DIY Priorities: What to do first?

[LindsayO]

I have a 1940's 3 bed semi --- one previous owner who did very little work on it -- I'm planning on selling it and need to fix it up before putting it on the market.

It needs alot of work and I need to figure out what is most important/cost effective and what order to do things in

I had some basic replairs done to the roof and plan on repainting outside

Inside I plan on doing things in this order
1. Some rewiring --- i'm planning on doing this first (not myself)
2. New bathroom -- the sink is cracked, the bath is stained, the tiles dont match and the toilet leaks -- so I think it all needs replaced (again not by me)
3. New fire/fireplace in lounge: it was a coal fire originally with an ugly tile fireplace -- now has an old and ugly gas fire -- so I need something different -- I'm looking for an easy/inexpensive fix to this eyesore
4. Removal of old wallpaper -- then painting/new wallpaper -- I like paint and no paper and that is what I would do if I was just pleasing myself -- but as I'm trying to sell it -- any advice on what most people want
5. New flooring/carpet -- some rooms have bare unfinished boards -- some have ugly old stained and worn carpets -- any suggestions for inexpensive but good looking flooring

So my questions are:
Does this order make sense?
Should I add double glazing in there too?
Is there someway to smarten up an ugly fireplace?
Does anyone have experience of Ikea laminate flooring -- its the cheapest i've found so i was considering it?
What about carpet tiles -- do they always look industrial?
Should I wallpaper before painting?
What is the most cost effective way to replace a bathroom -- call a local plimber -- go with a cut rate bathroom supply place and have someone fit it, use a national chain that supplies and fits

------ i'm new to this forum and i'm not sure if thispost belongs here or if I should split it up into multiple posts on multiple subforums -- can the moderators advise please?

 

[2scoops0406]

If you're doing it up to sell it (well and even if you're not!), then certainly updating the electrics first makes sense. Other priorities Bathroom, everyone likes a decent bathroom, plain white suite, cheap white tiles with maybe a some accent tiles to stop it looking like an operating theatre. If you're selling it, theres not much point in getting a high quality suite, few people know what quality looks like anyhow.

Kitchen is very important, again doesn't need to be expensive, you can get away with reusing old carcasses quite often, new worktops, plain tiles and a paint freshen up do wonders. Then accessorise the kitchen, if possible get a big flash stainless steel range, stainless steel fridge, flash washing machine if no utility room, very cheap dishwasher. Then get items like expensive stainless steel microwaves, dualit toasters, global knives etc etc. I'tt look a million dollars, but when you sell it, they'll be left with a cheap kitchen. Harsh, but fair.

Floors, if the boards are in decent nick you could always sand them down and varnish. If not in good nick, but flat then lay a cheapo (wickes homebase etc) laminate floor on them. If neither of those senarios, plain beige cheap carpet throughout.

Ceilings plain matt white don't complicate things.

Walls, strip wallpaper, wash walls with sugar soap. Paint throughout the house in the same colour (magnolia is fine) Wallpaper is a no no (personally I quite like it, but it's not what you (one) like(s).

Fireplaces are notoriously expensive things depending on other sources of heating, could you just remove the whole lot? (getting the gas pipe properly capped)

That's about it really, keep it cheap keep it simple, remember its not what you like it's what other people like. Forget about going for quality fixed assets, you wont get any change in the price of the house it you lay £6 sqm laminate or £45 sqm engineered wood. If you want to add the wow factor, always spend the money on stuff that you will take out of the house when you sell it.

THere you go, should get a few howls of protest

Oh, yeah double glazing as long as it can be made to look OK, keep the original windows, you get nothing back for replacing windows. When you show it to prospective vendors, turn the heating up and open the windows. Not very environmentally friendly granted.

 

[LindsayO]

--- you have been very helpful -- first by confirming some of my ideas -- but mostly by adding to them. I especially appreciate your kitchen suggestions

the kitchen is small and has a very weird set of cupboards -- one side is taken up by two brick build full length "broom cupboards" --on either side of a hatch to the dining room -- one cupboard houses the boiler -- and there are shelfs above that. The other is shelved. On the other side is a fitted kitchen -- sink, washing machine, cooker and fridge and one small undercounter cupboard -- the fitted kitchen is pretty nice looking wood finish cuboards and wooden counter and ceramic sink -- but this leaves no room for dishwasher or microwave -- I have a microwave in there but it blocks off the hatch and the whole place looks really crammed that way

i like your ideas for the kitchen -- just not sure if there is anyway to put them into place

the floor boards are pine and some rooms were sanded a couple of years ago and then some were then oiled -- they are now scrathed up from the dogs and the gaps between them are quite wide ---- so do I cover the whole lot up with wall to wall or laminate or just get some rugs to put down

 

[2scoops0406]

If you're stuck for ideas places like Magnet offer free home visit design services, there's nothing to say you have to buy a kitchen from them Bit naughty possibly, but life's tough .

If this is your first place you're doing up, just be aware of costs, it's really easy for your budget to go overboard. Just keep remining yourself, I'm doing it up to sell not for me to live in. Cutting costs doesn't mean cutting corners, enjoy the process if it's your first, or even second and third, you'll make mistakes, that's natural, have fun.

 

[bernardgreen]

You can hire reduced size furniture to make rooms look larger.

Show houses do this and a friend who is looking for a house was aware but was shocked to find a private seller had used the same trick