Quality finishes

[ChishandFips33]

I'm in need of your wisdom please. What says 'quality' in fixtures and fittings when you are looking to buy? (house will sell for approx £150,000 and is a 3 bed 1960's semi, slightly oop north) We are doing literally everything from an empty shell!

It's our renovation project and we will be living in it for a few years but it's not a forever home, more an investment to get to the forever one

Compromises are having to be made as many more things have cropped up than expected and the budget is escaping fast!

Don't want to compromise on the final look though - appreciate furniture will move with us so it's more about what gets left behind

...and how do you know you are getting what you are paying for - completely head blown by the selection of taps (Grohe?) showers (Aqualisa?) (and then I forgot about radiators) for starters!

any wise words will be much appreciated!

For me, good taste is very important...more so than expensive taps and ovens etc.
My formula:

• a solid feeling kitchen. I don't want the doors to wobble. I recommend Ikea kitchens for a quality build that is not extortionate. Integrated appliances for a streamlined look. An integrated microwave is always impressive....better than a box on a counter. Butler sinks or ceramic kitchen sink. Definitely not a tiny round sink in the kitchen.
• good workmanship, eg: neat tiling. I like metro tiles in neutral colours like grey or pale aqua
• clean and matching sockets and light switches. White is fine.
• modern user friendly thermostat
• good quality paintwork in neutral colour (I go for white). Doors and skirting boards are important.
• clean and uncluttered
• clean shower cubicle, no mould and clean grouting
• a natural look with natural materials where possible eg: real wood floor rather than laminate floor
• although you will be taking them with you, modern appliances like a new flat screen tv and a nice shiny kettle or coffee machine will look impressive
• providing storage places, like a coat cupboard, a cleaning cupboard and a shoe cupboard downstairs
• matching new door handles throughout and solid wood doors
• vertical panel white radiators in downstairs living spaces and chrome radiators in bathrooms

- working doorbell and painted front door

Unless you know you are aiming for a niche market, eg: young single executives in a city, I would just go for practicality and what would appeal to a family in a 3 bed house.

Sorry I can't provide any product recommendations, perhaps someone else can....

Briony that's great, thanks for taking the time to put so much detail.

I was reading down your list and ticking them off mentally and I'm definitely squeezing in masses of storage as that's what we are lacking in our current house and it drives me nuts!

typo correction in OP; our first renovation project...
...and we've never had so many arguments

We moved into a refurbished house. Things I noticed quality wise:
well laid out neutral kitchen with plenty of storage, neat paintwork obvs done by a professional compared to the stuff I have done since, good quality marble fireplace, clean, uncluttered, good lighting in kitchen and bathrooms ie halogen spotlights, big chrome towel radiator in bathroom, built in unit and wall hung wc in bathroom, made to measure blinds or curtain poles/tracks left and loads of sockets and landscaped garden.

Years on some things that annoy me: some of the new doors are flimsy cheapo things that are difficult to shut properly , some of the lightfittings are horrible old fashioned things from b+q, white non-slip tiles in bathroom become grubby and pretty much uncleanable, wooden worktop ruined - don't get one of these ever, frosted glass in external door- would much prefer clear, and in general not enough storage - good to know that is high on your list.

We are about to do some work and I will be getting chrome sockets and thinking carefully about lighting.

Thanks Loving your perspective as time has gone by is good to know

The decorating is worrying me a little as the plaster/first coats will set the base for everything that follows. Will likely get someone in (not in the budget!) as I just know i'll have brush marks, runs, flaws etc that will spoil things! not a patient or tidy decorator

Planning on an attractive cost effective laminate worktop that will see us through the few years we are likely to be there and then put a fresh one in if needs be when we sell. Would love granite it or corian type spec but it would cost more that the kitchen (god bless Ikea, and thanks to you mumsnetters) and have to keep reminding myself the overall house/area doesn't necessarily warrant it

I'm also struggling a little with having it how I want it as we'll be living there but remembering the market for when we sell the budget and therefore any future profit! (Sarah Beeny's words and advice from Property Ladder is waking me up at night!)