The boxes are in. The kettle’s found. And now you’re standing in a house that’s yours but doesn’t quite work yet — no curtain rail in the bedroom, a wobbly bannister, and a TV leaning against a wall.
None of it is urgent. All of it is annoying. Here’s a sensible order to work through it.
Week one: the safety basics
A short list, but worth doing before anything decorative.
Change the locks. You’ve no idea how many keys are out there — previous owners, family, an old cleaner, a builder from 2019. It’s the first thing most people mean to do and the first thing they forget.
Test the smoke alarms. Press the button on each one. If they’re silent or missing, sort that this week, not next month.
Find the stopcock, fuse box and meters. Not a job exactly, but you’ll want to know where they are before the night something goes wrong. Take a photo of the meter readings on day one.
Check the loo seats, taps and toilet flushes. Small stuff, but these are the things you’ll notice every single day.
Week two: making it liveable
The jobs that turn a house into somewhere you can actually settle.
Curtain poles and blinds. Usually the first real request in any new home — especially in bedrooms and anywhere overlooked.
TV wall mounting. Frees up floor space and gets the cables tidy.
Shelves. Every home needs more than it has.
Rehanging doors that stick, and adjusting anything that doesn’t close properly.
Reassembling furniture that came apart for the move — beds, wardrobes, that flat-pack unit that never quite went back together right.
Week three onwards: the finishing touches
Once you’ve lived in the place a little, you’ll know what actually needs doing.
Filling and touching up marks left by the previous owner’s pictures
Mirrors, artwork and heavy items hung properly, on the right fixings
Bathroom sealant if the old stuff has gone tired
Draught excluders, door handles, cupboard doors that don’t sit straight
Garden bits — a gate that drags, a fence panel that’s loose
A tip that saves a lot of hassle
Write a list as you notice things, and do them in one batch.
Nearly everyone deals with these jobs one at a time, weeks apart. It’s the slowest and most expensive way to do it. Keep a note on your phone for a fortnight, then get the whole lot sorted in a single visit — it’s usually a fraction of the cost and it’s done in an afternoon.
What about the jobs you shouldn’t do yourself?
Some of it — anything involving gas, and quite a lot involving electrics — has to be done by someone registered, by law. It’s worth knowing which is which before you pick up a screwdriver.
FAQ
What should I do first when I move into a new house? Change the locks, test the smoke alarms, and find the stopcock, fuse box and meters. Everything else can wait a week.
Is it cheaper to book several small jobs at once? Usually, yes. Booking one visit for a batch of jobs is nearly always cheaper than several separate call-outs.
Can someone reassemble furniture after a move? Yes — beds, wardrobes and flat-pack units are among the most common jobs people book after moving in.