Transforming a Southampton Property for Rental Success

This Southampton-based project involved a comprehensive overhaul of a property to prepare it for the rental market, driven by the urgent need for rental income to fund the client’s mother’s care home fees.

Initial Assessment and Planning:

Upon our initial visit to the property, we conducted a thorough assessment with the client to understand their requirements, budget, desired level of finish, and the critical time constraints.

Front Bedroom Transformation (Illustrative of All Bedrooms):

FRONT BEDROOM BEFORE — Front room before

The “before” state of the front bedroom, typical of all bedrooms in the property, revealed dated 1970s decor featuring wallpapered walls and hazardous polystyrene ceiling tiles. Recognizing the significant fire risk and the release of toxic fumes associated with these tiles, their immediate removal was paramount. This revealed extensive damage to the underlying plaster, which was found to be crumbly and in disrepair, necessitating a full re-plastering of the walls.

Time for Essential Drying:

Adequate time was allocated for the newly plastered walls to dry completely. This crucial step prevents future paint adhesion issues and is essential for other aspects of the renovation, such as door installation, which can be hindered by high humidity causing the doors to swell.

Priming for Success: The Mist Coat:

plastered wall ready for painting of a property in southampton — Fresh plaster

Once the plaster was fully dry, a mist coat – a diluted solution of the chosen emulsion paint – was applied. This vital stage creates a strong bond between the new plaster and the subsequent paint layers, preventing poor adhesion and cracking.

Painting Progress:

freshly painted room in a property in southampton — Freshly painted

With the preparation complete, painting commenced, quickly transforming the rooms with smooth, freshly painted walls in neutral, rental-market friendly colours (as seen in subsequent images, though not explicitly detailed in the provided text for the front bedroom).

Staircase Safety Upgrade:

staircase painted in southampton before and after — Staircase spindles before and after

The original staircase banister featured horizontal rails with dangerously large gaps, failing to meet current safety regulations. These were deemed a priority for replacement to prevent small children from becoming stuck or slipping through. The outdated banister was removed, and new vertical spindles were installed, adhering to the regulation specifying a maximum spacing of 98mm. This ensures a safe environment for future tenants.

Living/Dining Room Refresh:

The living and dining rooms also received attention. Recognizing that the existing wallpaper was in good condition, the client opted to have it painted over. This addressed a darker border and provided a general freshening of these living spaces.

Kitchen Enhancements:

state of the kitchen before the repaint job in southampton — Kitchen Before the repaint

kitchen after the repaint job — Kitchen repaint After

The kitchen saw a similar approach, with the walls being painted and the existing cabinets and window frames undergoing a deep clean. Fresh silicone sealant was applied around the countertops to improve hygiene and appearance. Critically, the standard glass in the window separating the kitchen and dining room was removed and replaced with safety-compliant toughened glass.

New Internal Doors Throughout:

At the client’s request, all the internal doors throughout the property were removed and replaced with new white grained moulded 4-panel doors featuring modern chrome handles. This upgrade significantly enhanced the aesthetic and provided a more contemporary feel to the interior.

This comprehensive and timely refurbishment has successfully updated, decorated, and made the property safe and appealing for the rental market, ensuring a crucial income stream for the client to support her mother’s care.