advice for a doer-upper

2 years ago

I am off to a view a house on Wednesday. It’s a house that will need modernising in terms of re-fitting a kitchen and bathroom and “some remodelling”.

I had never considered a doer-upper but this house has a lot of potential - 2 large bedrooms, an upstairs bathroom, a downstairs wet room (that I have thought could be a utility/WC) and a generous sized garden that is well maintained. I do have friends/family in the trade business that could help me out.

The estate agents told me that the reason for sale was that the owner had passed away. All the rooms are unfurnished and all have the original floorboards.

I will be a solo buyer.
Please could I have your opinions based on the photos whether you think the house will be worth it or whether it’ll be too much work?

I appreciate it will be difficult to make a decision based on photos but any preparation before I view it would be really helpful!

Featured Answer

Becci C

2 years ago

I would go for it! Looks like a really nice space, and a lovely big sunny garden too!

Husband and I have just bought a doer-upper and while it is a bit overwhelming all the work we have to do and living in a barely liveable house in the meantime, the space and location are worth it and it’s an opportunity to have a house exactly how we want it.

As long as you can afford to do the work and can cope with low living standards while you do it (or have someone to stay with!) then go for it!

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Comments (12)

Daisy England
2 years ago
Go for it. You are already aware that it’ll need work doing. A nice decent size for the kitchen which will probably take up a fair percentage of your budget but worth it in the end
Abbie
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks :)
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Juliet Docherty
2 years ago
It's hard to say if it's a good investment, the only thing to do is to compare prices of similar sold ones that are done up with the cost of renovating this one. It looks as if it needs everything doing including new windows so the original floorboards are really not much of an issue. I would say if it has lots of light and a good garden then it's worth considering.
Jonathan
2 years ago
You should take one of your favourite tradespeople along for their opinion.
I suspect you will get rid of the wet room to have a great kitchen diner to the garden, likely new doors to the garden, a new kitchen and bathroom, rewiring, some replastering, flooring and decorating….. this would be a £35k bill for most people but it would be good to find out if your family connections can drive that cost down much.
Your builder should also give you an opinion on the state of the roof and windows and chimneys and any damp which could add to the renovation cost.

You then need to be realistic about its value when done- remember although it’s great to renovate exactly to your taste you mustn’t pay over the odds for that privilege and you want the property to be worth more than you have spent on it when you have done to justify the effort and risk.
PRO
Nest Estimating Ltd
2 years ago
Hi Abbie, we recently provided a first time buyer with a budget cost estimate for similar works. The budget cost estimate provides a detailed breakdown of works and expenses as well as highlighting potential areas where you can save money. They were then able to determine whether they wanted to go ahead with the purchase of the property. If this is something of interest please send the plans and photos to hello@nestestimating.co.uk and we can provide you with a quote.
penniejb
2 years ago
If you are spending money on renovation/refurbishment, it is worth taking into account how long you hope to live there. If it is just a couple of years, unless you get the place for a really low price, it probably isn't worth spending a lot doing it up. If you intend to be there for 10 years, the pleasure you get from living there comes into play.

We bought a house that needed a massive renovation but it will be our forever home. We estimated (pretty accurately as it turned out) what the renovation would cost and knew that if we had to sell at the end of the renovation, we would probably only just break even - and may even have been out of pocket. However, given we hope to live here for the next 20+ years, it really doesn't matter, particularly as some of the cost was to future-proof the place. At the moment, if we sell, we would gain significantly on our investment but in 10 years' time, who knows?

So how long you want to live there is quite an important consideration.
Lynda Stables
2 years ago
I was totally distracted by what is in the left hand side of the first kitchen picture. What is it? It looks like a dead stuffed dog but why is it there?
pollyfleck
2 years ago
Remember to cost for the hidden things like rewiring, replumbing and heating. also check roof and damp. you dont show the outside, but harling can cause problems too. also if you are going to live there for some time, absolutely everything doesnt have to be done at once. good luck with your decision.
Julian Cheese
2 years ago
Get a copy of or commission a survey so you know what needs to be done first. I agree with pollyfleck you don’t need to do everything all at once as the layout looks ok.
Abbie
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks everyone for your comments! I viewed it yesterday and it ended up being way too much work. I’d probably have only been in it for 5 ish years if that so it definitely wouldn’t have been worth it

In regards to the dog - I have no idea !!!!!
Margaret Van Orden
2 years ago
Go for it! I bought a similar sized house 3 years ago in similar condition. I really enjoyed doing it up. Houzz and Pinterest were so helpful. Before making an offer I did some rough calculations and worked out what it was worth to me and what it would be worth when completed. I spent about £35K including re-wire, new kitchen and bathroom, installed a downstairs wc. I treated myself to a fancy bath and kitchen sink but saved in other areas by shopping around and doing the easier things like decorating myself. Live in it for a little while if you can before you start as you may change your mind about some things like I did. Good luck!

advice for a doer-upper

Becci C

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advice for a doer-upper

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AbbieOriginal Author

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