Hey everyone! I recently purchased a semi-detached house from the 1950s that has seen a lot of DIY attempts by the previous owners, mainly elderly folks. Now, I'm facing some issues: the upstairs floors are bare wood and creaky, and the walls have multiple layers of peeling wallpaper that are cracking off. I got quotes for just removing the wallpaper and flooring in the main bedroom, and they came out around £12-15k, which I find outrageous. So, I'm considering taking matters into my own hands and tackling this renovation myself, despite being a total newbie (I've only done a bit of light gardening and built some flat-pack furniture). Looking for advice or encouragement from those who've been in a similar boat!
3 Answers
Wallpaper removal is tricky but doable! You just need some basic tools like a steamer and a scraper, and you can find tons of helpful videos online. It's definitely a labor of love, but if you take your time, you'll get it done efficiently. Watching a few YouTube tutorials will give you a solid start! Use a few affordable tools and your patience, and you'll surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
Honestly, you can totally do this! Removing wallpaper is one of the easier DIY tasks out there—it's just a bit tedious. A steamer can really help, and if you want to make it even easier, try using a garden sprayer filled with water to wet the wallpaper. It's so much faster than using a sponge! Just remember to prep the walls well afterward, and don’t be intimidated by the process. You've got this!
You’ve made a smart choice considering DIY! The wallpaper removal might be annoying, but it’s manageable. Just make sure to know what your walls are made of before diving in. And while you're doing the floors, you might want to plan ahead for the baseboards too, as you could have more work there than you expect! Just dive in, enjoy the process, and feel free to ask for help when you need it!
I totally second that sprayer recommendation! It makes the job way smoother. Plus, if you’re thinking about flooring, just pick a DIY-friendly product and take your time. Updating the baseboards is a good idea too, since it ties everything together beautifully.