Renovation ball-park costs

Joannaclaire

We have seen a local big house advertised cheaply (well in the scheme of things) that we love. Can't view until Saturday at a block viewing, so assume it will be popular and full of developer types. But we are in a good position with a big deposit and are first time buyers. We realise it needs a lots of work and are hoping to get a friend's dad (a builder) to come along and view it with us to see what needs doing, but thought I'd research a bit first to see what types of costs we are up for.

I was wondering whether anyone had rough ideas of possible costs that you may have paid for similar work or repairs etc, so we can have a rough idea and can then add on 20-30% extra for contingency etc. The house is a 1920s (we think) 4 bedrooms plus an attic room semi in the south east/South London.

As far as we know, according to the estate agents, it is in need of modernisation and very old-fashioned and it needs:

• the back half of the roof needs to be replaced (at least - maybe the whole roof?) It looks like the back roof has been repaired at some stage in the past, as 2/3 of the tiles (ceramic) are a different colour to the rest. Not sure if it needs structural work on wooden beams etc or just retiling...

•rewiring throughout as it is possibly still original

• kitchen installed - only has a 'scullery' (quaint!!) so I am assuming maybe lead pipes and sink and little else? Might need gas pipes moved. Apparently it does have central heating and am so assuming therefore that it has a working boiler.

• a new bathroom (although as long as the old one is functional we can do it up at a later date)

• skim plastering walls throughout

• floors sanded and decorating, but we can do this in theory...

•installing an en-suite in the attic room (also a project that isn't a priority and will be done when we have saved up more oney in a year or three)
Many thanks for your help

theGrinch

Joannaclaire wrote:

We have seen a local big house advertised cheaply (well in the scheme of things) that we love. Can't view until Saturday at a block viewing, so assume it will be popular and full of developer types. But we are in a good position with a big deposit and are first time buyers. We realise it needs a lots of work and are hoping to get a friend's dad (a builder) to come along and view it with us to see what needs doing, but thought I'd research a bit first to see what types of costs we are up for.

I was wondering whether anyone had rough ideas of possible costs that you may have paid for similar work or repairs etc, so we can have a rough idea and can then add on 20-30% extra for contingency etc. The house is a 1920s (we think) 4 bedrooms plus an attic room semi in the south east/South London.

As far as we know, according to the estate agents, it is in need of modernisation and very old-fashioned and it needs:

• the back half of the roof needs to be replaced (at least - maybe the whole roof?) It looks like the back roof has been repaired at some stage in the past, as 2/3 of the tiles (ceramic) are a different colour to the rest. Not sure if it needs structural work on wooden beams etc or just retiling...

•rewiring throughout as it is possibly still original

• kitchen installed - only has a 'scullery' (quaint!!) so I am assuming maybe lead pipes and sink and little else? Might need gas pipes moved. Apparently it does have central heating and am so assuming therefore that it has a working boiler.

• a new bathroom (although as long as the old one is functional we can do it up at a later date)

• skim plastering walls throughout

• floors sanded and decorating, but we can do this in theory...

•installing an en-suite in the attic room (also a project that isn't a priority and will be done when we have saved up more oney in a year or three)
Many thanks for your help

these are estimates based on works I have done previously.

• the back half of the roof needs to be replaced

replace roof in one go £10k to 15k

•rewiring throughout as it is possibly still original

materials £600 and labour £1,800

• kitchen installed - only has a 'scullery' (quaint!!) so I am assuming maybe lead pipes and sink and little else?

this depends on the size and the finish you want and if you are knocking walls down...min £1.5k to £8k....

• a new bathroom (although as long as the old one is functional we can do it up at a later date)

assuming you are not moving the bathroom and straight swap and it is average size, I would say £1k materials and £3k for labour including all plumbing and tiling

• skim plastering walls throughout

£200 per room

• floors sanded and decorating, but we can do this in theory...

£250 per day for sanding (nasty and dirty). £200 per room for decorating.

•installing an en-suite in the attic room (also a project that isn't a priority and will be done when we have saved up more oney in a year or three)

£3000.....you could consider later adding loft room.

Joannaclaire

Many thanks!!! That's really helpful :-) Where in the UK do you work, and do building work prices vary a lot depending on wher one lives?

theGrinch

the cost of building works is similar to the cost of property prices. central london tends to be the most expensive (either due to listed buildings or client requirements). London as a whole is relatively more pricey than say elsewhere in the UK.

I am not a builder, but I use builders during property renovations I do. If you need a recommendation let me know.

By the sound of your original post it looks like you have stiff competition.
good luck!

v0n

Joannaclaire wrote:

• rewiring throughout as it is possibly still original
• kitchen installed incl plumbing, tiling & whole shabang but excl gas
• a new bathroom incl plumbing, tiling & whole shabang
• skim plastering walls throughout & decorating

Guesstimating for 4 bedrooms + lounge + 2 bathrooms + kitchen + hallway, provided house is empty (as in - noone interupts our work because they want to watch Eastenders) and provided there is enough time we could be tempted to do the lot for between £7500-8500 depending on the size and state of the house (labour only/you buy, we fit).

Joannaclaire

Sounds interesting v0n. Guess we'll know this weekend if we want it after veiwing the property, and then I assume a few days after that whether we actually get it for the right price, so might well be interested in a quote.