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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WWYD - put up with house, or move?

19 replies

Saythreehailmarys · 15/02/2023 19:37

Ok bear with me in this one. We bought a house a few years ago which has an amazing location - think a few mins walk to the station and into London in no time at all. It’s a beautiful market town, love love love where it is. It’s not a complete do-er upper, but needs significant work to make it perfect (extension, electrics, etc).

Originally when we bought it we’d planned to do all this work but then covid happened, we lost significant income then had a baby, so funds much tighter than they were. So unlikely to be able to do the house to the standard we’d like.

So my options are - do the house up to a less good standard (instead of doing a proper extension, just putting in a new small kitchen etc). Or move to a less nice area but get more for our money.

It’s probably worth staying I don’t think we’d stay here forever in the long term (small garden, on street parking) but could easily see ourselves staying here for another 10 years or so. Also the house is in an excellent school catchment area atm.

WWYD?

OP posts:
Moraxella · 15/02/2023 19:38

Think of the stamp duty and moving costs..

pippinsleftleg · 15/02/2023 19:40

Moraxella · 15/02/2023 19:38

Think of the stamp duty and moving costs..

Good point

if this is purely a
money decision moving will cost you.

any chance of changing jobs/higher income in the future?

Dox9 · 15/02/2023 19:44

How important is the garden to you? You say it's small and that is one of the reasons you don't want to stay. There's no point in spending money and going through the hassle of extension when the garden is too small even before extending.

Original poster
Saythreehailmarys · 15/02/2023 19:46

pippinsleftleg · 15/02/2023 19:40

Good point

if this is purely a
money decision moving will cost you.

any chance of changing jobs/higher income in the future?

Show quote history

We already earn high salaries but just have a very high mortgage, so unlikely to change much in future..

OP posts:
Original poster
Saythreehailmarys · 15/02/2023 19:47

Dox9 · 15/02/2023 19:44

How important is the garden to you? You say it's small and that is one of the reasons you don't want to stay. There's no point in spending money and going through the hassle of extension when the garden is too small even before extending.

The garden’s not that important to us really, and extending wouldn’t reduce the size of it as it would mean knocking down the conservatory and building an open plan kitchen diner (currently have small narrow kitchen which does bug me a bit)

OP posts:
StillWantingADog · 15/02/2023 19:48

I’d stay put .

ColdHandsHotHead · 15/02/2023 19:49

I would stay put too. Don't overstretch yourselves.

NoseyNellie · 15/02/2023 19:50

Put in the small new kitchen - that way it’s gonna be in better saleable condition if you do decide to move in X number of years BUT it’ll also be much nicer to live in if it’s currently depressingly out of date…

I can think of two families off the top of my head who spent years living with old/crappy/depressing kitchens because they were waiting to extend or knock through and for whatever reason it got delayed or didn’t happen… both say that had they known they would have thrown in a cheap new kitchen in the first place and gone from there.

Original poster
Saythreehailmarys · 15/02/2023 19:53

NoseyNellie · 15/02/2023 19:50

Put in the small new kitchen - that way it’s gonna be in better saleable condition if you do decide to move in X number of years BUT it’ll also be much nicer to live in if it’s currently depressingly out of date…

I can think of two families off the top of my head who spent years living with old/crappy/depressing kitchens because they were waiting to extend or knock through and for whatever reason it got delayed or didn’t happen… both say that had they known they would have thrown in a cheap new kitchen in the first place and gone from there.

That’s so helpful thank you - that was going to be next question, would you put in a kitchen if you might move or extend in future…

As an aside, I am so rubbish at stuff like this! (Adulting, decision making) - wish there was some kind of manual..

thank you all so much you’ve been so helpful!

OP posts:
GettingItOutThere · 15/02/2023 20:01

do the kitchen, make it ok for now. Ok don;t spend a fortune but make it your home. I spent years in one house without a decent kitchen, thought I might stay another year or two and decided for that time I wanted the house as much to "lovely and done" as i could. So i did.

There are ways to do stuff nicely but cheaper. Go to howdens for a kitchen (get a joiner first). or DIY kitchens - there are ways!

Seashor · 15/02/2023 20:12

I too would just put in a new kitchen and stay. I think that unless you’re staying there for ever you might not get your money back on an elaborate one because having no parking will put a ceiling on the value of the house.

LlynTegid · 15/02/2023 20:14

I'd stay, the good school would be a factor in your shoes.

Shinytaps · 15/02/2023 20:22

I would 100% stay put. You can make a house lovely without it extending. Have you watch the £100k House? Old programme but they did amazing things on smallish budgets. Think of the costs of moving and house prices have increased too. I would always go for a good location.

HauntedPencil · 15/02/2023 20:31

Stay put - do what I could for now as cheap as possible maybe respraying cabinets and replacing doors

When the baby is in school abs childcare fees drop out I'd consider the bigger jobs then.

Location would win and I'd rather make do in a long term house than incur 2 more sets of moving costs changing

Original poster
Saythreehailmarys · 15/02/2023 20:32

Shinytaps · 15/02/2023 20:22

I would 100% stay put. You can make a house lovely without it extending. Have you watch the £100k House? Old programme but they did amazing things on smallish budgets. Think of the costs of moving and house prices have increased too. I would always go for a good location.

Ooh I’ve never seen this - definitely going to check it out, thanks 😊

OP posts:
Lcb123 · 15/02/2023 20:36

id stay. Location sounds ideal. Maybe decide what work you could afford, prioritise things that will really improve your lives. Moving is so expensive

Frenchfancy · 15/02/2023 20:47

Stay, and change your Instagram feed for people who have done up houses on a budget, rather than people who have spent a lot of money getting the perfect kitchen.

Your life sounds great where you are. Why would you give that up just so you're house can look perfect on the inside?

ShandaLear · 15/02/2023 20:47

Don’t underestimate the value of being in catchment for good schools. That will be a major factor in a few years wherever you go and since you have them on your doorstep you’d be mad to move. I’d plan on getting a new kitchen - try IKEA or B&Q for some affordable ideas - and consider making the conservatory more attractive and usable. Friends of mine have the most beautiful conservatory with underfloor heating that they use as their dining room the whole year round, so that could possibly be a cost effective option to give you a bit more space.

Anyotherdude · 15/02/2023 22:51

YouTube is great for showing you how to do things yourself, if money is tight, too. The cost of getting people in to do it is eye wateringly expensive close to London.
We’ve learned how to tile and decorate and our hall & stairs cost us less than 20% of what we were quoted by a decorator and tiler(we bought the tiles online)…

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