I'm so over my renovation - it all feels so anti climaxing?

[outlanderish]

Our kitchen is finally being installed after seven gruelling months of house renovations. We decided in a moment of madness to tackle four rooms at once because I am clearly mad! The kitchen, which is the last to be finished, I designed entirely myself and spent months obsessing over, planning everything, is finally going in and I feel absolutely nothing. No joy. No excitement. Just numb. Can someone please tell me if this is normal?

I’m starting to worry that we’ve spent all this money and I won’t even be remotely pleased with the result. I was teaming with excitement for months while designing it and now that it’s becoming real zilch. zero. nothing at all. It's like I've died!

You're just jaded, I have been there! Once the builders are gone, the house is clean and tidy, then you will appreciate it

Anti-what??

I was a bit unsure what this was going to be about when I clicked on it.

I believe you meant anticlimactic, OP.

It's human nature, sadly.
I spent ages lasting after my dream sofa. Now it's here I'm not crazy about it. As you say, it's an anti-climax.
The pleasure is in the hunting, planning, striving. It's what drives us on.
You need a new project now!

Haha! Well at least I've managed a laugh out of today rather than doom and gloom. Oopsie!

Life is pretty much this

Well it's still all new and freshly done, and quite an achievement. It will add value to your house, and hopefully, your life. Personally I'm very jealous as we're getting nowhere with ours, but I remind myself I'm lucky to have a lovely house, that just needs a bit of modernisation.

I bet your neighbours are glad it's over.
( Bitter and twisted from experience)

Strange comment. Actually no, our neighbours have been the light of our lives and even encouraged us to do it, albeit it's been hell for them & us. They are the sweetest people and not once have they ever complained in the 7 months. They understood the need to do it (moving was too expensive) and they've done a renovation themselves.

It's completely normal to feel overwhelmed during a renovation. We have been working on a major fixer-upper for several years. Recently, we completed two separate bathroom remodels simultaneously because one project ended up causing damage to the other. We're currently focusing on the entryway and a bedroom. We started the bedroom last summer and are almost finished with it, while we just began the entryway this spring in preparation for the kitchen remodel next. We might need to tackle another bedroom between the kitchen and entryway. Fortunately, each room tends to go quicker than the last. I handle the design, and my husband executes it brilliantly.

It has been exhausting. My husband doesn't see light at the end of the tunnel, but I believe we are about halfway through. We've had two kids, experienced a pandemic, dealt with deaths in the family, and faced significant health emergencies. The actual demolition and remodeling went way over budget, causing additional delays. On top of that, we have multiple kids involved in various sports and have regular life stuff and home maintenance, it's just so draining. I completely understand your feelings, OP. It's like you're holding your breath, not wanting to jinx the progress. I took before and after pictures and staged everything once the projects were completed, and the sense of accomplishment afterward is incredibly rewarding.

Once the remodels are finished, we're looking forward to many things. Hang in there!

I assume this is what happens to people on Grand Designs. After all the stress, money and relationship problems.

Maybe having Kevin over and having to pretend to be delighted actually unlocks some of the joy?

So what I'm saying is...housewarming party

I think these are very wise words.

All the work that goes into it is tiring, so then it’s hard to feel that excited.

But then also, yeah, I think human nature is to start thinking about the next thing.

I often find that I enjoy these things - loft conversion, updates to the garden etc - more after a little while has passed. When I have lived in them for a bit and feel the benefit. Sometimes it can just hit you randomly one day.

It's like I've died!

🤨 I don't think the afterlife comes with integrated appliances and a breakfast bar.

Sounds a bit like our garden , it was a complete shit tip and building site for a couple of years because my husband was doing it all himself and once it was finished I was a bit meh about it . We are now 2 yrs on and this year I’m really loving it .

All that work and all you end up with is a kitchen that you have to clean.

It’s so so normal. At some point you will be content, when it settles down.

We did a full house renovation about 3 years ago. Loft extension, ground floor extension and rejigged the layout. While going through the actual work I spent ages thinking about when it was all done and I would go through room by room, decorating. Had everything painted white for when we moved back in so I had a properly blank canvas...and a blank canvas it stayed for ages. In fact there are still a couple of rooms still white.

I call it decision fatigue. Totally normal. Plus when we moved back in the kids still had their crap everywhere, it didn't look like the picture perfect home I imagined. Don't regret it though. I'm slowly getting round to decorating as well, I now have a drawer full of wallpaper samples, I just need to take a deep breath and jump back into it!

Maybe it’s to do with ‘what now’.
You’ve been planning for ages. Jobs nearly over
Now what can I dream of.

Perhaps move if you need the buzz

Thats what we do
Been on our current one since 2020. I have a feeling the delays are because, what do we do once it’s over ?

Ps @outlanderish you’re welcome to start on our kitchen if you need a buzz. 😁

Well hopefully your builders have remained within the law, not made holes in the neighbours roof, got party wall agreements where necessary, been clean and tidy, have not been sacked for shouting and swearing, have parked thoughtfully and have not picked arguments with several neighbours.

Give it a few weeks, OP. There'll be a morning when you come down for coffee/tea/matcha/whatever and stand there waiting, looking around, and you'll think to yourself - "Wow, I love this kitchen!"

How do you know? Mine will, if I go upstairs.

Very normal.
Its renovation fatigue.
You just want the bloody thing over with and no more strangers in the house.
When it is finally finished you will be delighted.
No pain, no gain, unfortunately.