Full renovation for £40k?

TripleH

Parents converted their garage into a cottage for about £43K.

It was 2 storeys, well built coachhouse with electricity already connected but a shell.

The builder uncovered enough York stone slabs and beams under the concrete floor that he needed for other restoration work to do a deal. Oh it was about 2009 and my father did provide consultancy services for the company.

[Deleted User]

TripleH said:

Parents converted their garage into a cottage for about £43K.

It was 2 storeys, well built coachhouse with electricity already connected but a shell.

The builder uncovered enough York stone slabs and beams under the concrete floor that he needed for other restoration work to do a deal. Oh it was about 2009 and my father did provide consultancy services for the company.

That's a very long winded way of saying "no".

Silvertabby

[Deleted User] said:

Doozergirl said:

warwick2001 said:

I remember a while back there was a 'Homes under the Hammer' episode set in a lovely Cumbrian seaside town (I sharn't name it, just in case the owners of said house visit here). 

The house was bought by a married couple that 'fully renovate' unloved houses, they did the work, and then the show did the end bit when they get the estate agents in to show how much they've improved the house. In the show, the house looked absolutely fantastic, it was an old Victorian town house that had been modernised, using, apparently, 'top of the range' materials, no expense spared etc etc

When we were looking to move last year, it just so happened that this house was for sale, so we popped round for a viewing. It was quite the eye-opener. The quality of finish was absolutely shocking, paint lines not straight, most of the woodwork was chipped, stained and had splats of paint all over it. The 'hugely expensive' parquet flooring looked like it had been installed by a blind person, I couldn't believe how bad it looked. The bathroom fittings were the budget range from Travis Perkins (nothing wrong with that, but on the show they said 'top of the range'....hmmmm). It just looked awful, and had we bought the house we'd have had to start again from scratch. 

Just goes to show, don't believe what you see on TV

I cannot watch Homes Under the Hammer, like my paramedic friend can't watch Casualty.  

The TV would be out of the window it makes me so angry.  The presenters talk rubbish, let alone the 'developers'.  Literally painting over cracks.  

That seems to be the normal way houses are renovated in the UK. It only has to look nice long enough to sell, then it's someone else's problem. Goes for used and new homes.

Nothing new.  When we were house hunting in the early 1990s it was easy to spot the ones that had been 'house doctored'.  They were the ones who had painted over all the wallpaper, including the paper dado strips (very popular in the 80s!).  Would have been a nightmare to strip off and re-do properly. Plus we did think  - what else have they glossed over?

Rosa_Damascena

Nevertheless, I found this programme to be entertaining viewing. I want mates like the presenters have.

plumb1_2

Rosa_Damascena said:

Nevertheless, I found this programme to be entertaining viewing. I want mates like the presenters have.

I very much doubt the presenters have mates like that, it’s made up tv.
Giving false hope to the general public, and when they get quotes for work there double what the program generalised. Then blame builder’s for trying to rip them off.

stuart45

People will work really cheap to get their face known on TV.  It can have the benefit of much higher prices for them in the future. The team on DIY SOS team used to work long hours for low wages, but they could charge big money for future jobs. 
My daughter told me they get thousands of applicants for reality programmes. They are picked more on a screen test than ability in the job.

[Deleted User]

Silvertabby said:

[Deleted User] said:

Doozergirl said:

warwick2001 said:

I remember a while back there was a 'Homes under the Hammer' episode set in a lovely Cumbrian seaside town (I sharn't name it, just in case the owners of said house visit here). 

The house was bought by a married couple that 'fully renovate' unloved houses, they did the work, and then the show did the end bit when they get the estate agents in to show how much they've improved the house. In the show, the house looked absolutely fantastic, it was an old Victorian town house that had been modernised, using, apparently, 'top of the range' materials, no expense spared etc etc

When we were looking to move last year, it just so happened that this house was for sale, so we popped round for a viewing. It was quite the eye-opener. The quality of finish was absolutely shocking, paint lines not straight, most of the woodwork was chipped, stained and had splats of paint all over it. The 'hugely expensive' parquet flooring looked like it had been installed by a blind person, I couldn't believe how bad it looked. The bathroom fittings were the budget range from Travis Perkins (nothing wrong with that, but on the show they said 'top of the range'....hmmmm). It just looked awful, and had we bought the house we'd have had to start again from scratch. 

Just goes to show, don't believe what you see on TV

I cannot watch Homes Under the Hammer, like my paramedic friend can't watch Casualty.  

The TV would be out of the window it makes me so angry.  The presenters talk rubbish, let alone the 'developers'.  Literally painting over cracks.  

That seems to be the normal way houses are renovated in the UK. It only has to look nice long enough to sell, then it's someone else's problem. Goes for used and new homes.

Nothing new.  When we were house hunting in the early 1990s it was easy to spot the ones that had been 'house doctored'.  They were the ones who had painted over all the wallpaper, including the paper dado strips (very popular in the 80s!).  Would have been a nightmare to strip off and re-do properly. Plus we did think  - what else have they glossed over?

Had that in a property. It was recommended by two of the people doing quotes to just put plasterboard over it. It's so hard and messy to remove, just put board over it. You lose a few centimetres of space and have to re-do all the sockets, but on the plus side if you need more of them you can add a spur on a spur on a spur, or just extend that light switch to where you want it.

Same with woodchip wallpaper, board over it.

Doozergirl

stuart45 said:

People will work really cheap to get their face known on TV.  It can have the benefit of much higher prices for them in the future. The team on DIY SOS team used to work long hours for low wages, but they could charge big money for future jobs. 
My daughter told me they get thousands of applicants for reality programmes. They are picked more on a screen test than ability in the job.

My husband was offered a Channel 5 series as lead builder few years back.  To be fair, they came looking through the FMB. 

By the time we'd paid two people, he'd have had £100 a day including petrol to do the jobs.  Badly as well, because it was a 5 days turnaround and the three of them wouldn't really have been enough.  

He turned it down.  Even with the publicity, you want to be able to do the best job.  No point in the publicity if people saying your work is rubbish.  

stuart45

DIY SOS used to do some real lash ups in the early days. When they weren't shooting the camera crew, sound engineers etc. used to jump in and help with stuff like the painting. They were following the plasterers around with a tin of emulsion. The jobs were only finished enough to get the camera shots. Things like connecting up the drainage for a new kitchen were left.

Rosa_Damascena

stuart45 said:

DIY SOS used to do some real lash ups in the early days. When they weren't shooting the camera crew, sound engineers etc. used to jump in and help with stuff like the painting. They were following the plasterers around with a tin of emulsion. The jobs were only finished enough to get the camera shots. Things like connecting up the drainage for a new kitchen were left.

That's awful, particularly as the families they pick have real needs and can't be left high and dry. 

I'll need to catch up on this weeks episode of "Worst House" but saw Changing Rooms this evening. One of the designs was said to be Art Deco (a style that I love) but must have felt like walking into a Battenberg cake!