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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to buy the horrible house next door

295 replies

thegreenlight · 13/04/2022 08:28

We live in a lovely (but small 3 bed semi with no scope to extend) next door has just come on the market - it’s horrible having been rented out by the guy across the road for years and he did the work himself. Our house has an extension, downstairs bathroom and utility. Next door has none of this but massive scope to extend to the back and side. We have never done a renovation before! Do we offer to buy directly from the owner and pay asking (it has been put on sale this morning through a local agent) what should I do? We LOVE our area but can’t afford a ready renovated house. It would mean a real dip in living standards while we do the work. Any advice? Am I being stupid!?

OP posts:
BarrelOfOtters2 · 13/04/2022 08:53

Ah cross post. Yes it sounds sensible. But it’s rough living in a place being renovated. We’ve had 2 years and I can’t wait for them to go.

Also it’ll cost more than you think. Our refurb is sitting at £250k at moment. 2 new bathrooms, single storey extension with new kitchen/diner, the kitchen itself, new radiators in every room, new flooring, some underpinning, decorating. And putting patio round extension and new drains.

Fulmine · 13/04/2022 08:53

Sounds very sensible, provided the house is livable in while you do it up. Only you can assess that.

BelfastMaOf2 · 13/04/2022 08:54

So your current house has already been extended, there is no room to extend further.
The house next door has more space around it than your property does, so therefore you could do an extension that is bigger than the one on your current home?
If you can afford it I would go for it.

Quartz2208 · 13/04/2022 08:55

So you would have to sell your house first - and get enough to put an offer in that he accepts plus have ehough left over to do it up.

To gain what exactly - what does it have that yours doesnt to go through all of that.

Plus I suspect it may be easier for that one to sell that yours and by the time you have a buyer is may well already be gone

Ponoka7 · 13/04/2022 08:56

You would still need a full survey. If you honestly need the space, then go for it. If it's vanity reasons why you need extra space, then I'd stay were you are. I'd ask to view it and see how livable the kitchen/bathroom is. Do you have to keep working full time during the renovations? It will be stressful and if you live in an area were builders are in short supply, it can push a marriage to breaking point. The equity in your house will always be there and it could be a good leg up for your children in the future.

AmandaHoldensLips · 13/04/2022 08:57

Experienced renovator here - be careful of escalating costs and the reality of renovating and extending. It can be a real shock and prices are rising very fast for contractors and materials.

HabitsDieHard · 13/04/2022 09:01

I think it would be very difficult to do, but you will regret it if you don't! So I say, go for it. And good luck!

DFOD · 13/04/2022 09:02

@thegreenlight

Full disclosure - We live in a small 3 bed semi which has been extended 2m out the back to make an open plan kitchen and adding a utility and downstairs bathroom. We only have a meter at the side of our house, no garage to build above. Tiny box room. Next door has no extension at all but has a massive plot. We would extend to the back and side to add another bedroom and increase footprint downstairs. Our house worth £290k + (not had it valued) next door on for £285k (probably due to extension potential) all semi houses in our road with extensions over garage go for £400k + £500k for detached. We have the smallest houses in a VERY nice area. We would sell our house and live in the one next door until we have renovated. We will have some equity to start the process. Have been planning on replacing the kitchen and bathroom in our house anyway. I hope that helps!
So it looks like £110k between your current house vs extended house.

Take out stamp duty, EA fees, legal fees and costs of new work and I don’t think that you would break even.

Why not wait for one of the ones already extended?

BakeOffRewatch · 13/04/2022 09:06

Do it! The value isn’t just the resale potential, you are buying a house your teenagers can live in (or you can live in with them Grin). You’ll have it exactly the way you want and need. And it guarantees you stay in the nice area. When you come to sell the difference between your house and an extended house might increase.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 13/04/2022 09:07

I think you'd be absolutely mad.

Living in a house while it's being renovated is a pain in the arse - and renovations always take way longer and cost way more than you think they're going to.

I would wait, pay down as much of your mortgage as possible and buy a house that's already extended and maybe just needs a lick of paint instead.

We moved into our house six years ago and the renovations still aren't finished. The cost of labourers and materials has shot through the roof and it's almost unaffordable - but our house is perfectly liveable which makes a big difference.

I would also say that even if you arrange for work now, you may not find a builder who has space for you until well into 2023 - all our local firms have closed their books (apart from emergencies) as they just don't have the time to take on any more work at the moment.

Foxglovesandlilacs86 · 13/04/2022 09:11

Do it!

I loved renovating my house, we did everything too to bottom and an extension. Lived here with 5 kids the whole time (had three more since) and it was a bit mad but fine! We ate out a lot Grin

Just about to do it again, our house has sold and we need to find somewhere else.

SafelySoftly · 13/04/2022 09:13

Have you sold? I’d it’s a project you’ll probably find a developer who can pay cash will come and buy it. I think you’re being naive.

And living in a house whilst you’re renovating is virtually impossible with a family. If he’s really done such a bad job of it I’d be worried what comes up in a survey.

Also are you realistic about renovation costs? They’ve escalated over the past year.

RaspberryChouxBuns · 13/04/2022 09:13

Do it!! It's an excellent idea! Good luck!

ILoveAllRainbowsx · 13/04/2022 09:14

@NewHouseNewMe

I don’t know what you would gain by selling yours and buying next door unless there is something you don’t have, e.g. a massive garden. Renovations are costing a fortune right now; see the extensions thread under Property. There are lots of “the architect said £100k, the builder said £200k and now we are up to £300k” stories. Many can’t live in the property while it’s ongoing. Only do it if the return is good enough and there is a significant gain.
This.

It would have made sense 10 years ago, but materials and labour have increased dramatically.

Unless you have very close friends or family who are builders, I wouldn't do it.

Tinkywinkydinkydoo · 13/04/2022 09:23

Does some of the work need to be done immediately before it’s habitable? You need proper quotes of costs, then add extra to it, then if you do purchase wait months for planning permission, then wait absolutely ages for a builder to be available. You won’t be able to just buy and start main work right away. Building costs have practically doubled in the last few years, you may not get very far with all the work you want to do on £100k. You really need to prove it up accurately.

Original poster
thegreenlight · 13/04/2022 09:24

Gosh - seems a 50/50 split! Agggghhh! We always play everything so safe! At least most of our furniture would fit because it’s basically the same house Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
thegreenlight · 13/04/2022 09:26

It’s livable currently but has a tiny kitchen. I’m concerned what we would do for cooking when the whole back of the house gets knocked out!

OP posts:
MRex · 13/04/2022 09:30

@thegreenlight

Not combing the houses - buying next door and selling ours!
Oh, then YABU. It's no different with it being next door than you buying literally any other property at all; you'll have stamp duty and fees to pay as well as the hassle of selling your own house. Forget about it being next door and triple what you think it'll cost to do it up, in time and money. Now does it still look like a good investment? Where will you live when the electricity and water are off?
oioimatey · 13/04/2022 09:30

@thegreenlight

It’s livable currently but has a tiny kitchen. I’m concerned what we would do for cooking when the whole back of the house gets knocked out!
You'd find a way. Everybody who goes through the process finds a way. My sister had her oven in the living room for six months when they extended their house (with a newborn!).

It's boring living in dusty chaos but you get used to it. I'm now out the other side of a renovation with two under two. It was long and full but doable.

Robin843 · 13/04/2022 09:30

Living in a house undergoing full renovation will be nigh on impossible. You say it has a big plot so perhaps consider buying an old static caravan to live in on the plot. Friends did this and it enabled them to renovation a delapudated pair of cottages into the house of their dreams. I couldn't have done it though, it was a horrible 2 years for them

Sweetleftfood · 13/04/2022 09:32

We bought a 2 bed house which could have been a 3 bed size wise, slightly odd layout and have done a loft conversion first and then a few years later a back and side extension. We lived through it and the kids were 3 and 5 at the time. Yes it was a bit of a faff but worked well and now have a 4 bed! I would say go for it, a nice big garden makes a big difference in my opinion.

Kitchen wise, we had a convection micro that we moved into the living room while the back of the house was out of action, and a lot of micro meals Smile

MRex · 13/04/2022 09:32

You can manage a while with fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle if you're renovating rooms. It's access to water and sink space for washing up that's harder than cooking, so look at the bathroom or renovate that with a big sink firsr. If the back is knocked through though then your house isn't secure, water and electricity will need to be switched off for long periods etc; those are bigger issues to deal with.

ExHProblem · 13/04/2022 09:32

Have the conversation with him now and then make a decision, as you’ll then know if he’s happy to wait for you to sell yours, wants a quick sale, happy with asking price etc.

BakeOffRewatch · 13/04/2022 09:35

Steamer for veg and boiled eggs, George Foreman grill for meat and veg like aubergine whilst kitchen is out of action.

Not sure why people are saying it’s not doable, it might not be enjoyable, but a lot of people do it.

Pinkdelight3 · 13/04/2022 09:36

Ah I thought from the OP that you were able to buy it as well as yours. Surely as yours is not even on the market yet and then could get in a chain, there's a good chance that next door will get sold before you can pounce, especially if it's got the development potential you describe. Also when you do put your house on the market, other people will see as you have that the one for sale next door has more potential than yours.

None of which means it's not worth a try if you really want it, but seems like a longshot, and that alongside the costs of building work soaring, I wouldn't be keen myself.