Costs involved with setting up your first home after you purchase the home

jlm29 wrote: »

Don’t underestimate the costs of all the things you won’t be buying second hand but can’t do without.
Crockery
Cutlery
Kitchen utensils
Small appliances (kettle, toaster, hoover etc etc)
Mop and bucket,
Duvets
Pillows
Sheets
Curtains & blinds

+1 to this, these thing add up a lot.

OP its all about what you value. I'd put a couch on the late-on list, but need a good office chair now. Others would swap these.

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

Check out ikea for things like cutlery, plates, cups, tea towels, pots, pans, utensils and so on. Also linen, duvet, pillows, towels and other assorted nick knacks you will need. They do home delivery if you dont or cant get to there.

Just to add to this, while I think its a good idea to buy some things ahead of time so it doesnt all come as a shock, I'd limit it to items that are purely functional and won't matter what property you end up with.

I did this before I was even sale agreed on my first home and certain things were great to have all boxed up and ready to go, but others just ended up being a waste.

I bought the following and these were really useful to have on day 1;

- pots and pans (arnotts on sale)
- basic glassware (ikea)
- cutlery (arnotts on sale)
- set of good chopping knives (bought good german brand online during a sale)

I also bought some cushions and other soft furnishings that turned out to be a complete waste as I ended up going with a totally different decor scheme due to the sofas I ultimately bought.

I thought I was great because I felt so far ahead but by the time I moved in, quite a lot of stuff had been in storage for maybe more than a year and the more decorative elements just weren't a good buy in advance - I'd advise against buying bits like that until you're only weeks away from moving in. Maybe set hte money aside, but still to really practical basics if you want ot actually build up a stash of stuff.

It might sound crazy but I found by hiring a interior designer I saved a small fortune in the overall costs of kitting out the home and it looked awesome after it was finished. Our's got deals on almost everything and easily paid her fee twice over with the savings.

My daughter when moving into her first flat a couple of years ago used a junior designer and did it on a very tight budget.

Things like TVs only ever get cheaper. Someone might want rid of one who is getting a bigger one. Don't finance something that gets cheaper ever year.
Aldi etc can have toasters, kettles etc, get one before you move if there is a deal.

Not only relatives, but work colleagues and friends will throw in something they don't need or maybe their Granny died. Someone who bought a house two or three years ago will now be moving on from their starter stuff.

I agree re buying kitchenware and some bits and pieces bit by bit in advance.... When there's no pressure on you to have the stuff immediately you have the time to find the best value for what you want. If you leave a lot of the kitchenware to the last min then the pressure is on and you'll end up just buying whatevers convenient.

I had kinda been collecting bottom drawer bits for years so had some dishes etc already bought before I'd even bought a place! haha... But over time as I was going through the buying process I picked up stuff on offer here and there. A lot of my pots & pans (House of Fraser)/knives (Brown Thomas) etc was stuff I loved and waited for a sale to come around.

I was lucky that I already owned a TV & Microwave before I moved in. The apartment was second hand and the previous owners left a few bits in the place - luckily the curtains was one of them so I was able to just use them and wait till I found what I liked with no pressure. They also left the dining set which while I don't LOVE it actually does fine and it's saved me a lot of money having to buy a new one. They also left the appliances which was a godsend! Washing machine and dishwasher were there from day 1. Ultimately had to replace the washing machine but it bought me a little time. You might be lucky to acquire a few pieces if you're buying second hand, but I guess you can't count on it. Perhaps ask during the process if there will be any items included in the sale.

I also agree that the biggest percentage of your money should be spent on your sofa and your bed - but that's just me. Only you know what your priorities are. Def check out places like TK Maxx and House of Fraser is still available in the UK/Online so you could check out their sales and order to parcel motel or something. I've gotten a lot of towels and bed linen in HoF sales. Even having a quick look there now I see towels reduced from £24 to £4! I'd also recommend checking out Asda for homewares. I work up in Belfast from time to time so have been able to pop into their store but they have great prices on things. Unfortunately they don't deliver homewares to ROI but Parcel Motel or similar would sort that. You'll have to adjust to UK site to view their products.

Others have given a guide on prices which is helpful but at the end of the day it comes down to your spending beliefs. You could spend €200 on a dining set or €2,000 and that's down to your tastes and needs.

Enjoy it though.... While it can bring it's own stresses it's also a fun thing to do....

Yeah, this is very true.... I had asked and if I remember correctly I knew they were leaving the appliances but didn't know about the curtains and dining set.... They also left a small glass shelf unit (which is now my bar/drinks station ) and a bedside locker (which is now part of my office set up and has my printer sitting on it! )

Was raging though cause it actually turned out that the washing machine was working fine, the guys who had done work on the kitchen plumbed it back in wrong so when I turned it on the water just gathered in the drum and it didn't drain. It appeared to be maybe 5 or 6 yrs old and I had some money at the time so I just replaced it. When the guys were installing the new one it was only discovered then what the issue was but sure it was too late, they were there with my brand new washing machine already paid for.

also to add to the list, a fire blanket, powder fire extinguisher, first aid kit, combi smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, really important to have these as they may save ur or someone else life or serious injury.

