Buying furniture for first-time house buying

mollybird

Im not sure if this is the right forum for this query and please let me know where to go if im not in the right area.

My husband and I are hoping ot buy our first house next year. At the min im looking into doing research on all the things we need for the house and where to buy them.

If anyone has experience in buying things like sofa, beds, kitchen table etc etc for their house could ye let me know (1) where did ye get them (2) what items are fine to get second hand until further down the line that you can get new items.

if anyone knows of any other good forums for this kinda thing id love to know.

thanks

athtrasna

Mattresses need to be new. Everything else doesn't. Don't skimp on cheap mattresses, you spend a third of every day on them

Galwayguy35

Avoid buying leather furniture!

I bought new a few years ago and just forked out €350 to get them back as they were.

MarieOC

Sent you a PM but forgot to mention Pintrest, loads of ideas on "up cycling" old furniture

Arbiter of Good Taste

Sales are great. I got my spare room beds for half price at the Arnotts warehouse sale. Excellent beds and mattresses.

You don't need to buy everything upfront if money is tight. Get a good bed for yourselves and a decent couch - everything else can follow. I don't know anyone whose first house was fully furnished in the beginning.

Also, a lot of places need a lead in period to order and deliver furniture. Could be 12 or more weeks.

Lingua Franca

I agree wholeheartedly with the above regarding a good quality nd clean mattress, only new will do.

Put out a call now for family and friends that you need things. People will hold things or give you things they would otherwise have donated or thrown out. Every curtain and picture frame helps make a house into a home and you can throw or donate anything you don't like.

When we bought recently and moved out of semi furnished rental accommodation we kitted the house out from IKEA mostly, their stuff is cheap, nice to look at, fits in with almost any style, can be customised and is sturdy enough to last until we need to or can be bothered to upgrade them. IKEA is a flipping horrible place to have to revisit though, so choose everything online, make a list and stick to it and bring a huge van to collect everything in one go if that's what you're doing.

We were moving in at Christmas and everyone we know asks to give them lists of gifts we want for them to choose from. That year we wanted a good quality but plain 8 piece crockery set, cutlery set, pots and pans, quilt sets in grey etc. If we'd had to buy them ourselves we'd have had to go for the cheapest possible but our family and friends came through with decent things.

I'd also advise you to set aside some money for the stuff you don't yet know you need. I kept trying to warn my partner that we needed about a grand but since I couldn't explain what it would be for he didn't do it - lo and behold we spent about a grand on tools, toilet brushes, doormats, mirrors (mirrors are considered a completely irrelevant frippery until you go to shave and realise there's literally nothing in the house with which to see your own face), smoke and CO2 alarms, specialist cleaning products, locks, waste removal, ceiling pendants (old owners took every bloody light fitting and bulb in the house)... you get the point.

Arbiter of Good Taste

Lingua Franca wrote: »

I agree wholeheartedly with the above regarding a good quality nd clean mattress, only new will do.

Put out a call now for family and friends that you need things. People will hold things or give you things they would otherwise have donated or thrown out. Every curtain and picture frame helps make a house into a home and you can throw or donate anything you don't like.

When we bought recently and moved out of semi furnished rental accommodation we kitted the house out from IKEA mostly, their stuff is cheap, nice to look at, fits in with almost any style, can be customised and is sturdy enough to last until we need to or can be bothered to upgrade them. IKEA is a flipping horrible place to have to revisit though, so choose everything online, make a list and stick to it and bring a huge van to collect everything in one go if that's what you're doing.

We were moving in at Christmas and everyone we know asks to give them lists of gifts we want for them to choose from. That year we wanted a good quality but plain 8 piece crockery set, cutlery set, pots and pans, quilt sets in grey etc. If we'd had to buy them ourselves we'd have had to go for the cheapest possible but our family and friends came through with decent things.

I'd also advise you to set aside some money for the stuff you don't yet know you need. I kept trying to warn my partner that we needed about a grand but since I couldn't explain what it would be for he didn't do it - lo and behold we spent about a grand on tools, toilet brushes, doormats, mirrors (mirrors are considered a completely irrelevant frippery until you go to shave and realise there's literally nothing in the house with which to see your own face), smoke and CO2 alarms, specialist cleaning products, locks, waste removal, ceiling pendants (old owners took every bloody light fitting and bulb in the house)... you get the point.

