DIY original repair

In detail: original do-it-yourself repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Own housing periodically requires renovation. The difficulties associated with this are simple and understandable - often it’s just a lack of budget. In addition, the lack of knowledge about a particular technology makes one think about inviting specialists. Nevertheless, the best way to save money on renovating an apartment is to opt for an expensive budget finish and do some of the work yourself.

Before deciding on the implementation of a budget apartment repair with your own hands, you should familiarize yourself with the upcoming difficulties that will surely arise at many stages of work. What are they:

So, having decided on an independent budget apartment renovation, having estimated their own strengths and funds, they begin to work. Here is an algorithm of actions, following which time is spent rationally:

The desired plan rooms. The position of communications - heating radiators, electrical outlets - depends on it. If you like, the space is divided into zones - recreation, active life.
Old coatings are being removed from all surfaces - floor, walls, ceiling. If the windows and doors do not change, then they are also cleaned for the upcoming decoration. For work, you will need a perforator, dissolving liquids, spatulas - depending on the raw materials being dismantled. It is recommended to immediately impregnate the walls with antiseptics - mold is not uncommon in apartments, moreover, such an opportunity is not expected anymore.
Laying a new concrete roughing screed on the floor - without it, it is impossible to arrange a smooth floor covering, partitions, and wallpaper the walls with high quality.
Arrange communications - electrical wiring hidden in the walls, sockets and sockets are brought to the surface. They are installing plastic water and sewer pipes, changing the heating system. If the plan provides for - arrange frames for plasterboard partitions.

Video (click to play).

The room now looks like a rough finish. Solutions vary depending on the previous state of the apartment. It is important to keep in mind that for the duration of the renovation, residents must have the opportunity to have a "alternate airfield" for at least a month. Especially when the apartment is small.

Now the prepared apartment is trimmed with inexpensive materials. For flooring, boards, multilayer plywood are chosen - it is environmentally friendly, inexpensive and beautiful, with appropriate processing. In wet rooms, tiles are indispensable - consider substandard or battle offered in stores. It's always inexpensive or even free.

For walls - traditional wallpaper or painting. The ceilings are whitewashed and painted. Gives an unusual look to a city apartment - drywall. Arches, portals, partitions are made from it. Doors and windows are painted and subjected to many design techniques - they are aged, decoupage, decorated with frosted or mosaic glass inserts. So the work begins:

The repair is over. It remains to give the room a finished look - to install lamps, arrange furniture, lay carpets. Sit on a soft sofa and calculate how much beauty cost you without the participation of professional craftsmen.

We bring to your attention options for budget repairs - before and after photos. Perhaps one of them will come across worthy of repetition.

1. A good mine with a bad game.

Silk made from 100% polyester. Tiles “like stone”, linoleum “like parquet”, laminate “like onyx”, “Trekhgorka” like Ralph Lauren. Porcelain stoneware "python". There is something "artificially aged" ... It's embarrassing to even think about it. Alas, the number will not work. Flip through good interior magazines.There, everywhere, stone is stone, tiles are nothing more than tiles, and wood is just that tree. If you don't have the money for parquet, and plain laminate is beneath your dignity, look for a good engineered plank. The result is a floor that looks much more expensive than the money spent on it. Cement tiles are a good alternative to porcelain stoneware for kitchens, bathrooms and hallways. The result will look a hundredfold more expensive.

2. Leave the ceiling alone.

Everyone has become obsessed with ceilings! If you think sensibly, riveting attention to the ceiling, you only remind everyone of its existence. And according to its height. Ceilings two-sixty high will not turn, even if they crack, into majestic vaults melting somewhere in the unthinkable heights. This cannot be, no matter what "decorator's tricks" promise you. Just accept it. Tall doorways can do much more for your home than a ridiculous five-layer neon-lit ceiling. Let the interior doors be two, say, twenty high. And lower the door handles a little, by five to seven centimeters. By taking a non-standard approach, you will be pleasantly surprised by the result.

3. When choosing paint for walls, think about the movement of color around the house.

Adjacent spaces should contrast. If you have a bright living room, paint the hallway a deep, relatively dark color. The cost of the paint will be the same anyway, and the result can look really expensive.

4. Buy modular laminate cabinets from a store, and order the doors for them in a good carpentry workshop.

This will give you significant savings that, however, no one will ever notice. The same is true for kitchen furnishings.

5. If you do purchase ready-made cabinet furniture, let the veneering of the facades be dark and the panels of the doors simple (rectangular).

