Sorting out your home

[louisiana]

To all dulites with an interior decor/home improvement bent:

I've been putting off doing home improvements (or preventing home degeneration) for some time - I'm really good at procrastination, plus I started a relationship last year that is taking my time - but I must now face up to it and sort things out.

But where to begin? The boiler is circa Middle Ages (at least 20 years old), the kitchen is sooo 1970s (in a bad way, not a good way), the paint scheme left by the last tenant, when it used to be let, is gross, the bathroom is small but there's room - and water/drains - for a larger bathroom elsewhere, the carpets are fit for a skip (yes, those tenants again), there is literally miles of paintwork (high ceilings, huge tall sash bays with wooden panels and loads of fiddly bits), the garden is superficially sweet, not large, but problematic and a mess (bad trees, bad soil, bad plants). I use one huge room as my office, but there's too! much! stuff! (Hello, my name is Louisiana, and I'm a hoarder.)

First impressions are that it's a nice place, but when you start to examine the detail, Things Fall Apart (both visually and literally), and you realise how shabby it is.

I'm making a start with cutting down an appalling conifer blocking all my sitting room light (the insurance company actually already took a big peice off the top of it, so it's even uglier now), and getting the current boiler fixed (the timer's just packed up and the thing needs a service anyway).

But where should I really being on this work? Should the kitchen come first? (I love kitches, I love cooking, but it's probably also the most expensive room). Or the bathroom? Or should I do one easy room that then allows a retreat from the developments around?

I work from home, so will have to live with the mess 24/7. And it would be nice to have people round without embarrassment. And once I sort things out I'd lkie to have a cleaner and an office person in once a week to keep things going.

But I have decision paralysis and can't even make up my mind what colour to paint the walls! And I don't have the time! (run own business). Do I need someone to hold my hand through all this, drive the project forward? (Interior designery kinda person)

Louisiana

[Ant]

We're getting our garden done before we start in the house in earnest for the simple reason that there's no access to the back garden from the street, so it's all got to go through the house. Might be worth bearing in mind if you're in a similar situation.

Now is probably a good time to start thinking about/arranging to have your boiler done, so that you're ready to have the work carried out once the weather is a bit warmer.

[Michael Palaeologus]

I would firstly create an oasis of calm in what will be chaos. Maybe start with your bedroom?

Then identify the expensive things - kitchen and bathroom and wait for a few bargains to crop up. Have a longer term plan with these - perhaps you could splash a bit of paint around to at least brighten them up pro-tem.

A few quick-wins is good for the ego.

[louisiana]

Ant Wrote:

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> We're getting our garden done before we start in

> the house in earnest for the simple reason that

> there's no access to the back garden from the

> street, so it's all got to go through the house.

> Might be worth bearing in mind if you're in a

> similar situation.

>

I'm (un)fortunate to have only front garden (about 40 feet), so that won't be a problem, though the same principle will apply internally (don't want to carry kitchen detritus through a new hall).

> Now is probably a good time to start thinking

> about/arranging to have your boiler done, so that

> you're ready to have the work carried out once the

> weather is a bit warmer.

Absolutely. I think I'll need to take the plunge with a new boiler etc. this year (the new kind?), and the current one is jammed sideways on the wall under a work surface next to the sink, so that's going to mean.. arghh!

Louisiana

[louisiana]

Mikewbate Wrote:

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> I would firstly create an oasis of calm in what

> will be chaos. Maybe start with your bedroom?

Good plan. I like the oasis of calm idea.

And then I go, 'Can I really chuck out that terribly expensive family heirloom three section wardrobe (which is inefficient but not hugely so); will my mother kill me?' (It belongs to my mum; she moved to Spain; she moved most of her stuff; she left it in the UK; I am the irresponsible daughter.) And I can't make up my mind. It truly is decision paralysis. And then I wonder: do I need an interior designer, or a psychoanalyst? ;-)

Louisiana

[Huguenot]

Yep, definitely plumbing first if you're really going to go the whole hog. For the boiler I'd go for a modern combi gas boiler without tank. They're incredibly efficient, and can be very compact. Have a look at this site for a few clues Worcester-Bosch.

You also need to check your electrics - dependent upon their state of repair you may be compelled to do this first if they're dangerous!

For decor I always reckon neutral pale colours, sa you can use furnishing and lighting to change the appearance and clour scheme,and you won't need to redecorate when you get bored!

Budgeting... a couple of years ago I had a two bedroom house rewired, new heating system and pipes, replastered, repainted and recarpeted for ?8,000. It is possible!

It is much much cheaper and less stressful to get it all done at once. Mine took four weeks. Why not rent a desk in a locl office, and stay with friends for a month if you can manage it?

[louisiana]

Oh glee, getting rid of the damned tank (which takes a section out of the kitchen)!

Huguenot, did you organise the whole thing yourself or did you hire a firm that organised the whole thing? I can just about handle one handyperson/firm at a time, but a conflagration of tilers/builders/pasterers etc, all doing their own thing, would be a complete nightmare - I'd never get any work done.

Louisiana

[Mark]

Hi Louisiana, try giving Marbuild a go, they're on the list of recommended business on this site and I know there has been about six independent recommendations for them.

[Ant]

I'd love to get rid of our tank - takes up far too much space in the bathroom.

[Mark]

I'd definitely recommend it, I got rid of my tank and now have more space in the kitchen and have replaced it with a combi-boiler which is hiden away nicely in a kitchen cupboard.

[mockney piers]

We'd love to, but it could become very expensive and time consuming as we apparently have asbestos issues tucked back there. :(

[dulwichmum]

Dear Louisiana,

I love this type of project - or I should say, I loved this type of project - until I took one on.

Ohmygod - what work and filth and expense!

I personally feel the recipie should progress as follows: plumbing and electrics, bathrooms and kitchen, start at the top floor and work your way down. No carpets or painting until the filthy work is finished.

And another thing, those magazines and shows where they show house interiors? They are made by liars. Take any estimate you have in your head - gleaned from Property Ladder or Changing Rooms, Elle Deco, Living etc, and triple it.

My beautiful home was decorated in the past by skilled tradesmen and an interior designer of international repute. When we decided to sell, we were advised to get it onto a popular TV show and magazine in order to get the best price we could. The dreadful journalists said on the programme that the house was entirely refurbished by my own darling husband with a staple gun and 2 large sheets of mdf!!! The interior designer almost swallowed his teeth with disgust.

Never believe a word of what you read. Anywhere...

[Michael Palaeologus]

Louisiana - I can empathise. My late father was a gifted carpenter and made many great pieces of furniture from oak, none of which I can get in my flat. At the moment my Mum still has them; however she will eventually move to a much smaller place. None of the rest of the family have room.

So, what to do?