Falling in love with a house but how much will it realistically cost to renovate?

LWCARAB

I'm in Essex.

Decomorphosis

Are you intending to do any of the work yourselves?

I'm currently living through this - renovating a 1936 3 bed maisonette in SE London that probably was last touched in the 1970s and it is exhausting as I also have to work during the week! On some days I wish I'd never bought it, and on other days I find that D.I.Y can be very fulfilling and self-satisfying. You will certainly never be lost for things to do at weekends! But if you intend to do much of the easier (dirty) work yourself, be sure that you want to make the long term commitment.

Definately build in some contingency into your budget as once you strip the place down you won't really know what you'll find. E.g. I just spent the bank holiday weekend chipping all the tiles off in the bathroom in prep for a refit, only to find that the plaster behind the tiles is blown and turning into sand, so that has to be removed and I'll have to find a plasterer! And I'd thought it would be a straight re-tile job!!! You can't really estimate the unexpected and those hidden costs.

LWCARAB

Decomorphosis wrote: »

Are you intending to do any of the work yourselves?

I'm currently living through this - renovating a 1936 3 bed maisonette in SE London that probably was last touched in the 1970s and it is exhausting as I also have to work during the week! On some days I wish I'd never bought it, and on other days I find that D.I.Y can be very fulfilling and self-satisfying. You will certainly never be lost for things to do at weekends! But if you intend to do much of the easier (dirty) work yourself, be sure that you want to make the long term commitment.

Definately build in some contingency into your budget as once you strip the place down you won't really know what you'll find. E.g. I just spent the bank holiday weekend chipping all the tiles off in the bathroom in prep for a refit, only to find that the plaster behind the tiles is blown and turning into sand, so that has to be removed and I'll have to find a plasterer! And I'd thought it would be a straight re-tile job!!! You can't really estimate the unexpected and those hidden costs.

I'd do most of the stripping myself and decorating too but would have to get someone in to do the plastering. I think the plan would be to work on the back of the house first (including double glazing) and that would give us enough space to live in while we did the front later on.

sashman

remember to you are required by law to install c rated or better now, and to register the installation with LABC or comp person scheme like Fensa

sashman

tpt

ormus - really did make me smile