How long is a piece of string?

NervousYetFeisty

How cheaply can you do up a house?

Install new gas central heating?

A new bathroom?

Get rid of and make good a hideous false, disco-style ceiling made up of plastic panels concelaing strip lights?

Replace the dilapidated shower (built into a large cupboard)?

There are two houses we're interested in. One is in pretty much tip-top condition (perhaps the central heating and windows could do with updating but they have plenty of life in them yet and the whole house has been very well maintained from what we can see). The other is a dog. Somebody put a lot of work into it sometime in the 70s and that was it. Thing is it's in the same terrace, with the same layout, as the nice one and has an asking price of £10k less. Our offers on the nice one (which we really, really want) have been rejected so we're considering settling for the other. But how much is it going to cost to get in a decent condition?

It's a 20th C terraced house, with three good sized beds, two receptions.

Cosmetically we'd get in there with some white emulsion and a floor sander (no way could we afford carpets). We can live with the kitchen, perhaps do an Ikea job on it.

Yes I know this is a "How long is a piece of string?" question but any ideas would be much appreciated. :snow_grin

alanobrien

Depends how much work you do as opposed to buying in help.

For instance if it were me for the heating i would plumb in all the wet side and then get the boiler fitted and system commisioned by a corgi approved installer.

Likewise i would do the bathroom and shower myself
although its worth noting that any new electric circuit has to be to spec and certified so maybe have to employ a sparks for that. However overall this would still save 000's.

Buying in labour to do it i would expect to pay something like 3 to 4k for heating, and similar for the bathroom/shower.

Obviously this is dependant on the quality you buy and where you are in the country.

On the plus side if you do go the route of buying the lower cost place, at least you will put in want you want.

NervousYetFeisty

Thanks Alan.

I think if we could do the major stuff for under £10k we might consider making an offer - going by your guesstimates perhaps that's not unrealistic.

Having said that, you mention getting a sparks in which of course reminds me that the wiring is probably pretty ropey too. So there's another expense :rolleyes: