Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

How do I even start smartening house?

34 replies

Shinypalace · 14/07/2024 04:37

one Teen 16, left. House feels big, tatty and gloomy, and I’m worried it’s depressing for teen - it’s depressing for me!
how do I even go about..getting windows sanded and painted, getting a shower in bathroom, decorating and new floor in living room..etc.
how do I choose wallpaper? Will that make it cosier?
it’s in shadow so can feel quite gloomy especially if it’s a grey day.
I need a new heating system too.
help, how do I even start?

OP posts:
Rafting2022 · 14/07/2024 04:41

Do you have a budget in mind? Are you planning to do the work yourself or can you afford to pay to have it done?

Make a list and work through it in priority order. It sounds like the heating system would be first followed by the shower. And then is the rest just cosmetic?

Tristar15 · 14/07/2024 04:50

Work out which are the big and messy jobs that need doing first. A new heating system or electrics need to come before anything else. I’d then go online or buy some home magazines and start collecting ideas of what you like. Colours, styles etc. create a scrapbook of your favourite looks.
Focus on one room at a time as you need to get it right, even decorating is expensive so you need to be sure about what you want. Get paint and wallpaper samples and check how they look in the light in your house. Same with carpet, it can look very different in the shop compared with your own home.
If the windows need sanding and painting then do that first.

Shinypalace · 14/07/2024 04:52

Hey, thanks rafting it’s a fairly limited budget, but putting it in order is a good tip thanks. I should have thought if that!
ill diy as much as I can , but it never looks great even though I try hard!
DH wants a posh parquet floor, and I’m saying we need to get the rest of the room, house done first.
I haven’t A CLUE how to find a good heating man that won’t rip us off.
fed up with people making stupid quotes, not returning , adding a premium cos it’s a big house, etc etc etc. how on earth do other people deal with this?

OP posts:
Eviebeans · 14/07/2024 05:02

How big is the house- how many bedrooms do you have. If it’s a lot more than you currently need have you thought about downsizing.

Shinypalace · 14/07/2024 05:59

Thanks tri and eviebeans
we will eventually downsize but at the moment it just needs jollifying. It will need to be jollified in order to sell it anyway. It’s just, I don’t know always tatty. We had new stair treads put in about 10 years ago and they look ancient.
but heating first is a good tip, thank you.
im guessing I need to get three quotes. How do I know if they are any good?

OP posts:
gettingbacktobeingmeagain · 14/07/2024 06:13

Before you spend any money jollifying @Shinypalace are you absolutely sure this is where you want to spend money rather than on a new place? I was recently in a similar situation and spending the money needed to present the house for sale just didn’t stack up compared to what it would sell for even if I did the work…I was never going to get a viable return on the investment (refurb work is hugely expensive at the moment) never mind the months waiting for unreliable contractors or living in chaos whilst the work was done.

If you are sure this is where you want to be, think about how long you want to stay - parquet floors are beautiful no question, but installing that in a house you’re going to sell before too long makes no sense, invest in upgrades like heating by all means, but nice-to-have cosmetic additions might be better saved for somewhere you intend to live in long term.

Best of luck, house renovation is rewarding but I wouldn’t exactly call it fun!

HoppityBun · 14/07/2024 06:22

There are lots of before and afters on Instagram that are good for ideas: colour choices, decluttering and other small changes can make a big difference

Rafting2022 · 14/07/2024 06:26

I’ve worked my way through my whole house over the last few years and haven’t gone far wrong with using sites like MyBuilder and RatedPeople for recommendations to find tradespeople. I always chose ones that had lots of reviews and recent ones at that. I’ve now got a network of people that I’ve been able to call back time after time as I’ve worked through the house.

ShyMaryEllen · 14/07/2024 06:33

I've done this recently, and my advice would be to start by having a massive clearout. I used a company called Anglia Doorstep Collections. You book a date when they are in your area, and they collect saleable stuff from the door (you can be out/at work if you can leave the boxes or bags in a visible place). They do each postcode roughly once a month, so you don't have to do it all at once. At least some of the proceeds go to charity, and they take a lot of items. Be as ruthless as you can - I was amazed at what I got rid of - to them, charity shops and the tip.

That makes such a difference, as you can see what you need by way of furniture etc and potentially get rid of some of that, too, so you can rearrange your space.

