If your house is "nice" inside how did you get it that way

[Designless]

Do you know lots of good workmen, did you get lucky calling them in, are you really good at stuff yourself?

I've only ever lived with chaotic stuff that's in various states of disrepair. If I get a new kitchen the hall needs plastering and the bathroom is falling apart and it's an endless cycle. I've never lived somewhere that's just all nice and fresh.

Teach me your ways!!!

Same. Everyone mentions quality tradesmen or even handyman as key. I’ve had so many poor tradesmen over the years 😭 One great decorator who’s getting old. One great floor guy. But… cannot find someone to replace the kitchen countertop unless it’s quartz as no one wants to do a ‘small’ job. One guy recommended for a new deck was going to charge £3k for a 10x30 deck. Who affords these prices?

Another issue for me is having the idea, but not being able to find the product. I’d love some classic, thin French doors fitted between the living room and dining room but have not found any after long searches. Ditto, nice quality glass shelves, have not found any.

All of takes time and life is just busy. But this thread is motivating me to get stuff done as our house is a tip.

Spending a lot of money building an extension and got the builders to do other bits of the house while they were at it.

Also found 2 good property repair handymen, who are willing to come round and do smaller jobs if needed (like we needed a cast iron soil pipe replaced) and if we are happy to wait for them they'll fit us in round bigger jobs. They are both kitchen fitters which is how I found the first one.

Hmm, well we’ve been in an Edwardian 4bed over 4 floors for nearly 14 years now and we’re still a work in progress. It’s a pretty house with great bones and good condition, but still has needed a lot of work and maintenance. I have done a fair bit of painting, floor stripping, loft insulation and I’m happy to spend time and money choosing furniture, artwork, lighting, etc that makes the place attractive and comfortable. And I don’t mind cleaning!

But the fact is, it’s hard to do things properly without money. We’ve had two bathrooms and a loo completely renovated- back to the brick, rewiring, new plumbing involved floors up, replacing all the shitty old copper elbow joint pipe work going to the wrong outlet with modern rubber wide-gauge that wouldn’t block and which had to be directed through two walls to connect it to the correct sewage down pipe (which is why our sloppy vendors hadn’t done it, and took a crappy shortcut). Along the way we’ve needed a new boiler, with modern thermostat and different channels, new wiring to improve the lighting (again, putting to rights the shortcuts that our vendors took). This stuff takes proper trades expertise, and I am happy to be leaving the house in better shape than we found it. Building bookshelves and bespoke wardrobes is another thing best left to experts because the are big features in a room and need to be right. I’ve done the IKEA home hacks before and they just don’t compare sadly.

the next big thing will be the kitchen/breakfast room, and it will be spenny. And then there will be lots of redecorating to do. So it’s sort of never ending really.