This is the Short List table I put together for the renovation work we needed to do to our house, there’s a much longer list – in fact its a book! In it I laid out each job that was needed to be done, any dependencies, what special materials we needed and the approximate time to complete.
The timeline estimates soon went out the window when it became apparent that nothing was as easy as we thought it would be and lots of things go wrong when you least expect it. Getting started also meant working out how to plan and carry out required actions.
| Renovation short list: | Existing | Needs: |
| Downstairs of the house | ||
| Kitchen | Breeze block walls, sink in wrong place, tiled floor, damp, window to garden, mismatched plastic units, broken coal oven – probably best room in the house | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, plumbing, new floor, build bespoke kitchen to fit, remove enormous window to garden, 1 new window, two sets double doors to garden, install Bose music system, velux window for additional light |
| Utility room | No windows, broken doors, concrete floor, breeze block walls, damp, looks like animals lived in it | Stud wall, insulate, board, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, 2 velux windows, new floor, plumbing, wall to wall storage to be installed |
| Extension to kitchen | Currently a garden terrace area with well in centre | Complete new building (orangerie style), two lantern roof lights to install, sort out well, lay concrete floor, 6 new windows, new doors, lay floor, stud wall, board, plaster, paint, electrics, heating |
| Pantry | Existing loo – bare breeze block walls, damp running down walls, disgusting tiled floor, spider paradise | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, windows, make dresser, bespoke pantry cupboard and other furniture |
| Hall downstairs | Bare breeze block/chalk block walls, sagging beam/ceiling, horrible tiled floor, dark and dank | Stud wall, insulate, board, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, 2 new windows, move front door, new front door, take down internal walls and move, new floor, section off area for downstairs loo, install Bose music system |
| Downstairs bathroom | Utility room under stairs, netting over pipes to stop rats getting in, breeze block walls, no windows, tiny door entrance | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, windows, plumbing, new floor, electric loo to pump to septic tank via upstairs plumbing, sink, install hot water boiler |
| Sitting Room | Disgusting tongue and groove walls and ceiling, disgusting tiled floor, one ineffective wood fire | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling – utilising existing beams, electrics to be installed, 3 new windows, double woodfire to hall, new doors to garden room and hall, new floor, bespoke shelving units and cupboards, install Bose music system |
| Library | Used as bedroom by previous owners, disgusting tongue and groove ceiling, disgusting tiled floor, reeks of damp, some boarding on walls, one wall is flintstone – lovely | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, 2 new windows, restore flint stone walls, bespoke bookshelves and units, bespoke double desk unit, new floor, |
| Conservatory | Corrugated plastic roof, no windows, broken walls open to the elements, terracotta tile floor | New roof, rebuild walls, stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, electrics, new windows, retain terracotta tiled floor, build bespoke coat cupboard, |
| Gym | Currently used as wood store, missing two walls, no windows, plastic corrugated sheet roof, earth floor | New roof, rebuild walls, lay concrete floor, stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, new ceiling, paint, light floor for gym work, electrics, 2 new windows, new doors |
| Upstairs of House | ||
| Bedroom 1 | Bare breeze block walls, beams in akward spaces, floor levels differ, no ceiling – holes in roof to outside world, vermin nests, everything covered in 4-12 inches of mud for old fashioned insulation, one tiny window 18 inches above floor level | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, new doors, install velux windows, new floor, take down mezzanine floor, re-site main beams for access, restore existing window, heating |
| Dressing room | Bare breeze block walls, beams in akward spaces, floor levels differ, no ceiling – holes in roof to outside world, vermin nests, everything covered in 4-12 inches of mud for old fashioned insulation, one tiny window 18 inches above floor level | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, new doors, install velux window, new floor, take down mezzanine floor, re-site main beams for access, restore existing window, heating, bespoke storage units and wall to wall shelving |
