What would you do first - home improvements? (flooring, windows, heating)

[nightbird47]

Floors are much easier without furnature. Mine were not on the 'save' list when I moved in so since I discovered you can hand sand older wood and 'rought finish' that's the plan. But I'll be doing it in chunks while I move the furnature.

Have someone knowledgable check wiring and the roof now. If the windows are in one piece you can use other insulation but you don't want your roof to leak or discover the wiring is bad. Think seasonal and what important winter stuff has to be done now.

Also have the heating system checked to make sure its in good repair.

Seal leaks in the windows and put in storm windows before winter. This buys time for replacement.

Make sure you know what you want in the kitchen and where before you start. If you don't make sure enough of the things you need are there, temperary even, and do the must needs first.

Check the floors for being level and for rot or uneven foundations. These and the roof trump how pretty the house is.

You can put a good basic coat of paint on walls that are really tired, but don't rush the choice on what you want over them. Live with it a while and see what comes to you. You can paint interior walls when its cold outside. You can't fix outdoor or under/roof problems. Make sure things you'll need later are in good working order when you have the time.

If you need a fence, or storage outside, do it now.

If its a safety issue, check it now and fix it.

If its a job which you won't want to do when its full of stuff do it after the above.

And if you really don't know what you want the room to look like yet, fix bits and pieces but wait until you know.

Consider fumes needing open doors and such in deciding what to wait on.

And as you make your new house your own, don't rush it into a nightmare, but enjoy the steps.

[CCc girl]

Eek, a fully updated HGTV home with granite and stainless only goes for 100K there?

[Threerun]

We bought a house built in 1970 a few years back (7). Before we did any cosmetic enhancements we assessed the mechanical condition and the efficiency issues first.

Roof replaced
No GFI circuits in bathrooms or kitchen- added them
Chimney needed repairing
Garage doors replaced
New high efficiency furnace installed
Added insulation in attic
Caulked windows and doors, weatherstripped etc..
And so on...

Then we moved to the worst 'cosmetic' issue-
Spruced up and painted small family room
Gutted and remodeled kitchen
Gutted and remodeled 1/2 bath
etc..

That was within 2 years time. And then we sold it and moved to Montana, lol.

That's kinda how we prioritize house projects.

[CatwomanofV]

I was where you are last year. Our house needed EVERYTHING! What we thought was a good deal, ended up to be a money pit. At least you have a working kitchen-even if it needs work. Our house along with all the stuff that your house needs, we also needed plumbing.

This is the order which I recommend you do first:

-Wiring-to code
-Heating/Cooling
-Insulation
-New windows
-Washer/dryer hookup
-Flooring


You really want the wiring done first because you don't want the house to burn down. Also, when wiring is done, they have to cut holes in the drywall to access it. Get that out of the way. Then do the heating/cooling. Not too sure if you plan to replace the existing system-but this would be the time to do it. Along with that should be the insulation. If you can afford to replace the windows, that would also be ideal. It may be expensive now but will save you in the long run. Insulation & new windows will cut your heating/cooling bills a lot. You want to do the floors/and painting BEFORE you move anything in. And the rest is pretty much cosmetic and can wait.


BTW, we are waiting another year before we do the siding on our house as well as updating one of our bathrooms.



Cat

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by catlovr8

I am about to buy an old fixer- upper. IT's a really good deal, I'm getting it for 50k from a gentleman who inherited it from his mother who passed away about 1.5 years ago. He has had trouble selling it due to it being a depressed market here still and it needs some work. So let me lay it out there for ya:

1. IT has all hardwood floors, which are in pretty good shape but could use a refinish
2. Single pane windows throughout
3. No central air, window units only
4. Dated kitchen, although all appliances still work and the fridge is only 2 years old.
5. Screened in porch could use a rescreening
6. All siding is wooden and likely needs to be repaired/replaced.
7. House has a walk-in cellar (like a crawl space but taller, accessible from outside of house) which likely needs more insulation.
8. Attic needs insulation
9. House has old wiring needs updating
10. House has dated bathrooms, one of which has only a bath and no shower. The other has a shower.
11. All heating is baseboard heating.


That's about all I can think of for now. The house has great bones. It's a 1950's home, very charming and I can definitely see the potential. It is about 2000 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

Anyway, the question is - what is the most important thing to do first? What would you wait until the end to do? I know cosmetics can wait till last, but what is #1 on the list? Wiring? Insulation? Siding? Thanks

Wiring, do not want a fire. The any other system works...lastly cosmetic upgrades.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by CatwomanofV

This is the order which I recommend you do first

This!
Infrastructure first, then cosmetics.
Consider one or more mini-split AC units.
You should upgrade your electrical service to 200 amps if it not there already.

[jackmccullough]

If the exterior walls have a lot of peeling paint and bare wood, do those first: you need to keep the rain and snow out or it will do continuing damage to tne interior.

I like the suggestion that there will never be a better time to do the floors.

After that, probably the wiring and kitchen. Move the wiring up if an electrician tells you it's a real safety hazard at present.

