skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore Discussions
Building a HomeRenovating
samantha_curtis72

Renovation Costs inc basement lowering

Samantha Curtis
last year

Hello,


I am interested in buying a house in Bath which will be a full renovation project. It is a victorian terraced 4 bedroom house. The renovations required (which I can currently see) include a loft conversion, basement floor lowering and full redecoration of the property including flooring, plastering, new bathrooms (2) a new basement toilet, and a new kitchen. It is a big job!


The part I am most unsure about is the basement floor lowering. Currently the ceiling height is only 1.8m and we would want two thirds of the basement to become a new open plan kitchen/living area opening out onto the garden (which also requires a total overhaul). We would probably like to include a side extension onto the basement to make the area bigger (probably around a 10m squared extension). The basement floor lowering would be around 50 square meters in total.


We are able to spend MAXIMUM 200k on the costs of renovation (with no wiggle room), but would be far more comfortable spending 150k.


Does anyone have any estimates on the costs involved? Am I being unrealistic?


Thank you in advance!


Samantha

Comments (4)

  • tamp75
    last year

    Sorry but I think you’re probably being a bit unrealistic, especially with current prices & in that area. I’d imagine lowering the basement, presumably requiring excavation and then potentially underpinning, specialist builders, etc would be quite expensive on its own. If you did full house renovation (poss new plumbing & electrics?) I think you might be able to do either the loft conversion or the extension but not both, and definitely not the basement. Sorry! But I’m def no expert - just going on our renovations costs 8 years ago. Others might have different views.

  • Samantha Curtis
    Original Author
    last year

    Hi Temp75, Thanks so much for your input. I have a feeling you're right. The past 24 hrs I've been trying to crunch the numbers in more detail and it seems like the basement will just eat up the entire budget. Wondering whether to go ahead without the basement renovation,


    Out of interest, when you say the current prices in that area (Bath) - do you mean labour costs are likely to be very high? I've been overseas for the last 6 years so am a bit out of touch.


    Thanks,

    Sam

  • Juliet Docherty
    last year

    I've renovated six houses and I would be loathe to do a full renovation again due to current costs. I used to estimate what things would cost and was usually pretty accurate. I know now that in some (not all) areas, trades are costing jobs at hugely overinflated prices just to put people off. The problem is that with working from home, wealthy cash buyers are buying houses at inflated prices in all areas and trades are cashing in on the wealth. It's not the case everywhere but it's getting to the point in some areas where the foorprint is the only thing that matters as extensions can be out of the question.

  • tamp75
    last year

    Hi Sam, yes Sorry I meant labour prices are likely to be high. Bath is a lovely place and as such attracts wealth to high-end properties, and with that high-end prices. Materials costs have increased considerably in the last couple of years. Labour costs seem to have too due to increase in demand, amongst other things.

Sponsored

Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore

More Discussions
Authentic Feng Shui Workshop - Angel Times Limerick 27th April 2024
0
reconfiguring floor plan layout and would love help please
2
Interior Material Clash?
0
Single story extension
1
House re-design
0
Ireland
Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.