Can’t afford to decorate/maintain our house

[Polkadotskirts]

We are fortunate enough to own our own home, but unfortunately we cannot afford to decorate or maintain it to any sort of standard.
I keep thinking maybe we should go back to renting, at least then the landlord would maintain the property and keep it in a liveable condition.
We’ve got problems with:

Insulation
Plaster on the outer walls coming off and big indents starting to appear due to it being an old house (Victorian)
Mould and damp in every room
The actual decor of the house is terrible, carpets falling to bits, wallpaper coming off, painted walls with marks on and chips in the paintwork
A big damp stain on the ceiling of the kitchen where the bath leaked through at one time.
The back yard (we don’t have a proper garden) is overgrown, filthy and the paving slabs are all uneven (unsafe for our toddler to play out there).
The back of the house is unsightly with any previous paint on the brick peeling off and looking hideous.
The kitchen units all need replacing
Doors don’t shut properly so that further exacerbates the issue with keeping heat in rooms.
That’s not to mention all the skirting boards and doors need re-painting.

Looking back I don’t know why we bought the house in the first place, but some of these things like damp didn’t show up right away.

We literally can’t afford to do any of the repairs that are needed as we’re living hand to mouth every month.

Shall we just cut our losses and sell as a do me up job? Then start renting again instead?

Sell up and buy a much cheaper newbuild?

Renting isn't exactly any better. We are in social housing (housing association). Yes, we are lucky as some might say to have a roof over our heads. However, the price of rent in social housing is nothing like it used to be.

We have to somehow afford to still decorate including all flooring and somehow make an awful garden look presentable.

We have mould. Putting the heating on regularly to get rid of it is expensive.

Yes, the landlord technically has to sort repairs but they always try and come when I'm at work or taking the kids to school despite me telling them otherwise. Either that or they don't bother with the repairs and make excuses. At least your own home you can find someone decent to come when it is convenient for you.

Also when renting from the council or housing association you can spend ages saving up to decorate then once you have they decide the place needs rewiring or a fire needs pulling out or something and it can ruin your new flooring and decoration.

If I could own, even somewhere that would take years to do up, I would in a heartbeat.

That sounds like every house I’ve ever rented by the way.

I would t go back to renting if i were you.

I would sell and buy something much smaller and easier to maintain, maybe like a flat with a balcony rather than a house with a garden..

Clean one room.

Look for people getting rid of paint on websites.

You can pick up a massive tub of white paint for £10 in b and q, home bargains. Paint every wall white. It will brighten the place up and cover the damp stains once they've been dried out properly.

Look for rugs online to cover the carpets.

You can sort out a lot of things for absolutely no cost other than elbow grease.

For instance - borrow some gardening tools from family or a neighbour, cut everything back, and lift the paving slabs, smooth out what lies underneath and lay them back down again. It's not the ideal way to lay slabs, but better than nothing. It will then be neat and tidy out there and your dc can play outside.

I’m in rented accommodation and this sounds like a dream compared to the issues in my home. Selling up to go to rented isn’t going to solve your problem and you will regret it forever.

PPs have given excellent advice to start sorting out your home but if you’re still struggling have you looked into selling and then buying another property? Maybe a smaller one or a newer build that won’t have these issues.

draw up a list and get cracking. Owning a house taking effort, lost weekends maintaining, and hard work.

Insulation: make sure your loft is fully insulated, there are quite often schemes to help with the cost but it isn’t that expensive. Put up a thick curtain at the front door. Get some of that peel off insulation strip stuff to stop drafts.

If wallpaper is peeling off then get it all off. Won’t look great but it will look better. Same with carpet. Bin it . Buy thick warm socks to wear indoors.

Doors not shutting, you tube advice , you might need to take down and replane where it is sticking.

Painted walls do get marks, paintwork does get chips. Forget about fancy decor ideas, buy white emulsion / wood paint from a diy store (try to find a friend who has a trade discount) and go vanilla.

Just sort the backyard. It would take a weekend. Get rid of the rubbish. Dig out the wonky slabs and either relay them after levelling get rid of them .

You can’t do it all at once, but you can make a start. As others have said, choose a room, make it the best you can then move on to the next.

This house is your investment as well as your home, it’s in your own interest on both accounts to keep it in reasonable condition. You must have seen the condition it was in when you bought it, what was the plan then?

@user1000000000009

Clean one room.

Look for people getting rid of paint on websites.

You can pick up a massive tub of white paint for £10 in b and q, home bargains. Paint every wall white. It will brighten the place up and cover the damp stains once they've been dried out properly.

Look for rugs online to cover the carpets.

This

Plus if a time offers you birthday/Christmas gifts ask for a tin of paint or DIY type vouchers

Keen an eye on FB marketplace & similar for free items that may help

If you can run to a dehumidifier, that would probably make a substantial difference to the damp problem.

@toocold - new build not having these issues? Think on.

Hi there are lots of free sites online that people would be happy to give away furniture,used paint etc Maybe write a post on your local selling site asking for the things you need cheap or free? If I were you I would personally clean everything internally and focus on one room at a time so as not to feel overwhelmed,then tackle garden and outside next year ready for spring/summer! When hubby and I bought our home we didn't have a pot to p*ss in so to speak and we sold items to help pay for others,like you we were hand to mouth,but Rome wasn't built in a day! Congratulations for getting on the property ladder thats hard work in itself enjoy the little things and the rest will come in time

@AdultingAvoidance

draw up a list and get cracking. Owning a house taking effort, lost weekends maintaining, and hard work.

It is. That's also why banks do quote some stress testing. They need people to be able to maintain the asset in reasonable condition when goving out mortgage. Every house I ever lived in always needed work. Aome is one off, some is annual, some bi annual and so on, but there is always something.

And I've been in my partially renovated for years too😁 many of us are. Doing bit by bit. The annoying part is that if you do bit by bit, by the time you finish, you can start again on that now 5-6 year old room you atarted with😂

Most of what you described are about hard graft not lots money.

Start by cleaning walls down with thin bleach to kill mould, then room by room strip old wall paper (all you need is a scraper that costs about 5 pounds and a bucket of soapy water.) then rub down the walls with sandpaper on a block, again about £5 to buy. Buy from a diy store some pva glue big container and a bucket plus a brush - mix half water half glue and paint the walls of the room to help prevent mould, then paint with paint of your choice - big trade containers are fine plus you need a roller and tray, you can always add colour on one wall later when you have more money. Repeat with next room. With carpet it isn't cheap but you can save by going to a store with ends of rolls, rather than the big chains (however see if they have any deals) I would do this after you paint. For the kitchen look at repainting the cupboards rather than replacing and lay lino as it's reasonable price and easy to care for. The yard is a case of hard graft, you can life uneven slaps and even out underneath using sharp sand if necessary.

It's overwhelming but spending literally £10-20 a month over a year or two you can get on top of it - eg the trade paint I used cost £19.00 enough for 2-3 rooms, yes only comes in white or magnolia but you can brighten with pictures, etc remember.

The skirting is a case of rubbing down and painting with gloss, it costs more so I would prioritise walls

@Dmsandfloatydress

Sell up and buy a much cheaper newbuild?

The worst house I ever rented was a new build! not sure how the place was standing.

Renting is more expensive than a mortgage OP. The maintenance might not be affordable now but long term you'll be glad you stuck it out.

Agree that you can do a lot with just elbow grease. Try Freecycle, nextdoor, FB marketplace, eBay for decorating supplies. Stuff can be had for nothing sometimes.

One job at a time, one room at a time.

Agree gutters are often the source of damp in old properties. If you can borrow a long ladder, scrape all the rubbish, moss and leaves out of them and the check ground level for anything encroaching on your damp course or covering air bricks. Now is a good time to try it with winter approaching.

I have an old property too and lots of it needs sprucing up, it's easy to get discouraged looking at it as a whole.

This sounds so stressful op. I think if it were me I would book a week off work and ask as many friends and family to help and make a list and see what you can tackle.

I think I would prioritise whats I imagine causing huge fuel bills 1st.