Then get a decorator to come and quote. If you want everything doing, ask about the cheapest and most sensible way to do it, (eg if you start with the stairs and then have people delivering wardrobes or bringing ladders upstairs to decorate bedrooms you might find the paint gets chipped). Think about getting all the bedrooms painted in the same colours/the same carpet/flooring. That way you can save on costs and you'll only need to store one tin for touch up purposes. From there you can decide what you can afford to do in one go, and take it from there. It might be cheaper to get (say) all the bedrooms done together, if the decorators can do all the glosswork in one day, then come back for the walls, rather than do a room at a time their daily rate will be lower. Same applies to carpet fitters, or floor layers. They will advise on that though. If you can DIY, you can still use their advice.

Re shower - again, get quotes and ideas. Look on your local FB page for recommendations, and talk to people. Expect it to cost double what you were expecting, unfortunately.

Enjoy it. Once you get off the starting blocks it can be fun. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed choosing colours and so on, after years of watching things get progressively tattier. I really like living in my house now.

gettingbacktobeingmeagain · 14/07/2024 06:42

that sounds like a good plan @ShyMaryEllen - doing works in a well-thought out order is going to be less stressful and expensive. And yes definitely to enjoying living in a house once it's all done, I've had to watch my place get more and more scruffy in recent years, but now I've nearly finished renovations and I'm enjoying spending time here again.

hammering · 14/07/2024 06:58

You can use checkatrade to find heating engineers in your area. You could also ask around friends locally to see if they've used anyone.

Other jobs - check out Facebook for handymen and read their reviews.

Shinypalace · 14/07/2024 07:07

Thank you all!
thanks maryellen for such a long thought out post. I think you are right, I’ll start decluttering today, I can get teen to help.
Painting all rooms the same color hadn’t occurred to me but certainly makes a lot of sense.
then I guess a notebook and a plan, and a deep breath.
gettingbacktobeingmeagain love your name, I think I’m in the same boat!
can I ask how you did your renovations?
you are right re how long we will be here. Scary thought!

OP posts:
Renonewb1e · 14/07/2024 07:24

Definitely get the big messy jobs done first.
we’ve just had a new heating system put in and it’s a seriously messy job.
for reference we got quoted £8.5k for new boiler system, or just under £8k for ASHP - both included all new pipe work for the house as we had none & new rads to each room (3 bed semi). I went off FB & google reviews and got quotes off the best recommended.

greengreyblue · 14/07/2024 07:37

Have you just moved in? Why is it suddenly gloomy ? Why is it in shade? Do any overhanging trees need a trim? Can you remove heavy curtains?
Ask friends for recommendations for trades people. If you have teens I’m guessing you’ve been a homeowner for a while or have you been renting? How have you got trades people in the past? What does your DH think?

gettingbacktobeingmeagain · 14/07/2024 07:57

You're very welcome @Shinypalace - and my user name is a reflection of having come through some very tough times and just starting to feel the warmth and sunshine of a new start!

For various reasons I decided to sell in the end, and have done one couldn't-be-put-off expensive item and then some cosmetic (done properly) decorating...so the place is sound but also looks good. The challenge for me has always been the eventual sale value of the property - I got several Estate Agent valuations - vs the cost of doing work. It's an old property and I'd already spent loads on refurbishment over the years, but didn't want to completely wipe out any small profit/increase in equity I might make that I'd want to invest in my new place...hence my advice!

It is scary, but finally making the decision to move has been quite liberating - although I will be sad to leave here, emotionally I have moved on to finding somewhere new, so I'm not spending excessive time and money trying to paper over the cracks (literally and figuratively!) in the current place.

Your posts sound...undecided...about whether and when to move, so I think I'd give that some thought first, and then let that guide you as to how much to do to the house you are in now.

With regard to how to find good tradesmen for big things like heating, I usually decide on the system I want first - so what type and brand of boiler for example - and then check their recommended contractors lists; yes they are often slightly more expensive, but what you are getting is essentially a glowing reference; no big company is going to recommend anyone who won't install their products to the highest standard, and the payback is in pride in their work and reliability (they will have earned and won't want to lose that recommendation). If you have a trusted local jack-of-all-trades then that's fine too, but they can be harder to find.

