It is with deep regret that this week I may be making one of my biggest decisions to date. The decision between keeping or letting someone go? It's a biggie for me as I'm such a softy. But if truth be told, keeping this person on board will be detrimental for the project. I know I’m not alone, nor will I be the first person going through this. People often say;
Read MoreYay, it’s the 80’s as in week 80 in my blog and not the 1980’s, my fave decade with bags of fun and not so fun memories of secondary state education. Anyway, let's not get caught up in the past as we are discussing the present and in the present I had to meet the valuer who was booked to carry out a midpoint valuation on my property.
Read MoreLast two plus weeks I've been doing nothing but completing the purchase of my bathroom. Timing is of essence, if I had more of it then I can shop around, compare notes, reviews, do price checks and finally purchase a bathroom that I am happy with overall.
Read MoreThere is a lot of to and fro and overlaps that takes place as one minute you could be working head on with a very specific issue then bam! You have to pick up a task from where you left off many weeks ago. This time it’s bathrooms, which makes me very happy as it seems I'm heading towards the third stage of the project; Pipework & Plumbing.
Read MoreThe stamp duty holiday is coming to an end and we are trying to get our property ready before this date to try and get the best possible return for all the effort we put in to get it ready and believe me a lot of effort has gone in. It felt like we were building from scratch with the amount of digging we did.
Read MoreFor a small space bathroom really packs a punch and from what I can see it's a bit of a grey area as I'm getting mixed signals. I read some articles on renovations to identify which household upgrades add the most value to a house and although the bathroom was one of them, the increase was not substantial. If it's a three plus bedroom house then yes an addition of a bathroom will certainly help or
Read MoreMorning all, It's June and with the lockdown now lifted we can all hopefully enjoy the summer. Make the most of alfresco as I have a sneaky suspicion that lockdown three will soon kick in as common sense is virtually extinct and you will get those morons who just can’t grasp the concept of individual space. Come’on, we all know someone like that don’t we? those touchy feely ones...haha
Read MoreThis week's blog is on raising finance as I'm frantically exploring my options here to see what is available. If it's cash you're after you may want to read the content as it could give you an idea of where to go or what to look for…Bank loans/Overdrafts, Private Investors, Angel Investors, Crowdfunding/Peer To Peer Lending.
Read MoreThe countdown has begun and we have now entered the last third of the project. Meaning 12 weeks left till the deadline and we are nowhere near completion!!! Tasks or certain jobs in the first part of the renovation took way too long to complete now everything just feels rushed which I hope just does not affect the quality of the end look.
Read MoreThe journey so far: our roof is now complete and has taken a little longer than initially hoped. Carpenters/joiners have been busy erecting the frames for internal walls and partitions. Staircase, spindles and banister on order and partial first fix of electrics have been completed. First stage plumbing and drainage due next Monday and plasters booked for the 14th June (subject to the above being completed).
Read MoreYeppie! Five percent deposits are back! What are your thoughts? or what do you think? It's a bit tricky this one as on the surface it seems a great concept but upon deeper analysis you can start to see the cracks. It is a scheme devised by the government to help Generation Rent become Generation Buy. The millennium has seen a large dip in the level of home ownership which has worsened over the years. With a rise in non-traditional shared accommodation
Read MoreIt's Early May Bank Holiday and not so long ago I wrote an inspiring blog for Easter Monday regarding ‘Motivation’ and how driven I was. Fast forward a month and this time although a holiday I am feeling the blues. It seems just about everyone in my circle is either going away or doing something nice. But I have no access to cash, that's what happens when you embark on a renovation project and very little time for anything else.
Read MoreThis was all taken care of via my 8am Zoom call. I literally saw the prices evaporate with each change I made. My budget was £5k all inclusive, appliances the lot. My third and final draft was emailed to me shortly after the session. With a heavy heart I have decided to go with the revised version as I have to be mindful of all costs involved.
Read MoreFrom scattered dandelions to bluebells and buzzing bees, it's all here. I’ve read somewhere that you can make a blend of tea infused with dandelions and nettles. But you will need a kitchen to cook up this concoction. So this leads me to this week’s blog; Kitchens…Too much variety can have a hampering effect on the decision making process as you end up losing time, which is of the essence in projects like this.
Read MoreI've had a little dabble on their free site. It's okay but nothing comparable to what the full version can get you. They really have all the details to every nook & cranny of the urban jungle. These prime locations are not easily accessible on auctions or platforms such as Right Move etc. Hence, you get to know about these little nuggets of gold way before they hit the mainstream. Giving you the upper-hand and head-start.
Read MoreMotivation is very tricky, I'm quite content with the above but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. I like the idea that I am building on a financial future that is deeply embedded with my values as I want to be involved in a product or service that helps people and not makes them purchase stuff they don't need. There has to be a social course to it and not just profit driven. I want to feel that I am making a difference.
Read More“THE ROOF DID I HEAR YOU SAY??”
Great how much is this going to set me back by? Bearing in mind materials, specialist tiles, labour and scaffolding; we’re looking at anything between £4000-£5000. To make matters worse this is not something we included in the budget but given the age of the property it's not something we could totally rule out.
Read MoreRight! Where do I start with this one? Lets just say it's nothing I had anticipated. In the absence of finance or a pot of savings whose services are we to deploy? Well...bridging of course! and more specific, development finance, which is the one we've taken. I am going to go through all the bad before I get to the good (believe it or not there are some good) plus I like to finish on a positive note
Read MoreIt’s Mothers’s Day and in most parts of the world children of all ages will be celebrating their mothers with gifts and gestures. But how about those who never became mothers or perhaps grieving the loss of a child. This is something close to my heart. To those forgotten I write you a poem for there is healing in words:
Read MoreAs a business my bills and overheads still need to be paid. I still need to think about processes, improvements and organic growth. All these elements cost money, so there you see cash is king. For my next project I might need to look at a couple of small scale projects which I could flip and put back on the market a lot faster
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