Hello all
We have recently completed on a 4-bed 1930s semi in the South East and it needs a lot of work (the kitchen was last updated in 1981 and is brown. Very brown).
The one room that is structurally not going to change at all is the lounge and so we have gleefully started stripping wallpaper with the view that if we get this room done asap, we have somewhere to retreat to whilst the rest is being done over the next 12 months.
Being amateur DIYers, we are trying to suss out the ideal order of things in theory so we can get the right trades on board at the right time and generally have a bit more of a clue before we go guns blazing into buying things and getting people on board.
The current list of things that we think needs doing (I'm sure there are more that we've overlooked) is below.
Please can you let me know if you think this is right, and if there is anything you would add/move around? We have already have the electrician come and rewiring is due to take place next week including moving/adding sockets etc.
If you have any tips on anything we are suggesting below, please let me know!
We are not intending to do all the manual work ourselves, but if there's somewhere we can easily save money versus something that we should not even bother attempting to do ourselves, that would also be very helpful to know.
- Strip wallpaper (done)
- Suss out 'gapping' issue between wooden floor and bay window area. We think we need to lift up a floorboard or too to check the quality of the joists underneath in case they have rotted etc. Not sure who is best to do this, us or a trade?
- Potentially insulate under the floor (with what, how expensive is this, could we risk losing the original wood flooring?)
- There's a random vent near the side of the room - assess whether we can remove/replace as that's also where there are some minor damp issues so it might be because of that.
- Remove old fireplace surround (5 - 8 is all knackered, basically)
- Remove skirting.
- Remove picture rail.
- Remove mantelpiece
- Speak to a plumber re replacing radiator and if there is anything to be done about trailing pipes over skirting board (would love to have them going into the floor/wall but I have no idea how expensive or difficult this is or whether it is just worth boxing in/making a feature of them)
10. Remove radiator.
11. Skimming/replastering
12. Replacing 5 - 8 above
13. Painting/wallpaper and all the fun stuff!
THANK YOU!
x