Shinypalace · 14/07/2024 08:10

reasonnewbie £8grand!😳
greengreaybkue it’s mainly the weather! And small windows.
we’ve been here about ten years and it’s had a lot done, but we ran out of steam for various reasons. I’ve got tradespeople off our councils trusted trader. They are ok I guess, but I always feel they either don’t turn up or don’t send me a quote or I don’t trust them. I don’t actually know how to deal with them.
DH too busy and just wants me to deal with it.

gettingback how wonderful for you! Well done, things can get very tough indeed, ( part,y why house is so grotty!) so I’m very glad you have managed to pull yourself into a sunnier space , massive well dones.💐💐💐
you sound very organized and remind me of the me I used to be before I became a dithering wreck, of course I’d look at the resale value! Why am I not doing that now?
Of course DH wanting parquet when we haven’t got decent heating is mad! I know he wants it because it’s an easy way to feel a win. Why am I getting sucked in?
thank you, I obviously need to calmly sit and plan.

last question, was it worth getting proper painter and decorator in?!

OP posts:
ItsOnlyJustBegun · 14/07/2024 08:19

You say that the house needs ‘jollifying’ but that - to me - is a separate matter to more essential works like a new CH system.

Work out if you need new CH. If you’re going to be there for the next 5 years+ then do it. If you’re going to downsize, then maybe live with it.

Ask for recommendations from local friends or try trusted trader websites. Get 3 quotes in. Ask them to explain their quote.

Take up references from them before starting work.

For jollifying purposes, I’d recommend Pinterest as an alternative to Insta. A few magazines are helpful too. (PS stay away from redecorating in grey!)

gettingbacktobeingmeagain · 14/07/2024 08:20

@Shinypalace no beating yourself up dear girl, it does sound like we have been through the same sh!t...and I spent three years living in an ever-more decrepit and dirty house whilst things were so difficult; it's only since things were resolved that I have got back to thinking anything like straight I promise!

With regard to a decorator...my feeling is that if you're staying then find someone really good who will make the place look amazing; if you're not staying then someone who will do a reasonable job will do...unless the location and style of the house means that top-end presentation will make a big difference to the sale value.

I think...put the kettle on and make a brew, fire up On The Market or Rightmove and work out what your place might be worth and to decide what you really want to do, and then do that 😊!

Giannetta · 14/07/2024 08:31

To help with the gloominess don't neglect the lighting. Wash the lampshades, windows and curtains, dust bulbs and fitments thoroughly. Swap light fittings so you have bright enough lights. Add extra lighting at different levels in the room.

There aren't many jobs these days that will add more value than they cost you. Generally a good cleanup will be more cost effective - if you're going to move, most of your money is much better spent on the new house. Whether you DIY or get a decorator is a function of how much free time you have as well as your income. A long list of DIY jobs could easily impact on your weekends for months at a time and unless you enjoy it, it's probably going to bring your mood down more than the gloomy house.

WestminsterCrimes · 14/07/2024 09:10

Following as we have so much to do in our house and it gets me and dd down. I'd love an oak parquet floor too! We did all the decorating ourselves when we moved in and even a tiny bit of carpentry. But we still need new floors, beds bathroom, hall banisters renovation, not to mention the garden and the front of the house. I do have a list of priorities but no money. I'd say do the decorating yourself it's not hard just boring but put the radio or some podcasts on and that helps

Bemusedandconfusedagain · 14/07/2024 09:10

This might sound mad, but have you looked into enlarging your windows or changing a window to patio doors? It's not necessarily that expensive, and might make a much bigger difference to the feel of the house, and therefore improve resale much more than a parquet floor. People are generally okay with decorating, but will rule out houses for being dark.

Also I learned from MN this week not to trust Checkatrade recommendations as they suppress negative reviews.

Giannetta · 14/07/2024 09:17

@Bemusedandconfusedagain that doesn't sound mad at all, it's a great idea. One of those jobs that looks more daunting than it is.

SabbatWheel · 14/07/2024 09:37

For recommendations I’ve used our local area’s Fb page and our street’s Whatsapp group.

We had our parquet floor stripped recently and had 4 quotes, one of whom was recommended and the others all have 5* ratings on either Google or Yell. Prices ranged from £600 to £1600 for exactly the same job, so it pays to shop around.

(We went with the second cheapest as he got back to us quickly, turned up on time to quote, was a local man and had good reviews.)

Newgirls · 14/07/2024 09:43
  1. Declutter
  2. get a professional to paint walls and ceilings. It can be quite reasonable and the finish will be so much better. And quicker.
Swipe left for the next trending thread