How much to do up this house?

[Osakasunset]

DH and I have seen this house online and we both instinctively really like it but are first time buyers and it looks like it might need quite a bit of work.

Experienced mumsnetters - what budget do you think you would need to do up this house?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64526470.html

We would certainly want to change the bathroom and kitchen, as well as take down the wooden garage to start with.

We haven't been to see it in person yet and don't want to waste the seller's time if it would cost a ton to do it up. (But we know and love the area)

Oh that sort of house makes me sad - it looks like an old person has lived there until recently.

Those views are beautiful and it's a great price.

How much could you afford to spend on it? It'll probably need new central heating as well, so I'd factor that in.

Actually a lot of that just looks cosmetic to me. Clearly you need to check boiler in good working order, structurally sound, and no damp, then it's just decorating and carpets. You could do much of it yourselves or do room by room.

Thanks for the reply - I totally agree on the view! We have both looked at the pictures and think that it has amazing potential - it just needs lots of attention.

The top of our budget all in is about £230k.

We just don't have much of a feel for how much things like new heating systems/decorating etc. would cost in a house this size (we both grew up in tiny places and have always rented!)

What a gorgeous house!

Hard to say without knowing exactly how much you'd end up doing, to what standard and how much you'd do yourself. Assuming electrics (looks like it would need a rewire), heating, skimming throughout, kitchen and bathroom and work to windows - I'd say you could do it for £50k

Although that would be with doing the lot - you could definitely do a lot less, depends how much you want to put right straight away. My first house was similar (although smaller!) and I did a proportion of the work and then re-mortgaged to release an extra £10k for the kitchen etc. Worked out well for me and was cheaper than separate loans etc.

Just seen your other post, definitely think you could do it on your budget. Also it says 'offers in region of' so potential movement on price.

Great potential in that house - just the sort of thing I'd love to get my hands on :)

If you're not going to do a loft conversion/extension etc just tart it up - electrics, central heating, walls, floors, knock through kitchen and dining room, new kitchen and bathroom etc I think you might just have a chance on 50k, especially if you do some of the work yourselves (like stripping or painting walls and woodwork). The windows look like they're ok and so does the garden.

Just make sure you get a full survey and there aren't things like rot or the roof doesn't need replacing etc as those cost a lot.

Agree picture 10 shows damp but perhaps a leaking gutter over the last few years.

Re-wire. New heating and boiler. Perhaps knock toilet and bathroom into one room.

I think your budget will be ok. Do you know any builders who would give you an estimate? I paid one £30 once for a look around and it well worth it as he noticed a crack in a party wall in the loft. I wouldn't have thought to look at anything like that

Thanks for the replies.

Miaow - I can see what you mean about the wallpaper in that picture. It definitely doesn't look right does it?! And there are a couple of other patches in various pictures where it is hard to tell if it is just cosmetic issues/not updated for ages or something more significant.

Mrs Mcnulty - that's good to hear that you think we could do it all within budget! We would certainly be happy to do lots of stuff ourselves, though that would mainly be the painting etc. as neither of us are particularly handy (though I'm sure we could learn!)

How much does rewiring and new heating systems tend to cost? (I realise I could probably Google this but I trust mumsnet more than Google!)

Fluffy - great idea about taking a builder to have a look. We don't know anyone personally at the moment but I'm sure we could get a recommendation.

Definitely go to see it asap! You potentially are serious buyers and most definitely will not be wasting anyone's time!!! You'll then have a better idea of what would be needed straight away and what you could live with. But, yes to a survey of course, and making them an offer below that figure.

As a very rough ballpark I'd estimate about £5K for a bathroom fitted and £10K for a kitchen, but obviously it varies depending on specification and choice of appliances. For examples tiles can range from £10 to hundreds of pounds per square meter. But for £50K you could have that place looking amazing!

