So many things in the house need fixing - which order to fix?

[Sabee]

Hello!

Would really appreciate any advice!

We recently bought a victorian house - love the house, but much more of a fixer upper than we thought! We have the following issues we will need to address:

1. Windows: Single glazed, many with mouldy window frames - looks like the woodwork is in need of repair too. Many don't even open (have been painted shut) but main problem is poor condition and that they are airy!

2. Guttering - needs replacing in many areas, including soffits (?).

3. Extension roof (small area) and bay window roof tiles on outside (im sure these have a name!) need repair. The former is damaged, the latter has been poorly taped up as a temp job.

4. Dirty wood chip wallpaper through hallway, downstairs and upstairs, and in most bedrooms.

5. Front door - creaky, has problems closing (very noisy, and needs to be slammed a bit or yanked open) and lovely and airy too.

6. Kitchen diner original floor needs to be repaired or new floor laid down. We were very keen on repair, but we are very time poor and have no time to do this ourselves - second option is to lay floor down.

7. Old boiler (needs to be switched on to heat water), would like combi/electric in the future as we are a family of six, and its difficult for all of us to shower.

8. There is a lot of repointing to be done on the external walls, with brickwork damaged.

I am sure there are other bits and bobs too, like the whole house needing redecoration, and re-carpeting - but this is last on our list as we haven't even got all of our furniture yet

We were zeroed out when we bought the house, as any extra money we had went towards a partial rewire.

Apart from all these issues we love the house! and we will be staying here for at least ten years I expect (not sure of future at the moment)

Which order should we attempt the above list? I dont want to spend so much on the house as I am not sure it is a totally forever home (it may be).

It is going to be expensive, and we literally will have to save up (for months) for each task.

Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.

Having had issues with dealing with long-term effects of leaving a leaking roof and gutters for too long, I would think the external stuff such as brickwork, roof, gutters first. However, I’d get a builder round to assess what is most urgent.

So long as the current boiler is working, that is. Otherwise I’d probably look at that first as no heating and hot water is just miserable.

Then I’d look at the front door and windows depending on which is higher security risk and what brings the most benefit.

The floors and walls sound cosmetic. I would leave those till later.

Sorry, re-reading your post, I’d do the front door first if you struggle to close it. Too high a risk of getting stuck and not being able to open/close it.

Watertight first. Always. If it lets water in or causes water to soak in, it needs fixing before there's any point in doing anything else. Also go top down. Prioritise roof and anything attached to it. Then windows and doors, if they're insecure or leak.

Then boiler (though, actually do that first if it's unsafe)

Cosmetic stuff last.

I’d get it weather-proofed first, so leaky roof, guttering and windows first, followed by getting the heating sorted. The cosmetic stuff can be done as and when. Good luck!

Make sure you do the boiler or anything else that might involve plumbing or wiring before you do any floors or decorating. You don't want to have to rip up your new floor because new central heating pipes need running!

Thank you for your reply FairyPenguin

Yes, what you suggest makes absolute sense.

The boiler works fine at the moment, the only issue is that there are a lot of us! The water comes out so fast it finishes so quickly.

With the front door - there is no danger of us not being able to open it - its hard to open from the inside, but hard to close from the outside.

Its the brickwork that is making me stressed at the moment - I was reading that you should repoint in lime mortar etc (older house) but I think that will be horrendously expensive :(

Ah, good point safariboot thank you

I'd do doors and windows first. Then boiler.

Not sure after that.

I live in an old rental with no air vents and dodgey windows and the house has terrible damp due to the ventilation issue.

1. Extension roof & bay window roof tiles

2. Guttering

3. Repointing brickwork

4. Windows

5. Boiler

6. Front door

7. Kitchen diner floor

8. Wallpaper

Sounds like a great project. Write your lists, check your budget and get to work!

I agree with MollyHuaCha exactly

Thank you much for all your replies - missed a few when I was writing my replies!

Pickachew & knittedfairies yes, I understand totally.

We got our boiler checked recently - old but in perfect working order!

rarfy we have a lot of air passing through the house lol - so no damp issues thankfully - but I am having to put the heating on a lot to keep on top of the condensation :(

Thank you for the list MollyHuaCha

Exterior - gutterin first, then windows, then repointing.

Interior - any major works first ie electrics, plumbing.

Exterior door before boiler. No point in heating your house with a new boiler if all the heat’s going to escape through gaps.

If you have the budget, you could go for a whole house ventilation system? Otherwise use a dehumidifier otherwise you’ll get mold growing on the walls.

Roof, repainting and guttering. Windows and door, boiler. The rest can be done then without risk of damaging new decorations.

Thank you for all your replies! much much appreciated!

Def agree on external stuff first - will have to live with the wood chip for a while I guess :(

I bet you need a lot better/more insulation, too (just add to the list).

I'm voting guttering followed by windows on that list.
Boiler (make your life easier) than door.

Sabee Karcher window vac - works wonders with condensation. I go round and vacuum the condensation off each morning.

Agree with others, soffits and guttering and any roofing issues first, then front door and windows.

Do you just need a larger hot water cylinder for the boiler? I changed mine to a mahoosive one and the water doesn't run out.

You said your front door was hard to open from the inside? That sounds like a fire risk. I’d tackle that, then the guttering and roof, then either the boiler or windows.

Yes echo what others said about getting anything that mightallow water in fixed first. I live in a Victorian house and we cut out a lot of draughts with that brush tape stuff around doors, draught excluders and using wood filler on the cracks you could see daylight through in our front door!

If you are going for appropriate wooden windows be warned they will be costly so maybe you will have to live with the old ones a while. Clean them up, repair and repaint, the frames may not be as bad as you think.

Does the house really need repointing? This is a standard thing surveys often say when actually it's only a small area or doesn't really at all!

Thank you lljkk

scaryteacher I will definitely look into that! I mean, I dont even know what to use to clean the windows with, they are dripping - kitchen towel doesn't even touch it, and on top of that there is black mould on the frames which makes it worse!

I am not sure about getting a larger one... Its also just being able to have it on demand - at the moment, the boiler is in a cupboard upstairs - squeezed in!

DesperatelySeekingSense I didn't even think of it being a fire risk :(

rangerlady I will also look into draught proofing...

I think the brickwork does need repointing in lots of areas - the mortar and the bricks even look in bad condition, chipped, broken, bits missing... but probably better to have someone come in and have a proper look... I remember our house survey mentioned some of the bricks have worn away due to frost damage (the ones at the base meeting the pavement) so it has been neglected...

If you have original wooden sashes you might be able to get them refurbished rather than replaced. Much cheaper and you can get double glazed glass put in

Seconding the window vac. Ours sees a lot of action on cold mornings.