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Original poster

How long did it take you to get your house straight and how you want it ?

50 replies

MillyMollyMoo · 14/02/2010 20:01

We've lived in this property for 3 years and missed loads of things when we viewed, DH and I are hardly DIY experts but we relied on electrical reports etc so we had an idea what we were looking at but it's turned out much much worse.
So now we have finally done the bathroom, kitchen, living room and are half way through the study, the bloody bedrooms need redecorating as I want to move everyone round and there's some damp which needs dealing with.
I haven't touched the hall as the dog ate it, don't ask.

Anyone else feel by the time the house is finally finished they will just want to move because they are sick of the sight of it ?

OP posts:
hippipotamiHasLost79lbs · 14/02/2010 20:05

Well, we have been here 13 years and it is still not the way we want it. Teh problem is limited funds - so things which desperately need doing are done on a budget. These then don't last so soon need doing again. It is driving me insane.
I long for a completely done house....

toja555 · 15/02/2010 09:21

We both 5 months ago, redecorated some rooms to our taste, it now looks OK but I absolutely want to move, and I can't even tell the reason. The house is old, seems constantly to reveal problems, and unless we have a high budget to rip everything off and do 100% new/modern, it will never feel "mine". I will wait for a couple of years and buy even if smaller but newer place.

PuppyMonkey · 15/02/2010 09:22

Ten years and about half way there now...

pagwatch · 15/02/2010 09:26

5 years .
we have done the structural bit ( building in the basement access) and have decorated most of the reception rooms and bedrooms. But the front of the house needs restroing and repainting, the porch needs repair. Then the kitchen is next and then our en-suite - afterwhich which will need to start with the main upstairs halls.

I think it is pretty bloody endless tbh.
The main thing is trying not to have any rooms that make you want to weep

hippipotamiHasLost79lbs · 15/02/2010 09:29

I just cannot for the life of me work out why decorating and maintaining a small 3 bed Victorian semi is like painting the Forth bridge....
It is never ending!
And yes, I do have a room which makes me weep... I have been wanting to re-do it for the past 2 years but as it will be an expensive job (it needs some walls plastering, new radiators and new furniture as the old stuff is falling apart) it keeps being pushed to the back of the list in favour of the cheaper jobs...
Sob.

Tommy · 15/02/2010 09:34

we've been here 9 years and still haven't touched the hall and living room and bathroom. I think you have to live in a bhouse for some time before you really know what you want but there's always the problem of lack or money and time as well.

I just think - well, we've got a house - we're pretty lucky compared to some!

pagwatch · 15/02/2010 09:34

there there..... we have all been there. You will get there eventually ...

PanicMode · 15/02/2010 12:29

We've been in two years (Victorian house), and have been told we need to completely rewire (after the survey said that it will need doing sometime in the future...). We have redone the bathroom, put in a new boiler and rads/thermostatic valves, insulated the loft properly and redone some of the roof where tiles had come loose. But, we need a new kitchen and we need to redecorate some of the bedrooms, we need a new carpet in the hall stairs and landings (3 storey house) but there's no point doing it until we've done the complete rewire - which is going to cost upwards of 10k by the time we've rewired and replastered and then replaced the carpet. And then there is external pointing, etc etc etc - so I think we'll be 930 by the time we've finished (or so it feels!)

LIZS · 15/02/2010 12:46

3 years and counting ! It was magnolia-ed throughout before we moved in to remove 1990's borders and chintz but the only room redone so far is ensuite which I repainted white. Ideally need to redo lounge as our furniture is shabby and carpet needs replacing, recarpet 2 bedrooms (we did repalce with vinyl in ensuite at least), put skylight above stairwell to 3rd floor and open up landing at that end. Build an outhouse/summerhouse to replace dilapidated shed and finish landscaping garden. Longer term, new windows, add dormers to attic and extend to form dining room and redo kitchen ....

aSilverLining · 15/02/2010 12:49

This thread makes me so relieved I rent! (sorry)

86Pinkle · 15/02/2010 13:24

We've been in just over a year - again Victorian house. The only thing that has been successful so far is re-doing the bathroom suite but although the suite is in and working we still have to strip one wall and re-plaster and paint. Living room is pretty much there (need a new rug), bigger things we had loft insulation done and new double glazing back and front doors. Next is a kitchen revamp (would like a new one but plan involve knocking out an outside toilet and will be about £20k) for about £400 new doors and worktop. It is never ending pointing needs re-doing, bricks needs resealing and well don't even get me started on the garden!!

DecorHate · 15/02/2010 13:34

Been here 10 years. Have done pretty much everything we set out to do - though the landing and one bedroom have only been painted - could do with stripping off the woodchip and replastering.

Unfortunately some things now need re-doing again - like the family bathroom needs new cupboard, bath panel, boxing in and ceiling replastered as the work we had done a few years ago hasn't lasted very well.

And redecoratting is a constant activity here... (due to wear and tear rather than a desire to change the decor!)

hippipotamiHasLost79lbs · 15/02/2010 13:38
Piccalilli2 · 15/02/2010 13:42

Been here three and a half years and even the stuff we did when we moved in looks like it needs re-doing, I doubt we'll ever finish it. I still don't even have curtains that fit in some rooms. We have finally done the kitchen though which was one of the rooms that made me weep.

WeNeedToLeaveInFiveMinutes · 15/02/2010 14:27

Two plus years here and barely touched it! We had a full survey done before we bought so we did know most of the problems but that was a bit of paper and the house is a living decaying beast .

We got quotes for re-wiring. All three said a similar amount of work was needed and that a full re-wire wasn't required. Hohoho. Three days work before we moved in, giving us a chance to do some other basic stuff turned into four weeks as the poor bloody electrician came in during every spare moment to fit in the extra work he discovered as he went around the house.

Everything we've touched has been the same! The joys of a Victorian house.

Our funds have been far more limited than we thought. Tbh, I think we were expecting to borrow money to do some work and then of course reality hit with the crash so we have to save it all up first. We spend about £200 a month on repairs, shelves and paint but it doesn't go very far.

Pannacotta · 15/02/2010 15:00

We also have a Victorian house and "decaying beast" as WeNeedToLEave says is an accurate description.

We have had our sash windows overhauled (expensive) and painted on the outside, loft insulated, upstairs re-wired, carpet removed from bathroom and kitchen replaced with vinyl. We've also made a start on the garden.

But, we still need to re-wire the downstairs, put in new boiler and update rads/valves, replace woodburner, rebuild chimney stack, reline chimey and convert gas fire into open fire, put in an ensuite, replace main bathroom, put in new kitchen and create utility room, knock down wall in living room, rip out all carpet and sand floors or put in carpet, and redecorate every single surface!

It is quite depressing actually when you realise how much stuff there is to do and what it will all cost.

WOuld love to move out and blitz it but we have two small DSs and two elderly cats who have never been in a cattery...

Reckon we are looking at 10 years!!

Mins · 15/02/2010 15:15

Ahh this has made me feel better. 6 months ago we left a house we loved and had pretty much how we wanted it - we'd been there for 10 yrs though. We are now in a house which needs so much doing to it - we don't have the money and even if we did I'm still not sure it would be my ideal house. Still in 6 months we've decorated two rooms downstairs, plastered the ceilings and had the floors stripped so I guess we're not doing bad! I do feel so unsettled here though - not sure if this is because of house - does anyone else feel like this?

pagwatch · 15/02/2010 15:20

asilverlining

don't be sorry.
I rented for ten years. i wouldn't swop my house for anything ( and a lot of people offer).
It is a lot of work but it is ours and will one day be our children's.

noddyholder · 15/02/2010 15:26

Victorian houses are money pits and it is never ending!I am on number 10 and I usually do full renovation in about a year but I don't do a trad refurb I always go against beenys advice and personalise and it has always paid off BUT I have been viewing my next venture and there are some horrors for sale and I am getting sorely tempted by something less 'old' as we intend to live in this a while at least 5 years.

havoc · 15/02/2010 15:29

We've been in this house nearly 6 years and it still isn't finished. I was really enthusiastic for the first 6 mths and had loads done, but somewhere along the line have lost momentum. There's lots of little jobs to do and there is always a room that needs redecorating or needs a new carpet.

at pagwatchs house, I'm (just a little)

noddyholder · 15/02/2010 15:30

pag your house is so xmassy

MumofOscar · 15/02/2010 15:33

Erm.....we've been here 6 months and haven't even finished unpacking yet!! [blush}

Granny23 · 15/02/2010 15:35

Our cottage is still a 'work in progress'. We have, however, only been here for 36 years. DH is a joiner to trade and was always too busy, but has now retired and is now too poor!

MakemineaGandT · 15/02/2010 15:36

so good to hear from others with this going on in their lives! Our house needs loads doing. We've been in 2 years and done a fair bit, but there is a looooong way to go. Everything ends up costing more than we expect, it takes longer, and ends up revealing a new problem that we were blissfully unaware of previously. I'd just be glad if various bits of plumbing didn't keep springing leaks!

pagwatch · 15/02/2010 15:38

MumofOscar
Ithink 6 months is fine isn't it? I have never opened all mine any sooner than that

noddy - the work that look takes to achieve in August is hard to describe...
Especially the iced dog.

If anyone is feeling I am happy to go through the estimates to restore the front and introduce ypou to the pissy man from the council [sigh].