refurb on £10k...any ideas?

raeble

I wouldn't waste money on fitted wardrobes, unless you really want them. They take up a heck of a lot of space in a room. It is usually cheaper to get a flat packed free standing wardrobe.

Knocking through so you've got a bathroom including wc is a good idea. There's nothing wrong with the cheapest suite, just so long as you get a metal bath instead of a plastic one. Try looking at your local plumbers merchants, they usually have a list of fitters they recommended. Generally compete with the big boys on price for suites, and choice is usually pretty good.

I might have missed this but are you going to be living in the house or are you doing it up to sell?

Oh and Kitchens, get a takeaway kitchen from somewhere like wickes - ie you can just go in and pick it off the shelves. You will save a lot of money, there's no point a fortune if it isn't going to be increasing the value.

Ask an estate agent what you should do to increase value, also check out the property ladder books.

What's the matter with the doors? Are they the original doors? Don't spend money changing them unless they can't be painted and look really out of place.

happygolucky_4

don't get too hooked up on the change of rewiring regulations. What the building inspector doesn't know about he can't judge - bit like most DIY

Biggest selling points on a house are - new (if poss) kitchen and bathroom, light, painting, light, carpet, light, tidy garden and light. Get as much light in the place as possible, take down all net curtains, blinds, and dark curtains. Paint the rooms in fresh pale colours and put a light (but no too light) carpet down, add a cheap kitchen and bathroom, Job done!

theGrinch

thanks. some great ideas here.
for the record, I want to sell my house when done

raeble

Ok, from all my years of watching property ladder the one thing that you have to remember above all others is "It's not what you like, it's what the vast majority of buyers will like." It is frightening how many people forget that on that program. ::)

theGrinch

yes that is important to appeal to the widest market.

I have had 20 suggestions, all very reasonable. I will have to put them all up

ocemeer

are you selling it furnished or not?
Mirrors can help make a pokey room seem a lot bigger and can help with making the room seem a lot lighter. If the bathrom suite is fairly new you could just update it with new fixtures and a lick of paint.
Might (not too sure) be cheaper to hire a man with a floor sander to do all your floors, his equipment is normally in better condition than any hire gear, he clears up after him and is likely to be a lot quicker than the average person at doing it.

robowen

thanks. some great ideas here.
for the record, I want to sell my house when done

You should have said you were planning to sell it for profit from the beginning :-/

We could have come up with a list of far better ideas than the ones we have posted.......for a small fee of course ;D ;D ;D

p.s, leave the loft insulation idea. no-one in their right mind would turn down a house they like because of the loft not being insulated. (good idea if you plan to stay...though !) ;D

theGrinch

profit is given as I thought the profit motive is why most transactions occur ;D

Wishfairy

You should have said you were planning to sell it for profit from the beginning   :-/

We could have come up with a list of far better ideas than the ones we have posted.......for a small fee of course   ;D  ;D  ;D

p.s, leave the loft insulation idea.  no-one in their right mind would turn down a house they like because of the loft not being insulated. (good idea if you plan to stay...though !)   ;D

Come on then Rob it's not to late to dazzle us with your brilliance!

I've just bought and will be investing around the same amount with the intention of selling in 3 years.

robowen

Its very dificult to give specific advice without seeing the type and condition of the property in question.

However, last house I refurbed , I put a new roof on, new hardwood d/glazed bay windows, driveways and walkways paved.
These combined with the usual rewire and replumb.

I never decorated the house. I made it clean and tidy with new wood architraves and skirting.

There were 3 houses in the street. Mine sold instantly I put it up.

I asked why they wanted mine, they told me it was because all the big jobs and messy jobs had been done. All that was left was to decorate, which they would have had to do anyway if they moved into the one across the street.
Big seller was the roof - guarantee of no problems for years.
windows were different from the usual upvc crap - again new, so problems for years.

Of course, I found buyers who wanted to decorate themselves, you may find buyers who want the house finished.
But bear in mind, there are people like me who would never buy a house from someone who had plastic windows fitted the week before.

What else are they covering up up before selling ??