Am I crazy to consider this?

[Misty9]

I looked around an 80s ex LA property and really liked the feel of it. But, and it's a big but!, it needs a lot doing to it. The flat roof definitely needs replacing, it needs recarpeting and decorating throughout, the kitchen and bathroom are serviceable but would need replacing. There is damp which is probably the roof leaking. It could be extended, there are some scary looking cracks in the internal wall... But I still really like it!

But (again!) I'm a single parent with two dc under 10. I only have them half the time but I'll also be starting a new job in a couple of months and doing more hours than I do currently.

So would i be crazy to take this on?? Oh, and I'm crap at DIY it's towards the top of my budget but I could work it to have some money to do the essential work. I'm taking my friend's partner, a tradesman, for a second viewing and there is a lot of interest.

Have other single parents taken on such a project? Am I mad?!

The damp is the only thing that would worry me. Everything else can be done one step at a time.

Definitely get a full structural survey too

It sounds like a money pit, and the fact you can't do DIY means you will have to spend a fortune hiring out. I'd think very carefully and take extensive notes on everything that needs doing.

I've even taken a DIY course at the local college... Still crap but I'm guessing I'd learn on the job, so to speak?!

Yes, that's my worry that it would be a money pit... The damp was all along the tops of the external wall in the back bedroom so I'd be surprised if it wasn't the roof as the culprit. It's an amazing location and I definitely couldn't afford anything in that area unless it needed work. I think I'm more worried about being completely on my own with it all...

If it’s a full flat roof you may have to a specialist lender for a mortgage if you need one.

I'll ask my mortgage advisor about that, I'm more thinking about the amount of work involved as a single parent, and whether I'm being wildly unrealistic...

Honestly no! This is definitely a two man job, with someone with good skills and a lot of spare time.

Damp and cracks, are a big no.

The damp and the cracks wood be enough for me, they could become extremely costly to fix. Me and my partner have taken on a renovation project, we’re both women, have no DIY experience besides painting some walls, we do things as and when we can afford to and so far it’s been great. Things do cost a lot more than you expect, and take a lot longer, but there’s so much you can learn how to do yourself from the internet and having a go, I would only recommend it if you genuinely have the time though and if the work needed doing was mostly cosmetic (unless you can afford to pay people) as obviously you can’t replace your roof and windows yourself and paying people costs a lot of money!

I'm going to view it again and see how I feel. Also a tradesman friend is coming to give me rough ideas of the work and costs.

I would say no but if you do decide to go ahead I's spend out for a full structural survey, as you don't want any surprises after you've bought it.

A cost of works will be very vague until you know if there are structural issues you need to sort.