To take on a Reno project on my own with a 3 yr old

[Teapotteapot76]

I have recently broken up with my partner and we were due to buy a house together, as ours is very small (which I own).

With inheritance I think that I can still afford the house we have been looking at on my own, but it does need a lot of work and I have a 3 yr old DS. It’s absolutely liveable though and the work can be done very slowly.

Id like to do this because I feel that it would set up me and my son up in the long term in a much bigger home, the extra space will be amazing and it’s in a great area, but I’m worried that I’d be taking on too much. Money would be tight be ok, it’s more about the time and the stress. Also worried that having just gone through a break up, is this too much more upheaval and stress.

As someone who has done one renovation and is currently living in another one - don't do it. Everything costs more and takes longer than you think. It's not worth the stress

If you own the house you currently live in and it's just you and a 3 year old for the love of your sanity, your stress levels and your son's security I would stay put!

A renovation projects single handed with a preschool aged child sounds like one of the levels of hell to be honest.

I'm living in a renovation its really hard. We're halfway through and lost motivation and run out of money to finish it. Everything cost a fortune and we needed to do so much more than we expected to have to do, (electrics and plumbing). We're lucky to have decent trades contacts though.

I hate the kitchen and bathroom every time I walk into them but know they'll cost tens of thousands to put right. The garden is horrible and we need new windows and roof. The rooms we've done are lovely and they make me happy.

If it's perfectly liveable now then is the term reno a bit misleading? Is it more like redecoration? If it's in need of TLC but fine for you to live in and do gradually I'd do it. If it's a full renovation I think it would be a bit much.

I would stay put. So much in your life changing already though I know how tempting it is to have a fresh start and sense of I must get my life in order after a significant break up

If or when you do move on if a place needs a lot of work, more then just redecorating, I would save up or take out a loan to have it all done at once or save up and have each room done one by one as long as the entire house doesn't need rewiring

Unless your a skilled tradesman with lots of tradesman mates to pull favours with I would not take on a huge DIY project. Materials, tools, mistakes, redos and time all cost a lot. I've seen many semi-skilled end up in a cycle of having to repair what they've already done before finishing what they haven't.

Unless you've done it several times before and know exactly what you're doing, then no, absolutely not.

Currently in renovation hell and amazed at my initial naivety when I got myself into this expensive, all-consuming mess.

Your son is 3 and experiencing the breakdown of his family unit. That's a huge thing. I know you want to secure his future, but there's more to life than living in a big house. Now probably isn't the time to hand over all your free time, all your money and all your headspace to a house project. Your little boy is going to need support to get him through an enormous change in his life. Having your full attention and a calm home life right now is just as important for his future as money.

If its livable but ugly ie. Redecorating rooms (wallpaper and paint maybe new carpet) then refitting a tired bathroom and kitchen sometime in the next 5-8 years...

Yeah go ahead.

A proper reno? Damp mould, removing walls. Dreaded plastering??? No chance.
Take whatever you think it costs as a generous estimate and double it.
The stress will also be huge.

Don't be naive and underestimate the cost (emotional time stress as well as £££)
Your family unit is changing - there's only 2 of you. Get a 2 bed small house or a maisonette and have a nice life together

Sorry but there’s no way I would do this in your shoes. Spend time with your boy, he needs you not a big house! Not to mention how stressful renovations are, seriously always more expensive and long winded than you think it will be, it will eat up your time and money.

Exactly this. I have renovated before and agree with every word. However saying that, if the house is big and long term and in a great area I would be tempted.

Decorating- painting, minor repairs do-able.

Building work-avoid.

We moved in with a baby then soon had another. The house was livable, but very much Not Our Taste and had loads of bodges to sort. Some projects went into building work territory and definitely required two people to handle the materials. The heaviest project took years, but it was one we could shut the door on.

Young children take up a lot of time and attention.
DIY/ reno projects take up lot of time and attention.
The two don't mix well.