Advice for first time renovator please...

[ireallyhavenoidea]

Hi

We are hopefully going to exchange this week on a house that needs a bit of renovating before moving in. We don't have a huge budget (but won't scrimp either) and I was wondering if people could post advice on how to maybe cut costs. As a novice, I would go to regular high street shops for bathrooms, kitchens etc. but know by reading some threads that getting a joiner is maybe a cheaper option for kitchens.

And if anyone knows any good workmen, or contacts in Oxfordshire all the better

Please post any tips, things you are proud of, things you wish you knew before you did yours, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Bathrooms - do not do highstreet/Homebase kind of thing. Plumbworld is often recommended on here - though what I did was window shop for what we wanted and then found the best price on line - I then spoke to a few local plumbers places to see if the price could be matched or bettered.

Kitchens - Howdens are good but you will need to go through a builder - so contact your local Howdens and get some recommendations from them

Plan, plan, plan. Electrics, sockets, light switches. Where are they going. Get this stuff sorted before you start.

Maybe post in your local Mumsnet bit for recommendations for workmen,

Thanks Fishfingers. I know from casually reading about using local tradesmen and it being cheaper but I can imagine, now I am in the situation to need to do this it won't necessarily work out. Good idea about posting in local Mumsnet ...

Online, online, online! The big sheds and posh showrooms will cost you 1000s more over the cost of a renovation. For instance we bought our (rather fancy) taps from a company in Germany (with english website) at about 50% of the list price. Ditto for the bathroom fittings, all the lights, tiles, kitchen appliances etc etc. It is certainly more work, but a lot of fun once you get into it!