How much does an extensive renovation of 3-bed terrace cost (in Bristol)?

[didyousaysomething]

Hi - we are in Bristol and just putting an offer in for our first house and rather than going for something nice and simple we have fallen for a complete wreck of a house. I wondered if anyone can give me an idea of what a pretty extensive renovation might set us back?
It's a 3-reception, 3-bed with a loft room. As far as we can tell, we'd need to have done: central heating system put in (there is none), complete re-wiring, ceilings taken down and replaced, new sash double glazing throughout, back end of kitchen needs rebuilding (possible extension to full width kitchen), walls need re-plastering, floors sanding, possible damp issues as the roof leaked for years. When they did a new roof in 2012 they tiled over the window so that would need cutting out (or we'd have a dormer put in if funds allowed). Phew!
We have a romantic idea we could at least do the walls and sanding ourselves but what with work and baby, paying someone else is much more realistic...
Would love to hear your experiences. Thanks!

even without the extension and new dormers youve got to be talking £50k

Agree, minimum!
Extension or loft conversion with additional bathroom likely double it.

3-reception, 3-bed with a loft room. As far as we can tell, we'd need to have done: central heating system put in (there is none), £5-8k if you use top of the range stuff and naice radiators
complete re-wiring - £3-5k depending on no of power points, and extension[s]
ceilings taken down and replaced, £1k -2k per room to include walls
new sash double glazing throughout, £10-15k if wooden frames

back end of kitchen needs rebuilding (possible extension to full width kitchen), walls need re-plastering, floors sanding, £30k-50k including cost of kitchen, bi fold doors etc
possible damp issues as the roof leaked for years. When they did a new roof in 2012 they tiled over the window so that would need cutting out (or we'd have a dormer put in if funds allowed). £25k-35k to turn loft room into proper loft conversion; new roof approx £5k-10k

You might want to budget for some serious thermal insulation to go under the plastering and the sanded floorboards too.

These are based on 3yr old London prices rather than Bristol and are [aside from the London element*] based on putting in a high standard of finish [not 100k kitchens levels but not straight off the shelf at B&Q either]. If you are serious about the house then ask to arrange a walk around with 3 reputable builders simultaneously and get detailed costings. Or find a good Quantity Surveyor who will know what stuff costs.

*Nothing wrong with a B&Q or an Ikea bathroom or kitchen, but there is a hefty price differential between a Ikea and Magnet kitchen.
** Someone will be along to tell you that outside London you could do all this for £15k. if you are married to a builder

I think it depends on the size of the extension too. For example my kitchen extension is costing 16k and we're putting in a 3k kitchen. I'm in London so whilst it appears reasonable the extension is small as we're just adding a bit to make the space square. It's all relative.

I think Tread's guesstimates sound about right.

Do you have a budget?

In a very similar position 6 months in and we've managed much less ourselves than I'd hoped. I reckon 50K - 100k. Our rewire was 6k. 3k to move and replace a boiler, another 2k on adding radiators and moving pipes. We had a quality surveyor friend cost it up first but we keep finding things we didn't know needed doing. Don't regret it for a minute though! Just going to have to save for each bit once our initial budget is gone.

Quantity surveyor!

I would expect about £100k unfortunately - DH & I fell in love with a wreck too but just couldn't afford the renovations and had to let it go!

I'm in Bristol and have a fair bit of work done on our house. Agree with an earlier poster that work of that magnitude will cost upward of £100k. Tradespeople here have typically charged us £120-££150 a day for labour - this is where the cost stacks up. We remodelled the back of house, new kitchen and improved an existing extension, bifolds, 2 new steel beams, new wood floor and replastering, painting. Cost approx £48k and 12 week build. We had to move out for two weeks as house was unusable. We had an architect do the basic project management of negotiating a fixed price with builders and overseeing the build, doing weekly site visits during construction. Money very well spent and took a lot of the worry out of dealing with such a large job.

Two months, not two weeks - doh

Hi
Also FTBs who bought a renovation project 3 bed 1930s semi... We've just Hit £30,000 since getting the keys 12 weeks ago. New kitchen, new bathroom, log burner installed (bought second hand), new windows all around, new front door (Rockdoor), staircase refurbishment, wall knock through, bay window rebuilding, complete rewire (£3200), another chimney opening up and supporting for a range cooker, Karndean flooring throughout (£4700 😣) and other various bits. I also have a toddler to look after and currently residing at parents till we can move in next week hopefully. It's been incredibly stressful. And we went over budget... the house is going to look beautiful though. But boy, there has been stress involved.

Thanks you that's all really useful! I think we'll have to be sensible and let this one go as the realistic cost of this is way past our budget; though the house would eventually be beautiful I don't much fancy living in a half-finished house for years! Maybe a more manageable project will come along soon

I've done two houses now and both were habitable to start with but needed a lot of the work you describe. Take your budget and double it is what I have learned.

Renovating a house is a bit like a wedding. You cost up the big stuff like the venue and food and think that's affordable. But by the time you've added in the photographer, the dress, the flowers, and then all the random small crap you are nearly at double your original estimate and having a major rethink.

If it's a total wreck, in an amazing location [so you could raise a family, good schools and childcare on your doorstep, manageable commute etc] then there is no harm in getting quotes and making the mother of all cheeky offers. Sellers often haven't a clue what it's going to cost to make a house habitable esp if it's so bad that there isn't even central heating [probate sale?] so presented with good reason as to why the house isn't worth anywhere near what the neighbouring houses have sold for can sometimes swing a good deal as time drags on.

For a project of this size I would definitely speak to an architect about getting you fixed price quotes and PM'ing it for you.