Renovation /doer upper tips, splurge and saves!

[Giles1008]

About to embark on a house renovation. A remodel of a kitchen/ dinner including new kitchen, new bathroom, w/c flooring etc.

We are a young family any tips, companies you would use/ wouldn’t, splurge and saves! It is quite the minefield.

The house is currently unliveable, it’s a probate and been empty for over a year. It needs a new electrics and has a lot of mould from condensation, nothing structural. Any advice on what could be done at a later date and what you would do immediately. I know a lot of people say live in it first but that isn’t possible there ain’t a working kitchen bathroom etc.

Make a list of things which are important to you and go from there. Things other people would consider a necessity might not apply to you.

If you can bear it you might try assembling a makeshift kitchen, but if it's a cost that you are going to end up with anyhow and you have the money now, I say prioritise the kitchen/diner. DIY Kitchens are the company that everyone raves about the quality of, but I got a quote from them then made Howdens match it, I liked that Howdens units arrived pre built and if any issues with parts they were just down the road.

Odd tip, but I got masses of cardboard from ikea - just picked up lots of big sheets of it in the warehouse and used it as a temp floor covering with a nice big ikea indoor/outdoor rug over it in my bedroom...that ended up being the solution for a long time as we waited for ages to floor the whole house. Better than bare floorboards and very low cost.

If you’ve got the time and space; shop and stash.

We’re 2.5 months into renovating a house like yours - it had been lived in by a very sweet old man who hadn’t maintained it very well. It’s currently a shell where I go to cry do DIY as we found quite a few structural issues when we took the wallpaper off (despite having surveys) but work starts on our new bathroom next week. I got everything for it, including our tiles, bath, etc, for just over £1k by shopping around in clearances and sales.

We’ve also just ordered our new radiators - the first sites we looked at we’re about £2.5-£3k for the amount we needed but we managed to find a company with the ones we wanted in their sale and then bought them when they had an Easter discount code so we paid just over £1k.

Facebook marketplace is also great. We’ve bought 6 doors (4 internal, 2 external) for £265 total and I’ve sold all sorts of random stuff we were going to chuck like doors I don’t like, curved radiators and joists we no longer need.

I do wish we’d splurged on a renovation company instead of coordinating all the trades ourselves. It’s been incredibly stressful - it’s hard to keep track of who is or isn’t on site and what’s been done as we aren’t there every day, messages don’t get passed on and issues don’t get flagged, and I’ve become defacto project manager/bad cop which isn’t a job I wanted it. We’ve saved thousands based on the quotes we got but I think it’s slowed the work down and we’re renting nearby so the longer it takes the more we spend on rent and council tax for two properties.

We bought a house in similar condition and have used a building company to manage almost all of it - we were living in rental, work full time, zero DIY skills and infant school age child. The building company charge 18% on top to manage it which made us gasp initially but it's meant we haven't had all the hassle of managing trades ourselves. TBH we struggled enough just with getting to places and getting decisions made with child in tow. If you have family support for childcare that may be easier.

We've spent a lot (we're not 'young' though as we'd built up equity in our former home) but couldn't afford to do everything now. Priorities have been rewire, structural work to make roof/walls safe, making stairs safe, kitchen and bathroom (there's actually two bathrooms but we've postponed the second), energy efficiency as that will save us in the long run (insulation, double glazing, new heating system as old one was ancient and awful).

We've also done flooring as we didn't do it in advance in our previous house and regretted that. But it's expensive and can be postponed.

So basically anything that came under health and safety in my head, plus basics like plumbing. Then energy efficiency. We could have got away with using the old kitchen for longer but it was in the way of structural work that was a must do so we did do that. We have a Howdens kitchen - cost about £6k for a large kitchen and we're really pleased with it!

We haven't touched outside yet!

Admittedly, I don't live in the UK so perhaps it's different, but second hand kitchens are ridiculously cheap on places like Facebook market place. I think a brand new kitchen for the space we are looking at will be minimum €10000. There are almost new ones second hand for €300-€500.

Nothing structural needs doing so that is ok- what is the roof like? That would be your first job if work required failing that, it sounds like you’ll need a rewire so once the property is gutted back to brick then get the electrical work completed along with plumbing. This will enable the kitchen and bathroom fit out to be completed.
You can’t really live in a house without these so these should be prioritised? I mean if it was me, I’d move into a short term rental or with family if you can until all if not majority works are completed so that you’re not living on a building site. All depends on cost and budget though.

Windows if required could be done when you living there but I’d get these fitted before kitchen and bathroom gone in.
Plastering/Flooring/ Decorating can again be done when you’ve moved in - just work around the tradespeople - but I would minimise the amount of furniture in the property if you can (keep in storage)

I have just spent £125k on my house - over 18 months! This included a kitchen extension new utility room new floors downstairs, new bathroom and new en-suite.

I didn’t use a kitchen company - I picked the kitchen I wanted, showed my builder and he sourced it from a supplier. Kitchens are really just standard carcasses with fancy doors. I he mark up from all those stores is crazy. I saved about £6k I reckon. Still spent £20k - but it’s a large kitchen - solid wood doors, quartz worktops and splash backs, big island. I love it!!!

I splurged on the stuff I will touch and use daily - taps, handles, ovens and hob. I also splurged on some beautiful tiles for smaller areas - everyone comments on my beautiful patterned hall tiles. The big living kitchen diner has cheaper flooring.I shopped around a lot - used online discount codes where available.

Also be careful of trends - I spent a lot of time researching what interior style I actually like! With instagram and tik tok it is very easy to think you live something only to realise every body has it and in a year you hate it!

j read somewhere never buy something that would have looked mad and out of place ten years ago unless you truly love it - go timeless so you don’t feel you need to redo your home every decade!

not very exciting but do consider making sure the house is as energy efficient as possible - loft insulation and if no cavity wall insulation do that. If solid walls, consider doing internal wall insulation in each room you renovate plus underfloor if there are suspended wooden floorboards. Much easier to do at the start - and ties in with rewires and any new plumbing for radiators - but might require new double glazed windows if the current ones are poor (though your post doesn't suggest that is the case). Essentially the fabric of the building bits are worth doing first.

We've just spends loads on a new bathroom , freestanding shower , one of those big overhead rain shower heads , standalone roll top bath etc.
Tbh , I m not keen on the bath , and much prefer the old days of the standard type shower that's more direct to your chest than all over your head.

Prioritise the fabric of the building first, so windows, roofing, guttering, sorting out damp and functional stuff like rewire, new heating. Once that is done, I would get the rooms which are staying as they are plastered and painted and move into that bit of the house.

Spend money on things which will be difficult to get to to replace and need to last a long time like roof tiles and windows.

Thank you so much for all your replies SO USEFUL. We have organised a full rewire, most windows are fine but two need replacing.

We are renting near by but will try and move in as soon as possible to save money. Thanks for those that said makeshift kitchen and suggested going more timeless on styles I think this is probably what we will do.

If anyone has companies they’ve used for sliding doors, roof lights, windows or radiators these are the main items we are still pricing up.

Think about electrics and plumbing first. Do you need to rewire, move or change radiators or pipework etc. Do this before plastering, changing flooring etc.

Try to find local companies and stockists rather than national chains. A local plumbers merchant type place for radiators, local window company etc.

I used best heating. Com for some column radiators. They were great. I used a local supplier for the largest radiators just incase!

these valves are from best heating and I got them for every radiator because they bring me joy😊.

I got online discount codes so saved 15% I think. I got a best full navy column radiator which is just gorgeous

https://www.bestheating.com/milano-windsor-traditional-thermostatic-angled-radiator-valves-brass-pair-41921?_gl=1yksqx3_upMQ.._gaODM0OTI2NzguMTY4MTI0OTc0Mw.._ga_WZSJ3P813D*MTY4MTI0OTc0My4xLjEuMTY4MTI0OTg5MC4wLjAuMA..&gclid=CjwKCAjwitShBhA6EiwAq3RqA2cxA0ine67ymTq7AkyBDeIZfZnSpOuGaSuefCxRwhchug7cIRFsuRoCd-AQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ask your builder what deals he get get on doors and windows/. I saved a fortune on velum windows because my lovely builder passed on his discount to me.

I can recommend Howdens for the kitchen they were great with us. There will be dust everywhere so pack everything away then de clutter when you move stuff back. We moved out for 4 months this was the best thing! Everything takes longer than you think but comes together quickly at the end. Dulux Timeless really is the best white!

We're living in our reno, currently a year into it. The trickiest thing has been getting the order of doing things correct. We started with plumbing and electrics before plastering, woodwork and painting.

I'm lucky in that I work in property industry (but have zero skills) and have signed up with accounts to Selco, Tradepoint, Howden etc, if you can do that to save some money. Get in touch with people who have renovated locally for recommended tradespeople, (we got loads of contacts from DHs barber)

Make sure you have legal cover on your home insurance and make sure you are covered for building work

DH and I have done quite a few houses now. Have electrics checked first because if these need doing you'd want that done before any decorating.

We started in the kitchen. Ripped out old falling to pieces kitchen. Smashed old tiles off the walls. Measured the floor, bought tiles and fitted them, grouted. Far easier in an empty room. Painted ceiling.

Checked there were enough electric sockets. DH made a few single ones into double ones.

Measured kitchen and bought a pre used one on eBay for £1150 including appliances. Hired a large van and collected.

Placed units where we wanted them. DH leveled each unit and attached it to the next unit then attached the pair of units to the wall. Work around the kitchen in this way. Once all base units were in place he used a template to cut wooden block worktops. Then linseed oil on to them. Then wall units up and extractor fan. Then wall tiles. Added a new door and skirtings. New smoke detector.

Did the downstairs cloakroom n. Same tiles as on the kitchen floor. Ripped out the old toilet and basin. Popped on the isolator valve to stop water leaking. Tiled floor, grouted. Put back the new toilet and basin. Added bits like a ring for towels and a toilet roll holder. Added tiles behind the wash basin and painted walls. Added a new door and skirtings. Painted ceiling.

Lounge and dining room. Stripped many layers of old wallpaper off of walls. Filled and sanded. Took up old carpets. Repaired a few broken floor boards. Used Flooring Direct for laminate for floors and B&Q green underlay boards to give an even finish. Took off skirtings. Laid green boards down. Laminated laid on floors. New skirtings put on. Stripped off paint from woodwork as very thick. Sanded. Undercoat and then 2 coats of paint. Painted ceilings. Wallpapered. New door. New light fittings. New smoke detectors fitted. I got old character fireplaces off eBay and DH fitted them. New doors.

Same for bedrooms X 3 and landing. Took down old shelves, stripped off lots of old paper. Stripped off old paint from woodwork. Filled, sanded then undercoat and painted X 2. Had walls re-slimmed. Painted ceilings. New light fittings. Sealed walls then paint X 2 coats. New carpets fitted. New smoke detector fitted. New doors.

Ripped off old carpet on stairs. Took off old grip bars. Stripped off old paint with hot air stripper and scrapper. Filler and Sanded. Undercoat and paint X 2 coats. New light fittings and smoke detectors. New underlay onto stairs and recarpet stairs. DH used an industrial staple gun to staple carpet to stairs.

New bathroom. Same as downstairs cloakroom. Started by tiling floor. Getting a fan fitted as did not have one and sealed unit light. Old bathroom suite out, new one in same place as layout good. New shower fitted. Walls tiled. Taps etc selected and fitted. Accessories eg heated towel rail, toilet roll holder, toilet brush. New door and courtesy lock.

Hall. Stripped old wallpaper and took ages as wood chip. Had walls skimmed over. Walls and ceiling painted. New tiles on floor, including in under stairs cupboard, grouted. Accessories etc front door mat and hall stand.

Large old Victorian house with corbels and mouldings around ceilings. Work will take the best part of a year but we are not living there so house empty. DH will take his time and get a good finish. In the meantime we are biting bullets and paying 2 lots of council tax.

So far we've had electrics checked and new consumer unit fitted plus electric cooker socket in kitchen. They used to have gas cooker. Gas has been capped off. We've taken out old kitchen, smashed old tiles off walls, had old kitchen talked to tip. DH has almost finished tiling the kitchen floor and will finish this Thursday including grouting and on Saturday he will fit kitchen base units. Whilst he is doing that I'm stripping off wallpaper in all 3 bedrooms. I've already stripped paper I can reach in the hall. DH will have to do higher bits but it has a very high hall. We've also already ripped out all old bedroom carpets and had them taken to the tip and lounge and dining room carpets too. I'm taking down old shelves in the bedroom too, on this Saturday.

Everything takes about 1 1/2 times longer than you expected.

Well order in a pizza for lunchand luckily go to my adult sons for shower and dinner and sleepover. Even though it is hard work I love seeing the transformation of a wreck into somewhere desirable to live in. Then there is a back yard to tidy up and I have bought a replacement pre used UPVC back door that needs fitting.

If you are near West Midlands then Guardian Windows are a local family owned company where the service is outstanding. Nothing is too much trouble. I've used them on new windows and doors in 4 properties now.

I know an excellent gas safe fitter too for central heating, boilers and gas appliances.

If you want to save money then you can move in as soon as you have a working toilet and bath/ shower. And a single room that you can live in. If you are on site then you have much control over what is happening and you can pitch in and do painting etc which will save money.

@rrrrrreatt can I ask where you got your radiators?

What sort of sliding doors and windows do you want?

We've got several quotes for timber windows and slimline aluminium sliding doors and the following companies have had the best price for us:

• Glideline slimline - they're made in the UK. The sliding doors are on their Instagram and gallery and look really nice. They have really good reviews. I've yet to order them though as (still...) awaiting our planning permission, so I can't speak for how they might be in situ or how their fitters are.

• Polish Interior for bespoke timber windows - they're on Houzz and were the best value quote we got. We are still looking to pay about £5k per bay window, but some were quoting £8k to 9k per large bay

• kitchens - best price for the quality for a large kitchen with big island was Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch in their sale. I'd only order in their 50% off sale, but they were actually the same price as the quote we got from DIY Kitchens y