40k to do up this house, what could we do?

[Loadsawork]

We are considering buying this house and would have 40k to do it up. Firstly is that enough? And secondly what would you do with that budget?

Hope this works:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49986906.html

£40k isn't loads...

Do you know if the electrics and boiler are good? I'm guessing not? Can you do anything yourself?

If you went super budget finish you could probably do everything? Rewire, boiler, take down wall between kitchen and diner, new bathroom new kitchen, skim walls/cealings, new flooring.

You'd have to go really budget on all options tho and do decorating yourself. Doesn't leave much room for contingency.

Got loads of potential tho, nice layout and garden.

I think 40k would be enough to do this . Though I'm in the north so that might make a difference. Depends if it needs a new roof , structural issues or dry rot then it's not enough. If it's a re-wire , new boiler, kitchen and bathroom then yes.

What needs doing up integrally?! Central heating? Re-wiring? Cracks? Chimneys?

Very naughty of the agent to say nothing about the boiler, heating, windows and no pictures of the kitchen or bathroom.

However, the house looks dry and sound and solid. You could do a lot with £40,000 even if you had to do most of the decorating yourselves.

Have properly read listing and so assume that 'updating' is mostly cosmetic - 40k is a huge amount if that is the case.

I have never seen a squarer house, it's proper Sylvanian - garden is beautiful as well.

Good luck with your house hunting anyhoos. I think this is a lovely property with lots of potential!

Get a full survey done.
Garden is nice.

From the Torygraph:
"Estate agent speak
“In need of some updating and offered with no onward chain”
Translation
“An old lady has recently died in the house and it hasn’t been decorated since she originally moved in 50 years ago” "

From a quick look at the photos, looks pretty sound, walls and roof look good. Needs a rewire, gas central heating, possibly double glazing, probably new kitchen and bathroom and redocoration. All possible to do for £40k.

£40k should be enough if you budget carefully. I'd be tempted to put washer with dryer stacked on top In downstairs WC. Make kitchen a kitchen/diner if open plan works for you and have French doors and do away with back door thereby making downstairs WC bigger as you wouldn't need kitchen door from hall as access through diner.

Upstairs I'd see if you could make WC ensuite/wet room incorporated into bedroom.

That's how I'd like it, garden looks fab but high maintenance.

If you need to watch what you spend start with the big stuff, electrics, roof, Windows etc as you could put cheap flooring down and emulsion walls and once kitchen and bathroom done you could then do a room at a time when Cash available

Good luck

Knock through kitchen and dining room, putting in French doors on the best wall.

Knock through loo and bathroom.

Skim walls, repaibt throughout including woodwork

New floors

Windows??

Assuming the roof is sound and there are no major structural issues, £40k will just about cover knocking through the kitchen and dining room, heating, electrics, windows and doors, kitchen and bathroom fittings and flooring. So long as you don't fall in love with high end everything, that is.

The roof could easily eat up approaching 10k if that's as knackered as the one on our new house. The flashing on the chimney looks recent, mind.

Lovely garden. Intrigued as to the wood-effect rug / rug-effect wood in pic 9: what’s that all about?

It looks very typical if the 1950's, a period in which houses tended to be very well built. All around though are more recent houses (1980's?) is that right? I think I know where it is, it's a nice area if so!
There are not many pictures but I'm guessing it has single glazed windows, and quite a few of them which will mean it's light and bright but could cost a bit if you wanted double glazing.
I can also only see one radiator, so worth checking that situation and getting an estimate accordingly.
And it depends how 'finished' you want the place to be.
Could you do important stuff first and the rest as and when you have funds?
I know East Grinstead can tend to be pricey.
I like it, my kind of house.

Intrigued as to the wood-effect rug / rug-effect wood in pic 9: what’s that all about?

Almost took the words right out of my mouth!

If there are no structural issue and the roof is sound, then 40k will go some way. I would imagine all of it if you shop around, do some work yourself (like stripping wallpapers) and are happy with budget stuff.

Around me someone would pull it down and build something a lot bigger on the plot. It looks cheap to me!

Get a quote for new windows - EPC says single glazing. It needs replumbed and prob rewired. Add in new kitchen and bathrooms. It will be very tight.

Make kitchen and dining room into one room.
Make upstairs toilet part of the bathroom. Add a shower cubicle.

£40k doesnt go nearly as far as you think it should. New kitchen, bathroom, remove the odd wall, boiler, windows, re-wire, carpets, decoration. It will be very tight and nothing else needs to be wrong (damp, roof, moving rooms around)

No pics of kitchen or bathroom tell me they are a bit of a state and will need ripped out and replacing.

Boiler probably needs looking at, maybe replacing.

Past that I suspect it’s cosmetic so just paint and flooring. I think you e got loads.

I never understand why people want the toilet in the bathroom! I'd much rather have them separate. I can't work out what the logic is behind that argument.

I've no idea what £40k would get you but a new driveway and a bit of decorative improvement would be a good start. Looks like it just needs some TLC - assuming all electrics and heating are ok.
I'm only 5 miles down the road 😀

• Sort out all issues with electrics, windows, plumbing, heating, and plastering and any roof problems (chances are a house that hasn't been looked at for a while will need a bit of a rewire and a new fuseboard). And get in a cheap kitchen.

All the other cosmetic stuff can be done as/when you have money coming in.

Agree that £40k probably won’t cover as much as you hope. Probable rewire required and there don’t seem to be radiators in every room, so heating system may require addition/replacement. Do the windows need replacing? The budget should cover the above (providing no major horrors are discovered on survey) plus not too fancy kitchen, bathroom and decorating - probably won’t cover any structural alterations or extensions or a driveway.
It looks lovely though, garden is gorgeous if you have kids and it really seems like a “forever” type home if that’s your plan. I’ve just moved into a detached house for the first time in my (long) life and I absolutely love it!
40k should certainly bring it up to a decent standard with the basics done, and if you have more elaborate plans then you can do them in the fullness of time.
If you’re a couple at least one of you needs to be fond of gardening though, or pay a gardener (if it was an old person living in it before then they probably had a gardener, it’s extremely well-tended). I’d simplify it by getting rid of a few hedges!
If you let us know your circumstances can probably advise better.

I would get any roof, electric or plumbing repairs/upgrades done and windows replaced.

Change the flooring, change the doors in the kitchen if the budget allows and paint throughout.

Replace the kitchen and bathroom etc. when you have spare cash.

It looks lovely and if it’s in a good area it would be worth the wait for cosmetic stuff.