Book time off in a few weeks so you have time to plan. Do some local research as there's a scrap store here when you can buy carpet off cuts for v cheap - a friend carpeted her whole (yes quite small 3 bed) house through this and yes it's all genetic pale brown but it's new q clean and smells nice.

Id sell up and buy a flat thats cheaper or in a cheaper area.

If you dry laundry indoors the damp may be being caused by condensation. Scrub all the walls with water and a bit of bleach, then scrub with water and dry off, then ensure all windows are open.

Clearing the garden of overgrowth needn’t cost money- you can do it with your bare hands and bin bags if needs be, but a neighbour or friend would likely lend you gardening gloves, secateurs and a set of shears if you asked.

Definitely don’t return to renting - in your shoes I’d sell and move to a smaller, modern property. A nice warm two bed flat would be an improvement if you really can’t afford to stay in your home.

Would family or friends lend a strimmer & mower for the garden? Then a car for trip to tip with garden rubbish? Poundshop do mega cheap filler, white paint, rollers, brushes, turps. I've got a Victorian flat & every dent is covered now with filler & nice fresh white , courtesy of £ shop. Damp: scrub off with bleach & let fresh air in daily. If that doesn't work it's deep in the walls & ask advice at your DIY store re sealant spray. Rugs are dirt cheap on Freecycle, Facebook marketplace etc. A second part time job for a while is a good idea. Ask you Post Office re Xmas post delivery job. V v good money for two hours delivery , daily for 2 weeks.

Can you see if you can get free insulation in one of those government schemes?

What is the cause of the damp? Like it be gutters needing to be cleaned out?

The garden being overgrown is something you can tackle cheaply. Get out there and get weeding. Can you lift an relay the paving slabs.

I know things can seem overwhelming but just tackle one bit at a time.

Scour freecycle for free paint.

Most people find it hard to afford extra work in the first few years of a mortgage.
How long are paying the mortgage now? It’s an adjustment alright but the house may be run down, but it is yours (or will be eventually)

Can you get anything for free? Could you try to tackle the garden yourself?

Most of what you described are about hard graft not lots money

This. You would benefit from being tutored in how to look after a home, like having schedules for cleaning, fixing and gardening. There are apps available to guide you and lots of books. Open your windows every day. Close then before it goes dark. Scrub hard. Have nothing against walls if you can.

Also living in a wreck, OP, and overwhelmed by the time it all takes and how much is left to do. But before/after photos of the bits we’ve done are helpful.

As others have said:
• Sort out ventilation – unblock fireplaces, clean air bricks, crack windows, line dry outside, to try to clear the damp
• Clean clean clean – damp dust to clear it rather than rearrange it – use bleach/anti-mould stuff if you have it
• Take slabs up in the garden – if they’re not laid properly and will come up whole to be reused, you can offer them for free to anyone who’ll do the elbow grease to lift them. Then grass seed
• If you want cheap, lovely flowerbeds: put cardboard down now where you want them, weighed down with bricks/rubble/whatever you have in the corners. Start a compost heap (councils often give you the bin for free) – food waste, cardboard, grass cuttings once that comes up. In spring, spread your compost over the cardboard and plant through it – a packet of sweet peas costs £1-2 and will cover fences; nigella £1-2 and will fill beds and reseed. You can get free seeds on exchange sites too
• communityrepaint.org.uk/need-paint/find-your-nearest-scheme/ – for free leftover paint. Just go white for every room and all woodwork, doesn’t matter if it’s not the same white, it’ll blend
• Declutter and sell the stuff you’re decluttering to fund stocking a basic toolbox so you’ve got the kit to fix the doors and other minor house issues
• Do the kitchen units really need replacing? Or do the doors need tightening, cleaning, painting, etc
• Freecycle, Gumtree and charity shops for curtains, furniture, rugs, carpet, etc

I’d tackle a room at a time so you have one “retreat” room that’s actually lovely and reminds you why you’re putting the grunt work in.

It is overwhelming but a big, comprehensive to-do list is your friend: divide into 10-30 minute jobs you can tackle in evenings; 1-3 hour jobs to try on weekends; big jobs you’ll need to book time off for; and stuff where you can advertise and someone else will do it in exchange for something (eg removing the slabs)