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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be fuming with myself

23 replies

zoomzoom68 · 08/06/2021 06:53

Two years ago I spent £500 on paint and decorating materials to paint a couple of rooms in the house. I did a rubbish job and it looked awful. I’ve been desperately wanting to repaint ever since but have been so annoyed at the money wasted that I can’t bring myself to throw more money at it. I want to hire a professional this time so that 1) I know it will look good and 2) I don’t waste yet more money trying to paint it again myself and doing a bad job!

I’m also working full time and have a new baby now so have very little time on my hands.

But again, we don’t have a huge amount of money and I’m not sure I can bring myself to spend it after the waste I’ve already incurred. AIBU?

OP posts:

NeilBuchananisBanksy · 08/06/2021 06:57

I think you need to let go. Just invest and get it painted properly- you can't keep it looking crap forever as some kind of punishment for yourself. Get it done nicely and move on.

Out of interest, what did you spend the £500 on exactly? It seems a lot for a DIY job.

WalkingOnTheCracks · 08/06/2021 06:57

If you leave it as it is, the £500 was wasted on a crap job. If you have a pro do it, the £500 was part of the cost on a good job.

My philosophy on DIY: Don’t Involve Yourself

Original poster

zoomzoom68 · 08/06/2021 07:03

Thanks - I just can’t get over the annoyance of having wasted all that money! At least if I get a professional this time I know it will look good.

OP posts:

PotassiumChloride · 08/06/2021 07:13

As above, chalk it down to experience and get the professionals in.

VeganCheesePlease · 08/06/2021 07:15

I agree with the above. Get a professional. We ALL make mistakes with DIY, trust me.

Howshouldibehave · 08/06/2021 07:18

What did you spend £500 on out of interests? I decorated two rooms in the first lockdown and bought three tins of emulsion, one of undercoat and one of gloss, plus a roll of sandpaper and two brushes.

Just bite the bullet and get someone in to do it if you hate it-there’s no point agonising over it.

Aprilx · 08/06/2021 08:02

You could have got a decorator in for not much more than £500 for two rooms! I am at a loss to understand what you could have spent £500 on. I decided to repaint a small room yesterday and I doubt I will spent more than £40 on paint, couple of brushes, masking tape and a tray.

If you don’t like it you need to bite the bullet and either try again or get someone in.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 08/06/2021 08:08

It's been two years. Time to let it go. At the end of the day you got 2 years out of that decore. Not bad, that's when lots of people repaint.

yoyo1234 · 08/06/2021 08:50

You sound very busy. Put it down to experience and think how lovely it could look.

MatildaTheCat · 08/06/2021 08:56

Write the money off and get it done. That way you’ll get the benefit of the nicely decorated rooms for longer.

You’ve tried DIY, it’s not your thing. Less expensive mistake than, say, an expensive skiing trip (me 😳).

DavidTheDog · 08/06/2021 08:58

“Fuming” seems kind of strong. You need to let this go now.

Moonshine11 · 08/06/2021 08:58

How did you spend £500 on just materials?!
Get a professional in, we’ve had afew disasters but I just laugh about it tbh.
Can’t beat a professional decorater!

HappydaysArehere · 08/06/2021 09:41

It is hard work painting a room but straight forward. You just need to select a paint that is good quality and thereby save a lot of work. For example I have learnt to stick by paints that cover really well so say Sanderson is expensive in outlay but uses far less than a lot of cheaper paints. So saves on time and effort. Use decent brushes. These days waterbased paints make clearing up so much easier but just don’t let the brushes dry out after using them so wrap in plastic or wash out in water. Employing professionals is expensive and they don’t all do the best job. What was wrong with your previous efforts? Wrong colour? Missed bits? Needed another coat so looked patchy?

BasiliskStare · 08/06/2021 09:57

It is a sunk cost - the £500 is gone - never to come back ( unless you have some paint etc left over.

If it looks so bad it is annoying you get some quotes and get it done properly, if you can afford it.
If you can't move on from the £500 then you are going to have to live with it or you / partner / friend are going to have to learn how to paint better. There is sometimes a reason people pay for other peoples' skill

I do not mean to be harsh but that is what it comes down to as far as I can see.

But is it really that bad ? and could you not move on from it if needs be ?
Whichever way I wish you well & very many congratulations on new baby

BIWI · 08/06/2021 10:38

Two threads from you, all about money. In your other thread you were complaining about 'having' to spend money - here you're asking for permission to spend yet more!

If you haven't got the money YABVVU to want to spend it on decorating a room that you only did 2 years ago.

mrstea301 · 08/06/2021 10:52

You have it a go and it didn't work out the way you wanted - just pay for a pro!

I'm happy doing my own painting etc, and we've for that while decorating to save costs, but we're currently getting quotes to get our front garden redone to make it more low maintenance. I hate gardening, I have no patience or vision for it and would much rather pay someone to do it properly than me ending up with a load of half finished attempts!!

I think what people don't factor in with things like painting is the time it takes. A professional can paint a large room really quickly and efficiently, whereas if you don't do it a lot, it can take you hours to make very little progress. It's the same with house movers as well, we've always moved ourselves, but after the last time, I'd definitely pay movers just to get it done quickly!

PattyPan · 08/06/2021 15:21

Not sure how it’s possible to spend £500 on paint and materials for a couple of rooms unless you live in a warehouse probably getting a decorator would be cheaper next time...

Bluntness100 · 08/06/2021 15:22

@PattyPan

Not sure how it’s possible to spend £500 on paint and materials for a couple of rooms unless you live in a warehouse

probably getting a decorator would be cheaper next time...

Of course it is, do you know what F&b, little greene etc costs?

PattyPan · 08/06/2021 15:48

@Bluntness100 about £50 a tin isn’t it? Say OP spent £50 on brushes and sheets, 9 tins would be a lot for a few rooms!

purpledagger · 08/06/2021 17:14

OP, I read your other thread as well and I just wanted to as you what your underlying concern is. Is it that you can afford all of these purchases but are concerned that you are wasting money or is it that you can't afford them and getting into debt?

Mellonsprite · 08/06/2021 17:50

Get a decorator in. Like everything it’s a skill.

BasiliskStare · 08/06/2021 19:30

@Mellonsprite - excellent post I think - there are things I am good at there are things DH is good at - when we were young we did not not have two half pennies to rub together - so we had to paint stuff ourselves. Now - we are a little more established I am so pleased to pay for someone who actually knows what they are about. It looks better - & a point, people think painting is not a skill - let me tell you it is - looks better lasts longer Thank goodness people can do this professionally.

Mellonsprite · 08/06/2021 20:22

[quote BasiliskStare]@Mellonsprite - excellent post I think - there are things I am good at there are things DH is good at - when we were young we did not not have two half pennies to rub together - so we had to paint stuff ourselves. Now - we are a little more established I am so pleased to pay for someone who actually knows what they are about. It looks better - & a point, people think painting is not a skill - let me tell you it is - looks better lasts longer Thank goodness people can do this professionally.[/quote]
Yes me too.
I know what I’m good at and it’s not decorating. I know I’m slapdash when I try but fussy in wanting a decent job done.

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