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Original poster

Would you get a run down house and renovate or a done house

67 replies

metronome1 · 19/04/2020 17:28

Hi all,

There is me, dh and 2 young dc (toddlers). We bought our current house before dc and are quickly outgrowing it (2 bed). We want to stay in this town as this is where family, friends and nursery is and its in between our work places. Unfortunately it's quite an expensive place to live and you don't get much for your money. We are OK money wise at the moment with a small mortgage and can therefore afford days out, holidays etc which is something we are keen to maintain.

To get somewhere bigger here we would be stretching ourselves. We don't earn massive amounts and I work part time and wish to continue to do so, at least until the youngest is in secondary school.

We could afford a 'done' 3 bed. This would be smaller than our dream forever home but we have to be realistic, as much as I love to day dream otherwise. The 3 bed would be in a nice part of town.

However, a 'run down' 5 bed has come on the market. It's in a less desirable part of town but still OK all things considered. It would need fully gutting and modernisation. We would be up to our limit, so would not have much money immediately to renovate and would therefore have to do it room by room, while living there and it could take some time. The thing is it fills me with dread thinking about working, looking after two small children all while living in a building site, but I can see the potential of this house and feel we could make it a wow house and our forever home.

What would others do? Does anyone have experience? How was it? Worth it in the end?

OP posts:

TyrionsNextWife · 19/04/2020 17:35

How long of a time frame would your finances allow to get it done, would you be looking at months or years?
Personally I would go for the renovation, as long I knew I would be able to afford it all eventually. Short term pain, long term gain and all that

cosmo30 · 19/04/2020 17:36

We're currently in a house that needs complete modernisation, very old school. It has a lot of potential and we're slowly getting there. But it isn't fun living in limbo and getting things done when we can. I just keep telling myself it will look so lovely soon and will all be worth it !
Do you like diy etc normally?

TyrionsNextWife · 19/04/2020 17:36

Meant to also say that I’m currently renovating my house while living in it, and it’s a pain but now I’m starting to see results it’s been worth it!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement

Original poster

metronome1 · 19/04/2020 17:47

Thanks for the replies.

It would take at least a couple of years to do I think.

It would be mainly dh doing the work as I'm rubbish at DIY.

I do have family who own a building company who would do the work as cheaply as possible, but they would only do this as and when they had time as obviously they have to do 'proper' jobs first.

We have time to think long and hard with the current situation, so will be discussing it at length I think. Dh wants to go for it. He is optimistic about what it entails I think. We have barely had time to put a shelf up recently.

OP posts:

KittenVsBox · 19/04/2020 17:50

How bad is it?? "Not to my taste, but structurally sound with decent electrics" is a different kettle of fish to "unusable bathroom, needs new windows, floorboards and rewiring".
The first I'd do in an instant. The second I'd hesitate about.

MyDcAreMarvel · 19/04/2020 17:50

Do you plan to have more dc? If not it is pointless to have bedrooms you don’t need in a less desirable area. Plus all the work.
All a “ forever home” needs is enough room for you family.

Mangosocks · 19/04/2020 17:53

I bought a DIY type place, never again! If I move again it's going to be into a new build! Some of the rooms are lovely now but living out of boxes and constantly having something to do in the house is so draining.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 19/04/2020 17:53

Location, location, location though.

Lightsabre · 19/04/2020 17:54

Nicer area would trump bigger place for me.

user1497207191 · 19/04/2020 17:57

Having had a "done" house, I'd never have another. Whoever did it up must have been a bodge-up merchant (or employed bodgers). We've ended up having to do everything (literally everything) again over the first 10 years we owned it. It looked fine, survey came back fine, but scratch the surface and it was all fur coat and no knickers.

We've needed it rewired. New boiler. New radiators. Lots of new radiator pipework. Needed a new gas fire (original one was fitted wrongly despite a Corgi certificate and nearly killed us). New double glazed windows, new front/back doors. New conservatory.

It's heartbreaking to have spent weeks and months redecorating it only to have it all ripped apart for new wiring/pipework to be installed and having to do it all over again.

Far too many DIY bodge-up merchants out there, so we'd never buy another "done up" house. For us it will be a doer-upper for us to strip back and get it all done properly.

redeyetonowheregood · 19/04/2020 17:58

We bought a fixer upper 11 years ago. It still isn't fixed up! But that is because my husband's business went through a very bad time and we got on to a lot of debt. That and it turns out he hates DIY (and isn't as good at it as I would like. Nothing ever looks well done, or well finished...).

If I could afford to have my house done up by professionals, I would, but as it is, I am loath to let my husband do much more because nothing ever gets finished.

So, I would go for the done up finished house in your position!

TinklyLittleLaugh · 19/04/2020 18:00

And yep, we were the bright eyed pregnant couple who bought a doer upper. Absolute nightmare.

