So out of my depth… Budget nowhere near enough

[Downdumps]

I’ve name changed for this as my friends don’t know my dire financial straits.

I bought a doer upper (because we had to move and it was all I could afford). I knew I would have a very fixed budget for it, but as I’m starting to get quotes in I’m realising that it doesn’t even touch the sides.

Everything is twice what I expected (I’m not stupid and have renovated houses before, but not for a while). Wtf am I going to do? At this rate my budget is going to run out and I won’t have done half the stuff this house needs. As an example, I’d budgeted around £2k to get the kitchen fitted - first quote is £4k.

Earning more isn’t really an option and the stress of the renovation is already taking its toll. I’ve already borrowed £10k from family. I’m not talking expensive kitchens and marble flooring either, just getting the basics done.

How do people renovate on a budget in this day and age? I’m not skilled so doing things myself isn’t really an option.

I am starting to get really worried I’ve bought a wreck that I’ll never be able to do up. Any advice?

@JudgeRindersMinder

Yes, I have had quotes thousands of pounds apart too. Shopping around and getting a ton of quotes definitely seems to be the way.

I wish it wasn’t so time consuming though!

I’m sorry to say that I think some tradesmen are taking the piss and trying to capitalise on the current times. I’m all for paying a fair price for work but sometimes it’s just greed.

That bathroom fitter will probably eventually find someone who’ll agree to pay that £6,500

@Downdumps

wish it wasn’t so time consuming though!

This with bells on!

I'm going to go against the grain here and say I'm not sure I have a great deal of sympathy for the OP here.

Time and time again, PPs have shared their stories about how they have battled against adversity and got on and done stuff in houses that were basically 'uninhabitable'. And if they didn't know how, they learnt how. And if they were single working parents, they found pockets of time and just lived with it until they were able to get something done, at the weekends, in the evenings, wherever.

Whereas the OP says "And painting is the last thing on my mind!" And seems offended that PPs suggest she learns how to do some of the things that need doing.

So seriously, if you can't even pick up a paintbrush, then I really don't have any sympathy.

Maybe you've had a horrible break up, or worse, been recently widowed. Maybe you've had someone swindle you out of your money. All of those, I have sympathy for. But you decided to stay in the area you are in. You decided to buy, and to live in, a do-er upper. The only people that that works for are the ones who are prepared to live with it, and are prepared to graft. Perhaps you should have bought somewhere smaller or in a different area. Trades have not increased their prices overnight. Ever since a lockdown where a load of people weren't able to go out and spend their cash, either full wages or furlough, lots of people have had a lot more money in their pocket and have decided to invest that money in their houses. And Brexit meant that all the cheap labour had gone. The price rise didn't happen overnight. You bought a do-er upper so you should have looked into this beforehand. So for that, I don't have any sympathy.

To me, you come across as too good to get your hands dirty. Great at finding bargains means great at sitting on the internet trawling for the cheapest deals. Pick up a paintbrush instead. Watch some YouTube tutorials. Install a second hand kitchen.

Good luck and stop whining. Oh yes, I name changed for this. But I'm sure I'm not the only lurker who feels like this.

@Downdumps

I’m sorry to say that I think some tradesmen are taking the piss and trying to capitalise on the current times. I’m all for paying a fair price for work but sometimes it’s just greed.

That bathroom fitter will probably eventually find someone who’ll agree to pay that £6,500

It’s not greed ffs

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to earn more by persuading the people they work for to pay them more

Why shouldn’t trades get the same?

They aren’t charity workers providing a service for people who failed to budget for their renovations

We live in a fairly small towns, villages area the local Facebook groups are a great place to ask for different trades people. Word of mouth works well here

@giyuhop

I'm going to go against the grain here and say I'm not sure I have a great deal of sympathy for the OP here.