I kind of like going to Ikea

This poster makes a good point. Ensure you make it very clear when buying, that all fixtures and fittings are included. They might be crap, but you can upgrade later.

Lingua Franca

I liked going to IKEA until I had to go three times in three days and have had to continue visiting regularly picking up bits that weren't essential to begin with but became essential fast, like wardrobes. My advice to choose online and buy all at once is from the heart!

And yep, the previous owners had a thing for chandeliers and had let us know they would be taking them but we didn't establish that they would replace them with basic pendants and so we got a shock when we first turned up to our new home to find it in utter darkness and with bare wires dangling everywhere.

mollybird

Thank ye each and every one of ye posters. Such brillant advice. the house we are renting at the min is mainly kitted out in ikea stuff which is fine ot look at.

our biggest cost will be the bed as my hubby is very tall and we need a super king size bed. will def get a new mattress as some of ye have advised.

We will be in and around the dub area id say e.g swords, bray, etc etc ya im well able to drive teh vans with B licence so wouldn't be a bother to me.

tigershould

if you're buying new you will notice that a lot of home and DIY stores have their sales around bank holidays - make use of the sales. Nothing worse than paying full wack and then the stuff is on sale a few weeks later. M


and I reiterate the 10 week lead time for some furniture (sofas beds etc) - we ended up undecided on fabric colour until we got our keys and spent 8 weeks in an inflatable sofa (€50 Argos) it was fun!

Also if buying from the likes of DFS, make sure thy don't fleece you for the extra "insurance" and "sliders" "fabric protection" - it's all worthless. They added them into my order without my knowing and it took a big fight with the store manager to resolve. (Once you sign their "contract" they hold you to it) - in fact avoid them at all cost.

patsypantaloni

Agree with everything above, but just wanted to mention where to get good second hand furniture. We bought a new house last year, got two sofas second hand on adverts.ie for 200€, and a fab extendable dining table and 8 chairs on donedeal.ie for €400 (would have cost over 1200€ from Ikea!). There's some really good stuff online just to get you started

MarkAnthony

http://www.freetradeireland.ie/

You can get furniture for next to nothing until you can afford the idea stuff.

When buying always use a credit card as opposed to a debit card or cash, if they have their own interest free finance that will do also just keep an eye on the T&Cs.

If a company goes under you'll have the protection of the line of credit.

on_my_oe

I'd second the 'bank holiday sales', and also a lot of furniture places let you put down a deposit and pay it off before delivery. We brought new build, so had a good idea when we would need our household goods, and paid it off over five months.

There's a decent oxfam near the cineworld.

Also adverts.ie etc are worth the chance, especially if you've got somewhere to store it until it's needed.

Good luck!

Definitely, definitely get a decent mattress

mollybird

Have ye any recommendations where to get good prices for a mattress guys? wouldn't know one place from the other. really out of my comfort zone with all this stuff. hahaha

know we not near having the ball rolling on getting a house but when we do i want to be able to get mattress in x place, kitchen table in Y place etc etc and have all the research done by then. seemed to work when i was organising my own wedding so fig it would work for this too.

MarkAnthony

mollybird wrote: »

Have ye any recommendations where to get good prices for a mattress guys? wouldn't know one place from the other. really out of my comfort zone with all this stuff. hahaha

know we not near having the ball rolling on getting a house but when we do i want to be able to get mattress in x place, kitchen table in Y place etc etc and have all the research done by then. seemed to work when i was organising my own wedding so fig it would work for this too.

Don't order anything until you've got the keys. So much can go wrong.

Then only way to buy a mattress is go and try it.

maynooth_rules

In the same situation as yourself. had priced most things I needed for the house but its the odd hundred here and two hundred here that are making this difficult. Got our dream bed but had to do some serious negotiating to get it under €900 all in. Having trouble getting the ideal furniture, a 3-1-1 grey fabric, in our price range, preferably under 1k.

enfant terrible

maynooth_rules wrote: »

In the same situation as yourself. had priced most things I needed for the house but its the odd hundred here and two hundred here that are making this difficult. Got our dream bed but had to do some serious negotiating to get it under €900 all in. Having trouble getting the ideal furniture, a 3-1-1 grey fabric, in our price range, preferably under 1k.