Extension cords and double adaptors! You may need these if there aren't enough power points (for your needs) in a room.

Toilet paper - on the day you move in!!

Iron and ironing board

Lightbulbs!

Hoover/sweeping brush/some type of mop/dustpan and brush.

Take people up on their offers to buy you a housewarming gift of some sort - you can get your crockery and cutlery sets that way, pots etc, small kitchen appliances, towels/bedding, that sort of thing. I would give them a general (not too expensive) price range though so as not to take advantage of their goodwill. No €600 coffee machines!! Keep an eye on sales to direct people towards those for gift purchases.

Quite honestly, you'll find out pretty quickly what you need or cannot do without.

Don't forget garden tools like lawnmower, rake, spade etc. By far the best thing to do is go to household auctions and get everything on the cheap and then replace items when you are comfortable doing so.

I recommend the podcase 'The Home Stretch' to people. It's a 6 part series on buying your first house in Ireland.

As others have said, if there is contents already in the house, ask what price for them all.
When we bought recently, was ex rental.
We asked for a price for all the contents and he asked for €700. We had a limit of €1,000 max in our heads and my own thinking was, it would be a cheap investment to start us off.
Nothing was new, the beds were all used etc but we got: washing machine, dishwasher, (at about €700 for this 2 new of buying new) fridge freezer, table & chairs, chest of drawers, sofa & 2 arm chairs, TV stand, curtains and blinds in all rooms, 2 double beds and 1 single with mattresses.
We tried to move on some of the beds and furniture after a few weeks/months as we gradually upgraded stuff but couldn't give them away on donedeal, had to go to the dump with some stuff.
There is lots of free stuff available.

My advice would be made the bedroom comfortable, make the living room and kitchen comfortable. Add to the rest in your own time. Money is tight when you buy a house so anything you can put on the long finger, do, if needed

I would really try and buy new from the start I know you get some good bargains second hand but for piece of mind I would try an buy new for electricial items anyway.

We bought a leather suite second hand and to be honest it looked like new The lady told us they paid over 4000euro for it and I believe her

Turns out the lady always sat on one seat of the sofa when watching tv and now when you sit on it you sink right down no one in the house will sit on it:):)
but in saying that it definately looks the part

Good luck in your new home op

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

bleach for toilets, couple pairs marigold rubber gloves, disposable cleaning cloths and sponges, toilet brush for each toilet u have, bath/shower cleaner.

Cloths/brush for washing dishes, hand soap, oven cleaner, surface antibac cleaning spray.5l bottle of distilled vinegar, weird one to throw in but mixed with salt and water it kills weeds, mixed with water cleans tough stains, good on chips

.

That sort of stuff adds up when you move in first but then you replenish as they run out gradually. If it was me I’d add a bottle of cream cleaner to that lost for tough stains and bathrooms. You could spend €50 on once off cleaning and laundry materials to start

davo2001 wrote: »

Spend more than €500 on your bed and mattress, a good bed and especially a good mattress are worth there weight in gold long term.

A wise man once said
Always spend big on shoes and beds
You will spend 16 hours a day in one and 8 hours in the other
Spend big on the mattress is my advice

Avoid debt and credit cards while furnishing house. If you need flooring it's the actual extras that catch you. The adhesive, grout and Reims for tiling, the damp seal, underlay, trims and beading. These cost the same whether you but good quality or poorer quality products. If buying wooden floor look for AC 4 or 5 as these are harder wearing and will not mark easily.

A lot of charity shops now have a furniture section some of the furniture can be of an excellent quality. You could pick up sitting room suits, tables, chairs, etc for a few hundred euro. Check second had furniture shops for ex hotel beds the quality will be excellent you will often find odds and ends in both these places as well.

IKEA for all the smaller bits and pieces, from utensils, glasses, tableware, pots and pans to bath mats, curtains, toilet roll holders. But check around other stores as well.

If you are capable a but of DIY such as hanging curtain rails and toilet roll holders you may need some tools. Lidl do a excellent brand in Parkside a batter drill is a must for anything from hanging curtains rails to putting flat packs togeather.

Electric goods some things are a priority, you will need a washing machine, and hob, you will get away without an oven for a while if need be, a microwave, you could do without a dishwasher for a few years if need be. You may come across some bits and pieces on DD. If you decide to buy all your electric goods together got to a few electric shops and most will give you a discount for buying 4-5 items together it might only be 30-50 euro but money is money