1970's 'executive' house in a nice village, BUT...

vansboy

Now, your thoughts n feedback please, all!!

OK, our last house was 1 turn of century detached which we extended, spent a lot of effort in 'doing it up' & everyone liked what we achieved in the end, before selling it, so we think we're pretty much able to cope with the next place we move to.

Finding something suitable is, as everyone knows, is hardest bit!!

ANYWAY.... today we viewed this nice location, verrrrry tired, but sound, 1970's 'executive' 4bed, spacious, but boring & virtually as it was from when it was built, kitchen/bathroom & layout wise.

So all things considered, a good opportunity, to bring it up to date, but looking for ideas on how to make it less of a 'box' .

A new porch & entrance doors - currently, it's just a single timber glass top n bottom nothing door - poor first impression!!

Windows, will replace but similar style.

Kitchen & bath - obviously new styles.

It's just the boring square outward appearence to deal with!!!!???

& a lovely galleried stairs & landing, with just 2 4'' thick timber barriers around it for saftey - what would you put in place of this - looks like a piece of fence railing.

Don't get the wrong idea, this WAS a very smart home for someone, when it was new!!

Just kept thinking Abigails Party all the time we were there!! That'll mean something to Moneysavers over 40!!

Hints n ideas welcome!!

VB

brazilianwax

vansboy wrote:

Just kept thinking Abigails Party all the time we were there!! That'll mean something to Moneysavers over 40!!

I adore Abigail's Party, and I'm under 30!!!!

vansboy

Al Mac - I should have said, we intend to do a full refurbish job - luckily, we can put up with living here, till we're done!

But that really goes against what I always say, that it's best to work out where everything goes, THEN change things. So living in it would be best!

Only it's been empty - but not trashed - for 18months, so not easy without some work, first.

VB

Dragon_Lady_3

When you fit the new windows. How about looking at the ones that give a bay window impression. You can do this to just the front, it softens the outside appearance of a house.

Just a thought, but it works. The hosue opposite us had it done 3 years ago and it really changed how the property looked overall.

mountainofdebt

One thing to bear in mind that bay windows are v.expensive to fit, not only because of the size of the thing but generally becuase they fall in to the trap of having to have thickened glass becuase of the distance from the floor.....or is that just ours,lol!

moonrakerz

How about some nice stone cladding !

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

peterg1965

What is the price like? Does it reflect the work that needs to be done to it? How long has it been on the market?

vansboy

As far as price is concerned, they've got it on £375 originally, now £350, but nearest comparison, in much better condition, was recently for £310 - sold for ????.

You could quite easily spend £30000 on it, as it really hasn't had anything done since built. Original bathrooms & layout & kitchen still same.

So no the price isn't reflecting it's true worth - on sale since 2005, it seems. The wife died, the husband moved away & it's been empty since. Not even sure whats prompted it's price reduction, or listing with another agent, but that's where we're at!

VB

ka7e

Externally, there are lots of ways to remodel your house. But anything too extreme may offend planners and neighbours.
Wreck to High Spec

Why not embrace the "boxiness"? Make the house look minimalist and 1960's with large plain windows! Inside, make it open-plan, keep the stair rails and decorate with neutral colours with bold splashes of colour.

Personally, having always lived in Victorian/Edwardian houses, I would relish the thought of clean simple lines (straight walls :rolleyes: ) and low-maintenance exterior.

stolt

ka7e wrote:

Externally, there are lots of ways to remodel your house. But anything too extreme may offend planners and neighbours.
Wreck to High Spec


thanks for that link to the website, some good ideas on there.

nearlyrich

We bought a 1970's house that had been done up with chintzy curtains flowery carpets and wallpaper, not in keeping with the lines at all. We had the same stair rails! after several years of slowly getting it to our taste and reflecting the era the house was built we have just about got our perfect home.

We put wrought iron spindles across the landing and down the stairs, not too olde worlde just simple and modern they look much better than the farmyard fence as I used to call it.

We have huge picture windows with a great view across the valley, until September we were sitting with our backs to it because that's how it always was.

Take your time to work out what you want to do to it, we have been at this one for 14 years LOL.