Have you bought a house that was a bit of a project?

[msfreud]

So today I viewed a house I had convinced myself I loved just from looking at it online. It had the perfect layout for my unusual requirements (a psychotherapist wanting to start a practice from home) and a good location.

Alas, the photos online painted a much prettier picture than the reality and it looks like it would require a fair bit of work. At least:

• a completely new kitchen and all appliances
• potentially new boiler
• downstairs old laminate ripped out and replaced (ideally with bamboo or another affordable hardwood, or a good quality laminate at least)
• stairs and upstairs carpets ripped out and replaced (ideally hardwood upstairs, nice carpet on stairs)
• at least some
• one broken double glazed pane replaced, one double glazed pane with condensation in the middle replaced (the seal has failed, I assume)
• bathroom at least retiled completely, a new bath panel, potentially new new bath/loo/sink although the ones in there would possibly be ok when otherwise tidied up
• garden entirely tidied up (it's completely overgrown with weeds)
• garden shed broken windows replaced, shed painted
• some outside woodwork repainted
• entrance porch painted internally and old vinyl floor tiles replaced
• at least one light switch replaced (it was sort of hanging off)
• because I need it for the psychotherapy practice, a downstairs loo put in which would probably require moving the kitchen doorway to a different wall entirely - possible layout-wise but maybe difficult?
• at least some internal walls repainted (they look ok - no replastering needed but I hate the magnolia colour)
• possibly some floorboards upstairs replaced (at least in one spot they felt a bit funny underfoot but under carpet so couldn't see)
• front garden overgrown bushes cut back
• possibly some new outdoor lights front and back

Phew. I think that's all... at least all the visible work, who knows what else might be lurking underneath... The house has been tenanted and then vacant for quite a while so it generally had that slightly abandoned feel to it although I didn't see anything major wrong with it structurally.

How long would it take to get the above works done and how much would you budget? (Obviously depends on things like the type of kitchen I choose - wouldn't go top end but not cheapest either - although Ikea kitchens ok.) I know it's a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" question but if you've done similar, would be interesting in hearing about it.

I'm in a lucky position to be keeping my current London flat to rent out with a Let to Buy mortgage and I have a big deposit, so I wouldn't need a mortgage for the new house at all. That would possibly give me some time to get works done before moving in but I'm not sure if I'm willing to take on the project.

I think you have to split up the work you'd like to do, the work it would be a good idea to do, and the work you need to do.

You can live perfectly well with an old kitchen and bathroom, and do them when you find time. Just because people on TV property shows seem to have to do everything in 30 days, it doesnt mean that's necessarily a good idea.

The house sounds a bit unloved, but not really much worse than that. I'm sure if you spent a weekend blitzing the garden, for example, you'd have it looking a huge amount better.

Without having seen the house, I'd class them as follows

need to do

• some outside woodwork repainted
• at least one light switch replaced (it was sort of hanging off)
• because I need it for the psychotherapy practice, a downstairs loo put in which would probably require moving the kitchen doorway to a different wall entirely - possible layout-wise but maybe difficult?
• make the bits that clients would see look well cared for
• scrub the place over with sugar soap, bleach, etc etc

good idea to do, but you can manage without

• new boiler (depending on why you think it needs it)
• one broken double glazed pane replaced, one double glazed pane with condensation in the middle replaced (the seal has failed, I assume)
• garden entirely tidied up (it's completely overgrown with weeds)
• garden shed broken windows replaced
• front garden overgrown bushes cut back
• possibly some floorboards upstairs replaced (at least in one spot they felt a bit funny underfoot but under carpet so couldn't see)

like

• a completely new kitchen and all appliances
• downstairs old laminate ripped out and replaced
• stairs and upstairs carpets ripped out and replaced (ideally hardwood upstairs, nice carpet on stairs)
• bathroom at least retiled completely, a new bath panel, potentially new new bath/loo/sink although the ones in there would possibly be ok when otherwise tidied up
• entrance porch painted internally and old vinyl floor tiles replaced
• at least some internal walls repainted (they look ok - no replastering needed but I hate the magnolia colour)
• possibly some new outdoor lights front and back
• garden shed painted

Does that help look at the project differently?

