How 'done' is your house?

[Hooli]

And if it isn't done, how to deal with the list of things that need to be done?

Our house needed completely redecorating when we bought it three years ago, which we've done, but slowly we're discovering new things that need tackling. We made a list. Today that's running into three pages! Some bits are only small (re-glossing the doors etc...) but some, like getting the house re-rendered and getting the floors re-sanded run into thousands.

I know we just need to chunk it down and get started but it's all a bit overwhelming.

How do you cope living in a project continually? How do you keep momentum going? How do reconcile so much of your wages going on things month after month??

This isn't a direct answer to your more general question, but regarding sanding the floors - honestly, do it your self. Hire a drum sander and an edge sander and get cracking! Cover everything you can because it's SERIOUSLY messy no matter how careful you are but don't pay a firm to do this.

Ahhhh, I am seriously considering doing it myself but DH is adamant it's going to be a total faff...

Pretty much all houses are ongoing projects, even if you buy them new. Obviously the amount of time/money required isn't always as much.

Prioritising is key. What needs doing soon to stop it becoming a bigger job that will cost more and take longer later? What needs doing soon because it's having a direct impact on your life? What can wait for a while? Then plan when you are going to do the urgent things, plan for a holiday when those are done, and finally plan for the less urgent things when you've got time later on.

And spending so much of your wages? Well, it's your house. It's an investment. You don't lose that money like you do if you spend it on other stuff. Don't spend money you can't afford, but do spend money on your house rather than other things. Consider it a big savings account, if that helps.

It's not really a faff but it IS very messy. Like very, very messy and there's not much you can do to mitigate the mess factor. I used to be a professional floor restorer, well I still am it's just not my main work any more. There's not that much to it, no big secrets etc. Honestly, have a go, you'll be amazed at the results you can get even having not tried it before. Hire the gear for a weekend so you're not rushing because of hire fees etc.

Everything you need, including sanding belts and disks (sale or return) will probably run you under a hundred quid.

I'm in the same boat so no expert but here are my current thoughts.

1. Acceptance that these jobs will never end and I don't know anyone who has an entirely finished house.

1. Agree with pp and sand it yourselves! The faff is the cleaning up.

1. Prioritise based on function. Then based on appearance.

1. Keep the lists going and accessible to both of you. Helps to be accountable.

1. This is my favourite, by an old friend who spent his lifetime doing up houses. To keep momentum up just try to do SOMETHING to improve the house every day/weekend. Even if it's clearing out drawers or going to look at paint colours. The moment you stop, you stop!

I’ve sanded two rooms so far... the first one (as the boards were in fairly good condition) I decided I could do it on my own with a belt sander. I soon realised what a twatty move that was. The room had all the black stuff round the edge that they used to use (1930s house). Second room was also DIY but with a hired sander with edging sander (DP had moved in at this point too DP I wasn’t completely on my own!). Three rooms have been replastered, and we’ve knocked some minor walks down and put in a new kitchen.

Still a loft conversion to go, new bathroom and decorate kids room and the dining room. Finances have currently stopped play ☹️

It feels never ending... I haven’t relaxed in years!

Having seen friends do this for years and lose the will with it, we were very picky when buying.

We change anything that needs updating but I didn't want to live in a place I couldn't relax in after work.

We bought the most done house we viewed and I'm so glad, because over a year later we've made only the absolutely critical progress.

I wish my parents lived closer to help us out. My fiance's parents are happy to nit pick but not to offer help

(yes, I know they're not obliged to, etc etc, but they should STFU if they aren't - but that's a whole different story of how they never taught fiance how to do anything practical, now criticize him for not being practical...)

Houses are an ongoing project and are never ‘done’. Ours was a new build a few years ago, but we’ve redecorated all of downstairs, the stairs and landing. We’ve replaced the kitchen worktop and are contemplating changing the splashback.

The garden has already been through several incarnations, front and back and the living room carpet will be replaced in the next couple of weeks.

It’s like the Forth bridge.

Good point...when the house is "done" there's then the garden/driveway/fences/garage.

Loads left to do here. Just finished the second of two extensions and a bathroom to finish, utility room to fit, parquet floor to restore, understairs cupboard to build, two more cupboards to build, new driveway, new garage doors, paint outside of house etc etc etc. Luckily DH is very good at DIY but it's just time and energy tbh. We are pretty good at getting stuff done but it's a very long list and I doubt everything will ever get done as things get added over time!

Mine is about 80% after ten years of fixing. It's hard but we budget and do one big project and one small one every year. So this year its garden fencing and repainting the kitchen.

We bought a Victorian terrace with five bedrooms and four reception rooms 8 years ago, structurally sound but everywhere needed decorating. Still not done, can't really imagine a time when it will be! But it's fine - it's not even just the money that's an issue, more like laziness/other priorities!

Whoever said a house is like the Forth Bridge is right, they are never completely done. We have slowly worked through from the farthest away rooms back towards the front door. The smallest bedroom is underway and then we just have the lounge diner but because of the layout this also means hall stairs and landing as well. Big and intimidating! By the time we've done that we will either have to sell up or start going around again!! 🤣

Yes - we are like this. Old house, always needs something doing. We have been here 7 years and the stuff we did when we first moved in looks ancient now and needs re-doing (bathroom, stair carpets) We only did the kitchen in 2015 though so that’s still ok. Time and budget limit it massively. We need new windows and a front door and probably a new roof but they cost megabucks so they can wait another year (or 7) It ia indeed never ending. Could do with a 30k handout and a team of silent, invisible workmen to do it all!

We have a 7 year plan to finish the flat, and then it's just maintenance. We save and do a job at a time, and only the bathroom and loft need doing now. We bought a kitchen last year, and that came with a 20 year warrantee, so I don't plan to replace that for another 19 years.

Sanding floors is quite easy and a weekend job.

Also if you had the money and the time and got your whole house done at once, it would all date at once. We've done our house over 20 yrs(yikes!) and now the kitchen is looking dated(new 15 yrs ago, decorated 8 yrs ago but the bathroom(yrs ago) still looks fresh to us. There are benefits to taking your time. There's always something and I find that often I change my mind about what to do given time to live with things and am glad I didn't rush in.

We were doing okay with a bit of DIY here and there, until we woke up this morning to a massive leak....new roof is now at the top of the list ☹☹