Bought a house yesterday--now, how NOT to overspend getting it ready

[Ottakee]

MDOT bought us out on Wednesday and 48 hours later we had put an offer in on a house and they accepted it. The house had been on the market 1 day!!!

 

It is a 1 1/2 story with a daylight basement.

The main floor as a laundry room, 1/2 bath, kitchen/dining/hearth room (open concept), master bedroom with bath, and a living room.

Upstairs are 2 bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room--sloped ceiling but with a skylight so it will make a nice toy/play/hangout room for the girls.

The basement has just an office/bedroom area finished but is rough plumbed for a full bath, 2nd laundry area, room for an office, family room, 1-2 more bedrooms, an office for dh, and a storage/furnace room.

 

It is on 5 acres and has a large pole barn for dh. We will need to clear some land and build a horse barn and put in pastures.

 

The issue is that while the house is in EXCELLENT condition, the decor is a bit dated. I don't have pictures but the living room is a lilac purple, the hearth room is a pink rose, etc. They also have cream carpet everywhere.

 

My mother will be coming over with her big electric wheelchair so we really want to replace the carpeting in the dining area and hearth room with laminate flooring as it will make it easier for her and the wheels of her wheelchair stain carpet. Obviously we want to change out a few paint colors too.

 

Then comes the question of how do we rein in the budget while updating the house. Everything is totally FUNCTIONAL, just quite dated. We will likely have 60 days from when we close on that house to when we need to be out of this one so basically until Labor Day to get stuff ready. Dh is laid off and quite handy with the basics so that will save money.

 

I can just see myself wanting new flooring, new paint, removing wallpaper, fixing up the family room and a bedroom downstairs along with dh's office, etc. Then we add in the horse barn and dh wants to add a bigger electric panel in his big garage for welding and add insulation and ..................

 

How do you do this without breaking the bank? We do have some money to work with but I can see us going through that quickly. Some of the stuff can obviously wait, but then again, it would be MUCH easier to paint, do floors, etc. while the house is empty.

 

Any good, practical tips?

[unsinkable]

Congrats! :grouphug:

 

Based on what you wrote, I'd definitely do the floors and finish the rooms in the basement. I'd put in the electric panel (well, not me :D).

 

To me, paint and wallpaper would not be a priority!

 

I am really happy for you!

[Melissa in Australia]

What I recommend probably isn't what you want to hear, but do it slowly over many years. saves many $$$, you get to live in the place and really work out what you need verses what you want, plus the money put aside can be used to pay off the mortgage faster.

 

Unless of course you are a multi-millionaire with many $$$ to splash around.

[MelanieM]

I say set a budget and make a wish list of everything you want to do and how much it will cost. Then look through the list and prioritize based on the importance of getting it done, the cost involved, and whether or not it will be much harder to do after you're living there.

 

Personally, I think painting is always a great idea if you can swing it because it is inexpensive and has a huge impact on the look and feel of a space. A couple hundred dollars on paint might feel much more rewarding than thousands spent somewhere else. Also, it is soooooo much easier to paint any empty space than it is to tackle one that's full of stuff and people.

[Ottakee]

the money put aside can be used to pay off the mortgage faster.

 

Unless of course you are a multi-millionaire with many $$$ to splash around.

 

Well, we certainly aren't millionaires or anything close but we don't have a mortgage (or any other debt) and with the damages we got from MDOT we do have some cash to do this with.

 

Trying to figure out what is important in which order. I do think that the painting is cheap and MUCH easier to do before we move in.

 

Once we get a firm quote on the barn/land clearing we will know more how much money we have left.

 

Any tips on how to save money on these projects but yet have quality work? We don't need fancy at all but we want functional and not bottom line that will look bad in a few years.

[Sushi's Mom]

I recently researched flooring options for my parent's house and what would be good with a walker and wheelchair. Laminate was near the bottom of the list. It really only has a ten year lifespan and with a wheelchair, the floors get scratched easily. We have laminate that looks like wood and it is getting yucky looking at about 11 years old.

 

Hardwood was a good option, as was bamboo and cork, which I believe are less expensive than hardwood. You might want to do some more research on the flooring before you buy. It would be awful to put it in and not have it last.

 

If you can wait to do things over time, you can look for deals at the supply stores each week and get your supplies on clearance. Then do that particular project. Make yourself a list of all of the things you want replaced and keep it with you. Also on the list put the measurements for eve item you would need to buy. You never know when you are going to run into a good deal somewhere, and usually they only have one left of something, so you would not have time to go home and measure.

[Dobela]

Congratulations! I know this has been a huge weight on you. When things fall into place like this I call it God's Perfect Timing.

 

We moved last October and I say first wait for an inspection to be completed. There may be things in the walls that need work first. After that my absolute first choice is the floors. I wish the money we spent on new doors, enclosing the garage, and paint had been spent on the floors instead. I like our carpet less and less. I could have lived with the walls longer even though they were not our favorite colors.

 

If you have horses now, your next priority may be the barn and pastures. You need to prepare them for winter.

 

My parents bought flooring that was seconds and just cut off the small pieces of floor boards that were damaged. No one knows. Most of our paint was found gradually in the mistints section, especially for small rooms that would need less than a gallon.

 

Decide what you can do your self. Then decide what someone else can do faster even if it costs more money. For example, I would hire someone out to do the floors because they would have a team of workers most likely and could finish it faster. I would put the basement reno off until winter and then do it myself. I would also be watching yard sales, classifieds, and more for supplies to finish the basement.

[Melissa in Australia]

Well, we certainly aren't millionaires or anything close but we don't have a mortgage (or any other debt) and with the damages we got from MDOT we do have some cash to do this with.

 

.

 

Thanks for clarifying, please disregard my suggestions. :001_smile: Enjoy your beautiful new house.

[Cera]

I would do the stuff that is much easier now and wait on some of the bigger stuff for later.

 

Paint/wallpaper/flooring will be so much easier (and cheaper if you are hiring someone) with an empty house. They also shouldn't be too expensive.

 

The bigger electrical panel seems like something that can be done at any time.

[Teachin'Mine]

Well, we certainly aren't millionaires or anything close but we don't have a mortgage (or any other debt) and with the damages we got from MDOT we do have some cash to do this with.

 

Trying to figure out what is important in which order. I do think that the painting is cheap and MUCH easier to do before we move in.

 

Once we get a firm quote on the barn/land clearing we will know more how much money we have left.

 

Any tips on how to save money on these projects but yet have quality work? We don't need fancy at all but we want functional and not bottom line that will look bad in a few years.

 

Ottakee I am sooooo happy for you!!!! What wonderful news!!!!

 

You've got the right idea about doing the floors and painting before you move in. As far as the garage and basement areas, those can easily be worked on after you've moved into the rest of the house.

 

One suggestion to save money is to have the dimensions of everything on hand at all times. Then when you're in Home Depot or Lowes and you see a clearance item, you'll know if it will work and can save a lot of money that way.

 

I agree with what's been said about the flooring. Laminate flooring isn't the best for long term. One beautiful option is pre-finished hardwood flooring. This eliminates the mess from sanding and all with regular oak flooring. But then again, since you won't have moved in, you may want to go ahead and get oak and then just pay someone to do the finishing. It sounds like your husband would be able to install it himself, and that would reduce cost. Five and ten years from now, you'll be glad you went with real wood. :)

 

Another priority, of course, is to get the enclosure - at least a small partial area - for the horses.

 

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! :)

[Tammyla]

MDOT bought us out on Wednesday and 48 hours later we had put an offer in on a house and they accepted it. The house had been on the market 1 day!!!

 

It is a 1 1/2 story with a daylight basement.

The main floor as a laundry room, 1/2 bath, kitchen/dining/hearth room (open concept), master bedroom with bath, and a living room.

