30k to spend on house renovation. What would you do?

leftism

Hi guys, 

I've just moved into a house and I'm not sure which job to do first. 
I have around £30k and here's what I'd love to do over the next few years. 
- New bathroom. Current one is fine for now but grotty and old. 
- New kitchen. Same as above. 
- Rear single storey extension with open kitchen. 
- Downstairs bathroom and utility added. 
- Side double storey extension (splitting the extensions into two because we'd have to have so much more money to get them both done at once. So this one will be a few years down the line I think). 
- Full redecoration and plastering etc.

I'm not sure if we have enough money to do the biggest jobs. But, even though it's easier to do the smaller and cheaper ones, it seems a bit silly if things will change again when we get an extension. What would you do?

Mutton_Geoff

If you don't have enough money now to do the extensions then you'll be even worse off if you spend any of the £30k pot on the smaller jobs. Perhaps save more into the £30k and then do the build. Potentially you'll preserve that money by capital increase in house value. Anything else is done for personal reasons or selling and won't return 100% of what you put in.

Ectophile

You won't get very far building extensions with 30K.

You could get a very plush kitchen and bathroom for that money, but it's probably not worth spending that much, especially if you're thinking of replacing them later.

Major redecorating is good before you're settled in.  It's going to be a lot more inconvenient afterwards.  Check whether or not the house needs rewiring before you get the place replastered.  Because electricians digging channels in the walls for new wires can make a huge mess of your newly plastered walls.

MovingForwards

I would carry on saving to get the extension done first, then work through everything else. 

What's wrong with the kitchen and bathroom? I would consider painting everything possible as a temporary makeover, while saving funds (that's what I'm doing).

leftism

Thanks guys. What do you reckon I'd need to get to to get in the ball park for a single storey rear extension with new kitchen? I know a lot depends on size, but the size might depend on what we can afford. It's a pretty standard 1930s semi in the north west. 

Swasterix

Agree with most of what’s been said above. We bought our place in 2019 and we’d always planned to extend it. Having spent a significant amount rewiring/plastering/decorating/kitchen/bathroom/etc. If I was to do it again I’d have done the extension first before the cosmetic stuff and just lived with it for a while.

EssexExile

Live in it for a while, you'll then realise what needs changing and what you are happy with. Some of the things you are planning to change may work out to be fine as they are, something you haven't even thought of might really annoy you and need attention pretty soon.

twopenny

Definitely live in it for a while as Essex said. I've had to do just that because of the current situation and more and it's surprising what you discover. Things you thought you'd rip out immediately can become assets you love, your desired bathroom plan you sought to make fancy, could turn out to be less convienient than the current one.

When looking for a house its surprising what you thougtht was the bees knees is another persons can't live with.

I've watched people ripping the heart out of lovely old houses and gardens. Some things need modernising, some things are just your own idea of perfect.

Make sure you have good electrics, plumbing and heating, guttering. Sound walls & roof. The rest is just whatever you fancy.

Price things up for sure for your ideas but see to the essentials first. After that see what you have left.

Waterlily24

We did the extension first but we had to live somewhere else while it was being done.  The roof was removed completely.  I think it'll probably be better to do the extension first.

GDB2222

I’m guessing that the total cost of the work that you are proposing is in the region of £100-150k. Obviously, it depends on the size of extensions etc. It could easily  be more. Would that price your property out of the local market, so it becomes impossible to recoup the money that you spend?  If so, you may be better off moving to a larger house, if that’s what you need.

leftism

GDB2222 said:

I’m guessing that the total cost of the work that you are proposing is in the region of £100-150k. Obviously, it depends on the size of extensions etc. It could easily  be more. Would that price your property out of the local market, so it becomes impossible to recoup the money that you spend?  If so, you may be better off moving to a larger house, if that’s what you need.

Yes, I thought the whole lot might be prohibitively but hoped I'd be able to do a single storey rear extension for £30k or so. Am I being naive?