2nd Hand House - Practical To do list?

superman28

After looking for a year we are getting the keys to our house in the next week. The house is a bit shappy and re-docorating questions aside.

What practical things should I plan out before or during the first few weeks of having moved in to the house?

I am thinking along the lines of

- Getting a electrician in to look at the condition of the wiring
- Locksmith to Change the locks on all the outside doors
- Changing the toilet seats

Any other immediate things people could suggest ?

Thanks,

April 73

Get the boiler serviced & checked.

Clean the chimney if there is one.

Check the attic insulation.

newacc2015

Buy a carbon monoxide alarm if there isnt one.
If there is a burglary alarm. Have it serviced and the code changed.
Check and see if all vents are working to prevent dampness building up if the house is unoccupied
Check and see if that the gutters arent leaking. Replacing a joint could save you thousands in replastering

BTW changing locks is super easy on 95% of locks. It is literally 2 mins of screwing/unscrewing locks and swapping out the lock if you buy the same brand. Also make sure all tradesmen are VAT registered ie no cash in hand and you will get a tax credit
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing_grants_and_schemes/home_renovation_incentive.html

4ensic15

newacc2015 wrote: »

Buy a carbon monoxide alarm if there isnt one.
If there is a burglary alarm. Have it serviced and the code changed.
Check and see if all vents are working to prevent dampness building up if the house is unoccupied
Check and see if that the gutters arent leaking. Replacing a joint could save you thousands in replastering

BTW changing locks is super easy on 95% of locks. It is literally 2 mins of screwing/unscrewing locks and swapping out the lock if you buy the same brand. Also make sure all tradesmen are VAT registered ie no cash in hand and you will get a tax credit
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing_grants_and_schemes/home_renovation_incentive.html

A lot of work does not qualify for a tax credit.

Changing the toilet seats? That's a new one.

4ensic15

Thatcher Sparse Uniform wrote: »

Changing the toilet seats? That's a new one.

Very few people would put in a 2nd hand toilet seat.

4ensic15

4ensic15 wrote: »

Very few people would put in a 2nd hand toilet seat.

Did you ever see a person change a toilet seat in rented houses even more so houseshare where 10's of people have lived over the years and of course there are toilet seats in public places that people use all the time.

I'm only commenting as its not something that would even enter my head to change nor would I now even having seen it suggested. A good clean is all that's needed and save the expense for something more vital.

Mrs OBumble

Thatcher Sparse Uniform wrote: »

I'm only commenting as its not something that would even enter my head to change nor would I now even having seen it suggested. A good clean is all that's needed and save the expense for something more vital.

I 100% agree with you there.

But I've seen other threads here, where people who rent say that they own their own, and always install it when they move to a new place.

Personally I just clean, but people have different approaches!

smallerthanyou

Order bins. They can take 2 weeks to be delivered and moving generates loads of packaging waste. We didn't think to order them before we were moved in.

RupertsHabit

Check the chimney is clear and clean.

sometimes people put stuff up them to block the wind. Or there may be a build up of soot. Dangerous.

the_syco

superman28 wrote: »

I am thinking along the lines of

- Getting a electrician in to look at the condition of the wiring

Did the surveyor bring up anything?

4ensic15

You will need a vacuum cleaner and garden tools as well as other tools for DIY. It is quite a shock to buy the first house and realise that such items have to be acquired.