Overwhelmed

[KittenCatt]

I think I need somewhere to vent because I’m completely overwhelmed at the moment. Any words of comfort are also welcome!

My partner and I bought our first home 9 months ago and we have been completing the smaller home projects that we could afford throughout this time, alongside buying our furniture (we lived in a tiny flat previously - so we’ve had to start from scratch).

The jobs we’ve had done so far are having a Victorian cast iron fireplace fitted, new alcove cupboard doors, painting walls and our floating shelves, having a dishwasher installed, upgrading our taps, drain waste pipes and installing bathroom accessories etc. We have booked an electrician to finish upgrading our plug sockets and to have a brand new one installed and chased next month.

I’ve come to the realisation that once we have the sockets done, we’ll be left with the big and expensive jobs. I’m completely overwhelmed now because we are currently saving to have exterior wall rods installed to prevent movement (we own a Victorian property). Then, we also need a new staircase as ours isn’t safe, along with needing hardwood flooring in the lounge/diner, a new bath and shower and a new front door.

I really don’t know where to start with saving money either! Eeek!

The survey picked up it needed rods to stop the walls bowing?

The need for external rods and the staircase issue sound like urgent matters that you should address now. I hope you got a good deal on the house to take account of these factors? I'd forget about the bathroom and hardwood flooring for now as these are not critical (unless the bathroom leaks or the current floor is rotten).

As the PP asks, what does the survey say? Are they red flag issues? Perhaps it isn't as dramatic as it sounds, since you decided to spend money on a fireplace and cupboards before doing the major structural works.

Regarding funding the works, can you increase your mortgage or borrow from family, if the works are urgent?

Yeah, the surveyor picked up the slight bowing of the wall and the unsafe stairs. We had a structural engineer in to look at the wall and he said it has been caught very early on - so we just need to monitor it for now. We have been saving towards the work in the meantime

The stairs doesn’t have spindles, but it does have a handrail either side. It’s worth noting, we don’t have children to consider btw.

In what way is the staircase unsafe? Is it just what you've already mentioned or is there an actual structural problem with it?

The individual steps are narrower than today’s standards and we don’t have spindles on the bannister

Personally I would just put spindles on the banister and leave the stairs alone.

If you are not trying to sell the house, do not have children, and are using the stairs without problems then they are a non-issue - why do you feel you have to do anything about them?

Okay, so structural engineer basically said rods would need to be put in at some point but not urgently. I think I would get a quote from a builder for it so you know what costs you are looking at (might not be as bad as you think). The stairs wouldn’t be anything I’d be concerned about changing (unless you want to). Unsafe by todays standards but have clearly been fine for many years previously.

I’d wait until I’d spoken to a builder about the external rods to see how they’d be installed as there is zero point in renovating internally if the installation is going to cause damage and mess on the inside.

Thank you! I really needed to hear this. I’ve asked the structural engineer for a quote. He did say the rods would not interfere internally 🙂

I would forget about the stairs altogether for now in that case.

Regarding the rods, I'd personally want to do it sooner rather than later, and then it's off your mind and you will know exactly what funds you have available for the decorative stuff. As a PP says, it may cost a lot less than you expect.

Suggest getting 3 quotes and ideally using builders recommended by someone you know or neighbours. If you get someone from Check-a-Trade or similar, it's a bit of a lottery. I had two roofers in to quote for some works to the loft after a survey, and the Check-a-Trade roofer (all 10 star reviews) quoted £6K to basically replace the roof, while the other chap quoted £700 and said the works weren't really necessary!

Thanks!

Hi OP, can’t give much advice but just wanted to say we’re in a very similar boat and empathise. We completed on our Edwardian house in Dec, on the surface things seemed fine and survey issues were within the budget. Since then I’ve developed a bit of anxiety about the cost of maintaining the house - keep finding problems and bodges from previous owners. We have average salaries and are getting by but can’t afford tens of thousands for anything huge right now. I’m not great with DIY and just uncovered another issue with the house today. Nothing major but feels like there is anyways something and there will never be enough money! Am about to pay for a structural survey hoping it confirms things one way or another for me. Good luck with yours!

Lots of things in a period property will not meet todays standards, one being stairs - you do not need to install a new stair case at all. Just add new spindles, get a proper joiner to do it but you can use really cheap softwood spindles or reclaimed ones, or hardwood ones. Lots to choose from. If you wanted a modern look you can add glass - whatever you do no new staircase is needed.

As for the wall rods, if you have a mortgage and the lender agreed to lending on the property then the bowing cannot be too bad. Keep and eye on it, if you want to cover yourselves get a structural engineer to look at it every year.

We had to do this. We bought a kit consisting of the rods and a certain type of two part epoxy type glue it cost £100. We got a brickie (mates rates) to remove the mortar and insert the rods where the surveyor said and repoint afterwards. We did some I side too as we were back to brick anyway. It probably would have been £5-600 for a good builder.

I’d love a new staircase anyway. It’s just so creaky and the previous owners have covered it in a glossy finish too. That job can be moved down the priority list because you’re right - it’s not essential.

@KittenCatt are you paying for an electrician to fit new socket plates as that what I read it as.

If so, youtube is your friend. Watch a video or two, turn off the electricity at the mains and change them. It's super easy and will save a bit of money.

My first purchase was an old repo house that needed a whole overhaul and i quickly learned my wage wasn't going to be enough to keep paying everyone to do things so made a list of what needed doing and youtubed my way through 99% of it. Unless you want perfection see what you can do yourself.

I think so many of us have had to or are going through this.

I bought a 1930 terrace 8 months ago and it has been a learning curve to say the least...

So far it needed: full rewire, new boiler, bathroom cistern leak fixing (the water went into the ceiling below so this needed drying and redecorating too), some broken roof tiles fixed, drain survey and fixing a broken kitchen gully, tiles on the entrance corridor floor, some new guttering and fixing of others, removing old gas fire (actually a potential death trap as it wasn't installed with proper ventilation, covering/platering an ugly 80s decorative brick wall...

It is endless really.

The house looks good now but I am saving like mad in case it needs work on the roof.

I did as much as I could myself: painting the whole house, removing all the carpets and restoring the original floorboards, including the staircase. Painting the kitchen's cupboards and tiles, clearing and fixing the garden. Bought second hand lamps/rugs/chairs/tables/kitchen stuff/plant posts from charity shops and up cycled some of them.

It is my first house and I completely under-estimated the amount of work needed and the costs.

I put as much as I can in my ISA every month and I have cut down as much as possible on my expenses. I managed to find a good reliable handyman/ex roofer who has been a godsend in term of doing various jobs well and at a reasonable price.

At least I try to remember that I no longer depends on a landlord's whims and I am not stuck in a tiny flat anymore...

This is life as a home owner. It needs constant maintenance. We do tiny jobs like you've mentioned non stop. I wouldn't even register installing new appliances as a job now.

Horizontal slats on the side of the stairs (mid century style) are a lot cheaper than spindles and easier to paint. Don't be afraid of doing something as a five year fix, such as painting the whole stairs. A lot of my short term fixes end up lasting indefinitely and saving money.

When you say ‘wall rods’ do you mean tie bars which a lot of victorian houses have - or is this something to do with damp?

Thank you. I like that idea a lot!