Where and when to begin !

boxer234

Hello everyone.  I have recently purchased a 200 year old cottage (right before the property market crash yay) 

Decor wise it needs everything updating.  I have vision but no money.  Moved in and the boiler broke, followed by a roof leak so this has wiped me out.  

Whilst I’m saving I do want to do some things to make it more homely. I could paint but it needs plastering so is that a waste of time? 

I want to sand and repaint the stairs but should I do that before plastering? Should I just live in it as is and get some soft furnishings or start little jobs ?  When you have a big job where do you start ? 

Windofchange

One room at a time is what I did. When we moved in the house was dated is probably a good description. It’s quite big (4 beds) so was quite easy to gut one room at a time and work around. I’m quite handy so did my own plumbing, electrics, plastering, tiling, flooring etc and enjoyed the process. A few of the rooms I totally gutted right down to lifting up floorboards, repairing joists, running new utilities and so on so we’re talking huge mess. Which room needs doing most? Start there I guess either yourself or with whatever trades need hiring. 

Windofchange

Oh and to answer the which order bit, you need to do the messy stuff first, so all the sanding, knocking walls out, lifting floorboards etc. don’t go buying new furnishings first as they’ll either get trashed or need reams of protective plastic. I power sanded the first floor to restore the floorboards and my god that was brutally messy however much I tried to seal up the rooms. Sawdust everywhere for weeks. 

boxer234

Windofchange said:

One room at a time is what I did. When we moved in the house was dated is probably a good description. It’s quite big (4 beds) so was quite easy to gut one room at a time and work around. I’m quite handy so did my own plumbing, electrics, plastering, tiling, flooring etc and enjoyed the process. A few of the rooms I totally gutted right down to lifting up floorboards, repairing joists, running new utilities and so on so we’re talking huge mess. Which room needs doing most? Start there I guess either yourself or with whatever trades need hiring. 

Windofchange said:

One room at a time is what I did. When we moved in the house was dated is probably a good description. It’s quite big (4 beds) so was quite easy to gut one room at a time and work around. I’m quite handy so did my own plumbing, electrics, plastering, tiling, flooring etc and enjoyed the process. A few of the rooms I totally gutted right down to lifting up floorboards, repairing joists, running new utilities and so on so we’re talking huge mess. Which room needs doing most? Start there I guess either yourself or with whatever trades need hiring. 

It’s quite small so would make sense to plaster the whole place at once.  It’s liveable but dated.  Eventually I want to move the bathroom upstairs but that’s a big job.  I  am not very handy so relying on trades.  

sheramber

If you are going to be renovating rooms then leave the stairs to last. Otherwise you risk damaging the work down on the stairs.

Start with the room you want to relax in. I would suggest either the lounge or your bedroom. Which needs less done or will be easier to make it what you want?

boxer234

Windofchange said:

Oh and to answer the which order bit, you need to do the messy stuff first, so all the sanding, knocking walls out, lifting floorboards etc. don’t go buying new furnishings first as they’ll either get trashed or need reams of protective plastic. I power sanded the first floor to restore the floorboards and my god that was brutally messy however much I tried to seal up the rooms. Sawdust everywhere for weeks. 

This is true I think I just need to wait until I have some more funds.  I’m impatient. 

boxer234

sheramber said:

If you are going to be renovating rooms then leave the stairs to last. Otherwise you risk damaging the work down on the stairs.

Start with the room you want to relax in. I would suggest either the lounge or your bedroom. Which needs less done or will be easier to make it what you want?

Good point I’m desperate to do them because they are so ugly but should wait.  

Snow_Angel

If it's 200 years old I suggest joining the Facebook group 'Your old house UK - repair and conservation'. Lots of knowledgeable and helpful advice for renovating old properties and not ruining them! Good luck. I did the same 6 months ago - bought an old house which needs huge amounts of work. Where I live trades very hard to get hold of, long wait times and their costs are increasing too. I'm also not very handy but I'm learning quickly! So try to read, learn and do as much as you can yourself (but obviously leaving electrics, gas safety etc. to the experts).

boxer234

Snow_Angel said:

If it's 200 years old I suggest joining the Facebook group 'Your old house UK - repair and conservation'. Lots of knowledgeable and helpful advice for renovating old properties and not ruining them! Good luck. I did the same 6 months ago - bought an old house which needs huge amounts of work. Where I live trades very hard to get hold of, long wait times and their costs are increasing too. I'm also not very handy but I'm learning quickly! So try to read, learn and do as much as you can yourself (but obviously leaving electrics, gas safety etc. to the experts).

Sounds like a good group to join I will do that.  I struggle to find good trades people got seriously ripped off for the roof work.  Plumber who fitted my boiler was great.  Everyone seems so busy.  I’m happy to decorate and do the sanding but no way I could tile.  

SadieO

I'd go for the low- hanging fruit! Pick the easiest room (whatever that means to you - the smallest, the one that needs the least doing, the one that contains things you can do yourself etc) and make that lovely. Then you'll have a sanctuary to retreat to when everywhere else is still in flux! 

lookstraightahead

I moved into a 200 year old cottage a year ago. Lots needs doing, but one piece of advice was wait a year, see the house through all seasons, get to know it, then decide.

I've gone from needing a brand new kitchen to realising I only need new fronts, I've fallen in love with the ugly bits and I'm now in no rush.

i did get a couple of pots of mineral based paint to make a bit of a difference and a new fence.