Time and time again, PPs have shared their stories about how they have battled against adversity and got on and done stuff in houses that were basically 'uninhabitable'. And if they didn't know how, they learnt how. And if they were single working parents, they found pockets of time and just lived with it until they were able to get something done, at the weekends, in the evenings, wherever.

Whereas the OP says "And painting is the last thing on my mind!" And seems offended that PPs suggest she learns how to do some of the things that need doing.

So seriously, if you can't even pick up a paintbrush, then I really don't have any sympathy.

Maybe you've had a horrible break up, or worse, been recently widowed. Maybe you've had someone swindle you out of your money. All of those, I have sympathy for. But you decided to stay in the area you are in. You decided to buy, and to live in, a do-er upper. The only people that that works for are the ones who are prepared to live with it, and are prepared to graft. Perhaps you should have bought somewhere smaller or in a different area. Trades have not increased their prices overnight. Ever since a lockdown where a load of people weren't able to go out and spend their cash, either full wages or furlough, lots of people have had a lot more money in their pocket and have decided to invest that money in their houses. And Brexit meant that all the cheap labour had gone. The price rise didn't happen overnight. You bought a do-er upper so you should have looked into this beforehand. So for that, I don't have any sympathy.

To me, you come across as too good to get your hands dirty. Great at finding bargains means great at sitting on the internet trawling for the cheapest deals. Pick up a paintbrush instead. Watch some YouTube tutorials. Install a second hand kitchen.

Good luck and stop whining. Oh yes, I name changed for this. But I'm sure I'm not the only lurker who feels like this.

Totally agree!

OP this sounds really tough and I sympathise. I'm recently divorced and am in the marital home which needs loads of work doing on it - we never did it as our marriage was so obviously going to shit.

I have a demanding job and one of my kids has additional needs. I've been painting but quotes I have been getting for a basic bathroom refit have been astronomical. There's no way I can do it myself. Totally different kettle of fish to doing a refurb with two of you.

4k to fit a kitchen? Wtf?
Keep shopping. DIY kitchens are excellent, loads of advice on their site re how to save money when buying the units. That's just for starters!

Exactly same boat OP we bought it as it was the largest we could get for our very modest budget , I think we will have to take out a home owner loan to get it all done , the repayments aren't hideous so I'm hoping they'll approve us , maybe you could do the same ?

I completely understand where you are coming from I don't feel confident ripping out stuff in case I make it 100x worse !

.... And you can learn to do loads of things yourself... Its not difficult to paint.

I hear you @Downdumps and am in a very similar position.

I have a tiny less than 2m square bathroom that some cowboys wanted to charge me 10k to rip out and replace. They genuinely do see single mum and think you're thick so whack the prices up.

Scour places like Facebook or mybuilder.com for handy people, if a friend is handy see if they will fit for a few quid.

I would focus on the quick and easy fixes first. Slappping some paint on a fee walls can dramatically alter the feel of a house so we'll worth a day where you have no work tarting up a room.

But more than anything give yourself a break. Life as a mum iwhislt working full time and managing everything is hard enough when you have the support of a partner. Doing it all alone is harder still.

Be kind to yourself!!

@Downdumps

I wouldn’t have the skills or time to fit a kitchen well though. I’m also getting to the point where my mental health is suffering tbh. I’m on my own and have three kids. I just feel so overwhelmed.

Selling is out of the question.

It’s like tradesmen see me and think, ‘oh slap another £2k on the quote.’

If I wait another couple of years, won’t everything be more expensive again? I don’t earn enough to save so wouldn’t really be in a better position financially.

Kitchen quote doesn’t include the units.

Maybe just buy new cupboard doors and put them on yourself. B&q do self adhesive tiles. Lay some cheap lino. Fresh coat of paint. There's always cheap alternatives. Rope in family to help.

@giyuhop

Thanks, but there are a few things you’ve misunderstood. When I said paining is the last thing on my mind I meant that it is the least of my worries. There are much bigger issues with the house that need to be sorted before I even think about painting.