Remember, light wood always looks cheaper. Avoid yellowish and reddish veneers. And, saving on the furniture itself, spend on good handles!

6. If you don't have the money for a good carpet, look for a viscose carpet or mixed fibers, imitating a silk or wool pile carpet.

Choose the color and texture that suits you and order a piece of the size you need. For additional little money, its edges are swept with braid.

7. Place the curtains on a thick lining.

Even an inexpensive curtain fabric will greatly benefit from this. Look for fabrics that are 3 meters wide. This provides significant savings. If you are not ready to spend a lot, give up printed textiles (fabrics with a pattern). When cutting fabrics with a pattern, due to the need to properly dock the canvases, a lot of scraps remain. The more rapport, the more waste. Do not use curtain tapes for curtains. Have the seamstress fold in the "hand" folds. It's not that expensive, and the lace-up pleats look very cheap.

8. Set-headset-kit. Identical things in the interior are permissible only in one case: if they are paired things that form a symmetrical composition. Leave chandeliers, table lamps and sconces from one set to those to whom God did not give imagination. For them - sets of upholstered furniture "sofa-two armchairs" and similar tender sadness. For details, see the next paragraph.

9. Ready-made solutions.

Bad news: none. At least for us. The shower room is erected in a building way because it is a room. If you don't run a student hostel or an underground striptease massage parlor, a shower cubicle (it's a sad structure of yellow acrylic and skewed doors) won't work for you. Don't splurge on designer plumbing. Let the appearance of the bathroom fittings (kitchen, bathroom) be dictated by the function. Buy washbasins and faucets with simple shapes, without inappropriate decor. The toilet should be invisible and do its job.Nobody will admire him, right?

10. Paintings, prints, prints, photographs and posters frame in simple but deep frames with glass and always in mat.

Even a picture printed on a home inkjet printer (or a naive child's drawing) looks very significant in such a frame. Play with the dimensions of the mat. Small work in a very wide mat looks very "designer". And by the way, cardboard for a mat can be of almost any color.

11. Comfort. Another collective fetish.

According to my observations, what is called "comfort" in our Palestinians is, in 99 percent of cases, poetic tightness. In many ways, this is a bodily memory of a bygone childhood, of a warm and affectionate meager Soviet life with carpets teeming with saprophytes, a kind grandmother, Czechoslovakian crystal and an unreadable Dreiser in the polished Polish wall "Hanka". All the more comfort will not be added by the expensive devilry such as a round bed with music and a minibar, a bar counter with a built-in aquarium, etc. The same is true of such rich things as a lambrequin, a garland and a swag. Do not worry: in a good, thoughtful interior, comfort inevitably comes naturally. So…

12.… Goodbye, Sera the gypsy!

Duvet covers made of coarse calico in fine Nefertiti, towels in scarlet roses, "ripped-eyed" shades of pillow cases, nylon blankets with Shanghai leopards. All these are attributes of collective farm chic, forgive me for being straightforward. They will not add comfort. Coloring is often necessary for these items solely to hide their extremely lousy quality. Keep linens and bath towels just white (options: ivory, ecru). But from the finest Egyptian cotton.

13. However, with ivory it is also important not to overdo it.

Peach, beige, sand ... The average nuance is good for chain hotels. Because their stenciled interiors are bound to please everyone. You should like your interior. After all, he is a manifestation of your essence, right? Take in your hand the palette fan of any paint manufacturer. Do you feel a pleasant weight? These are your opportunities. Don't miss them!

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You repair associated with high costs and endless mess? In this section of our website, you will find practical tips to help you master the skills of an electrician, plumber and construction worker. Now you do not need to spend money on what you can do with your own hands. Often, repairs are delayed due to lack of funds, but if you learn on your own change sewerage or wiring, then your apartment will become attractive in a short time.

In order for the interior to be beautiful for a long time, you need to learn how to maintain the condition of floor and wall coverings. We have collected useful articles for you on how to care for your tiles, clean your sink, and repair household appliances. Decorate your apartment in the best possible way with minimal investment.

Dear readers, for a long time we have not had such extensive posts-tutorials on apartment renovation. I am pleased to offer one of the reading aids.

