Before + After Pictures - The Renovations
It was exactly 1 year since I wrote our last blog post about the renovation house. The do-er upper. The vehicle that would allow a dream to happen. Read about it here.
I didn't realise but at the time of writing it was my 39th birthday. Re-reading the post this morning, it's clear that I was feeling optimistic that our plans to sell and travel would soon come to fruition. It felt as though things were finally starting to happen and that we were nearing close to the end. Well as per true reno style, we're another year later.
Today it's my 40th birthday and I write this post, feeling frustrated at the slowness of selling a house. And also sad that I'm 40 and still living in limbo. Even more so feeling in life limbo and chaos, because we're closing our old life down, letting go of emotional ties and 'stuff' (which deserves a blog post on it's own because this is gruelling emotionally - even for non-materialistic family). We don't have much stuff anyhow. But getting rid of stuff, whilst still living in a life that needs 'stuff' is challenging. We've been selling possessions, doing weekly tip runs, charity shop visits and donating. Getting ready to go. But being trapped and unable to really plan anything until the sale goes through.
The reno house is finished and looking absolutely beautiful. It became a home during the process so definitely has emotional ties to it now. We're proud of how far we've come with the reno, the things we've learned, the skills of building that we take with us. Hopefully to use in our own build project.
BEFORE PICTURES - a 3 bed Victorian Terrace House Renovation
AFTER PICTURES - A 4 Bed Victorian House Renovation
So what did we do to this little old Victorian? Damp proof course to all lower floor | New Windows and doors throughout | New Guttering front + back | Partial Re-wire of electrics | Loft Extension | New Kitchen | New Bathroom | Full house plaster | Central Heating installed | New Boiler | Carpeted and wood floored throughout | Painted + decorated throughout | Garden fence + gate. It was a lot. But doesn't it look beautiful now.
The whole reno process takes time. And we're not new to the reno process having bought a house previously at auction to do up + flip. Things in reno life just take a long time. Double the amount of time you think you need and budgeted for. And we know all of this, but yet still get shocked at just how delayed plans get. Just how tight cash flow gets. And how emotionally drained you feel. If you have done any kind of renovation work / extension / full house project you'll relate 100%. A little like childbirth: once it's all done, you look back and remember how wonderful it all was. We're not at that stage. We're at the squeezing a giant watermelon out of a tiny hole part. When you were told you were done*
(*Si said it's more like the stage when you've had the baby and took it home and had to go for your first poo. I'll give him that edit, cos I was being too grouchy this morning. We're not at max pain I grant him)
Did I mention: we're also another year on. We're yet to leave the UK. And I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
THE DURING - DUST, CRYING, REGRETS (and the reason this project took such a long time to finish)
Update: the house sold 3 days after listing it on Rightmove for full asking price. We had a lot of interest. But we're yet to exchange contracts and as we know things can change at anytime. We could rent it out, which is still a very real prospect if the sale takes much longer. It's another year on and I thought it was a good idea to take stock and look at how far we've come. Despite the money situation. Despite being stuck. We've come a long way. And whether we sell this house or rent it out we'll soon be that step closer to the dream.
My Mantra's: Thoughts become things. Step by step and the job is done. We'll look back at all this and smile. Enjoy the Journey.
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