Yes, and I have just found dry rot in mine, do not ignore dodgy floorboards !

Could you actually live in it? Are the bathroom and kitchen functional? Our house was a bit desperado when we moved in but everything worked ok. We're still doing it up 3.5 years on. We got the keys on a Friday and spent that weekend painting the kitchen and sitting room. It covered up the migraine-inducing decor in the sitting room and meant that the kitchen walls were all one colour. We also tore up the carpet from the bathroom and toilet floors

Very easy fixes but it meant it felt like we'd done quite a lot. Rather than doing it all at once we're doing it as we go along. How much it costs depends on how handy you are. We've fitted the new kitchen ourselves but had people in to do the carpets and the bathroom. We've completely sorted and re-landscaped the garden ourselves.

yes, and your house list sounds like a dream. I agree with Grendels do what you need first then like later. Our kitchen and bathroom need a total overhaul - both have been in since 1963 but they are useable for now till we get the money and time, all the walls and ceilings need skimming and doors replacing, windows replaced, garden needs a fence on two sides, electrics need work, lead piping (everywhere) needs to go, floors need replacing, gas could do with a service and everything needs decorated but all this will have to wait.

We took care of the asbestos in the fireplace first, replaced the front door, sorted out most of the ventilation and fixed the hot water tank but the rest will have to wait till we have time and money. All the people we know our age are moaning because they cant afford to buy a house but they want a showhome, one that's ready in an instant, we got our 3 bed for £60,000 and we will get round to fixing things one at a time.

9 yrs on and we are still going..... We also did "need" first... Then got interrupted as we had children.

Done the big "want" which was extending - did that 2 years ago. Now onto polishing it up and onto re-decoration.

And I have already been having sneaky peeps on Rightmove cos' I wouldn't mind doing it all again.

If you love it - do it. It will feel very much a labour of love and you will love every damn inch of the walls/bricks etc.

buy it then everything will be to your taste it could be brilliant

If you can afford it definitely do it. Nothing beats having everything in your house done to your taste and standards. If the layout works for you that is one massive expense you won't have.

I'm terrible I can't wait, I just get stuck in as soon as we move in and carry on til every inch is done, relax for a dew years and the do it again!

They must of been extremely good photos!

Just a thought but you may be able to use the amount of work needed to get the price lowered maybe a cheeky offer.

Get a full survey done, including structural. Visit it with a trusted builder and get a quote before you make the offer so you have an idea what you are able to knock off the purchase price and what you might have to live with until you have saved for more works.

If you can do the work before you move in, that is ideal. From what you have described, the works are not particularly major at all. We lived in rented accommodation and took 8 months before we moved into our house. In that time, we got all the major works like rewiring, replastering, extensions out of the way. The house is now a dream to live in. I love being able to do up a house my way before moving in, provided the purchase price reflects the updating works.

Our house is a bit like that. I'm expecting that within 9 months of moving in we will have done everything except for hall/stairs flooring.
That's with using trades for kitchen/bathroom/electrics/boiler/windows etc, and doing all the decorating (entire house), "project managing", and minor stuff ourselves in the evenings - and living in the house throughout.
Our budget was around £25k - list of jobs not identical to yours but similar sort of scope and scale I would say. Could have been done more cheaply if necessary, particularly the kitchen (eg we have quartz worktops).

Thanks for all your thoughts!
I've decided not to put an offer in on that house because on reflection there are a few issues, like the kitchen not being big enough (and the house would lose the layout I needed if the kitchen was brought into the adjoining part of the house and no budget to extend out).
However this has clarified my thoughts on doing work in general - that I would, for the right house. But something in me is saying hold on for the right house, this one is not it.

As this is London, the market moves so quickly that all offers need to be in this evening, no option to visit again with workmen etc.