Has anyone bought a holiday home that needed doing up?

DreamEvenBigger · 2021-02-20T23:10:37+00:00

We have the chance to buy one, but the only reason we can afford it is that it needs work... Structurally, all appears sound (need to get things checked out), other than some water marks on the roof/ drain area (supposed to have been fixed, but again needs checking). Other than that, it’s sold with everything........ old books/ mess/ clutter/ hoarding - not to the level that we can’t get round and see things, but to the level it’s not been cleaned properly for a long, long time. Add to this the fact that it’s a holiday home and has been closed up a lot... While I can see past the clutter, I’m overwhelmed with the actual doing... we can’t get a skip to the house. It has to go to a joint parking area nearby (with permission), then access up a lane. Have you done anything like this? How did it go? I’m a very clean person, one of the things that concerns me is being able to get the place clean enough. Can you ever get over the feeling that a place was so neglected and dirty?

ammary · 20/02/2021 23:14

That would totally overwhelm me I think. How long until you can relax and enjoy it?

I think if I could pay someone to sort it all I'd do it but not otherwise.

NachoNachoMan · 20/02/2021 23:25

Re skip here - can you drive all the way up to the house? If so I've seen skip companies offer a wait and load option for people who don't have a space to place a skip - so you could have everything outside ready to go in the skip, they bring the skip and you have about 20 minutes to fill it.

ChampagneCommunist · 20/02/2021 23:30

Yes, I would.

It's my dream to have a holiday home in my favourite place. I would take almost any shortcoming of the kind you describe to have that.

Persipan · 20/02/2021 23:32

My parents bought a second home that needed a good bit doing. The house they bought had a room that had been used to do motorcycle maintenance - yep, indoors - and another one that had loads of holes in the walls where someone had used it for airgun target practice. The kitchen needed complete replacement, and there was an outside toilet - literally outside, open to the elements - that every neighbour for miles around knew about. They gradually did it up over probably a couple of years. They basically camped out there and cooked in a microwave, to start with (they'd never had one at home so this was a great novelty). They made a point of buying everything they needed from local suppliers,, to feel part of the community.

Overall I think they had a good experience and they ended up with a nice place to stay (my dad still goes up there every month or so when there isn't a pandemic, and my aunts use it, too). But it did mean having to spend a chunk of their holiday time doing DIY, over a fairly long period.

AlwaysLatte · 20/02/2021 23:36

As long as it's not tooo far away. We have work to do on a property that is a long haul flight away which I wouldn't recommend.
My sister bought a brand new house in this country and while I wouldn't normally go for new, it's really appealing in that you can just go and enjoy it!

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 00:01

@Persipan

My parents bought a second home that needed a good bit doing. The house they bought had a room that had been used to do motorcycle maintenance - yep, indoors - and another one that had loads of holes in the walls where someone had used it for airgun target practice. The kitchen needed complete replacement, and there was an outside toilet - literally outside, open to the elements - that every neighbour for miles around knew about. They gradually did it up over probably a couple of years. They basically camped out there and cooked in a microwave, to start with (they'd never had one at home so this was a great novelty). They made a point of buying everything they needed from local suppliers,, to feel part of the community.

Overall I think they had a good experience and they ended up with a nice place to stay (my dad still goes up there every month or so when there isn't a pandemic, and my aunts use it, too). But it did mean having to spend a chunk of their holiday time doing DIY, over a fairly long period.

Yes, one concern is it eating into holiday time instead of being on holiday...

OP posts:

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 00:04

I fingered that if I could get it drown to a clean, empty shell, I could start to enjoy it.., gradually furnish it etc. No form of transport can get up to it - it’s all wheel barrows. Think beach wooden hut along the sand dunes (not quite, but near enough)

OP posts:

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 00:07

Like these (but not these)

Has anyone bought a holiday home that needed doing up?

OP posts:

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 00:07

@DreamEvenBigger

I fingered that if I could get it drown to a clean, empty shell, I could start to enjoy it.., gradually furnish it etc. No form of transport can get up to it - it’s all wheel barrows. Think beach wooden hut along the sand dunes (not quite, but near enough)

Figured, not fingered!!

OP posts:

swg1 · 21/02/2021 00:13

It will take time, but the advantage you've got is that you don't need to keep anything so it can all go straight into bin bags. Most of the time spent decluttering is spent sorting what to keep.