A lot of your questions relate to energy conservation, so before you make any changes you should get an energy audit and do the improvements they recommend in the order they recommend them.

It's rare that upgrading windows will pay for itself in reduced heating costs, and that is up here in Vermont. It's going to be even more the case down south.

I'm unclear about your heating system. If it's electric baseboard heating that has to go: electricity is the worst way to heat your living space. If it's a hydronic or steam baseboard radiators there is no reason to change it.

You got the house really cheap, so, budget permitting, I don't see any reason not to do everything on your list in relatively short order.

[Montanama]

Originally Posted by CatwomanofV

I was where you are last year. Our house needed EVERYTHING! What we thought was a good deal, ended up to be a money pit. At least you have a working kitchen-even if it needs work. Our house along with all the stuff that your house needs, we also needed plumbing.

This is the order which I recommend you do first:

-Wiring-to code
-Heating/Cooling
-Insulation
-New windows
-Washer/dryer hookup
-Flooring


You really want the wiring done first because you don't want the house to burn down. Also, when wiring is done, they have to cut holes in the drywall to access it. Get that out of the way. Then do the heating/cooling. Not too sure if you plan to replace the existing system-but this would be the time to do it. Along with that should be the insulation. If you can afford to replace the windows, that would also be ideal. It may be expensive now but will save you in the long run. Insulation & new windows will cut your heating/cooling bills a lot. You want to do the floors/and painting BEFORE you move anything in. And the rest is pretty much cosmetic and can wait.


BTW, we are waiting another year before we do the siding on our house as well as updating one of our bathrooms.



Cat

I agree, wiring first. If it's REALLY old, it may be hazardous. If it's old and has partial updates, it's likely hazardous as well. And if it's just a matter of needing to upgrade the service, you'll need to do that anyway to make some of the other changes you listed. If they can't pull it all and need to get into some walls and ceilings, that's a mess that I want cleaned up before I move in and get started.

At that point I'd be double-checking all other major systems for needed repairs/replacement before I get ahead of myself. Roof, HVAC, Plumbing, exterior grading.

Pest control! (As we have found out in our most recent purchase). It's a little thing but can cause you problems down the line if there are issues left to fester.

For convenience sake, maybe the floors next as others have noted, but not because it would be my first priority if they're livable. Just because having floors refinished is hugely messy and you have to be out of the house for a few days (depending on the product being used) and stay off them, so best to do it when the house is vacant if possible.

After that I'd be after installing the W/D (major convenience) and upgrading the bathrooms and kitchens, then the insulation windows, and siding. I say this because from your description the bathrooms and kitchen are not minimally functional by today's standards (without the shower and dishwasher). If you can get away with a spruce-up in the kitchen, or a shoe-string full remodel, I would.

[Jukesgrrl]

Upgraded wiring #1. Presumably you're going to be running power tools during your many projects. You don't want to set the house on fire. In most places this job requires an inspection from the power company. If there is going to be any serious improvement to the power service, or even if you just want to add outlets or wiring for computers, sound systems, wall televisions, etc., (which I always find necessary in houses the are older than the electronics age) it might involve punching holes in the drywall. You'll want to get that all out of the way before you paint. Shop around carefully for someone to do this job. You might get estimates all over the map. I have found the one-man bands to be the best deal but make sure they are properly licensed and insured.

Insulation, window replacement, and other weatherproofing (including the basement egress) I'd do next. (An electrician will probably need access to the attic and he'll have an easier time if it if you haven't just done your insulation.) These are also jobs to precede painting as changing out windows, doors, etc., might damage some trim and the caulking isn't always neat. You might be able to blow in insulation while the windows are out. In my remodels I've found doubtle-glazed windows to pay for themselves quickly. And in addition to keeping out weather, it's surprising how much they improve quiet if you're on a street or have noisy neighbors.

Make sure you have any permits you may need in your area to do these jobs. Some neighbors just love to welcome the newcomers by tattling about what they're doing to the local authorities.

If you're going to do any serious painting inside, I'd do that (with neutral paint and a sprayer) before you do the floors and complete these things before you move in. You can always add color to certain rooms or put in focal walls after you decide on your decor for the kitchen and baths. It's faster and cheaper to paint and refinish the floors in an empty house, whether you're doing it your self or having a pro do it.

Once you have those things completed, you can move in to a snug, safe home and take your time with the other things to make sure your choices are what you really want in terms of expense and style.

Best of luck.

[K'ledgeBldr]

I was wondering how long it would take before someone actually said the right thing!-

Originally Posted by jackmccullough

If the exterior walls have a lot of peeling paint and bare wood, do those first: you need to keep the rain and snow out...

FIRST AND FOREMOST- protect YOUR investment. Make sure it has a good roof and a good coat(s) of paint. All penetrations are caulked/sealed; and doors and windows seal well.
BECAUSE!- it won't matter what you do on the inside if it gets damaged from the elements OUTSIDE.

Then electric. Everything else is cosmetic; and one way or the other you can work around furniture or boxes.