It’s time to make a confession. I find it impossible to juggle life sometimes. Working full-time, running a home, keeping up with the blog and all that involves. Not to mention trying to find a little ‘me’ time AND trying to move forward with our home renovation. Sadly, for both lack of time and finances that’s the part that often suffers.
Excitedly though we do finally have plans for 2018. Aside from the living room WHICH IS GOING TO BE MY DREAM LIVING ROOM BY CHRISTMAS OR ELSE, we’re also getting some more windows replaced. This means goodbye to more ugly diamond leading and I literally am leaping with joy at the prospect. Because whilst I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, no-one will ever convince me that leading is a good look. Unless you live in a hobbit house circa 900AD.
What feels like ages ago now we started on the windows but it’s SUCH an expensive process. Trust me, if you’ve never had to replace them and aren’t anally retentive like me, you’ve no idea how lucky you are. Planning to do them all at once originally, we simply didn’t have the money to do it. So we compromised and did the front of the house first. Essentially that’s the bit anyway that adds the curb appeal, right? Plus it’s really important for the value of your home to make sure that a) your windows are styled sympathetically to the period and b) they match, at least on the street-facing side.
After a little trial and error we found a brilliant local company based here in SE London who did an amazing job putting up with my one million questions and fussy ways and 3 years on, we’re still over the moon with them and have had no issues. Now we’ve finally got some pennies together to pay for some more.
I should disclose right now that we’re not planning to do all the windows anyway. Our dining room and kitchen will be extended, the first floor bathroom is up for discussion about whether we can turn it into a bay window and I’ve still got my heart set on replacing our top floor bedroom windows with bi-folding doors and a Juliette balcony.
So what we are doing next for the windows is to replace the third bedroom one (which is a bay and overlooks the garden) plus the landing on the first floor and landing on the top floor. We’re also replacing the top floor landing window sill which is currently plastic so that it’s wood like the rest of the house (plastic windowsills, WTAF?!)
I’m so excited and now equally impatient for this project to be done because I already know what a difference it will make and yet again, I’ll be wondering why on earth we left it so long. It will be most likely in around 6/7 weeks so I’ll have to find something else to keep me busy in the meantime. Shouldn’t be too hard, there’s only a whole house to update…
Have you ever had to/thought about replacing windows? What’s next on your renovation plans?
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I feel your pain with the leading! Our’s isnt diamond, but still it’s there and sadly the hubs won’t budge on having them changed. Luckily, I did manage to convince him to have shutters downstairs so I don’t have to see them ;D Good luck with this next part of your renovation journey! 😀
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Ooh shutters are fabulous aren’t they? I’ve loved ours since we installed them across the front of the house. I’m now feeling sorry for Pete, he gets no say in what I do. Thankfully a double combination of trusting my 100% and knowing that I’m footing the bill seems to keep him satisfied hehe X
It’s always worth waiting with big investments like windows – do it once, do it right!
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Isn’t that so true?! I’m definitely looking forward to nicer views than the jail bars for sure X
It’s so hard finding the time and money isn’t it? I have so many dreams but sadly I don’t have the budget to match! Looking forward to seeing your new windows x
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Yes! I feel like if I could just stop fundamental things, you know like eating and such, there’d be so much more money for home improvements 😉 I’m also terrified of credit so if I haven’t saved up for stuff, it simply doesn’t get done X
I also have windows with leading (with vertical pattern as in “feels like prison”). Unfortunately, It’ll be a while until I can replace them with Victorian sash replicas. I may change my windowsills, all uPVC!
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Oh my goodness Juan, Victorian Sash replicas sound amazing! I agree though, these bigger projects take time don’t they? Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end X
Windows can be quite a challenge. I’ve never replaced them but I spent forever repairing the victorian sashes in our old house! We live in a modern house now and I won’t have to replace these for a very long time.
I have been delaying the process of renovating two bathrooms,… simply procrastinating about it. These are the big ones for our home. But I mean… there’s so much on offer… the variety of tiles…. i just don’t know where to start…..
I’m so with you on this finding the time is tricky and expensive! I’m doing up my living room right now too! I love that you’ve set yourself a realistic deadline! Cheers to getting these rooms all finished up! Great post!
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I definitely believe that baby steps is the way forward and it’s always worth the wait! Thanks so much and good luck with your living room X
I cannot wait to see the windows x i am curentky knees deep in striping the staircase -i hate the job hehe
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Oh God Pati don’t even get me started on the staircase, I began our staircase renovation 4 years ago and haven’t finished it! X
Just about to start major work on our home after 5 years so totally understand how you feel!
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How exciting Nicola!! Good luck with everything I hope it goes well X
Oh I feel you. I haven’t get leading but I have a main bathroom that for nearly 14 years I’ve been saying I’ll update it. I really really must. Your windows will look ace afterwards
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There’s always something isn’t there Mary? Fingers crossed we’ll all get there one day X
Luckily we’ve never had to replace the windows but I can imagine how stressful the process is and how much money it steals from you pocket. And I’m totally with you on that diamond leading windows aspect, sorry
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It does feel like a frustrating thing to have to spend money on but since we did the front windows we’re soo happy with how they turned out. Goodbye leading!
How exciting! We did ALL our windows when we did the first bit of extension about 3/4 years ago and I loved getting rid of the diamond leading. It’s awful! Anyway happy for you to come round and see ours and chat renovations any time as you’re just down the road…
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Ahh thanks so much Donna, that’s so kind! Yep, good riddance to leading that’s for sure X
It sounds like its been a stressful time but good luck with all the renovations! I look forward to seeing the new windows (as well as your dream living room). Renovating can be so much fun but you’re right, it’s often more expensive than people realise! I’m hoping to buy a new home soon and it’s all been about weighing up the pros and cons of an older house versus a new build.
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I’m literally always in awe of people who seem to buy a house and then just immediately spend a fortune on doing it up, where does all that money come from?! Good luck with your purchase, no matter which way you go you’ll love it X
We have Norwegian handmade wooden doors and windows and although they didn’t come cheap…we do not regret the additional expense one bit. Hope you are as pleased with yours as we are with ours.
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That sounds absolutely amazing, I genuinely think that certain things are just worth that extra cost because otherwise you’d always wonder what it might have looked like. Thanks so much for commenting
Sounds extremely exciting. Im exactly the same. Working full time, tiny kids and trying to save up to do the million jobs on my list. Just when we have enough money to do an exciting job (like create a utility room) something goes wrong like the car conks out and we have to spend all the money on that instead. So infuriating. Good luck with the windows. Can’t wait to see them.
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Ugh yes isn’t that just bloody life? The amount of crap we had to spend money on in the first year that we didn’t expect like an electrics overhaul and damp proofing, it was so depressing! Thanks so much for commenting X
I feel you with trying to find time to fit everything in… thankfully when we bought our house, they had replaced all the windows.. they are not to my taste but it is not a priority in our house at the moment.. maybe one day, when we save up!! x
It might not be cheap, but getting the windows right is great for the value of your home. Good windows that let in a lot of natural light makes any room so much bigger. Skylights are great for this too, especially for an attic conversion. Sounds like you’ve got some great ideas for the bathroom and bedroom, looking forward to seeing the results!
Hi Lins thanks so much for sharing this – we chose to use the window clinic largely because of your posts about it and 5 windows later (3 to go today!) we are so glad we did. No fuss and the windows look great!
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Oh Valerie, your comment has made me SO happy!!! I love to share recommendations especially of local places and we’re so so happy with ours all these years later! X