| Bedroom 2 | Bare breeze block walls, beams in akward spaces,no floor, no ceiling – holes in roof to outside world, vermin nests, mud and straw walls, no door – just small hole in wall about .75m x .75m, access by ladder | Create door way, build stairs to reach room, stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, install velux window, new floor, keep old bell beam in situ and highlight as its gorgeous, retain tiny floor level window, block off area behind bell beam |
| Hall upstairs | No ceiling – holes in roof to outside world, vermin nests, differing floor levels, need to climb through beams to access, floor goes up and down when you walk on it | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, Electrics to be installed, new doorways and doors, 2 new windows, heating |
| Landing | Currently a “bathroom” – chipboard walls and floor, disugsting shower unit and filthy sink, bare bulb hanging out of wall | Build landing, create doorways, remove and secure beams, stud wall, board, plaster, paint, new floor, new window |
| Stairs | Can you call them stairs?! Very narrow, steep, winding wooden ladder/stairs – v dangerous. | Need to handbuild stairs to fit awkward space, need to make bannisters to fit. |
| Bathroom 1 | Bare breeze block walls, beams in akward spaces, floor levels differ, no ceiling – holes in roof to outside world, vermin nests | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, install velux window, plumbing, install shower, loo, sink, heating, tile floor |
| Bathroom 2 | Bare breeze block walls, beams in akward spaces, floor levels differ, no ceiling – holes in roof to outside world, vermin nests, everything covered I 4-12 inches of mud for old fashioned insulation | Stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, paint, new ceiling, electrics to be installed, doors, install velux window, plumbing, install shower, loo, sink, bamboo floor (waterproof), heating |
| External Buildings and Garden | ||
| Outbuilding 1/Spa | Two walls, broken roof, earth floor, used as rabbit and pigeon pens | New roof, rebuild walls, lay concrete floor, stud wall, insulate, board, plaster, new ceiling, paint, waterproof floor, install electrics and separate junction box for hot tub, install hot tub etc |
| Boxing room | Two walls, broken roof, earth floor, used to keep chickens in | New roof, rebuild walls, lay concrete floor, stud wall, insulate, board, ceiling, paint, light floor for skipping, install electrics, |
| Wine room | Walls, doorway, window, earth floor | Lay concrete floor, block up window, re-site door and replace with secure door |
| Workshop/ Garage | Broken corrugated roof, broken metal up and over door, mice living quarters | New roof, lay concrete floor, stud wall, insulate, board, electrics to be installed, new double doors, new windows, bespoke units for tools |
| Middle Workshop | Dangerous holes, corrugated metal doors, concrete floor laid, used to keep tractor in by previous owners, gable end falling down | Repair gable end, new doors, windows, create mezannine storage floor, fill in dangerous holes – remove current external door replace with window and level floor |
| Woodshed 1 | Earth floor, roof needs repair (wisteria growing through), door hole made for Liliputians | Repair roof, widen doorway, clear out 50 years of accumulated crap |
| Woodshed 2 | Earth floor, roof needs repair | Repair roof, widen doorway, clear out 50 years of accumulated crap |
| Woodshed 3 | Non existent | Build new woodsheet for long term storage |
| Courtyard | Non existent | Clear existing rubbish piles, previous owners emptied fire ash in this area between house and outbuildings for thirty years; lay gravel floor, build walls between existing buildings to enclose, install gate entrance |
| Front garden | Mud patch | Lay gravel path, cut down overgrown trees touching electric and phone lines, new gate |
| Back garden | Two overgrown fields on a slope | remove hedge in middle of fields, create vegetable garden area, paths, tame |
| Greenhouse 1 | Bought cheap on ebay in pieces | Lay concrete foundations to level ground, gravel floor, put pieces together |
| Greenhouse 2 | Donated by family | put together |
| Shed | From old house | |
| Gazebo | Bought in a moment’s madness at Ideal Home Exhibition | Heavy wrought iron gazebo, lay concrete foundations |
| Chicken pen 1 | Non existent | Make chicken coop, create pen |
| Chicken pen 2 | Non existent | Make chicken coop, create pen |
| Duck and Geese Pen | Non existent | Create pen |
| Dog pen | Non existent | Lay concrete floor, build dog’s house, fencing |
| Render walls of house | Non existent | Whole house to be rendered |
| Terrace and cover | Non existent | Lay foundations, tile, create pergola style roofing/cover |
Note added several years later: The list got so long, it was impossible to share it all! In fact we now think, it will never be finished…