Upstairs are 2 bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room--sloped ceiling but with a skylight so it will make a nice toy/play/hangout room for the girls.

The basement has just an office/bedroom area finished but is rough plumbed for a full bath, 2nd laundry area, room for an office, family room, 1-2 more bedrooms, an office for dh, and a storage/furnace room.

 

It is on 5 acres and has a large pole barn for dh. We will need to clear some land and build a horse barn and put in pastures.

 

The issue is that while the house is in EXCELLENT condition, the decor is a bit dated. I don't have pictures but the living room is a lilac purple, the hearth room is a pink rose, etc. They also have cream carpet everywhere.

 

My mother will be coming over with her big electric wheelchair so we really want to replace the carpeting in the dining area and hearth room with laminate flooring as it will make it easier for her and the wheels of her wheelchair stain carpet. Obviously we want to change out a few paint colors too.

 

Then comes the question of how do we rein in the budget while updating the house. Everything is totally FUNCTIONAL, just quite dated. We will likely have 60 days from when we close on that house to when we need to be out of this one so basically until Labor Day to get stuff ready. Dh is laid off and quite handy with the basics so that will save money.

 

I can just see myself wanting new flooring, new paint, removing wallpaper, fixing up the family room and a bedroom downstairs along with dh's office, etc. Then we add in the horse barn and dh wants to add a bigger electric panel in his big garage for welding and add insulation and ..................

 

How do you do this without breaking the bank? We do have some money to work with but I can see us going through that quickly. Some of the stuff can obviously wait, but then again, it would be MUCH easier to paint, do floors, etc. while the house is empty.

 

Any good, practical tips?

 

Paint is cheap, floors sound necessary with your mom coming; and don't you already have horses...They need a home. I'd start with those, and then work the others in as needed for career/jobs, if funds are available. Congratulations on the new home...:001_smile:

[abbeyej]

Make a list of EVERYTHING you want done. And estimate costs. Then you can prioritize. I would do everything you can afford to do *now* -- because whatever you don't get done within the first 6 months of moving in is statistically unlikely to be done in the next 5-10 years. It's easier to do the work before you move in, as you've noticed, but even that first few months will be doable. After that? Then you get sort of settled and anything you want to take on will be a big deal and just that much less likely to be done.

[Harriet Vane]

Congratulations!!!

 

Start with the floors. It's such a pain to do floors after you have been living in a house.

 

After that, take care of things that be similarly physically difficult to get to once you've moved in.

 

Decor issues can be addressed more slowly. Try to do a weekend update every 6-8 weeks. Eventually the whole house will be updated.

[Amy in NH]

Everyone has already give you good advice, so I just wanted to say

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

What a relief to have this behind you!

[Margaret in GA]

I would do the stuff that is much easier now and wait on some of the bigger stuff for later.

 

Paint/wallpaper/flooring will be so much easier (and cheaper if you are hiring someone) with an empty house. They also shouldn't be too expensive.

 

The bigger electrical panel seems like something that can be done at any time.

 

:iagree:

[Chris in VA]

Been following your story--my aunt lost her home the same way, and so I'm interested in hearing how yours turns out! So glad you found something that works.

 

Do you have a Re-Store near you? They are run by Habitat for Humanity, and they sell old materials in great condition--paint, cabinets, flooring, sinks, etc. I would look for paint and flooring there.

 

I'd do floors, paint (at least the main areas--I agree with a pp who said it gives you a lift to see colors you like, a lot of bang for the buck), and then pastures. Your horses can live outside for a while. I'd save the electrical panel and stuff like finishing the basement for last. BTW, a friend has bamboo flooring--it's tough and lasts a long time, and it's a less-expensive option (tho not cheap) that looks great.

[Meriwether]

Have you looked at Lumber Liquidators? You can get nice hardwords from them at a much cheaper price. When we bought from them we got a narrow wood. I'd get something wider if we ever put in hardwood again, because it is easier to install.