This summer we did a phased decoration of a two-room apartment. First, all the furniture and things were dragged into one room, locked and sealed. After the renovation of the adjacent room and kitchen, everything was moved to the finished premises and the remaining room, corridor, bathroom and toilet were completed. In general, it is not the most convenient repair option. Task: to make good-quality inexpensive repairs from budget materials. Terms: June 10-July 24 - the first stage, August 4-September 10 - the second stage. Estimate: 295800r (only work + stretch ceilings) All work, except for the installation of interior doors and the installation of two of the three windows, was done on our own. There are a lot of photos, so I will post as much as I can and free time appears. So, this is how the “object” appeared before us

the parquet fell off by itself, dismantling consisted of collecting it from the floor and folding it into bags.

This pipe leads to the coil in the bathroom.

Here is such a horror object, we dismantle everything that is possible

First of all, the windows are installed, this window was installed by another company with which the customer agreed earlier

a cold cupboard can be seen under the window, and a radiator hangs behind a door leaning against the wall. The logical solution was to insulate the cabinet and install a new radiator in its place.

on the Perlfix assembly glue we glue the extruded polystyrene foam, then the gypsum board on the same glue

Getting started plastering

first of all, we put our branded beacons

in some places we use the combined technology of leveling the walls, from above the gypsum board is glued to Perlfix, and from below the layer is plastered less

Waste plasterboard can be embedded in a thick layer of plaster

we change the hot water and cold water pipes, the piping to the coil, fill the grooves with plaster

When plastering corners, do not forget about 90 degrees, and of course, verticality

we form the entrance opening using a plank box

We install the window sill and slopes

We bought a special grinder for sanding the walls, it connects to a vacuum cleaner, a great thing

before leveling the floors, we fill in all large defects of the DSP floor

We level large differences without beacons with a semi-dry screed

In the corridor we break part of the old screed with a large crusher

vacuuming, priming, making a rough leveling, vacuuming priming.

we divide the corridor into parts using scrap materials.

slippers for “walking on water” are made of OSB, self-tapping screws and a glamorous strap with rhinestones

During the installation of the stretch ceiling, a force majeure arose, the baguette was torn from the wall

And this happened due to the fact that a thick layer of soft seal was laid between the gypsum wall and the ceiling

the cracks were repaired with pearlfix, putty and the ceiling was put on. That is why it is better to stretch ceilings before wallpapering. Another reason why you should stretch the ceilings before finishing the walls is a possible hit during the installation of the baguette into the electrical wiring (for example, as in this video) And finally, even with the most careful installation of the ceiling, there is a risk of damage to the wallpaper, therefore, we glue the wallpaper only after the stretch ceiling, and we lay the floor coverings after them too.
This miracle of technology is called construction stilts, with their help, all work at a height, including stretch ceilings, is done many times faster. In Russia, these are practically not sold, and if they are sold, they are expensive. We bought it via e-bay. We want to buy something else later, but more on that later.

a mandatory attribute for finishing, this is a vacuum cleaner. As they say, cleanliness is a guarantee of quality

Thinking about renovation, we draw up a cost estimate, plan global and minor alterations, decide what materials to buy. But we do not always take into account important little things that can significantly save the costs planned for repairs and help to achieve an excellent result in transforming the interior.

All good things have already been invented by someone, collected and tested in practice. And we have found such a storehouse of information that no designer or decorator can do without. Meet: Julie Carlson, chief editor of the American website Remodelista, which contains all the most necessary and useful in the field of design.

Julie founded this resource in 2007 with her three friends and like-minded people. Since then, the site has been actively developing and is now considered one of the best sources of useful advice in the field of home and apartment decor.
This is a guide to remodeling and remodeling spaces that draws on all-round experience and recommendations for home renovation, taking into account all the subtleties, down to the choice of paint and finishes, color palette and accessories.

Today Remodelista shares with you 11 helpful tips on what to consider when considering renovating your home or apartment.

They say that repairs cannot be finished, they can only be stopped. This statement is only partly true. In order for the rework not to drag on for years, you need to know a few secrets.

Before starting work, carefully calculate your financial capabilities and make an estimate. Go shopping and compare prices - in different chains the same products may cost differently. It is better to buy building materials rarely, but in large volumes - this way you can save on delivery. This is especially true for such versatile materials as putty, cement, drywall.

Try to choose budgetary, but natural materials - as a rule, they look better and more expensive than their artificial counterparts. If you don't have enough money for parquet, lay scrapped wood planks on the floor and varnish them. And tile can be a worthy alternative to porcelain stoneware in the kitchen and bathroom.

High-quality paint and materials required for pre-leveling the walls will cost more than even modern washable wallpaper. Therefore, if the budget is limited, wallpaper will be the best option for decorating residential premises. At the same time, paint is much cheaper than tiles and can be a great solution for a bathroom. But keep in mind that it is better to cover the walls in the bathroom with moisture-resistant paint - the usual one can crack and peel off.

