Need cheering up/cheering on about cottage renovation

[LadyThompson]

We bought a 4 bedroomed, 200 yr old cottage with a LOT to do on it last year. That's to say, we were outbid at first, in July, then the original buyers dropped out and we were back in. Due to complications we didn't complete until late Nov 2009. Had a new roof, new chimney, and lots of new windows - that all took until after Christmas. Inside, just a shell (needed kitchen, bathroom, shower room, electrical work, plumbing work - so all that's there are floor and ceilings, if you know what I mean.) It took me three months to find a plumber who wasn't charging silly money (we had a quote for over £6k, another for £5k, but in the end I have found one to do it for over £2k.) Same with electrician really - now got one to do the work for £2.5k, after being quoted nearly £3.8k at first. We've bought the kitchen, bought the stuff for the bathroom and shower room, decided on floor tiles for kitchen, bought all the appliances. As you can imagine, we are totally skint. We aren't living there, are still in a tiny flat down the road with a 16 month old and another baby due in Sept. I am at the end of my tether and nearing the end of my budget as I lost my job at the end of last year.

A comparable house very nearby has just come on to the market for £364k - difference being that they have a garage (we don't, though we do have an outbuilding and a huge back garden whereas they just have a courtyard) - which is over £150k what we paid for ours. I think when the renovation is finished, we will have spent c£35k so this still leaves us quids in (and we are planning to stay there for probably ten years). I should be overjoyed. I actually just feel knackered and fed up with it all, there is still so much to do, I am pregnant and I can't honestly see us being in before July at the earliest and my baby is due end Sept. So...this very long post is to ask you good ladies to give me a shake, tell me I am very lucky and it will all be ok in the end. Thanks for listening!

Wow! That's incredibly impressive - both the workload and the difference in price. Are you taking photos as you go along? It makes such a difference to have a list of jobs to tick off, and a set of photos so that you can show off how much you've done. It will be ok in the end, but don't underestimate how hard you're working and what an incredible job you've taken on at a time in life when things are going to be hard anyway (i.e. with toddler and pregnant with 2nd)

Thank you so much, GrendelsMum. That's really kind. We knew it was a wreck when we took it on (which is why it was so cheap, and also because it was a forced sale). I have never renovated a house before and it sounds daft but when we planned it, we thought things like getting a decent and reasonable plumber would be easy as winking, especially in a recession. Not so! It has taken literally weeks of my life. (In Oxfordshire anyway - indeed, our electrician is coming from the Midlands to do the work).

The plumbing (and therefore bathroom and shower room) will go in in the new few weeks and the electric work will also be done, so then we can get the kitchen tiles down and the kitchen in and I think things will suddenly look massively better quite quickly. We have just lost perspective and I think I am just quite tired with the pregnancy and a bit worried about money in the short to medium term. But thanks again for the encouragement!

Quick question as i supposed to be online sainsbury shopping, how much was the roof if you dont mind me asking

Because we had lots of stuff done at the same time and it was all rolled together, I can't remember the exact price but it was about £5k for that bit I think. What actually costs with roof work is the scaffolding you have to have. Someone I know paid about £7k for a roof but that was in London and a few years ago now.

Thanks. Have bought a bit of time by booking delivery slot, cunning fox I am! I can imagine exactly how you feel. We did the same thing, except we didn't realise the extent of the works which needed to be done (despite having a builder friend look at it, and go on his word). Our roof and chimney definitely need to be done and we are in the process of awaiting quotes. Except we have no money to do the work, so god knows what we are going to do!

You will have these sort of days, esp being hormornal. I used to feel sick just waking up in this house. We moved in as no choice, but had to have elecs done first and kitchen obviously.

Just keep the picture in your head of your perfect house once it's done. I really empathise with you. Don't know how people can live through endless building works etc.

Could you extend your mortgage by about 7k? It wouldn't be cheaper than a regular loan in the long run but it would probably be a lot more manageable. Good luck. Our builders actually did it quite quickly once they got going.

I'm not sure, don't know much about that sort of thing, as this is my first house, but I suppose that would have to be the next step, except I don't like it here and want to move! We were valued at being 35k more than we paid for it, last summer but whether someone would pay that in the state it's in is another thing.

I would say that as a rule, if you pay for something yourself, while a hassle and an expense, it is cheaper in the long run as people would tend to want more than £7k off or whatever if they were buying your house. Although, the people we were buying off got quotes for the roof and chimney so we could see roughly what we were in for.

I've booked a valuation for next week, and if that sort of matches the valuation we had last year, we'll have a think about what to do. Are you feeling any happier?

Er.......maybe a tiny bit. I have got to go over there first thing tomorrow and wait in (potentially all day) for the delivery of the glass shower cubicle, base, and two radiators. There is no running water and only a bucket to wee in. I will have to take my 16 month old and furthermore the delivery men will only bring the stuff to the end of the (public) access path so I am not quite sure how I am going to get it inside the house as DP is at work. I think that's hanging over me a bit!

My Nan used to wee in a bucket in the kitchen! I think it went back to the days when there were no inside toilets, and even though she had one upstairs she didn't use it. If you just say that you have no help to move the stuff, they may feel sorry for you, or are there any strapping lads nearby (school hols) who may want to earn a quick fiver.

Good luck. You should do the piccy thing, where you post on here in stages of development.

I find it's much easier to get things into the house if DH isn't there! So far, delivery men have always been happy to move things to a reasonable location for / with me (helps that I am very petite and apparently extremely fragile looking, despite feeling tough as old boots). I am contemplating buying a trolley, though.

In fact, I'm developing a theory of DIY stores, which is that you get much better service by going in wearing a dress and make-up than by wearing ripped jeans and an old fleece.