How did you pay for your home improvements?

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

Just musing really. First time property owner and we put all our money in just buying the place. The kitchen and bathroom really need updating and I had assumed we’d need a year or so to save up. (I was VERY naive about the cost of kitchens!)

But my friend mentioned she used home improvements loans to do hers. It never eve occurred to me to do that 🤷🏻‍♀️ I think I must be very inexperienced and green about all these things!

I’ve only ever saved up first. Some people remortgage to release equity.

I wouldn’t go for a loan as it’s just more debt with interest rate on it. However, there are some 0% interest credit cards that you could use to spread the cost.

So what kitchens have you seen? Have you looked in places like Ikea or on the DIY kitchens website or just more expensive shops?

We were "lucky" and had inheritance money to update our patio and driveway, build a conservatory and have a garage conversation.

What we have left will re do our en suite and bathroom and then we will save up DH's commission to do the big one (kitchen).

Conversion. Not conversation!

I saved for a few years for my house changes. I’ve got friends who’ve done it on finance but I was anxious about additional debt.

Finance - most companies offer some form
Of finance now especially for kitchens.
The bathroom you'd probably have to save for though but if you hack off the times yourself and watch a few videos wall timing really isn't that hard

We saved up and did a bit as and when we could afford to. It has taken us 12 years to get the house the way we wanted it and we are now moving home to start it all again. This time we've got a bit of equity to help us with a few things. Some people remortgage but as you've only been in your house a short while that probably isn't possible just yet.

Bonuses

We also had a savings pot for home improvements which was spent at b and q regularly.

We did the bathroom and general decorating as we went using savings. For the kitchen we saved half the cost up front and took the other half on interest free finance. I would have preferred to save it all in advance but the kitchen doors were literally falling off so we didn't want to wait any longer.

We used savings and a small loan.

I saved up. I think the problem with home improvement loans is that, by the time you finally pay them off, some of your improvements will already start to look a bit faded.

Also, I think there is a lot to be said for taking things slowly and taking your time to think about what you really want. If you save up, that kind of happens automatically! 😄

Last time I saved up freelance money I earned to do kitchen, bathroom and floor

IKEA 0% 3 years for kitchen inc fitting. We just about paid it off then moved house lol. Planning to do the same again in new house. I wish they did bathrooms too, I'd bite their hand off!

Barclaycard do a purchase agreement, make a large purchase and pay off at 0% in installments. Or just the straightforward 0% balance transfer merry go round for a few years.

Just make sure you can afford the repayments to clear it before the 0% ends. Money saving expert has all the tips.

The way I see it, I can save up or I can make repayments. I don't see the point in waiting to save up when it's the same amount of money to get it now and do 0%. My mother is horrified

Mostly by saving as much as possible and then doing it all diy, advice/tools/a hand from friends & family.

Currently covered in dust, plaster & paint & longing to be finished current decorating (oh for a wall that is straight & not shaped like the hind leg of a donkey!)

The only thing keeping me going now is the promise of sleeping in a room that isn’t also a building site.

Living room was hoped for this year but money won’t stretch & I’m wrecked so it’ll have to wait til next summer never

I did take a loan for kitchen appliances as house had none when I moved and despite still paying it off steadily but slooowly I’m glad I did as being able to cook/clean/keep food was more important than the ‘look’ of anything.

Flooring will probably be the last thing as it will be a big cost but rugs/old lino & even astro turf are totally liveable with for the foreseeable.

Advice on diy- prep is 99% of any job, everything takes twice as long as you think & once you’ve started a room you have no real choice but to finish.

The job satisfaction is top notch though and its been as therapeutic as much as frustrating for me at least.

Saved for years.

I'm so glad we did. Work started then had to stop due to lockdown (still not quite finished!) I was put on furlough and was close to losing my job. We would've had no choice but to finish the work (not the sort of job that can just be stopped indefinitely) building up more debt in the process, despite knowing we would struggle to pay it back without my income. Thankfully my job is safe for now but it would've made a stressful situation so much worse.

Sympathies. Behind every 'lucky' inheritance is a person much missed.

Hope the works have improved your quality of life though!

Added it to the mortgage. The increase in payments was tiny

Apologies - that was meant to be a reply to Dragonssmile.

First house we made do with a lick of paint. Second house we saved as we went. This house we’ve released equity but the projects have got bigger with each house.

Saved slowly. Did work ourselves where we could. Revamped the kitchen with new floor and gardwesr and painting units.

When you say 'need', is it really a need or a want?

Increased our mortgage twice now.

Saved up and did things as we could. Took a few years, but I wouldn’t get into huge debt for it.

In the past we've always saved, but this time we are going to start before we've got all the cash in place and find some credit card or loan deals and just pay off as fast as we possibly can.

We lived on one wage. Used the other for the work.

Took out a £15,000 loan at 2.4% over 3 years and replaced the kitchen, bathroom, flooring, boiler and landscapes the boiler. I wasn’t willing to live in a shit tip for three years to save up the money when it cost little more in interest to take out the loan.

Shop around and go for local fitters and the cost will be much less than you think. I’d initially banked on spending £25k but in the end spent just over £14k and its perfect.