Bought my first house and hate it, SO much

babyblade41

Lumabones wrote: »

Definitely this! Especially since the first two houses were just immaculate and ready to move in, I was just looking forward to the interior decorating and got swept up in that. (Especially after having my entire worldly belongings in one room for the previous 5 years, even if I was sad to leave it, I grew my entire business from my childhood bedroom!)

I think we'd had that many let downs prior, constant meeting after meeting, living out of boxes for a full year, that I just wanted it to be over. And it's so far from that. Especially because every room is missing something. I'd have been content if at least one room were finished. Such as the living room, but even now we have to take flooring up! It's like a constant hurdle, which is definitely amplified when you suffer from an anxiety disorder.

I was just so ready to move in to a lovely, light, airy place, maybe I should have gone for a city flat and filled it with IKEA furniture and succulents, I do love that aesthetic I blame Instagram for showing the perfect, white, living spaces and expectations!

I find keeping social media to an absolute minimum... it's like fashion magazines , what you see is not necessary what is really there

warby68

I don't have anxiety and am the practical pragmatist in most areas of life BUT I do wholly identify with a house 'feeling' right or wrong. I am not comfortable with a house that has too much evidence of previous occupation and hate darkness and smells. I think this led me to new builds for early purchases. Most recent one however had been lived in since new by same family, about 25 years, and boy did they love the colour blue. For selling though, they'd painted all the main areas white and put in a neutral carpet and the blank canvas effect was great for me to get over the hurdle of the first none new house.

This is a longwinded way of saying getting the blank canvas might be a good initial aim for you and be worthwhile throwing some time and money at. Its actually the cheapest thing to do as well. Get someone to slap the same paint everywhere!. It gives you light, neutrality, removes smells and that feeling of too much of other people's history. I know you have some behind the scenes issues to resolve before decorating but it just might seem simpler to look at the project in stages and not trying to get to a perfect room all in one go.

It also means if you don't settle you haven't done too much but what you have done will always help sell it anyway. If you do want to settle then your surroundings are not dragging you down while you take more time to save up and plan your perfect decor room by room.

I would rip out anything that smells instantly. I'd rather live with bare floors than something 'festering'.

If things are really tight time and moneywise and the structural stuff complicated, make yourself an escape room, a haven, doesn't matter which room as long as it has a door, just get one room painted and fresh so you have somewhere comfortable to relax in.

Lumabones

Hey everyone, so I got a quote back from the survey guy. And he's quoted back £305. I'll quote below what the report says, but I am wondering if I should get a new quote for the rest of the living room as this just seems to be one area?

Where floorboards were raised to the rear left hand corner, a limited sub-floor inspection with the aid of a torch and mirror revealed moderate to heavy scattered infestation by the Wood Boring Weevil to some joist ends and flooring.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Lift floorboards as necessary, apply insecticidal fluid to accessible timbers, renew small section of floor
boarding and install air vent to improve subfloor ventilation.

Clients own contractor to be responsible for the following:
Lift laminate flooring and remove furniture from treated areas.
All debris and timber waste resulting from our works will be deposited in bags for collection by our operatives.

CAUSE OF ATTACK: This attack appears to have been caused by: -

Moisture building up due to reduced sub-floor ventilation.

No allowance has been made in our estimate for any works other than specified in the body of this report.

For the purpose of this report, we have only inspected those exposed surfaces that were accessible at the time of our inspection and accordingly our estimate is based upon that visual inspection. If any fungal decay or further infestations by wood borer is found during the course of these recommended works, we will then submit a further report and estimate to deal with the additional treatments that will be necessary. However, if you wish a more detailed examination, before accepting this quotation, we will be pleased to submit a quotation for the necessary exposure works.

princeofpounds

Hi Luma - probably the reason that they only talk about one area is that they only lifted part of the floor, and so they can't yet be certain of the extent of the weevil issues.

But they do seem to have uncovered some useful information, including a pattern of where the damage appears to be (the joist ends and a particular patch of floor). So that should have informed their diagnosis of the issue.

If it's in a corner, on the ground floor, and affecting the ends of the joists, then I wonder if some damp is penetrating through the wall there. Things to look out for are whether the exterior ground level is sitting above the damp course, whether the damp course has failed and moisture is coming up that way, or whether the joists are improperly installed in some way that they are touching damp blockwork.

It's quite probable, if the wood isn't rotting and it's just a slight dampness that suits the bugs, that it's just a ventilation issue. Some moisture seeps into the subfloor air in the corner and just can't escape. A vent or two would probably sort that. But if there is a huge amount of damp then it would point to more than a ventilation issue.

Most likely, when they start to do the work, they will raise much more floor, and that will give a full picture. I suspect though that they will have been able to see enough to judge that it's a ventilation issue rather than anything more serious, at least in that corner.

So I would do two things. I would have a conversation with them about how they might charge for extra work if required when the floor comes up. You won't get a quote as it will depend entirely on what needs doing, but they should give you some guidance so that there isn't too much surprise.

Then I would also think about the speciality of these contractors. If they are just 'bug guys', then it might be worth having a builder look at the joists and the corner first.

But if they do have skills in assessing construction issues (and if they do things like putting in air vents, the chances are they do, it's just hard to tell from the conversation so far) then you can probably just let them get on with it.

I should also add - this work is annoying but it's the right thing to do first, get the structure good and then you don't need to worry about it, probably for decades.

Lumabones

Hi prince, thanks again for replying. The company have since confirmed it will be the whole floor that is sprayed. I did have a look outside but the bricks are dry and seem solid. The DPC is also above the ground floor too, unless it has failed? But surely that would mean skirting would be damp too? It seemed relatively solid. He has put it down to lack of ventilation as it seems to be in a sort of blind spot. Hence installing the air brick to run WITH the joists as opposed to against them.
They are a property care company, the deal with all kinds of damp, building and timber treatment/repairs. He did have a look at the outside wall before this report, so I assume if it was anything there it would have been recorded.
I trust they'll be thorough, but I'll ask if it could be brickwork anyway when they come, to put my mind at ease. But I think it seemed a fair quote! £300 to replace some flooring, spray treatment and install extra airbricks.

In the meantime, I've finished my kitchen (apart from some skirting and flooring which we will do later) and I'm feeling more optimistic! I haven't looked on Rightmove in days

I still don't feel 100% about my house, but certainly a lot better.

Smodlet

Any news, Lumabones?

Mnd

Do these things you said. Inc help if needed for your mindset. I'm not a DIYer at all. But I threw the tiler out for being b useless. Tiled my bathroom walls fully, and floor. Then started painting papering. Laminating floors and turn my hand to most things. Make the house your home by using your creative side to achieve this. You will be proud of your home.

Rahven

It's a tough situation but you really sound like you are taking control of it Luma

Lumabones

Smodlet - Yes, property people are coming out on the 8th to do treatment, but I haven't seen any weevil in a couple of days now! Seems the heatwave have killed a lot off as a lot of them were found dying.

As for my mental health, it's a LOT better. I have an appointment with a counsellor on how to manage my emotions should I get overwhelmed again. I'm actually excited for payday coming round so I can buy more DIY things and I've learned a hell of a lot, that I'm actually enjoying fixing things up now!


I made a little album anyway for anyone who wants to see some before and afters. Still a lot to do, but I think we've certainly achieved a lot!


https://imgur.com/a/uJPAImW

Smodlet

Gods be good and seven hells, my Lady! (Diehard Thrones fan ) From the picture you painted, I was expecting a hovel; your house looks beautiful!

With your vision and, possibly, new-found determination you can make this house into a palace. Now come along, do!