[AngieW in Texas]

I would start with the paint because paint is generally an inexpensive update to do and it makes a huge difference immediately. I would wait to do the floors right after the paint because then you don't have to worry about being super neat during painting. Definitely do the floors before you move in.

 

I would absolutely NOT do tile. I hate ceramic tile floors.

 

I don't know if laminate is a good choice when you have a wheelchair or not, but I would love to have wood floors.

[CalicoKat]

MDOT bought us out on Wednesday and 48 hours later we had put an offer in on a house and they accepted it. The house had been on the market 1 day!!!

 

It is a 1 1/2 story with a daylight basement.

The main floor as a laundry room, 1/2 bath, kitchen/dining/hearth room (open concept), master bedroom with bath, and a living room.

Upstairs are 2 bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room--sloped ceiling but with a skylight so it will make a nice toy/play/hangout room for the girls.

The basement has just an office/bedroom area finished but is rough plumbed for a full bath, 2nd laundry area, room for an office, family room, 1-2 more bedrooms, an office for dh, and a storage/furnace room.

 

It is on 5 acres and has a large pole barn for dh. We will need to clear some land and build a horse barn and put in pastures.

 

The issue is that while the house is in EXCELLENT condition, the decor is a bit dated. I don't have pictures but the living room is a lilac purple, the hearth room is a pink rose, etc. They also have cream carpet everywhere.

 

My mother will be coming over with her big electric wheelchair so we really want to replace the carpeting in the dining area and hearth room with laminate flooring as it will make it easier for her and the wheels of her wheelchair stain carpet. Obviously we want to change out a few paint colors too.

 

Then comes the question of how do we rein in the budget while updating the house. Everything is totally FUNCTIONAL, just quite dated. We will likely have 60 days from when we close on that house to when we need to be out of this one so basically until Labor Day to get stuff ready. Dh is laid off and quite handy with the basics so that will save money.

 

I can just see myself wanting new flooring, new paint, removing wallpaper, fixing up the family room and a bedroom downstairs along with dh's office, etc. Then we add in the horse barn and dh wants to add a bigger electric panel in his big garage for welding and add insulation and ..................

 

How do you do this without breaking the bank? We do have some money to work with but I can see us going through that quickly. Some of the stuff can obviously wait, but then again, it would be MUCH easier to paint, do floors, etc. while the house is empty.

 

Any good, practical tips?

Painting -- Ask to see the gallons that were returned because they weren't just the right color. My mom did this, and she mixed a few too, and she got her interior painted inexpensively.

 

Flooring -- can you buy from a discount warehouse. OR you can search craigslist. That's what we're planning on doing in the future. Ask about new carpet remnants too.

[Impish]

Floors sound like an absolute must.

 

I'm so happy for you!!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

MDOT bought us out on Wednesday and 48 hours later we had put an offer in on a house and they accepted it. The house had been on the market 1 day!!!

 

 

That was quick! Congratulations! What an exciting time for you and you family.

[DaffodilDreams]

 

Any tips on how to save money on these projects but yet have quality work? We don't need fancy at all but we want functional and not bottom line that will look bad in a few years.

 

My dh and his bff are super handy guys. DH did all of the tile work and his bff did all of the hardwood in our house. We saved thousands on labor costs. The floors are gorgeous. Three years later, I'm still waiting for the baseboards and shoe molding to be put back, though. : {

 

We bought our hw on clearance. That saved lots of $, too.

 

Are they tearing your current house down? If so, can you salvage anything from it or from the barn? That could be kind of neat because then you'd bring part of your old place with you. Think flooring, beams, trim, hardware, etc. If the doors in your current place are solid wood, you may want to see if they fit the house you just bought. It seems like most builders have switched to hollow doors over the past several years.

 

On the other hand, if MDOT already owns your home and is going to go through it and sell off the good stuff before demolishing, I guess you better not take the above suggestions.

