£4500 Flat Renovation Budget

rufus86

Just bought a flat - 450 square feet

Ready to move in to, but want to make the open plan space more living/kitchen, replace the carpet with laminate flooring and add in a new bathroom suite and tiling

Any thrifty ideas for getting the units at good cost?

I think £4500 for units and labour, if i source wisely/ask friends of friends, could just about do it. Its all I can afford so it will have to suffice for now!

cattie

First of all, are you sure that your lease permits laminate/wooden flooring? Some leases expressly forbid it, stating that floors need to be carpeted. This is so any noise from your flat doesn't negatively affect any neighbours living either below, above or next to you.

Probably the best way to get kitchen units at a keen price is to find a tradesman with accounts at places such as Howden's or Benchmarx. It's wise to have a trades person fit your kitchen as the results can be so much better than a diy fit.

Even if you end up buying a kitchen from one of the sheds such as B&Q, don't go for their fitting option as you'll pay through the nose, find your own fitter. Oh, & source your own appliances, taps, handles etc. as you'll save a lot this way compared to what the kitchen supplier will charge you.

pinkteapot

1. Post your question on the DIY forum - you'll get a lot more help there.

2. Tradesmen will have trade accounts at suppliers and may have access to cheap ex-display etc. stock.

3. Don't go too frugal. If your lounge, kitchen and bathroom look like a bad DIY bodge job then you'll have serious problems selling in the future. Unless you've got mates who are trades and know what they're doing, pay the professionals to fit the kitchen and bathroom for you. If need be, only do the most urgent jobs first and then save up more money to do the rest.

4. Agree with the comment above re laminate flooring. Also, cheap laminate looks really naff. Don't cheap out too much when sourcing that.

Angelicdevil

I budgeted £4500 for the bathroom and kitchen......it only paid for the bathroom!!!

Don't underestimate the cost of labour.

rufus86

cattie wrote: »

First of all, are you sure that your lease permits laminate/wooden flooring? Some leases expressly forbid it, stating that floors need to be carpeted. This is so any noise from your flat doesn't negatively affect any neighbours living either below, above or next to you.

Probably the best way to get kitchen units at a keen price is to find a tradesman with accounts at places such as Howden's or Benchmarx. It's wise to have a trades person fit your kitchen as the results can be so much better than a diy fit.

Even if you end up buying a kitchen from one of the sheds such as B&Q, don't go for their fitting option as you'll pay through the nose, find your own fitter. Oh, & source your own appliances, taps, handles etc. as you'll save a lot this way compared to what the kitchen supplier will charge you.

Well I'm in a lower ground floor, so nobody below me. Possibly next to me though. Should have probably checked that before offering!

olias

Theres always plenty of ex display kitchens on ebay, you can often get one for peanuts, sometimes even with appliances.
Basic white bathroom suite is about £300, buy the basic value white rippled tiles for the walls and jazz them up with a border or stripe of more expensive coloured tiles. End of roll carpet, or mid range laminate with a decent rug.

Provided there is no remedial work, it should be easily doable for £4500. Do as much as you can yourself and just use the tradesmen for things like plumbing in the suite and tiling, electrics etc.

Olias

rufus86

olias wrote: »

Theres always plenty of ex display kitchens on ebay, you can often get one for peanuts, sometimes even with appliances.
Basic white bathroom suite is about £300, buy the basic value white rippled tiles for the walls and jazz them up with a border or stripe of more expensive coloured tiles. End of roll carpet, or mid range laminate with a decent rug.

Provided there is no remedial work, it should be easily doable for £4500. Do as much as you can yourself and just use the tradesmen for things like plumbing in the suite and tiling, electrics etc.

Olias

Hero! Thanks for this

phoebe1989seb

DS (23) recently revamped the tired kitchen in the flat he and his GF bought a couple of years ago. They had a budget of £2k for units, tiles, worktops and sink - peanuts for London, but it's a teeny kitchen, LOL - and came in under budget.......just

The old units were in good shape, so he replaced the door and drawer fronts only - B&Q oak, then he hand-painted them a cream eggshell. He fitted the Laura Ashley crackle-glazed tiles, solid wood worktops (Wickes) and stainless steel sink (also B&Q) himself and the transformation is amazing :T

Obviously appliances would have added considerably to the budget, but they'd already bought most of these new when they moved in. Otherwise I would have had no hesitation in telling him to look on eBay or Preloved - self-confessed eBay queen here, LOL - as we've found many a bargain there over the years, including a £2k Rangemaster to replace the identical one we let the buyers of our last house have, for £350

Btw, enjoy your new home!