Where do we start ? Need a list of jobs !

MadMonkey

Hi - We moved into our house in November and athough structurally it is sound the whole inside (apart from te kitchen) needs ripping out and re-doing.

The decor is not just not to our taste it is horrific - my kids could do better !

When we moved in we had a mad rush to get the three kids rooms decorated in time for xmas and we are currently decorating the hall / stairs and landing which is a massive job as there is a gellery landing so we have about 20 million spindles to undercoat and then gloss:mad:

Anyway once we have decorated this we need to make a list of jobs to do in some kind of order so we are not doing bits here and there and then ending up on DIY SOS !!

We need to:
Replace boiler (this week!!)
Replace windows - going to do one at a time.
Replace bathroom suite with a white one and re-tile bathroom.
Replace ensuite toilet and sink and re-tile.
Replace downstairs toilet and sink and re-tile
Install a stud wall to seperate the lounge / diner and plaster.
Remove fireplace and hearth and replace fire
Re-carpet stairs and landing
Laminate lounge and dining room
Landscape garden at rear
Level drive at front
Paint fencing all round garden
Carpet kids rooms
Decoate and carpet main bedroom
Decorate and furnish spare room into an office

Is there are set way to tart a house up ?

We only need to pay for plastering as hubby can do all the graft for all other jobs.

will-he-payitoff

I would make sure your electrics and plumbing are ok, not a good idea to decorate and then find out you need a rewire or major plumbing.

Suzy_M

If you can get your hands on a copy of 'The House Book' by Terence Conran there is an excellent chapter on building work co-ordination and a chart. Any problems finding a copy pm me.

latecomer

Get yourself onto this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1186031

and join in. We're all doing the same

27col

You seem to have it all sussed. Just make sure that each job does not affect the previous on. Think it all through in advance so that you do not have to rework anything due to the next item on the agenda. What I call painting "oneself into a corner". Just try to be aware of the other projects while doing the current one. When I was building my house, I always had a list that I was working from. Then, if one job was held up, I could get on with another from the list. Best of luck with it.

ormus

most of it is common sense. make sure any job has no effect on an other done job, later on.
but we like to get at least two rooms done first if possible.
the lounge and the bathroom.
then no matter what mess the house is in, at least you can relax/bathe in some comfort.


of course others may have different priorities. ie the kitchen or the garden?

Fire_Fox

Leave the final coat of paint on the hall, landing and stairs and definitely don't fit a carpet: it will all get chipped or dirty when you do all of the other work. Do you have access to the rear garden without trailing through the house? If not the landscaping should be done at an early stage.

First jobs should be getting the house watertight and insulated - fixing any minor issues with the roof (usually a few tiles to sort), double thickness loft insulation, cavity wall insulation if possible, new or renovated windows, damp proofing if needed. All of this will save you money in the long run and protect the hard work that will come later.

Next comes electrics and major plumbing as much of this will need floorboards up or channels cut in the walls. Decorating should generally be completed working from the top of the house downwards, or starting with the room furthest away from the front door. The exact order does rather depend on what areas are worst/ most urgent considering your family's lifestyle!

Levelling the drive and painting the rear fence can be done at any time, so just do them whenever fits around the other work or you have sunny weather! Carpeting comes last of all so as not to get wrecked with muck travelling from other areas.

angelavdavis

I agree with fire fox, that personally I wouldn't do the hall and stairs until the bathroom was done. Squeezing the old bath down the stairs and new one upstairs is almost guaranteed to take a chip or two out of the paintwork:eek:

MadMonkey

angelavdavis wrote: »

I agree with fire fox, that personally I wouldn't do the hall and stairs until the bathroom was done. Squeezing the old bath down the stairs and new one upstairs is almost guaranteed to take a chip or two out of the paintwork:eek:

Anyone chips my nicely painted 20 million spindles and i will kill them:mad:

Wickedkitten

I would definitely want to get all of the painting and tiling over in one go (not all in the same time obv) and like fire fox I would definitely do those before the carpeting.

Fire_Fox

MadMonkey wrote: »

Anyone chips my nicely painted 20 million spindles and i will kill them:mad:

Then don't paint them yet. Do not underestimate the filth and damage created by builders at work. They will be wearing steel toe capped boots and carrying bulky objects against gravity and around awkward corners.

Off topic but it reminds me of a friend having a kingsize mattress delivered to his duplex apartment the morning after an all night party. My mate shouted at the delivery driver cos he was still rather inebriated, so they (quite reasonably) dumped it in the foyer. I had my legs crossed I was laughing that much as we tried to manhandle it up the spiral staircase!
:rotfl: