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!

Ooohhhh I could find a pensioner to take.....

Auctions can be your friend too. I have got some amazing bargains at our local auction house. It might not be just what you want but at prices like £20-30 for table sets etc will furnish a house until you can afford to replace. House clearances will provide solid but old fashioned furniture.

Also see if there's a charity around that sells second hand goods cheap. Many of them provide white goods which have been checked. Your housing officer may have details.

Our local carpet shop often does deals on "off cuts" or "end of lines". May mean less choice, but often a much better price.

Make sure it's a pensioner that can hold their own in a fight. It's pretty savage wading in to the scrum!

I was quted £1300 for my 3 storey hall stairs and landing to be done by a local carpet company. I got the same carpet and underlay on ebay for £280 and paid £125 to have it fitted. They also quoted me £900 for 4 bedrooms. I paid £320 for carpet and underlay and another £110 for fitting. It is way, way cheaper to do it separately that way and hire a local carpet fitter! The flooring company I use is moreforyourfloor and has massive feedback and free delivery. They also do lino etc. I also got 7 curtain rails for £37 delivered on ebay and got new curtains from b and m and while they are cheap and cheerful, they do the job just fine.

Thank you everyone for your input on this thread. I'll be reverting back to my usual name soon as this is very identifying.

12 days to go and so much to do. Not helped by the fact that I am in bed poorly at the moment.

Still undecided as to what to do about carpets. I ordered a sample of a remnant I saw online. Lovely quality very plush. Went back to order and it's sold!

Going to employ a carpet fitter to do upstairs. Need to ring trago and see what underlay they sell. With the 20% off I hope I can get it from them.

Been given a cooker which is such a relief.

What is keeping me awake is where all our stuff will go. I have loads of camping stuff and no where to store it. Same with Xmas decorations!

Been told we can't use loft

In my experience, kitchen vinyl will be there, it is all part of the kitchen. Likely to be vinyl in the bathroom too.

Offcuts will probably be ok for the bedrooms, we got one for DS's room for £30 and it is still going strong 10 years later.

We recently carpeted our stairs and landing with a roll end was a fraction of the price.

Yes definitely vinyl in kitchen and bathroom. Using neighbours old carpets in bedroom. Just researching underlay. Used a calculator online. Need 38m2. Trago looks like best bet especially with 20% off.

Carpet on stairs will need to wait for now. Lounge first.

I wouldn't like no carpet on stairs, not with my herd of elephants that seem to live here.. I have stuck with the pretty grim carpet previous tenants left, but am thinking of changing to these.... www.amazon.co.uk/Beautissu-Stair-ProStair-Carpet-Adhesive/dp/B01EJCM55C/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&keywords=stair+carpet+treads&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1514644578&sr=1-2

The new builds in our HA also have flooring in the bathroom and kitchen so it’s possible you’ll be ok there. If not vinyl is really reasonably priced. I got mine from carpet right and they fitted it and the whole job inc the vinyl was £50. Congratulations on getting the house. The feeling of gratitude and security when I got my HA flat was immense. That’s a great start to 2018 .

Loadedllama you are spot on with the feeling of gratitude and security.

We can't paint for twelve months but then we are able to I'm quite excited.

MammaTJ yes no ideal no carpet on stairs but not in the budget so far. It will take a few months.

It’s quite good you can’t paint for a year because you can really get an idea of how the light hits the rooms and when and look for ideas that you really like and suit the rooms.

Somehow having my flat how I want it felt/feels really important as it represents so much more than a roof over my head. It’s represents what I’ve been through and the new start I’ve made. Although people might think ‘oh first world problem/this isn’t a problem’, having your own, safe and affordable home can be hugely significant and seem very important dependent on circumstances. Oh and incredibly exciting too!

Why can't you use the loft?

We've not much in ours apart from Xmas stuff but it's useful.

Invalidates new build warranty, lack of circulation and potential for ceiling to come down are all things I've been told.

The Xmas tree will have to go up there though. Nowhere else for it and I can't afford real every year

Thank you everyone. We have been here a few weeks now. It's a lovely property. Enjoying making it on home and furnishing it. We've got handy at DIY. Cutting blinds,Painting and putting up a wooden baton for curtain poles. It's really coming together.

Next week the children's bedrooms are having new carpet.

Any suggestions on how to hide a very ugly fuse box in front entrance. It's right in my eyeline every evening!

Glad it's all going well! Do you know any carpenters who could make you a wooden box to cover it, then you could paint it to match the decor, wood etc?

Don't know any but could find one. Problem is the front door opens onto it. We considered a canvas to cover it but it's too low and will look rubbish.