Unfortunately, after moving into the property in June of that same year I
gradually began to realise that the house needed a great deal of major work
which I had neither forseen nor budgeted for.
To my dismay I discovered that the house would require new double glazed windows and doors, a complete rewire, a new central heating system including a new gas fire for the lounge, a cellar that needed damp proofing and a complete new water pipe system. All of this before I could even think about installing a new bathroom suite and kitchen! Every room in the house needed total redecoration, and most of those rooms also required new flooring.
To my dismay I discovered that the house would require new double glazed windows and doors, a complete rewire, a new central heating system including a new gas fire for the lounge, a cellar that needed damp proofing and a complete new water pipe system. All of this before I could even think about installing a new bathroom suite and kitchen! Every room in the house needed total redecoration, and most of those rooms also required new flooring.
As for the outside of the property; the rear garden was waist-high with overgrown weeds, diseased shrubs, a 20 foot high Eucalyptus tree, a totally out-of-control Russian Vine, a damaged pond (complete with frogs), a rotten shed (complete with a nest of bees underneath it) and a broken pagoda!
In all, the list of repair work was endless. The more I thought about how much needed doing the more disparaged I became.
To quote the words from a famous song.....
"Its gonna take time, a whole lotta precious time.
Its gonna take patience and time to do it right now.
Its gonna take money, a whole lot of spending money.
Its gonna take plenty of money to do it right child"
And so we jump forward just over a year and a half. The news channel has reported that the economy has taken yet another down-slide. Funds are very low and money is tight. I glanced fleetingly through my latest house magazine purchase for renewed inspiration.
I Found it!
SHABBY CHIC
To be continued: