Help - anxious about work needed on new house

[shizgigz]

Divorced after 30 years to a man that did all the DIY and now bought my first ever home solo.
its a late Victorian 3 bed over 3 floors (top 2 bedrooms in roof space put in over 30 years ago)

I love the house but now I’m in have seen multiple jobs that are going to need doing and I’m feel quite overwhelmed. I only have £15k savings so any work needs to be saved for or I take on a mortgage (at 55 I’m mortgage free for the first time ever!)

i would be really grateful for advice, feels like I am on a massive learning curve and am now doubting whether I made a wise purchase 😞

some of the jobs I see need doing but
unsure of priority are:

Windows: a mix of wooden sash and brown plastic. The 3 sashes are rotten, don’t open properly or stay open and one is frankly dangerous. Ideally I’d like to replace all 8 windows with modern upvc sash but thinking mega bucks? Can this be done piece meal?

bedroom 3 hasn’t been separated off from the staircase and gives no privacy from bedroom 2 (see plan). I need to get it boxed off properly with a separate door but again I’m worried out the cost.

it’s currently roasting on the top floor, I’m assuming there is minimal insulation. As there is no loft (save for small cupboards running along the eaves) what should I do?

Boiler is a about 20 years old, regularly serviced but I’d like to get it replaced with a combi boiler

Decking rotten in parts. The whole area directly out the back of the house has been raised with decking and a stone patio (plus integrated pond! 🤦‍♀️) several decked steps go down to rest of the garden.
Can decking be fixed easily? Looks like it’s made out of some sort of click together system.

Some of internal doors don’t shut - at all! They are painted pine (don’t think
they are old as fairly lightweight) and clearly been sourced from elsewhere without being fitted.

lots of other smallish cosmetic jobs.

Also multiple panes are cloudy and need replacing

Sounds like they just need new rope put in. It has probably rotten through. A sash refurbishment company would be able to do it and it wi be cheaper than new windows, or you could try it yourself if you fancy.

Did you get a survey? A surveyor should have given you a list of important works and the cost estimate(which will about 60% of the actual cost).

apart from the boiler which needs a professional, you can do most of the work yourself. You are going to have to learn but you CAN do this!

thr boiler (if you’re changing from a tank system to combi boiler) will cost close to £10k with the parts and labour as all the valves and maybe some radiators may need changing.

if the boiler is 20 yrs old the whole elec wiring system may be well out of date too - please get this checked. I do wish you’d gotten a survey :(

Anyway: you need to make a priority list - you’ll be working on this house for a long time.

it will be worth it. You will learn so much and you will achieve so much.

you can do this!