Home renovations

When we completed on our new home back in November, I do not think me or my other half thought it would all take as long as it has.  Money side of it, we had budgeted for and although the budget is spent, we are spending time doing the things we can before needing to pay out for big things like carpets.  Some think this is strange - 'no carpets?' they say and my answer is simple, 'no, no carpets'.  I do not feel the need to explain the situation to them or anyone in fact as to why it is taking its time but I need to vent it somewhere so here it is.

We had completed a lot of work before moving in in December.  We had a working kitchen and bathroom - neither finished nor are they yet - but we are living around it all.  I am finding it is all the little jobs that take the time like painting skirtings, sanding and painting doorways; at the same time these take the longest to do.  You see my husband is not a carpenter and we cannot afford to hire one so it takes him a little longer, a lot of swearing, a bit of throwing tools around and a few diva type strops.  I try and do things when children are out at nursery/school or in bed but that does not leave much time for work or blogging.  I have had to start scheduling my days to incorporate everything that I have taken on at the moment.  I am not sure I always follow said schedule, but it is there!

I think the funniest comment so far was from a neighbour pointing out that we still have a bath in the front garden. I laughed it off.  I do not need to explain that after 4 skips, we ran out of money and the bath stays until we have stabilised finances a bit more.  At the same time, I fail to see why it bothers her so much? My garden, my mess.

So the plan now is to work backwards.  We do not use the front room yet as it was not plastered when we moved in.  It since has been done but life has taken over and we have not finished it yet.  The sensible thing to do now, is to work from that room and out.  Finish the downstairs then work our way up and do the final things upstairs.  Bedrooms are all decorated and it literally is skirting so that should be the home straight when we get up there.  Systematic, logical work and it will fall into place.

The comments will continue I am sure, but I do not mind, no, not at all.  Why?  Well  because at the end of the day, I can say, we did this, yes it took time, energy and money but we did it.