Just a lick of paint

Well its been a busy couple of months, this bungalow renovation was finished last year but it's taken me until now to update the blog!

This has been a very frustrating project for a number of reasons, the main frustration is that it looks like its just had 'a lick of paint' not a lot of time, money and effort put in! A prime example of this 'lick of paint' is the lounge.

  

This is the lounge before and after, and I agree, on the surface it looks like not much has happened, but most of the walls have been back to brick, before being re-plastered, rewired, the radiator repositioned, decorated and a new fire and surround installed. Also, a new light fitting and new carpet (with underlay - no idea why people think its ok to lay a carpet without - but thats a rant for another time)

When this went on the market I had a couple come round to view it, pretending to be interested, who after about 5 minutes told me very bluntly that they knew how much I'd paid and were just looking for ideas so they could do the same "without the developer profit".  

Now I'm not a charity, but I'm also not, or likely to be, a millionaire!  I do a proper job, I don't cut corners and I will spend the money necessary to  do the job properly.  My properties won't start to fall apart in 6 months or a year, and I know that because I only buy quality materials and have professional tradesmen and that all comes at a price.  

I blame Homes Under the Hammer, now I love that show, but £5000 for a whole renovation?

 Buying a whole kitchen including appliances for £500? Really? Did it fall off the back of a lorry? Will it last longer than 10 minutes?

Thats before I start on legal fees, stamp duty, estate agent fees to sell it on, utilities, skips, insurance, the list goes on and on and amounts to thousands.