Any recommendations for a bed and mattress?

miezekatze

We got about 80% of our furniture at Ikea, most things are just way cheaper there than elsewhere and we didn't have a great furniture budget. Got the kitchen at cash & carry, and our sofa was a former display model that we got for a great price in a more upmarket shop. Definitely keep an eye out for sales, and you don't have to furnish the entire house immediately either, just get the essentials at first.

mirrorwall14

For good sofas, we got a finline furniture deal. If you go to the showrooms, they have another area out the back with sofas that were made and not paid for etc. We've had ours four years now and it has worn very well

Roselm

tigershould wrote: »

if you're buying new you will notice that a lot of home and DIY stores have their sales around bank holidays - make use of the sales. Nothing worse than paying full wack and then the stuff is on sale a few weeks later. M


and I reiterate the 10 week lead time for some furniture (sofas beds etc) - we ended up undecided on fabric colour until we got our keys and spent 8 weeks in an inflatable sofa (€50 Argos) it was fun!

Also if buying from the likes of DFS, make sure thy don't fleece you for the extra "insurance" and "sliders" "fabric protection" - it's all worthless. They added them into my order without my knowing and it took a big fight with the store manager to resolve. (Once you sign their "contract" they hold you to it) - in fact avoid them at all cost.

I actually found DFS very good.Furniture seems very good quality. Have had it just 2 months now.
They have 0% finance option which we went with.

DoozerT6

Lingua Franca wrote: »

We were moving in at Christmas and everyone we know asks to give them lists of gifts we want for them to choose from. That year we wanted a good quality but plain 8 piece crockery set, cutlery set, pots and pans, quilt sets in grey etc. If we'd had to buy them ourselves we'd have had to go for the cheapest possible but our family and friends came through with decent things.

I'd also advise you to set aside some money for the stuff you don't yet know you need. I kept trying to warn my partner that we needed about a grand but since I couldn't explain what it would be for he didn't do it - lo and behold we spent about a grand on tools, toilet brushes, doormats, mirrors (mirrors are considered a completely irrelevant frippery until you go to shave and realise there's literally nothing in the house with which to see your own face), smoke and CO2 alarms, specialist cleaning products, locks, waste removal, ceiling pendants (old owners took every bloody light fitting and bulb in the house)... you get the point.

+1 on keeping money aside for incidentals you may need soon after moving in, unless you have stuff bought and put aside already. I'm talking about things like replacement locks/keys, an iron and ironing board, hoover/mop/sweeping brush, the aforementioned mirrors, even extension cords for anything with a plug. Speaking of which, do you have things like a kettle and toaster, small microwave, a couple of pots and pans to get you started, cooking utensils? Even a few Tupperware boxes for freezer storage? These smaller items are things that could go on a mental list for well-meaning friends and relatives to gift you when you move in, as people will likely ask you 'is there anything you need?'

An also +1 on a new, good quality mattress. And don't forget the added expense of putting in a burglar alarm if you choose to do so.

Oh, and don't forget Bargaintown for basics. I got my kitchen table and chairs there a good few years ago, they're still grand. I also got a good replacement orthopaedic mattress there too. They also do sofas and bedroom furniture etc. It might get you started.

happypants

We bought our house just before Christmas. I second what people have said about mattress' we got a king size bed and a double for our spare room for a fantastic price from this place (link below) we went for a deluxe matress they offer and I can honestly say it's the nicest bed I've slept in! Even if I stay in a hotel now I still prefer my bed at home! Check them out, they make the beds to order and deliver. Ive since seen the same bed for almost double the price I paid.

https://m.facebook.com/pages/Mattress-Louth-Sean-Sweet-Dreamzzz-Handmade-Irish-Beds/1566351850255070

Also join the local buy and sell pages on facebook, we got a glass top dining table and 6 chairs for €60! It's lovely and will do until we can afford to upgrade it. People sell loads on the pages.

Try littlewoods.ie for sofas too, Google some discount codes to use at the till. We got a corner sofa with a matching arm chair for our main sitting room and a two & three seater for our lounge all for €1600. They always have lots of sofas on sale. We paid cash upfront but I think they have a finance option.

