Tell me about renovations

[Lookingsparkly]

We have only ever lived in a succession of new builds and are looking to move. The area we want doesn’t have any new builds (specific school catchment) and the only houses in our budget are ones that need a lot of work. At a glance it would be re-wire, boiler, radiators, bathroom, kitchen, knocking a few walls through. Ideally an extension.

Will this be awful? Will it cost a fortune?

Minor renovation in big enough house - live in part of the house and do a bit at a time.

Major renovation - rent elsewhere because the filth/disturbance is horrendous.

Price - get quotes. For everything.

Generally still a lot lot cheaper than getting a new build. I’m in London and would expect a 6-figure price tag for the list of things you want to do. I wouldn’t live on-site for at least a few weeks while the biggest work is getting done (re-wire, new heating system, extension). Ideally, wait till it’s all done so you have no dust and drill noise to contend with.

I’ve always bought fixer uppers, bar my first flat. It’s basically a bit of hard work and stress to get the perfect house for a lot less for years.

In London this year, similar list of jobs (incl kitchen and diner knocked through and extension into garden, rewire, new bath and new downstairs wc, new floor etc) on a very unloved 1930s semi got quotes ranging from £100-£150k.

Oh and one set of builders refused point blank to do the job if we tried to ‘camp’ in the house and the other set said we could but it would take longer For them to get the work done if they had to work around us so would end up expensive. Neighbours did stay in their house whilst doing similar work with two DC.

I would assume 6 figures... you will basically be starting from a shell so may as well add fully replaster and redecorate onto that list

We're living through major renovations.

I wouldn't do it again as it is, as PP said, horrendous. We moved out in the summer while the house was gutted and lived with In-Laws but had to move back at the start of the school year.

We were meant to be finished with only decorating left at the end of September, but probably won't see the back of them until Christmas.

Since then we have been living in 2 rooms with one small shower room while work carries on. It is very hard, nothing is ever clean, we have no space of our own, everything is in boxes, dust everywhere. I WFH too so need to tuck myself up in a small room at the back at all times during the day and am constantly disturbed with questions.

Next time (if there ever is a next time) I will move out and rent somewhere for a lot longer than anticipated. (And factor it into the budget!)

Ours is costing £150k

Wow some high costs to consider!

We have had to do ours in stages due to finances and that's made it hard with two young kids, it's put us in a lot of debt too which is stressful. It would have been more manageable, quicker and cheaper to have done it all in one go, but for us that wasn't possible.

Everything always needs more work than you imagine, and we have found that you start doing one thing, then realise for practical or financial reasons you may as well do two or three other things at the same time. For example when stripping wallpaper huge chunks of old plaster fell off, if you're having the walls re plastered, may as well get the hideous artex ceiling done too, and while we're at it, if we're plastering we should replace/move the old radiators, oh and get an extra plug socket fitted at the same time as that involves chasing up the walls, plus if we have the electrician out we'll get the light fitting and switch plates swapped out for clean new ones. . . .etc.).

It's hard work and if we could have found and afforded something that didn't need work we wouldn't have chosen this, as its been a stressful couple of years and has meant missing out on spending fun family time some weekends as had to DIY, and we have had to prioritise expenditure on the house over holidays, new cars etc.