[simka2]

First off, yay! I am so glad it has worked out. Were you able to negotiate your old barn into the deal?

 

My priority list would look like this: Paint main living areas, get property animal ready (they are coming so it is not an option!!!!), Finish basment bedrooms. Here is where it depends on what I find cheapest...look into flooring and bathroom fixtures for downstairs bathroom. If I find flooring cheap, but bathroom fixtures full price I will replace upstairs carpet (potentially reusing it downstairs) If the bathroom fixture are cheap we will finish the basement bathroom.

 

Once those things are done we will start the decor of the bathrooms and bedrooms. Keep a running list of what can besimply updated and visit Home stores weekly to watch for markdowns and sale items.

[happypamama]

I understand "good condition but dated." Btdt. Lived with it for several years before finally being able to update it.

 

In your case, if you already have horses, I'd go with building at least the minimum of what they need, first.

 

Then I'd do the flooring, with whatever would be best for a wheelchair. If your mom will be there frequently, I'd probably go for very high quality with the flooring, even at a higher price, to make sure it lasts. (I do like our laminate flooring fine, and it looks good after five years, but if wheelchairs beat it up, maybe keep looking.)

 

Then I'd paint. Paint is very inexpensive and can make a big difference, and it is definitely easier to do before moving anything in.

 

How badly does your DH want/need the electrical stuff, etc.? ISTR that if you can do the electrical yourself, it's not hugely expensive.

 

I agree with the other posters who recommended doing it slowly, over several years. Horses, flooring, and paint -- I'd do those now, and then the rest as I got to know the house and what I really wanted out of it, and as money was available without depleting savings.

 

So happy that things seem to be working out for you!!

[EKS]

I would do the walls and floors before you move in.

[FaithManor]

Ottakee,

 

When we renovated this church, we did a lot of "bargain" shopping. All of the hardwood flooring for our 25 x 20 family room, 4 x 16 hallway, stairwell landing, and entry came from ebay. There are commercial contractors who sell their leftovers this way. For them, an entire pallet of hardwood floor is a remnant because the huge buildings they put up require several pallets just to do a few offices. We paid $1000.00 for 750 sq ft. of higher quality cherry flooring than we could have ever purchased anywhere in a 100 mile radius. We paid $150.00 freight. So the total cost per sq. ft. was $1.53 per square foot. It's beautiful and easy to lay. We couldn't have carpeted or put linoleum down for that. We purchased "leftovers" of cherry and oak crown, baseboard, door casings, and specialty trims from several contractors in Pennsylvania/Virginia and delivered these came to anywhere from $.33 per foot to at most $.60 per foot (for the 8" inch tall baseboard). Some had little splits or dings on the very ends that had to be cut-off (thus seconds) but we were always able to buy enough to do a room and it was stain grade quality. We bought light fixtures and bathroom fixtures too. Much more expensive than we could have afforded locally and for around 50-75% less than retail at Lowes and Home Depot. Ebay was our friend.

 

We did order the kitchen and bathroom linoleum from Home Depot because I was VERY picky and I also wanted a LOOOOOOOONG warranty...three boys and one adult male who like chemistry and blowing things ups....must have durability. :D

 

For paint, we painted the kitchen, family, our bedroom, the hallway, and laundry area with the same color. We picked a soft ivory that we could get on sale at Home Depot in five gallon buckets which was a HUGE savings. Then, to add color, I picked one gallon buckets of colors I liked and just wainscoated a 32" tall section of the walls. I have burgundy in the bathroom, a soft peachy/rose in our bedroom, plum in the family room...I went to Home Depot during a paint sale and saved $4.00 a gallon. Unless the room was very large, I didn't need more than one gallon of the colored paint. Since we had purchased chair-rail molding for $.33 a foot. that's how we finished the edge where the wainscoating met the ivory. But, that could also be done with stenciling, thin decorative molding, paint grade chair-rail, or even a wallpaper border.

