When does it stop getting worse and start getting better?

[cunningplan101]

So we're in the middle of a renovation, and everything we do seems to make the place seem less renovated rather than more! We installed new sockets which required wiring under the floor, so the floorboards had to be lifted and space cut out of the bricks, so now we have gouges in our floorboards and plastered over holes in our walls. We restored the old sash windows, and the restorers left the sides unpainted and looking scruffy. So we got them back, they painted right up to the wall, and now we have chipped plaster and scraped old wallpaper all the way around the windows.

Everything seems to create more dust and more mess and more work. The things we have left to do are - fireplaces to be removed, renovated and restored; soundproofing installed under the floorboards; floors to be sanded; fitted units either side of the fireplace and then a loft conversion. We were planning on then getting everything nicely painted and plastered at the end. I'm just worried that the fireplaces and fitted units are going to damage the walls, the soundproofing is going to damage the floors ... And everything in this flat just seems covered in layer upon layer of old paint and crumbling plaster and weird redundant old hooks and pipes and wires from previous generations that have just been left and painted over. Will the sanders and the painter/decorators be able to make it all look beautiful and 'finished' in the end?

You see period homes on rightmove and in the magazines which are perfect - smooth walls, beautiful paint with crisp lines, everything clean cut and pristine. How do they achieve that? When will our home start looking better, not worse?

(And I know this is a real case of #firstworldproblems, but I needed to vent)

I think that the way they get the clean lines on walls is by giving up on the existing walls and plasterboarding everything! That's what the previous owners of our victorian terrace did anyway (which drives me a little insane).

I think it has to look worse before it gets better to make sure you really appreciate the end result

Do all renovation and then decorate. Don't try and make good in the meantime.

Our house isn't that old but had layers of woodchip over about 3 other layers of wallpaper throughout the house. We had it all stripped then a top layer of plaster skimmed over all the walls and it did achieve that crisp look.

Also had simple plaster coving put into the main reception rooms which again gave it a good finish.

As The Owl lsays, don't bother decorating till all the donkey work and plastering has been finished.

I agree with too , it's not good for the house walls though which is why we've refused to do it. We are mid renovation and everything looks terrible. Our woodburner is going in this autumn though so I'm happy about that. We have ripped off wallpaper on walls, plastering splashes running down walls from ceiling etc. we have to have floorboards lifted and butted together and sanded. That's happening next spring. Plus plastering entire place and then a brand new kitchen....the list goes on....

Maybe take some photos as you are going along so you can really see the progress you are making. It will all be worth it in the end.

We're in a fairly similar situation - thought we'd be moving into a cottage that just needed redecorating, instead had to have ceilings removed and walls stripped of artex to get rid of asbestos. Now plasterers are in making it smooth and replacing the ceilings but we didn't realise all the built in cupboards would have to go, the skirting come off, the lights and sockets and switches and radiators be removed and then need replacing. We're nearly out of money and all we can afford to do is slap the cheapest trade white on the walls and ceilings, get the old rads and lights refitted (annoying as we would have updated them if we could afford it) and then spend the winter dreaming about decorating it. Good job the Scandi style is in fashion!

So we agree with the photos idea as it's the only way for us to see progress from the lowest point.

I don't think most period properties have had plasterboard over existing walls. They have just been stripped back (if neccessary to brickwork in some spots) and then been skimmed over. It makes a massive difference when you get to the skimming stage. Its quite unusual to take off wallpaper in a period property and be able to just paint or paper, unless its already been renovated well.

We did the house in sections but basically stripped out walls and carpets, did any electrical or plumbing work, repaired floorboards, levelled some floors installed new bathrooms, then got rooms skimmed. At this point we could finally see the house looking very different and started on the good stuff, putting in new kitchen, built in cupboards, alcove shelving. Its so worth it and yes it does look like one of the perfect period properties on Rightmove. And yes yes to photos, and being absolutely broke!

Just sold it and moving into a 1980s house. Have NO idea how to start on that though. All the rooms just seem so square, and featureless and mirrored, and pastel.

The period property next door to me has just had plasterboard put over all of it's internal walls before the summer. It was built in 1870.

Thanks so much for your responses. It's good to know we're not alone!

I love the photos idea. We have the ones from rightmove before we bought it, while it still had all the depressing dark wood and broken dusty venetian blinds and carpets that hadn't been vacuumed for 10 years. So the biggest, most positive change those show is that we've painted the dark wood windows white after they were restored - has made the place seem much lighter. I'll take more photos of how it is now (what we're jokingly calling 'unabomber chic' or 'lone gunman chic') - and then hopefully they'll cheer us up as it goes.

Skimming sounds like what we need to be doing then, before the painting. Is it ok to install the fitted alcove units before skimming (if the units are unpainted)? Can we skim after they've been installed?

miss we have also taken all ceilings down and new have gone up. The mess was incredible.

Oh God I'd forgotten the ceilings!

Plastering/skimming can be really messy. I would skim before adding alcove units for nice smooth edging. If the units will have a back then you can ask the plasterer to not bother with the bits which won't be seen but if they are to be open units it would be very hard to skim neatly.

However when you first walk into a room which has been skimmed, even when its still wet and patchy you'll know you've done the right thing.

Also, probably obvious but don't put flooring down before skimming.

Skimming new ceiling will splash lots too!

We're having the floors sanded - could we cover the floors enough to skim afterwards? It's just we're having that done mid-October, so I'm not sure if we'll have time/money to arrange skimming before that.

And how does skimming work with radiators, light fittings, etc?

Thanks so much for advice - I'd never actually heard of skimming before.

Oh and they're going to be pulling out the fireplaces on Oct 2nd, to take them away and do the restoration, so I'm guessing I should do the skimming after the fireplaces have been put back, which will be the end of Oct.

The hardest thing I've found is co-ordinating all the different tasks and knowing what order to do them in!

cunning what age is you property? Are the ceilings lath and plaster? If they are lath and plaster you will either need to:
a) overboard and skim
b)take down lath and plaster if it looks unstable and then put up brand new plasterboard and skim
c)take down lath and plaster and replace with lath and plaster and lime (very expensive

Also, do you have lime on your walls? Modern plaster won't sit well on orginal lime plaster and will have a tendency to crack etc and not let the walls breath.

I've had the same stress - not knowing what order or not being able to do in the best order or missing opps to make efficient improvements due to budget e.g. Now's the time to fit better radiators when the old ones are refitted but can't afford to.

Radiators, sockets and switches all have to come off for the skimming.

We had plaster and lath and the plasterers overboarded and plastered that. Just been to see how it's going...

There's plastered splattered on the tiles in the bathroom, on the internal glass door and on the carpet where they've not quite covered it all with sheets (previous owner recently replaced it so that's annoying).

Where it's boarded and then plastered the wiring for the lights have disappeared - presumably hidden behind the ceiling and the electrician (?) will need to cut a hole to refit the light - assuming he can find it!

It was built around 1900. I'm not sure what materials?

I was thinking last night that we will prob have to do things in this order:

• Repair Floorboards
• Soundproofing
• Sand Floors
• Install restored fireplaces
• Loft conversion
• Plastering
• Fitted units
• Painting

I think I need to find some very strong protective sheeting for the floors

Definitely fireplaces after plastering. Plastering is so messy and the plasterer will go up to the space in the chimney breast. The fireplaces then sit on top and you get a beautifully smooth finish. If you done them first the plasterer has to skim around the fireplace which is much more difficult and you risk getting plaster dust in any crevices on your lovely new fire surrounds.

Much easier to sand floors once plastering is done also. Dust from floors will wipe off the walls easily. Plaster off wood (if it gets under the covering) is much harder.