Moneypit Owners Club - anyone want to join me?

[Daisypullsitoff]

So we recently moved into my dream house - original Victorian floor tiles, towering ceilings, original fireplaces etc etc. And I'm freaking out. I just keep seeing more cracks, missing tiles and the mountains of dust I'm going to have to spend hours every week vacuuming! I think it's a natural wobble now that the excitement of moving in has worn off (and we found out yesterday that the basement is not 'converted' as we thought and would better serve as a paddling pool). But I've seen lots of interesting threads on here with people dealing with similar issues and I wondered if there was a way of bringing some of us together to swap tips/nightmares etc.

So my first question if anyone is reading this:

Do you just learn to ignore the cracks? And the dust? Or do you spend your life constantly repainting and dusting??

Can I join your club ?!

We own a 4 bed house, certainly not old (1980s) but it's absolutely a big fat money pit! Part of a small number of individually designed and built houses that before we bought it had been lived in for 20 years by Bodgit Bob - carrier bags stuffed into the loft instead of insulation, an old margarine tub holding the waste pipe of the bath up etc etc.

And now we've run out of money

We bought the house after finding out I was unexpectedly pregnant so it was bought under pressure! I fell in love with it and was blind to its faults, my DP went along with me as time was running out!

We've decorated all the bedrooms, replaced a bathroom, installed a chimney breast and fireplace, laid parquet flooring downstairs and gave the things to refit the downstairs loo. But that's it.

We are ignoring the soffits, fascias (sp?) doors and Windows that need replacing and not looking at the garden which is just awful as the house is built on quite a steep slope.

Long term plans include replacing all these, doing the garden and building an extension for new kitchen /diner.

Am holding out for the postcode lottery....

Ok, I need someone to help me not panic! I'm half joking..: my dad has just pointed out some very rotten beams in the cellar holding up the floor. We are getting a timber and damp survey done on Monday, but until then I'm imagining all sorts of horrors and £££££

I know I need to toughen up and of course stuff like this is bound to be found in such a whole house. I'm just at the beginning of the journey so getting used to it all!

Tell me some positive stories!

Well, we've had bad news today... Our boiler has been condemned! 🙈

Always the worst timing! Boilers never go in July, do they! At least it isn't any colder - hope you get it fixed soon.

Thanks! In other news, woodworm and deathwatch beetle in cellar. Some beams and joists need replacing! 🤯

Hello all - been away for a while making endless lists of work to be done on the money pit! Kdubs sorry to hear about your boiler and beams, how are you getting on?

We abandoned our cellar (my original motivation for starting this thread) and just alternated between opening the window and running the dehumidifier every time we went down for a bottle of wine. Then I went down there yesterday and of course the heating has been on (as I still haven’t got to grips with our three, yes three, boiler system) and it was positively toasty in there with no damp smell at all! So hoping that if we get rid of the carpet which has rotted along one edge and just manage the ventilation down there it should be fine for occasional use.

New issues discovered include the kitchen extractor fan not having any ducting or filter so just throwing grease up the wall, rotten window frame in our bedroom and guest bathroom and leaking valves on custom made cast iron radiators in hall. Awesome.

Has anyone used Ventrolla for sash window renovation/replacement? I would usually prefer to go local but they are much more competitive than our other current quote and I liked the surveyor who came round but interested in any reviews.