 

Check all of your local lumber supply places and if you have a Menards, you need to hang out there. We looked for seconds, special orders that people didn't pick up, etc. We dickered. My kitchen sink, which I adore, was a special order that the people never came for, they'd paid a deposit down, so the store was willing to sell it at a rock bottom price in order to get rid of it. I paid 75% less than the original price! Menards usually has a scratch and dent counter-top and door area. Some of those counter tops have only tiny, hard to see, little dings that you could easily live with and they will usually make a good deal to get rid of it. It's the same way with doors. Our rooms are not perfect, but they are gorgeous and look like we spent a gazzillion dollars when in fact, dh and I had a very limited budget to work with.

 

Definitely, if you'd like to have some hardwood floors, then check ebay. If those contractors are still selling, you may be able to get hardwood for far less than the local place will sell you linoleum.

 

Faith

[mom4him]

:hurray::hurray::hurray:

[StephanieZ]

My best tip is to focus on walls/paint first as it is most labor intensive, cheapest, and most vital to do while the house is empty. You also want to paint before doing flooring, so getting the painting done will free you up to do flooring when you want to. I do the rooms that are hardest to do furnished/lived in first, then go down my priority list. That means: rooms that will have large book cases, then family areas, then kids' rooms, then MBR, then bathrooms (unless you only have one bathroom, in which case do it first!)

 

Paint is cheap, but makes a huge impact. Removing wallpaper is pure labor, so that is a great thing to do as well (and of course painting afterwards.)

 

I wouldn't rush on anything else. If the carpet gets stained by the wheelchair, then who cares b/c you are planning to replace it anyway! Flooring is expensive, so unless the flooring is in bad shape, I try to leave it alone until it IS in bad shape. :)

 

Over many years of moving in to houses, I've found that after just a few weeks of living there, my priorities often shift. Things that seemed vital are no longer vital, but things I hadn't noticed at first bug me. . . So, moving in before doing a huge amount of work lets you prioritize, take your time, use your own labor to save, shop carefully, etc.

[Ottakee]

Thanks for all of the input. Lots to think about.

 

We stopped at Home Depot today to look at handicap height toilets (that we need so my mom can use it) and just browsed around. My girls were VERY disappointed that I would not buy paint AND carpet for their rooms TODAY. I tried to explain that we were NOT going to buy new flooring for their rooms---at least not for several years most likely.

 

Dh and I need time to just sit down and write down all the things that we think we need to do and then prioritize and go from there.

 

Just on a funny note, This morning I asked DH what the master bath looks like because HONESTLY, I don't think that I even looked in there. He thinks there is a jetted tub with a separate shower but isn't positive it was in THIS house vs. the others we had looked at.

[DarlaS]

Everyone has already give you good advice, so I just wanted to say

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

What a relief to have this behind you!

 

:iagree:

[Denisemomof4]

Painting will be cheap and make you feel SO much better. I'd definitely opt to paint BEFORE you replace the flooring. It will be so much easier!

 

Aside from that, I'd get pricing for everything you want to do and then prioritize that list.

 

Congratulations!!!

[FlyingMOm]

I would do the stuff that is much easier now and wait on some of the bigger stuff for later.

 

Paint/wallpaper/flooring will be so much easier (and cheaper if you are hiring someone) with an empty house. They also shouldn't be too expensive.

 

The bigger electrical panel seems like something that can be done at any time.

 

I totally agree. That is what we did when we bought our house & it was so much easier without furniture.

[Stacy in NJ]

Write out a list of "must do's" and "would like to do". Keep a budget and make sure the important stuff gets done first. Everything else you choose to do now is gravy.

 

Best of luck and try to have fun doing it. :001_smile:

 

Stacy (who is currently half way through renovating an historic home and is about to lose her mind deciding on tile and light fixtures)

 

MDOT bought us out on Wednesday and 48 hours later we had put an offer in on a house and they accepted it. The house had been on the market 1 day!!!

 

It is a 1 1/2 story with a daylight basement.

