In need of full refurbishment....

[Yumyumbananas]

Generally, what does this mean? Likely to mean we would have to do a lot of work before moving in? I’m guessing new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, electrics?
How much should the house be compared to a similar ‘finished’ house?

Maybe a new boiler/ heating system, new roof, replastering and the list could go on. It could have damp or other issues, it depends on the house.

The price depends on what work need doing.

Unless you are very very good at DIY, have family who are in trades or have lots of money to throw at it, I'd avoid a house like that.

It can usually mean it is in a terrible condition, needing everything from a new roof downwards. As estate agents are good at minimising in their blurb ('updating' usually means new kitchen, bathroom, and total redecoration), so 'total refurb' means it needs serious input from professionals. Avoid unless you have lots of money and time, and don't want to move in any time soon. Also, if the condition is really minging, it will probably not be mortgageable.

It means you’ll need to sell your left kidney once you get half way through refurbishing it when you discover it’s about to collapse into the neighbors garden.

Okay... backing away! Thanks, everyone!

It can mean extremely dated, but otherwise clean and perfectly liveable - a dd bought a house like this. They are often probate sales, and can be a good buy if you don't mind living with swirly carpets and flowery wallpaper for a while.

Or it can mean no or insufficient heating, dodgy electrics, nothing done for many years, or if it has, it's been botched, , windows needing replacing, rotten floorboards, damp - I.e. unliveable until a lot of work's been done.
Or somewhere in between. It will usually be pretty obvious when you actually view.

It means ‘property developers and project lovers form an orderly queue, everyone else step away’

My first house was 'ok', just a bit dated, but liveable in. By the time we had finished we had pretty much done everything to it bar major structural work. To my mind if you can satisfy yourself about whether there is anything inherently concerning about the structural condition then "In need of full refurbishment" properties can be a lot more value for money than dated properties.

I bought a house last year in need of full refurb. The list was

Full rewire

New gutters, fascias etc

Every inch plastered

New kitchen and bathroom

Damp treatment

New boiler & rads

New fireplaces

Many huge trees pulled down in the garden

I also had the drive and a section of patio paved

Luckily the roof was sound and the windows had been replaced (just had to scrub 6 years worth of nicotine off!!).

Here are some photos to give you an idea.

Money wise I paid around 80k less than its current market value. I spent approx 55k ish. A year on it was completely worth it but it was stressful, it was my post divorce house and I managed it all by myself whilst juggling kids and a full time job.....never again!!

It generally means it's a complete gutting job top to bottom and also needing re-wiring, re-plumbing, putting heating in, new windows, doors (often roof) , floors need checking out and may need new joists etc, damp proof, plastering decorating etc etc.
often described as ' a complete shit hole'
usually for a developer or builder, or a very experienced diy person (or some one who can pay a lot for some one else to do it).

I did one - re-wiring, new central heating, re- plastering, new kitchen, new bathroom - everything. I'd say we needed £70- 100 K to do it properly but only had around £40k. It meant it took a few years to get all the rooms sorted and some early work had to be re-done later as it was done on the cheap.

It wasn't easy. I now live in a great area, with great schools in a house worth a whole lot more than I paid for it. I have a lot of friends round here and getting a fixer upper was the only way I could have afforded to get into the area. I love the area but I've never loved the house.

Next time I'm moving into a place that is completely done up!