We went from room to room and made a list of what we'll need such as kitchen and bathroom bits, Ikea is great for those bits and bobs such as toilet brushes, tin openers, mugs, plates etc the cost of all those types of things do add up. We bought a lovely side table unit and tv stand from there too. They also have fab mirrors for really reasonable prices.

Argos seem reasonable for beside lockers and again ikea are good for lamps.

Adverts.ie is great for second hand stuff too. I plan on replacing some of our doors with glass panel doors so I'll be looking on there when I have some money together.

All the best with the move!

mollybird

One thing im wondering all right. How long can you be waiting to move in once you have been handed the house keys?

Roselm

mollybird wrote: »

One thing im wondering all right. How long can you be waiting to move in once you have been handed the house keys?

Depends on if you need work doing.It'll vary from house to house and on how perfect you want it before you move your stuff in...

on_my_oe

Try this guy for mattresses https://www.facebook.com/liquidationfurnitureshop I didn't see it until after HN delivered, but I paid €1095 for a king, and they have the same one for €500 (still haven't told the OH). Also there is another guy called big mickeys who is on boards and is very popular.

DFS have a showroom clearance at the rear of blanchardstown shop.

There's a furniture liquidator in Santry and Coolock which is good; I paid €200 for a chest style coffee table, which DFS was selling for £495.

maynooth_rules

Need to buy all my appliances this week, washing machine, integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher, oven and hob and maybe a tv. Which shop would be the best to use, and which would I have the best opportunity to haggle with. Probably getting them in Carrickmines so between Power City, Currys and Harvey Norman. From wondering before Harvey Norman seems the priciest. Was hoping to hold off till the June bank holiday as there may be offers but need to buy next week

athtrasna

maynooth_rules wrote: »

Need to buy all my appliances this week, washing machine, integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher, oven and hob and maybe a tv. Which shop would be the best to use, and which would I have the best opportunity to haggle with. Probably getting them in Carrickmines so between Power City, Currys and Harvey Norman. From wondering before Harvey Norman seems the priciest. Was hoping to hold off till the June bank holiday as there may be offers but need to buy next week

Arnotts Warehouse sale is on in Santry this weekend, could be a good place to source some of these.

http://www.arnotts.ie/content/Warehouse-Sale/2482

cleopatra11

Big Mickey ( am being serious) just outside Longford is the best for beds. Free delivery too. He is a joy to deal with. There is a thread somewhere on Boards about him.

mollybird

Don't worry guys i won't be buying anything till i have keys. i just want to have all my info in order so when the day comes we do get the keys i just have to go and order everything from the places i decide. Just want to be extra organised as there will be alot going on

looking like it could be a year if not a bit more before that day comes so have loads of time to be checking everything out.

Roxee

Was in your position two years ago.

Beds wise, google is your friend. I knew I wanted to spend a bit to get a decent pocket sprung mattress so went to Frank McGowans in Swords to see a quality selection - narrowed it down to one, took the name and model, then stuck it into google. The very nice Respa mattress (and base) that would've cost about 1300 in McGowans came up online in a less fancy place on the Long Mile Road for about 800! Was able to order over phone knowing it was the exact same bed, came off the same conveyor belt in the Respa factory.

So I'd recommend doing your research in that sense.

Both couches were second hand from Merchant's Market in East Wall. The main one is so handsome, was barely used, really well made, massive (8ft long, really deep) and was 100 quid delivered! Had it steam cleaned professionally - sorted. The smaller one was same situation, and 60 quid. I was so chuffed with both of these, saved a silly amount and they're lovely couches to look at. Other furniture was picked up second hand or handed down from parents (and isn't rubbish, I take huge pride in my decor.)

Look at Merchant's Market, Irish Liquidators in Tallaght, adverts.ie - there's SO much great furniture out there. I like that my furniture has a bit of a story and wasn't once flat pack in a cardboard box.

But don't mess with the bed

Santa Cruz

athtrasna wrote: »

Mattresses need to be new. Everything else doesn't. Don't skimp on cheap mattresses, you spend a third of every day on them

Excellent advice. Always buy good shoes and a good bed. If you're not in one you're in the other