Just moved into a new home, partner getting upset...

[Deleted User]

spadoosh wrote: »

I dont know if it offered any reassurance to my OH but spend some time reading up on home emergencies (As in DIY stuff)
Also get a good book on home diy. Collins do one that should cover most of the basics.

I used to have a very good very expensive DIY book (which still didn't cover many of the things I needed to know), then I discovered YouTube and the internet. Can't be beaten for 'how to' instructions. I even managed to find out how to take apart my Kirby hoover to replace a specific part (saved a fortune). Can find info on most DIY jobs including how to figure out what the problem is.

Would never buy a DIY book again (well not unless there's an apocalypse and the net goes down but I suspect that will require slightly more than DIY skills to fix)

[Deleted User]

vicki2221 wrote: »

. We also have a spider, woodlouse and mice infestation, it is totally grim.

Having a really top to toe thorough clean will help for most of these but wooden mousetraps enabled me to get rid of a mouse infestation. I hate to say this, while cleaning, check for any damp areas.

I found when living anywhere near trees (a number of them) or a park seemed to mean masses of moths. I now live with no trees, it makes a nice change lol. No 12 year old screaming like he's being attacked by zombies in the middle of the night cause there is a ravenous moth in his room with assassination on its mind.

Fosterdog

2 days after moving into our house we were upstairs and thought we could hear it raining but couldn't see it raining out of the window, head downstairs to find a burst pipe spraying water all over our newly renovated living room, soaking our new wooden floor, spraying up to our fuse box and electric metre and soaking the our sofa.

I could have sat and cried but we managed to cut the power (not safely but it was urgent) cut off the water from outside, then started to mop up. The sofa managed to dry out and was due for replacement anyway so made do for six months, a huge area of flooring had to be ripped up and replaced and we had to repaint once the walls were dry. Our friendly plumber arrived the next day to fix the pipe and so far so good there have been no more leaks

pimento

Our bath leaked into the kitchen the first time I used it. When we took the bath panel off, the previous owner had put a towel under the leak.
We then found that none of the skirting boards or fireplaces were fixed to the wall, they were all just balanced upright.

I can laugh about it now but at the time, seven months pregnant, I couldn't see the funny side.

Tugaville

My wife went through the same thing when we moved in to our first property just over 3 months ago, and I admit I started to have doubts myself.
On our first week we had leaking pipes under the kitchen sink, a shower mixer that had a mind of it's own, 2 minute hot water followed by 1 minute freezing cold, a bathroom window that had a broken lock and wouldn't open, and a toilet cistern that sounded like a foghorn straight after flushing, and would continue until the system filled up with water.
To my wife this was a sign that we had bought the wrong house, but to a local plumber it was a couple of hours of work, and one by one all the issues were rectified, and now a couple of months after all is a distant memory.

Enjoy your home, you deserve it.

On another note, anyone have experience or ideas on how to hide unsightly radiator pipes, that have been runned along and up walls, that my next challenge...

spadoosh

deannatrois wrote: »

I used to have a very good very expensive DIY book (which still didn't cover many of the things I needed to know), then I discovered YouTube and the internet. Can't be beaten for 'how to' instructions. I even managed to find out how to take apart my Kirby hoover to replace a specific part (saved a fortune). Can find info on most DIY jobs including how to figure out what the problem is.

Would never buy a DIY book again (well not unless there's an apocalypse and the net goes down but I suspect that will require slightly more than DIY skills to fix)

I largely agree but never mind appocalypse if things are going wrong in your house and you need the internet you can always guarantee it wont be there.

Im a millenial and spend most of my life on youtube. It is a fantastic resource for DIY but for emergencies a comprehensive book will be my go to. I dont have time to sit through someone fixing something theyve deliberately broken to show others, usually with an accent i cant understand and/or tools/parts that are not used in the UK, whilst water is gushing out of my pipes.

The main thing i use mine for is actually wiring. It shows common circuits used in the uk, whilst you can find that info on youtube you know going to the book will show you exactly what you want. Ive been in situations where ive had specific questions (in this case about installing UFH) and no amount of youtube videos could help. I tried asking on various forums but its rare youll find anyone willing to offer a solution other than 'you dont know what youre doing, dont do it'. Then i read through my book and worked out exactly what needed to happen.

If youre planning a DIY project, id recommend putting as many hours as you can on youtube. If youre reacting to a problem, a book dealing with common problems in the UK will in all likelihood offer the best and most immediate results.

todayisagreatday

deannatrois wrote: »

Having a really top to toe thorough clean will help for most of these but wooden mousetraps enabled me to get rid of a mouse infestation. I hate to say this, while cleaning, check for any damp areas.

I found when living anywhere near trees (a number of them) or a park seemed to mean masses of moths. I now live with no trees, it makes a nice change lol. No 12 year old screaming like he's being attacked by zombies in the middle of the night cause there is a ravenous moth in his room with assassination on its mind.

We have lots of woodlice in the bathroom. Totally freaking me out, no idea where they are coming from, but it's a 1970's house and everything needs replacing and remodelling and we don't want to spend money on things pending an overall. Just keep flushing them down the loo.

Caught Mr Jingles trying to get into the house last week and thought it was cute so released him, but now we have patters of feet from the loft :eek:

Oh and the ants have moved in too :eek:

elsien

Cooker that they'd left as they said it was working wasn't.
Decor that had looked ok when the room was furnished looked awful and very tired/grubby with the furniture removed and I realised I'd have to decorate straight away which wasn't part of the plan.
Furniture left upstairs that was too big for me to shift on my own.
Not all the keys handed over so I couldn't get into the shed.


All par for the course and nothing major, but when you're a FTB, not used to the process and stressed because you're tired, things can get out of proportion.
I did better than parent who found out that the DIY previous occupant had removed a load bearing bit of the chimney, the floorboards were rotten in places and his attempts at wiring were unsafe.

Morata_

Thanks all. Shame we've all had to experience this but most have come through with a positive outcome!!

pinklady21

It's a bit of buyer's remorse - perfectly usual, and will wear off when you are both less stressed about it all.
Whn we last moved, we had an avocado bathroom suite, some ancient radiators, and DIY wiring that gave our electrician grey hairs. Held together with sticky tape - not even proper insulating tape - in the loft on top of the insulation. Perfect conditions to set the house on fire.
He only found it by accident because we had asked him to install an electric shower.
Best of luck and I hope you both start to enjoy your new place soon.