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Comments
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ReadingTim wrote: »A functioning bathroom suite is a need. A bathroom suite that isn't (say) avocado is a want. Similarly, glazing is a need. Double glazing is a want.
We'll agree to disagree then. Going back to your comment that prompted mine, an avocado suite detracts from value because houses are available with shiny white ones. No one should be expected to pay the same for different products. So yes, the vendor does 'need' to pay for it by means of being cheaper than recently modernised houses if they want to sell.
If someone chooses to live with an avocado suite because they don't 'need' a better one, fine, but I guarantee you they won't be paying for a shiny white one and happily living with a green one.
Bathrooms are the least of one's worries when a house hasn't been touched in decades. There will be needs to keep the house safe and warm and protect the investment.Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
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The point is that the house will be priced as is....to try and knock money off to replace the bathrooms isn't reasonable.0
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Just bought an old house myself this year but the price reflected the house size, garden etc and although wants modernising this is something to do gradually as we can afford it.
The only thing we needed to budget for:
water leak repair x 2 ! (ceiling/plastering) but that gave us chance to put a new ceiling in kitchen and spotlights!!! - wouldn't have done until we had to though but can't ignore water running through ceiling!!
For us replacing an old gas fire and putting a wood burner was a must - a want but not a need (was about running costs for the house) so our priority was to get the plumbings and electrics/heating up to scratch where we had to
Everything else we can live with - not changing bathrooms or room decor until we have lived in a while
SLM0 -
glasgowdan wrote: »The point is that the house will be priced as is....to try and knock money off to replace the bathrooms isn't reasonable.
No, that wasn't the point made by Reading Tim and it wasn't the question asked by the OP either.
I sometimes think there are people on this board whose entertainment is putting words in OPs mouths for them and then knocking them down. We're supposed to help people as well as entertain ourselves.
The OP knows that the house needs full renovation, bathrooms were already on the list along with some items that took a bit more thought, which already gives the OP more kudos in my eyes than most.
It is absolutely right that they try to consider everything that needs doing and have a guess at what that might cost. And then compare that to the current price of finished houses. And it's better to do that before getting an offer that doesn't cover it all accepted and wasting everybody's time.
G_M suggested that the house would be priced accordingly after Reading Tim said that vendors shouldn't pay for selling with a 30 year old bathroom suite. If the house is already priced accordingly then the vendor clearly is paying for it! Which makes Tim wrong whichever way you lookat it based on his statement.
House buying isn't about want vs. need anyway. It's about want. There's only so many places people can sit at one time. But neglected houses do need work. A lot of it, and it's always underestimated and EAs are usually optimistic with pricing because people don't know how much work costs.Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
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Right, but the OP is asking about what might "need" doing - so it's fair to point out that just because a bathroom is old doesn't necessarily mean it needs replacing.0
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OP can try and knock the price down, but they are really at the mercy of the vendor and they do not have to accept whatever the reason. Depends on their local market conditions"It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"
G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP0 -
Just to add - moving the boiler - our is an old boiler in the sun lounge but works so we are not moving it for now - as it works we didn't expect a reduction in the price.
Wallpaper wise - lots to replace here but only doing as we need to - it is definitely worth thinking about what you can live with for a while - there are enough costs for an old house!!!.
Kitchen - ours is old but functional - and to be honest I would rather live in a house for a while and see how I use it - eventually I will replace it but not immediately (I did spend a few days steam cleaning it though!!)
Windows - see which are the priorities - most of our are double glazed done in 2012 but a few are single glazed and one really grotty bathroom window I just sanded and repainted for now - so its all about priorities.
Does it really need a full re-wire? The last owners of our house purchased it in the 70s and looks like it was last modernised in the 80s so around 30 years ago. Some of the electrics are old - - but we got our electrician round and it doesn't need a full re-wire but some new boards so with a few jobs around £2k - again I wouldn't have taken that off the price as unless it is unsafe then you only need to do as you are changing electrics (we wanted to move some lights as we put in fireplace) so don't automatically think it will cost a fortune.
Also regarding wallpaper - we had to strip some off to put in a fireplace and just borrowed a steamer and used that new house motivation and it was quickly done
Old houses are not for everyone though - I love mine and I love the quirks and the style - I will also enjoy bringing it up to date gradually but not coming in and adding new kitchen, boiler, windows, electrics, carpets just cos they are 30 + years old. Hope you enjoy yours!!
SLM0 -
I've entered a paralell universe.
My best friend's Mum's suite has been in for 30 years. It needs replacing. They use it and it doesn't leak but it's properly grotty. It's entirely reasonable to account for that, along with everything else that has been neglected, in an offer.
No one in their right mind is going to offer the same price for a house with a new suite as a 30 year old one. Even if they are happy to live with it.
This house clearly has more wrong with it than a bathroom suite anyway and the OP has their head screwed on. When did we start taking asking prices as the gospel according to value?Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
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1. Nowhere did I mention that I'm making a list to make a silly offer or to rob the vendors.
2. The house is on the market for say £ X. I like it because of its layout and location. To make it to what I WANT my house to be, it will cost £ Y. If I get a better house for £X+£Y, I might not buy this one.
This will be our forever home. So I WANT to get as many WANTS as possible ticked.
My sincere thanks to everyone who gave helpful inputs
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I am involved in buying and renovating a lot of older houses and from your list, I can tell you that the majority of the things you are saying 'need' doing, will not need doing.
Rewiring - this is the big one, as long as your wires have PVC rather than old black decayed rubber you do not NEED to get it re-wired. It may not meet modern standards, but modern standards are a moveable target. Many people see a survey that says 'does not meet modern standards' and do needless and pointless rewire.
Gas pipes relocationg - This isn't a need, you want to relocate a boiler. You can't ask or expect a reduction IMHO.
New Kitchen - can't comment on this, if its a real grotty thing, worth doing. Not expensive, use someone like Wickes. I would be spending around 600 to 700 pounds, it would look like a 4k kitchen when done.
New bathroom - can't comment on this, if its a real grotty thing, worth doing. Not expensive, use someone like Wickes. 500 pounds unless you real go to town with expensive tiles.
Skimming and painting walls (they are full of wallpaper now) - definitely not a NEED. See how good the walls are first when a small area of wallpaper is taken down. Chances are you will have lime and horse hair plaster underneath, this can look grotty unwallpapered, which is why people cover it. Consider just painting over it in white (emulsion not vinyl) and see how it looks.
Replace ceiling - I am assuming lathe and plaster and its cracked? Do not replace, just plasterboard over it and skim, or use 1m wide mesh (like wide scrim tape) and bond it over the ceiling and skim. A days work per ceiling. Allow 2 weeks before going a mist coat and paint. 125 a day per ceiling for a good plasterer.
Replace windows (single glazed at the moment) - Not a NEED, sorry! But if you are in a noisy area worth doing, if rural and quiet do not bother.
New carpets throughout - always worth doing, not that expensive. I usually get a whole house re-carpeted for 600 quid, fitters cost about 150 per fitting,
Without seeing the property I cannot tell you if you should try to negotiate a price drop or if these needs / wants are already priced in. I think at least 50% of what you think *needs* doing, doesn't need doing at all.0
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