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Original poster

Ever feel like you've taken on too much?

12 replies

tyler80 · 13/02/2012 16:09

Got the keys to our new house last summer. Mountains and mountains of wallpaper removed, walls replastered, lots of progress to be seen and all going swimmingly.

Then onto the major project, the kitchen and it all seems to have stalled somewhat. We're doing as much as possible ourselves due to budget but lately we seem to be making no progress whatsoever and I'm beginning to doubt that we can actually do it at all and have taken on too much.

Please tell me this is just a stage to get through Smile

OP posts:
mylovelymonster · 13/02/2012 17:20

It is a stage to get through. It will be amazing and worth all the hassle when you are enjoying your new space.
It is a particularly rubbish time of year.

Pannacotta · 13/02/2012 17:25

I feel this on an almost daily basis! Sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear but it is true in my case.
That said we did buy a large house which has never been a family home, but was always let out, at least in part, so has been badly abused over the years!

I think finding a good team of tradespeople is the most important task, not one we have found easy.

But I agree it is a rubbish time of year and once you get going you will feel better.

Post on here for advice and ideas, we are a helpful bunch!

GrendelsMum · 13/02/2012 17:44

It's a stage - it's just one that lasts a long time! Do you have a full list of everything that needs to be done, broken down into individual jobs? Can you try to progress something on it every day?

Sorry to hear that you're still feeling dragged down by it, Pannacotta. Sad I was hoping that if you were thinking about tables and kitchen islands, you were at a cheerful point of building! We've got builders back in at the moment, and I now have a spreadsheet of works which includes everything necessary to get the upstairs finished.

I did find a very cheering piece of paper while decluttering the other day - it was my original list of jobs to do from eighteen months ago, and I was able to look at it and see how much has actually been done, when it feels like nothing at all. I've also been watching old episodes of Property Ladder to cheer me up, with people making a complete mess of things. I really recommend this. Also DH suggested that the next job we do could be the garage, which at least is out of the house!

Pannacotta · 13/02/2012 19:44

Hi Grendel, nice to see you again, glad things are progressing well with your house.

Would you mind if I PM you? Would be very grateful for some advice about our kitchen as I cant seem to get the project off the ground at the mo and not sure I want to post yet more questions on here about it....

GrendelsMum · 13/02/2012 20:39

Oh, please do! And then I'll retaliate with questions about F&B paint colours. I made DH come to look at paint on both Sat and Sun (he has a far, far better eye for colour than I do, since that's a large part of his job), and stood in B&Q saying things like 'well, Pannacotta says that 'Borrowed Light' is very nice'.

The electricity is off in half the house, and my attempt to fix it has just made things worse. Biscuit

Pannacotta · 13/02/2012 20:41

Ok will do.
Good luck with the leccy!

Shakey1500 · 13/02/2012 20:49

It is a phase but can totally sympathise as we're doing the same only eons behind you. We bought the house in Dec and have steamrollered ahead knocking walls down, replastering, replaced all the bathrooms, laid new flooring, re carpeted and are due to move in on Saturday. BUT the kitchen is minging, there's still a ton of shite (wood, bags of cement, excess underlay, old carpet, boxes, nails, shavings and a thousand other things) piled up in the kitchen. ALL the downstairs floors are covered in about 15 layers of dust, we have no cooker and no fridge (and we have a 4 year old who starts his new school on Monday). We need the plumber and electrician back before we move in.

Dh seems to think that a priority is glossing skirting boards upstairs...ermmm. how's about we get some sodding running water first??? Confused

And breathe.

MavisGrind · 13/02/2012 21:00

I too sympathise. I'm supposed to be packing at the moment. Move into my renovation tomorrow and although loads has been done, I'm just not looking forward to living with mountains of dust for the forseeable. I've brushed, hoovered and mopped but it just keeps coming! It seemed like such a good idea to take this on as a working LP of 2 dcs Hmm. It's a good job I have no tv ariel fitted as I'm going to be too busy decorating for months.

Original poster
tyler80 · 13/02/2012 21:01

Just feel we seem to have lots of catch '22' type jobs. We can't do A because B needs to be done first and we can't do B because C needs to be done but to do C we need to do A. I'm sure there is a solution and a sensible order for things to be done, but trying to work it out and coordinate with gas fitter, electrician etc. seems impossible right now.

OP posts:
GrendelsMum · 13/02/2012 21:22

Have you tried posting a specific question here about what order you should organise things in?

IHeartKingThistle · 13/02/2012 21:59

Good idea - I'd appreciate it! The Catch-22 thing really resonates with me!

TheMouseRanUpTheClock · 14/02/2012 00:22

Is there a book someone could recommend to help you plan a schedule of works to project manage?

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