Would a house clearance company maybe help?

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 00:16

Yes, I’ve been Googling house clearance, but they won’t give a price until they can see it. One will do everything, even clean, but they said, even without seeing it, that it’s going to be £££ because they can’t get direct access.

OP posts:

Mosaic123 · 21/02/2021 07:37

It might be worth the £££ so you can start enjoying your holidays. I bet it's going to be amazing.

Beebumble2 · 21/02/2021 07:46

We did, it required everything to be stripped away, electricity, plumbing, floor boards, plaster. After we had a a specialist Asbestos removal firm in. We got an all in quote from a local builder ( on recommendation) and left him to it, visiting occasionally to inspect.
It was worth every penny, we had a house with unrivalled views, all new interior and designed to our spec.
If you can get a trusted builder on board to do the strip out, they might remove the junk into a skip as well.

Digestive28 · 21/02/2021 07:55

I think it’s an opportunity to develop good relationships with locals and neighbours which is always a bit more tricky when a holiday home and am sure will reap rewards over the years

bookgirl1982 · 21/02/2021 08:20

A skip left in a shared area will be filled with everyone else's rubbish. Best to use a waste disposal company who will collect loads when you're ready.

But a house on the dunes like that would be amazing when finished!

DianaT1969 · 21/02/2021 09:11

For removing waste to the car park, consider using a flat, rope-pull trolley if the ground/sand outside is flat enough. You can get loads more on than a wheelbarrow. Less back-breaking too.
If the ground is flat and compact enough, you might be able to use a hired pump truck, and load things into a pallet.
I would throw labour at it. Hire 3-4 local people for a day and a skip or waste company and get it all over in a day. I'd also pay a local company to go in and clean. Allow a couple of weeks between for essential building and decoration work, like chimney sweeping, plaster/wall touch ups.
Once empty and clean you can stay and plan a refurbishment.

121hugsneeded · 21/02/2021 09:53

I think I'd insist it was empty on possession, as this is going to be a large cost to empty the other peoples stuff as it looks /sounds like it's a bit remote.

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 10:36

Empty on possession takes it out of our price (we'd essentially be paying for their clearance costs, plus the extra price that they would be able get for having an empty dwelling).

It’s got to this state through personal reasons (they said), so they would rather just get rid - for a reduced price.

OP posts:

Original poster

DreamEvenBigger · 21/02/2021 10:54

They would definitely get the professionals in to clear.

We would also have this option, but we would also have the option to do some ourselves and leave some to the professionals.

OP posts:

purpletrees16 · 22/02/2021 19:09

Hire a disposal company/ some men and a van who will def drive to the tip and go down and help.

Then get the professionals into clean.

Then get the decoration done as you’ll be able to wash the walls and paint ceilings and fix holes or get a company to do that.

Then get it cleaned again, if not ripping out kitchen etc.

Then clean for your first time down there :) and you’ll forget it was ever like that!

ChampagneCommunist · 24/02/2021 22:26

@DreamEvenBigger

Like these (but not these)

@DreamEvenBigger Where are the houses in your picture? I know you said it's not one of those, but they look fabulous.

Happy for you to PM me, if your prefer

Molecule · 24/02/2021 22:44

I did, truly hideous large house full of hoarder’s rubbish, but fantastic position; sea view, easy walk to beach, pub and shop, quiet road. However it does have a drive (albeit very steep). My builder did the getting rid of the rubbish and stripping out, and it cost £3,000. It now looks wonderful almost impossible to envisage how it was. It had been on the market for over three years as no-one could get past its awfulness, and was very reasonable for the area.

It’s now a holiday let, and if it wasn’t for Covid would be let out almost continuously, so if I were you I’d go for it. If you are going to empty it yourself it might be worth leasing a van for six months or so, they’re quite reasonable and you will get far more in it than a car.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 25/02/2021 08:40

I would - as long as it was liveable once cleaned up and we could do (or have done) what’s necessary bit by bit. Things like avocado bathrooms and swirly carpets don’t bother me.

Some years ago there was one I’d have bought if dh had shown the slightest enthusiasm. To me he had to be keen, too.

In fact it wasn’t too bad at all but I knew how it could be made so much nicer and was dying to do it. 🙁