I said earlier that I have already renovated two houses, and I am able to do a lot of work myself. If you knew anything about my life you would be embarrassed that you said I sounded too good to get my hands dirty.

And you know nothing about the circumstances that led to me buying the house, which is not the subject of this thread.

I appreciate your opinion but I’m going to focus on the more constructive responses thank you!

As a fellow single parent of 3, I totally sympathise. Just getting through the basics of the day so fucking exhausting and I wouldn’t have time or the mental energy to learn DIY skills.

I live in rented and have been serviced a S21, so a difference scenario, where I’m having to wait for the council to house me and I’ve had to hire a storage unit - BUT what’s helped me is -

• Joining the local NextDoor page and looking for groups, there’s one called No Job Too Small on mine and there are people on there who do things for an extremely reasonable rate.

I have someone who takes me to the storage unit whenever I need to put things in there, does skip runs for things that are too big for my skip bag.

He also has solid references and images for fitting bathrooms, kitchens, plastering (providing there’s nothing like moving plumbing etc) for really reasonable rates.

There are also others like him.

There might be people like that on your NextDoor pages.

@CPGyellowwallpaper

I hear you *@Downdumps* and am in a very similar position.

I have a tiny less than 2m square bathroom that some cowboys wanted to charge me 10k to rip out and replace. They genuinely do see single mum and think you're thick so whack the prices up.

Scour places like Facebook or mybuilder.com for handy people, if a friend is handy see if they will fit for a few quid.

I would focus on the quick and easy fixes first. Slappping some paint on a fee walls can dramatically alter the feel of a house so we'll worth a day where you have no work tarting up a room.

But more than anything give yourself a break. Life as a mum iwhislt working full time and managing everything is hard enough when you have the support of a partner. Doing it all alone is harder still.

Be kind to yourself!!

God yes I was quoted £3k to do just one toilet. Bastards

I'll try to fing the page on DIY kitchens where they give advice on cost saving, its very useful, and can be applied elsewhere.

Not sure if you want a bathroom but are places like Wickes that supply and fit probably cheaper than a plumber at the moment, probably not as much choice and at the cheaper end but a good budget choice.

I thought Wickes would be cheaper too but when I spoke to them to book an appointment they told me in no uncertain terms that I should know that their bathrooms ‘start at £8k’.

Oh no, we want a new bathroom (not urgently thank goodness ours is just a bit tatty looking) and it's only small and I just want something functional, I thought Wickes might be cheaper as their kitchens were always at the budget end.

I’m trying to get a new kitchen and finding this process insanely expensive.

This is from IKEA
Kitchen + new appliances £5k
Dry Fitting (with their fitters) £2.2K
Removal + disposal £600
The above is roughly what I expected.

I asked for tiling of floor and walls between units and worksurfaces, a few spotlights replaced, upgrading to a 32 amp fuse, a few extra power sockets, the stopcock to be moved about 20 cms. No major works in my opinion and got a quote over £10k on top of what I’ve mentioned above! The quote for tiling the floor alone was about £3k and doesn’t even include the tiles!

I did wonder, a few years ago, about getting into floor-tiling. I had a quote for £2.5k for tiling a very easy floor (properly screeded, flat, square, nothing complicated). He told me it would take him five days and he completed it in a day and a half.

Interested to hear about the Ikea kitchen. Can you give an idea of how many units?

@SW1amp Because there’s a difference between pricing to do a job (assuming you want to) and adding a 100% mark up, and pricing to do a job and giving yourself a bit of a pay rise. Unless you’re the most meticulous tradesperson (and very few are, let’s face it), what is the value you’re adding for your 100% price increase? In other industries, anyone going for a pay rise would have to demonstrate how they add value to actually get it.

@Pluvia it’s about 18 cupboards across a small kitchen and utility.
The floor space is about 13m2, I got a quote for karndean for less than £1k including tiles, screed, fitting and all materials. Will do that rather than tiling the floor!