser many years ago and got interest free credit and purchased in January

Shop around as what you perceive as expensive may not be

Fabulous news OP, so pleased for you. I was offered a social housing property out of the blue a few years ago after years of private renting and struggling. It was also in December and right on top of Christmas.
While the house was only 15 yrs old it was in a real state when I moved in,...think graffiti on the walls etc and no carpets. However, I managed to take one carpet from my previous place and carpet DS's bedroom with that. A local carpet place did my living room....no underlay...just spray adhesive and yes the grippers do start to poke through after a while. Having said that...the carpet did me for five years and we have only just replaced it with a good quality carpet and underlay.

New builds these days seem to have gray flooring in kitchens and bathrooms which seems really easy to clean..I care for a lady who has it in her kitchen and bathroom and it comes up lovely.

If you can't afford carpet do you have any rugs to put down in the short term?

Whatever happens it's great news for you and a really nice Christmas present. Just think ahead to the future Christmases you will have there ....they will be fabulous and the house will be more sorted.

if considering adhesive vinyl tiles be very careful. The tiniest bit of dust and they start to lift after a few months.
Id go for the wood effect cushioned vinyl by the yard. And buy rugs. Seen it done all over a house and it looked great.

We are really lucky that the kitchen has a wood effect vinyl and the bathrooms look nice too.

No rugs unfortunately. My neighbours are having the carpets redone days before we move in and we might be lucky enough to use some of theirs in the bedrooms. My partner is too scared to try and fit them though.

We found that the sales in carpet show rooms after Xmas can be huge. Particulary the higher end ones, we got our bathroom floor for £25. Can you hang on a bit?

Some carpet shops do whole house deals. I paid around £600 for carpets in my hall, living room and 2 bedrooms. Plus vinyl for the kitchen and bathroom. Underlay was included and carpet grippers. Supplied and fitted.

When I moved into my HA flat I bought cheap carpets and underlay off an eBay shop. It cost £270 in total for carpets for the lounge, 2 big bedrooms and hallway and that also included underlay. 2 years on they are doing great!
Luckily the bathroom floor was new and the kitchen I asked to be replaced as it was old, and they did 4 months later complete with new floor. I got to choose the colour of my units, that handles, lay out and the flooring.

Oh and I had to but carpet grippers and the things in the doorway but again I had them off eBay and they were cheap as chips

In my area we have a local second hand furniture shop that's a non profit. Means most things including cookers, freezers etc are much lower prices and delivered. Might be worth scouting on Facebook to find one near you? With our one you can't really be too fussy, but when I hopefully get my own place next year i should be able to sort out downstairs furniture etc for under £100. Might help you OP if you gave similar the next town over to you or something?
Good luck!

I have ordered carpets online before I think it was carpet megastore. You can have samples sent to you and it's a lot cheaper for carpet and underlay. I just hired a carpet fitter separately to fit

Are you set on vinyl? I just ask as Homebase have this very nice walnut laminate for £7.41 per square metre, though I appreciate that might be too much.

Check the freebies section of Gumtree, and run a search for vinyl and laminate/wood/carpet too - people often haven't sold it even after 3 weeks and still have it in the attic/shed etc and are happy to get it off their hands.

If you are really stuck, look up."toothbrush rugs". You make them from strips of cloth ( old clothes and the like). They are very quick to make compared to other types of rag rugs and look quite attractive.

No I don't really want vinyl in the rest of the house I would much prefer carpet.

Not in a position to buy any thing at the moment but will look at appliances etc in new year.

Here is a photo of what is currently in the kitchen. Looks fab. What colour carpet would you look for for the rest of the house eg lounge that follows on from kitchen.

It's possible to get second hand flooring. We recently were given laminate flooring from a friend who was replacing hers. Was nothing wrong with, just a few scuffs, she was so kind and did give us it for free. We got underlay quite cheap from b&q but could get it cheaper online. We had just bought a house and I was heavily pregnant, carpets had seemed ok on viewing but on closer inspection once we moved in were disgusting and couldn't be left! So we were very grateful for the laminate which will do us a turn until we can save for new flooring.
Anyway, try gumtree/eBay? What about your current house, could you take any of that flooring just to do for just now?

Ah that looks lovely!

I've been looking at freecycle but it seems to be unrealistic frivolous wanted ads. Current house is rented so can't take anything with us.
Good new is that bathroom has an electric shower.

Check if your area uses freegle too - there was a split a few years ago after freecycle started that led to freegle being set up as an alternative platform. In your situation it would be reasonable to post a wanted outlining your situation, as well as keeping an eye open for useful things - you never know what someone might be able to help out with.

I've bought cheap eBay carpet when I was just starting out and it was totally fine!! Lasted a few years which is all you need.
Alternatively people are always selling rugs here cheap (£5)ish and you could get lots of lovely ones and put them down! Whereabouts are you roughly?

I'm in Cornwall. I'll check out freegle too. I'm hopeful after Christmas that people have sort outs of rugs etc..... Nothing at mo!

Completely identifying but my baby was born in this house. It's his first birthday tomorrow. I'm a wreck of emotions. Such a great opportunity moving but bittersweet. We've been so happy here ( except the essay writing in early hours in kitchen that I won't miss)