Sorting out a period junk room - need help with order of jobs please

[LivingInaBuiltSite]

I have a front room in a 1912 house with period features I want to preserve but that’s always been a bit of a disaster zone, the people before us hadn’t done much and we’ve not either. We’ve had work done on most of the rest of the house but left this room somewhat unloved.

Because it needs a lot of work. I need help about the order in which to do things (get someone in as I’m not that good and some are big jobs).

• needs new windows (a bay with crappy upvc, but will prob go for upvc replacements)
• floorboards (good quality but not looked after) sanded, filled and sealed
• ceiling is ‘bobbly’ (not artex just bobbly, paper?) and I want that removed, skimmed and painted (expecting to find potential issues on removal)
• walls need old peeling lining paper removed, skimmed and painted
• hearth is missing from fireplace
• some skirting board missing (will need this custom made from experience in other rooms)
• no fireplace to speak of, just a boarded up hole atm, do we try for a wood burning stove or a ‘nice’ fake thing?
• no fire surround, do we try and reclaim a period piece or accept modernity?

I think that’s it. I want to keep the ceiling rose, coving, picture rail, high skirting boards.
have also found under the old carpet, some fab little metal things in the corners that made it easier to sweep up the dust (dust corners they are called I think), do I try and refurb them to keep?

any thoughts welcome, thanks!

That sounds like it'll be a gorgeous room, and love the idea of the dust corners. The windows might have a long lead time, have you looked into that?

We were told by our builders to get all the messy stuff done first - so starting with the walls and ceiling. Once we peeled some of our ceiling paper off we actually had to pull down the lathe and plaster ceiling in two rooms as it was beyond saving, and that was so messy. I'd probably do that and the floor first. The windows ideally will want doing before skimming, unless you're happy to patch the plaster up afterwards.

I personally love fireplaces, so sourced salvaged period ones. There are actually some great cheap fireplaces and surrounds on eBay that people are ripping out during renovations, just need careful measuring to check they'll fit. I love an old fireplace with a big bit of art leaning on top. Think it gives a great focal point to the room.

If you've any tips for curtains on a bay window, let me know. We've done a variety of things that aren't perfect upstairs, but have no idea where to start downstairs (that doesn't cost loads!)

Be careful removing the paper from the ceiling, it turned out to be the only thing holding mine up! Once we painted it the moisture in the emulsion softened it and the whole thing came crashing down 🙄

Omg @OnlyFrench how awful!

I think it might have been the only thing holding ours up also.

Thanks for the replies, sorry I was visiting family so didn’t reply sooner.

Firstly, I wont be actually doing any of the work, I’ve learnt where my skills lie haha, so it would be professionals doing it.

so probably
ceiling first as most likely to uncover other issues…🤞
wallpaper off walls
windows
plastering
floorboards sorted
missing skirting replaced
hearth
fireplace & surround
painting
?

I hadn’t thought about wait time for the windows, I’ll ask the neighbours who just had theirs done what the lead time was like.

I need to see if I have a complete set of dust corners and clean them up a bit as some corners are behind shelving units atm.

I'd re-order your list
ceiling first as most likely to uncover other issues…🤞
wallpaper off walls
windows
hearth
fireplace & surround
plastering (I'd do it all in one go)
floorboards sorted
missing skirting replaced
painting

Do all the heavy, dusty messy work to the walls before you fix the floor - you don't want to do the floor and then bugger it up when plastering around your nice new fireplace and windows (and I think you could do those in either order).

By the time you've finished, you will have hoovered about 1,000 times, but it will be worth it.

I am now remembering the dust from the previous building works…..