Tarting house up prior to selling, what's worth doing?

Arfa__

I'm planning on putting my property on the market and moving up the ladder. Its a mid terrace small ex-council house.

I started decorating the hallway a couple of years ago, but it still needs lots of work (kids for you). Walls are bare, unprep'd plaster, exposed wood bare ready for varnish, banister is missing (blame last owner, but already brought bits to replace), no carpet on stairs (varnished floor boards elsewhere). Figured all this is worth sorting, since its mostly superficial, cheapish todo and its the first thing that hits you on entering. Would you agree?

Now the front of the house is a bit crap, paint work is terrible and peeling all over. Uncertain of rendering condition underneath... Front door/frame, again peeling paint, some trim/moulding on frame damaged. Door itself is sturdy, frame only mediocre condition. Figured I could strip this all down, replace the superficial trim/moulding, treat it and paint it all up to a decent condition. Worth doing? or blatantly obvious I'm hiding crap?
What about the exterior render/paint? How much is this likely cost to get tarted up (repaint or total re-render) and will it be worth it regarding sale price?
The rear exterior of the house is a bit dirty (white paint), but in good nick. Quick easy way clean it up?

The rest of the house is in reasonably nick and all bar the main bedroom, recently decorated. Drive way, front path etc and back garden are all pretty tidy.

Lastly, only half the windows are double glazed. One of which have condensation between the panes. Does this mean it's knackered, any remedies? With these online valuations, do I tick the double glazed box of not?

Running_Horse

No amounts of coats of paint are going to mask any structural work that needs doing.

I would not accept the description "double glazed" for any half hearted botch job.

Arfa__

Running_Horse wrote: »

No amounts of coats of paint are going to mask any structural work that needs doing.

I would not accept the description "double glazed" for any half hearted botch job.

I wouldn't quite go as far as botched job, they had been installed prior to us moving in (8 years ago). I suspect they're just old, budget models and the previous owner must have only been able to afford to do some of the windows. Albeit this does include the biggest windows at the front of the house and the back door.

Granted, I don't want to hide a cowboys next. Hence I ask, should the render need replacing how much that would be, and should it happen to be OK, how much a re-paint would be.

mlz1413

If this first view of this house is a half stripped hallway then I would definiatly spend the time to put this into a presentable condition. The quickest way is probably to put blown vinyl over what you have.

Bare wood could just be stained with a light stain to give it a fresh look - light stain will mean new owners can re-do darker or just varnish to their taste.

a cheap carpet on the stairs is well worth the investment and putting the banister on will help a lot (I know I hate stairs with no safety)

Problem with gloss paint on the front of the house is either needs doing well or not at all, gloss is not forgiving.

I would leave it there, tidy and useable but if you go much further you may as well stay.

If only half the windows are DG then you need to describe it as part DG or PVC windows where stated. I would leave the misted unit and see what comments you get.

LandyAndy

You couldn't find enough time or money to finish decorating a hallway for two years.

You've allowed other major decorative items to deteriorate considerably through neglect.

Now you're going to rectify it all quickly in a whirlwind of activity.

I think you may have your hands full and then some.:rotfl:

Arfa__

Ooooh, the hand bags are out today!

Yeah bit crap really. To be fair in those years I have decorated two kids rooms and our lounge. Both with sanded/varnished floors. All interior doors/frames have been stripped, washed and varnished. Build garden shed (+ base), re-grassed lawn and sorted some raised beds. Have supported wife giving up work, to have two kids (now 3 and 1 year old), complete a Masters (Medical Ethics & Law) and sort out research proposal for PhD (just been accepted for scholarship!). I guess priorities have been on wife's study and kids, getting their rooms done and garden for them to run around. The fronts been ignored, as its only used for parking car... !!!! happens, pah! that's life.

sunshinetours

MLZ posts sums it up pretty well IMO although I would replace the misted D/G unit - its cheap to do and prevents any questions