I'd be concerned about the EPC - at the bottom of F and it looks at least partially double glazed. Our badly insulated single glazed detached farmhouse even rates E and costs a fortune to heat. New regulation requires rental property to be at least an E. You need to see the full certificate to see why it scores so low and what is advised to improve energy efficiency. It probably needs a new boiler at the least. Would you qualify for the boiler replacement scheme?

Remember that decor, kitchen, bathroom etc won't impact on this and running costs would remain high.

Damp issues could set you a few k back but with a budget of 50 and doing some of the work yourself, you’d be ok.

I would get in there pretty smartish and view it. That is the sort of house that could get a lot of interest - detached, good plot, lovely views. When we bought our 3 bed, nice garden, but run-down house it also had a bit of a come-and-get-me price when it went on the market. It went to final offers, and we had to pay over the asking price.

It seems a fair price too, from looking at these:

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/Bardon-Mill.html

I would get a builder to come round with you if you can - (pay someone with good references). Basic costs:

Rewire for a 3 bed is around £3K - builder generally add £1K per bedroom.
New boiler £2K - that would be a really decent combi one.
Radiators/pipes will depend on what you want and need - styles, underfloor etc so a wide range from £2 -£8K
Bathroom - perfectly decent one for £3 -4K
Kitchen - anything you want - will you be knocking through etc?
Plus painting/decorating/new carpets etc.

I would assume £50K would more than cover it, assuming there no subsidence, cracked underground pipes or any real horrors lurking.

I would buy it!

P.S Get a proper survey, if you decide to make an offer.

As long as it's structurally sound (get a survey) it sounds ideal and 50k could have it looking amazing!

Thanks KeepOn - have just looked up the full EPC and, as you thought, report says some windows are double glazed but not all.

Recommended measures are:
Cavity wall insulation
Floor Insulation
Increase hot water cylinder insulation
Draught proofing
Low energy lighting
High heat retention storage heaters
Solar water heating
Replacing single glazed windows with double glazed

After doing the above the rating would be D65. Solar panels would take it up to a C75.

Rewiring 5k, new boiler and additional rads £4K, decorating 5K, new kitchen 5-10k, damp proofing 3K, new bathroom 5k, not sure how much flooring costs. These are SE prices though and I guess you could decorate yourself.

50k

New bathroom
New kitchen
Rewire
Plastering
Carpets
Curtains/blinds/rails
Boiler

Offer less than the asking price for a start given the list of other things mentioned

Also no doubt the survey will bring up more stuff.

Offer 12.5k less?

Agree with everyone, £50k would about do it. Definitely get a full survey.

It's LOVELY. I'd be all over it if in that area!

Thank you all so much for your replies!

I will show the thread to DH when he gets home later and we'll probably be giving the agent a call!

Think very hard before putting any cavity wall insulation in.... it causes so many problems. My partner works for a housing association and they are spending thousands taking it out of their properties as it causes more problems than it resolves. Have a google.

Taking a builder around is a really good idea, but try and make sure you get them through a recommendation - I'm renovating and extending a house at the moment and it's surprising how different some of the quotes were.

Also, allow for contingency fund - older houses always come up with surprises (good and bad!)

It's a fab house - and you're in a good position being first time buyers - the sellers will look favourably on you. Good luck!

I reckon a bit more £70k. We have a properrty in similar condition - and in London spent £60k patching and really there is still a bathroom etc to do. If you are doing a rewire, expect EVERYTHING to be touched and drilling into things bring unexpected surprises - eg need asbestos surveys, crumbling plaster, lead pipes supplying house - plus you will want greater capacity pipes to.cope with new combi boiler. (Judging by energy ratings you will need one). If you need new windows, a smallish window costs £750 each. Need to check condition of roof. Demolition and erect new garage about £10k. I think if you need a new boiler and rewire, it is probably easiest to plan a full refurb than just a patch job as I have found out.

Thanks MrsMcnulty - yes, I've read some horror stories about cavity wall insulation so I'll definitely take that into consideration.