We have bought new or nearly new in all our subsequent moves and used the free time saved from renovations and constant upkeep to focus on our business and our family. It has worked out very well for us.

Don’t be afraid to have your little ones sharing while they are small if it buys you time for finances to improve. We had kids of 7, 5 and 2 all sharing at one point. They were perfectly happy and often had “sleepovers” with each other long after they got their own rooms.

Flatbellyfella · 19/04/2020 18:51

Go for the old house, needing work doing. I bought a run down Bungalow, and did it up room by room over three years , I also did a total revamp of the outside too, removed chimney, paved a big patio , layer a new lawn etc.

fussychica · 19/04/2020 19:00

I thought you were going to say a doer upper but in a great area, then it would be no contest and I'd go for it. However, if that's not the case I probably wouldn't with 2 small children. We've done up several places but our DS was 10 when we took on the first one. Our last one was our present home 8 years ago. My DH wants to do another one but we are in our 60s so I'm not sure I'm still up for living in a tip.

Original poster

metronome1 · 19/04/2020 19:08

Thanks again for the replies. I have just been sharing them with dh.

I'm usually optimistic about most things but it's such a big decision and one we cannot go back on. Dh is usually the practical one who can be pessimistic at times, but in this case it's the other way round. He keeps saying it's only this and only that needing to be done

I don't know how much actually needs doing (such as the electrics) we would obviously need to look into it properly as it's just a thought at the moment, nothing has been put in motion.

I know the of current owner through family and they have lived there years and years (longer than I have been alive) and they seem to be living there comfortably.

I do have to admit that I find living in mess very stressful. Being on lock down with two young children has been hard in terms of keeping the house tidy and clean and I have not enjoyed that at all. I go to bed stressed because of the mess so I do need to take that into consideration. Luckily I'm working out of the house this week.

Also despite only working part time, I do bring work home and often work well into the night once the children are in bed so we do lack spare time to do DIY.

We keep passing the house on our daily exercise and every time we talk about will we do x and what if we did y and z.

OP posts:

Cherrysoup · 19/04/2020 19:15

I’ve done up a couple and I’d want professionals in, not someone doing it between their own job. My DH recently put in a new kitchen in between working full time, he did an amazing job, but omg, I wish we’d just got in a couple of fitters and sod the expense. It took quite a while, although may not have looked as brilliant-he is very innovative and had some brilliant ideas along the way.

Sushiroller · 19/04/2020 19:16

If the 5 bed was in dream location I'd say maybe...

As it is I'd say no, especially with 2 small kids (unless of course you have 100k to stay in an airbnb and renovate it fully before moving in)

Just make sure that it was renovated to live in (likely to be quality build with nice finish) not renovated to sell (most cost effective solutions and possible corners cut)

Original poster

metronome1 · 19/04/2020 19:20

Sorry I should add about the area. When I say less desirable I'm probably being a bit mean.
Basically there are a couple of pockets in the town that are very sought after, think huge expensive houses, with a few very nice smaller ones in between (area 1). Then there is a middle ground a bit cheaper in terms of house prices but by no means rundown (area 2).
Then of course there is what people would refer to as the run down part, which is where we live now (area 3). We find it OK here but would obviously prefer to be in the 'better' areas. Doer Upper house is in between area 2 and 3.
Also i should add the whole town is nice anyway so the run down areas are probably not as bad as most would imagine.

OP posts:

tontie · 19/04/2020 19:22

I would always chose a doer upper not a massive one but I am comfortable with knowing it will take yrs as I like a project.

DianaT1969 · 19/04/2020 19:23

A friend who did this regrets not having the money to do the big ticket rooms first. He wanted to do the kitchen and bathrooms, but put them off a couple of years until they had more money. In hindsight, he says he would beg, steal or borrow to get them done first.

Alsohuman · 19/04/2020 19:24

It would be the do-er upper for me every time. Have the house exactly the way you want it and make some money in the process. It’s a no brainer for me.

Sushiroller · 19/04/2020 19:26

Where is the 3 bed, in area 1 or 2?

I don't know why I ask I still vote for 3 bed... 😂
I think the only thing that would swing it was if the 5 bed was detached)

Pineappletree33 · 19/04/2020 19:28

Always a doer upper for us. I’d hate to buy a done house.

gonewiththerain · 19/04/2020 19:30

I’ve done quite a few up. It depends how much needs doing. Room by room is very difficult but if you can live downstairs and do upstairs or live in half and do the other half. Makes it much easier for wiring and plumbing which are bound to need doing.

The mess is generally horrific and a lot of life has to be put on hold, I’m still eyeing up my next project though.

RoseMartha · 19/04/2020 19:32

I would also consider which is better catchment for schools you would like to send your dc to.

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