Sometimes a simple and inexpensive option is the right one. Give up suspended and stretch ceilings: these finishing materials are not cheap, moreover, they "eat up" 5-7 centimeters of the ceiling height. Prime the surface and paint with water-based paint. And with the money saved, buy beautiful lamps.

If you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen, it may not be worth replacing entire cabinets. Buy new fronts and keep the back and side walls the same. Also, old cabinets can be sanded and repainted. Complete the look with new handles, mixer and sink and your kitchen will be transformed beyond recognition.

Wall hung toilets and bidets save space, make cleaning easier and look elegant. But keep in mind: in order to fix them on the wall, you will have to spend money on the installation system and work on its installation. Put the toilet on the floor, and instead of a bidet, get a hygienic shower - it will cost much less and take up less space.

If you are ready to abandon the insulation of the balcony, finishing it will be much cheaper. Also, take your time to change the windows: old frames can be compacted and will still serve you. But on electrics it is not worth saving. Cheap wiring on the balcony is fraught with serious consequences, including a short circuit.

Opt for built-in wardrobes over freestanding - this solution is cheaper and saves space. Inside the dressing room, you can place storage systems: screw shelves and hangers directly to the wall, and instead of sliding doors, hang a thick curtain.

Walk through flea markets and read ads on the Internet for the sale of used furniture - sometimes almost new things are unnecessary. And also take advantage of the crisis: lately, many cafes and restaurants are closing and selling furniture. Having bought them cheaply, you can become the owner of a table or chair with history.

Give up expensive designer decor: forging, stained-glass windows, art paintings. Having fantasized, you can do it all yourself: use stencils and paints to apply your ornament on the walls, paint a chandelier or an old vase to look like a stained-glass window, and replace forging with bent metal objects - they look no worse.

As you know, lighting can turn the most boring interior into a mysterious one, or, conversely, ruin the most daring design ideas. But good lighting requires additional costs: for chandeliers you need to lay additional cables, channeled walls and ceiling. And built-in lights will cost even more. Hang one chandelier on the ceiling and place several lamps and floor lamps around the room - the multi-level lighting is ready!

The usual everyday business: the apartment clearly needs repair, but there is little money. How to make an inexpensive do-it-yourself apartment renovation? It seems to be the simplest, obvious way: superficial cosmetic repairs. That is, plywood wallpaper, ceiling whitewash, painting, fixing squeaky floors; possibly - replacement of windows.

However, if we calculate the labor costs and the consumption of materials, it turns out that by increasing the labor costs by half, and the expenditure of money by a quarter, you can give the apartment a completely different look, and for a long time. How much you need to invest specifically depends on the prices in the region, but the general methods by which you can make an apartment cozy and elegant inexpensively are the same.

Saving money when repairing an apartment with your own hands costs, like the Earth in ancient legends, on three whales and a slowly hurrying turtle under them:

We are not afraid of work.Nothing happens out of nothing. Or money or labor.
Wherever possible, we do not change the old, which has lost its appearance, but renew it.
We attribute the maximum savings to the place where it will not affect the quality of work and will not be visible.
We distribute the costs of labor and money in time: having conceived repairs in the summer or autumn, we spend a year on preparation, and then we pile up and quickly do everything. To lay out 200-300 thousand rubles at once is a problem, but breaking them up in parts for a year is quite possible. In addition, there will be time for seven times measure - cut once.

The only area where you will have to invite a specialist is alteration and strengthening of electrical wiring, if it is old and weak. Here, the only way to save money is to negotiate with the DEZ electrician. He will do the work in pieces, in his free time, but the likelihood of hack-work will be even less than that of "branded" specialists: after all, he will then serve all this.

It is better not to save on electrics and wiring, but some points, such as installing sockets, can be done independently.

A good specialized tool makes the job much easier and cheaper. But buying it is expensive. Therefore, it is better to rent a tool as needed. In terms of costs, it will come out a little if you decide in advance on the design and draw up an approximate plan for the production of work for yourself.

The best time of the year for self-repairing an apartment is early and mid-autumn. It's still warm, you can do outdoor work, and indoor work with open windows. And at the same time, prices for building materials will already fall significantly on the eve of the winter calm. Savings without loss of quality can be up to 15% in the sale of summer illiquid assets. If, for example, 200 thousand are postponed for repairs, then the savings will amount to 30 thousand, and this - a hallway or a bathroom - "candy".