... clear out a house and sort out building work?
Re: ... clear out a house and sort out building work?
I second that... Sentimental value is worth much more than monetary value.
Ann Pan
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay
-
kit-e-kate
- Barbara Good
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:06 pm
- Location: Barry, Near Carnoustie
Re: ... clear out a house and sort out building work?
Hi all,
We are also sorting out a lovely big old neglected house, it needs loads doing to it! We've adopted a similar plan to boboff's. We've got new gutters, had lots of soggy plaster removed and repaired/replaced, new cornice to match the stuff that was ruined by rain getting in, tarted up the kitchen, (its horrible, but we'll manage for a year or two) got one bedroom all done and lovely (but it took MUCH longer than we expected), and our living room is perfect- apart from the bare plaster walls! : )
Next on the plan is to move the bathroom, make the old bathroom into bedroom 2, sort out the bay windowed dining room (currently a workshop/store!), get a bit of structural work done in the front dormer to make a nice bedroom 3 (i can tell already that's going to be a major faff!), paint strip the stairs, decorate eveywhere, and then deal with the kitchen!
My top tips so far would be:
Things always take longer than you expect, so make sure any temporary solutions (camping, one pot cooking etc) are comfortable enough that you don't get really frustated by them after two weeks!
Check with your council (if you haven't already) for any grants that might be available. We got 2000 pounds towards repairing the damage caused by water getting in, and towards new gutters. We were amazed we qualified for anything, because we both work full time and don't have children, so its really worth asking.
Draw plans for the layout of your new rooms on squared paper, then use google sketch-up (its free) to create little 3d plans of how your rooms will be when they are done. At least then you know you and your husband are picturing the same thing! It also really easy to mess about and try new ideas.
Concentrate on one room at a time or you will go mad.
Give yourself time and let design/decorating/furniture ideas come to you. (After six months we've only just realised how we can fit in a downstairs toilet after we've moved the bathroom upstairs- something we couldn't agree on before.)
Go out for lunch once in a while with your other half, take your notebook, and have a professional style planning/scheduling meeting. You'd be amazed at how much more managable it all seems when you look at it from a distance.
HTH
Kate : )
We are also sorting out a lovely big old neglected house, it needs loads doing to it! We've adopted a similar plan to boboff's. We've got new gutters, had lots of soggy plaster removed and repaired/replaced, new cornice to match the stuff that was ruined by rain getting in, tarted up the kitchen, (its horrible, but we'll manage for a year or two) got one bedroom all done and lovely (but it took MUCH longer than we expected), and our living room is perfect- apart from the bare plaster walls! : )
Next on the plan is to move the bathroom, make the old bathroom into bedroom 2, sort out the bay windowed dining room (currently a workshop/store!), get a bit of structural work done in the front dormer to make a nice bedroom 3 (i can tell already that's going to be a major faff!), paint strip the stairs, decorate eveywhere, and then deal with the kitchen!
My top tips so far would be:
Things always take longer than you expect, so make sure any temporary solutions (camping, one pot cooking etc) are comfortable enough that you don't get really frustated by them after two weeks!
Check with your council (if you haven't already) for any grants that might be available. We got 2000 pounds towards repairing the damage caused by water getting in, and towards new gutters. We were amazed we qualified for anything, because we both work full time and don't have children, so its really worth asking.
Draw plans for the layout of your new rooms on squared paper, then use google sketch-up (its free) to create little 3d plans of how your rooms will be when they are done. At least then you know you and your husband are picturing the same thing! It also really easy to mess about and try new ideas.
Concentrate on one room at a time or you will go mad.
Give yourself time and let design/decorating/furniture ideas come to you. (After six months we've only just realised how we can fit in a downstairs toilet after we've moved the bathroom upstairs- something we couldn't agree on before.)
Go out for lunch once in a while with your other half, take your notebook, and have a professional style planning/scheduling meeting. You'd be amazed at how much more managable it all seems when you look at it from a distance.
HTH
Kate : )