The main floor as a laundry room, 1/2 bath, kitchen/dining/hearth room (open concept), master bedroom with bath, and a living room.

Upstairs are 2 bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room--sloped ceiling but with a skylight so it will make a nice toy/play/hangout room for the girls.

The basement has just an office/bedroom area finished but is rough plumbed for a full bath, 2nd laundry area, room for an office, family room, 1-2 more bedrooms, an office for dh, and a storage/furnace room.

 

It is on 5 acres and has a large pole barn for dh. We will need to clear some land and build a horse barn and put in pastures.

 

The issue is that while the house is in EXCELLENT condition, the decor is a bit dated. I don't have pictures but the living room is a lilac purple, the hearth room is a pink rose, etc. They also have cream carpet everywhere.

 

My mother will be coming over with her big electric wheelchair so we really want to replace the carpeting in the dining area and hearth room with laminate flooring as it will make it easier for her and the wheels of her wheelchair stain carpet. Obviously we want to change out a few paint colors too.

 

Then comes the question of how do we rein in the budget while updating the house. Everything is totally FUNCTIONAL, just quite dated. We will likely have 60 days from when we close on that house to when we need to be out of this one so basically until Labor Day to get stuff ready. Dh is laid off and quite handy with the basics so that will save money.

 

I can just see myself wanting new flooring, new paint, removing wallpaper, fixing up the family room and a bedroom downstairs along with dh's office, etc. Then we add in the horse barn and dh wants to add a bigger electric panel in his big garage for welding and add insulation and ..................

 

How do you do this without breaking the bank? We do have some money to work with but I can see us going through that quickly. Some of the stuff can obviously wait, but then again, it would be MUCH easier to paint, do floors, etc. while the house is empty.

 

Any good, practical tips?

[journeytolily]

I've been following your situation, and am so happy to hear that everything is working out for you!

 

As others have said, I would concentrate first on horses, painting, and flooring. I know that "experts" suggest living in a house for a little while before you start tacking projects, that way you can get a feel for what you are really going to want.

 

I didn't take this advice with this house. It was really livable, but I insisted we start updating practically the minute we moved in. Looking back, I know now that I would want some things done differently, but it's too late.

 

But the painting is cheap and pretty easy when you don't have to move things around. Flooring next, as that's difficult once you've moved in. And of course, you need to make sure the animals are all situated. The rest sounds like it can wait and be done later, as money and time allow.

 

Best of luck with everything!

[Ellie]

:party::party::party:

:cheers2:

 

:willy_nilly:

 

Congratulations!

 

ITA with those who said paint, floors, horses, especially with hardwood/bamboo floors instead of laminate. You can choose a neutral color now (and "neutral" doesn't mean "contractor white," either!) and later paint a color if you want, but in the meantime you won't be living with purple and rose, for goodness' sake.:001_huh:

[Mothersweets]

Congratulations!! I'm so happy for you!

[Mama Geek]

We bought a house a couple of months ago that was a foreclosure. I agree with horses paint and flooring, but with one thing to add. If you are going to remove any tile, do that part before you paint. We had tile torn up after we painted and that was a mistake. We were being wishy washy on replacing the tile and now we have lots of touch up in the paint to do as well as the tons of white dust to clean up off of the new paint.

[Giraffe]

In this order:

 

floors

walls

horses

electrical

the rest of it.

 

Floors before walls because as others have posted it will mess up the walls. Walls next because it's easier to paint/remove wallpaper without furniture in the way (and the floors can be covered). Horse accommodations because they need a home too! Electrical after you move in and DH can see what he really needs, then the rest of it as you can/find money/find time.

 

As to how - lumber liquidators, re-store, and craigslist. Ask around and see if you can find a good contractor who's willing to help out with suggestions and stuff in and around his ongoing projects. He might know how to get supplies inexpensively.

 

Congratulations!

[TammyinTN]

No advice, but loads of congratulations! :party: