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Original poster

I hate our house. WWYD

96 replies

Jisforjuggling · 01/02/2022 18:10

We bought it 2 years ago just before the pandemic. We didn’t love it but there wasn’t much around and it looked in ok nick and seemed to tick most of our boxes…..except not being detached. That aside we thought we could make it ‘home’. It’s become apparent that it was patched up to sell and actually needs thousands spent on it just to make it a workable home (think heating that works). We’ve had the first quote from the architect and it’s just an astronomical amount of money to sort it and add a small extension, that we would probably not get back if we stayed there til we died. We CAN afford it, but for various reasons I’ve grown to hate the house (I love where it is). If we spent a million pounds on renovations I still wouldn’t love it. DH has phoned a couple of EA about houses locally that have come on the market to be told they have 30+ viewings already booked in. All the houses locally are either going before they hit the open market or are going to bidding wars and cash buyers. At best we could be a 2nd mortgage buyer, but most likely we’d have to be in a chain….and there is nothing to rent locally. So would you 1)spend a shed load of money on a house that you’ll never love, but would be nice enough
2) patch it up as best you can view a view to moving as soon as the market calms…which will probably be in 2-5 years
3)try to move now.

OP posts:
ihearyall · 01/02/2022 19:20

Are you me?

We're opting for number 2. Making cosmetic changes to increase it's value with a view to selling when the market is better.

Original poster
Jisforjuggling · 01/02/2022 19:22

@whyohwhyohwhyohwhywhy not £500k of patching- we could probably patch for 150-175. The 500 was for the almost perfect house.

OP posts:
SlipperTripper · 01/02/2022 19:23

For those prices, knock the shit one down and build one you love from scratch!

Franca123 · 01/02/2022 19:24

We live in a pricey area in a pricey part of the country. That's a huge quote you've got there..... I'd get some more quotes before deciding. Our house needs bringing up to modern standards having had no work done for 20 years plus. Our first quote was 200k. But I'm assuming we can get it cheaper than that. We bought our house for a bit more than you paid.

Original poster
Jisforjuggling · 01/02/2022 19:25

@CrunchTime22 we did a huge extension 4 years ago to a London commuter belt house for half that. Renovation prices have also gone up considerably.

OP posts:
Eechuffingnuff · 01/02/2022 19:26

Absolutely just move now. People in that kind of market will take the house for more than 680 in the scenario that you have described (hot market, lots of people bidding).

I know from experience - we sold a shell of a house for the same sum as next door which was slightly dated but perfectly habitable in a fast market. Bidding war and everything. Neighbours hated us Grin

Hootmon · 01/02/2022 19:27

Similar boat - I would lose a lot of money moving. Thinking to sell next year when mortgage up for refinancing. Partly i think the market where we want to go is so overheated and expensive - houses we've been seeing are much smaller for much more money than we paid for our current house as we need to be in a secondary catchment

Original poster
Jisforjuggling · 01/02/2022 19:30

@Whatiswrongwithmyknee there is nothing fancy about it. The house pretty much needs gutting- new electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring, kitchen, bathroom, add an ensuite. The price was for everything inside (so the finished product, not to first fix). But even so it’s insanely expensive.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jisforjuggling · 01/02/2022 19:31

There is no-where to move to. I know a number of families living in air bnbs because there is nothing to rent.

OP posts:
Whatiswrongwithmyknee · 01/02/2022 19:36

[quote Jisforjuggling]@Whatiswrongwithmyknee there is nothing fancy about it. The house pretty much needs gutting- new electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring, kitchen, bathroom, add an ensuite. The price was for everything inside (so the finished product, not to first fix). But even so it’s insanely expensive.[/quote]
That is still an insane amount of money. You can take a house back to it's bones and rebuild for way, way, way less than that so I still can't see how you're not going for a very high end finish.

Wotsitsits · 01/02/2022 19:39

Option 3. Move! Run away!
Life is far too short. It sounds like you have an excellent whack of cash and equity so get going!!

ShovellyJoe · 01/02/2022 19:40

Since moving to my house 5yrs ago we have replaced the roofing felt and all joists, plus all upstairs ceilings, replastered throughout, added an extension, replaced the conservatory, new bathroom, new kitchen, new electrics, new flooring, knocked out a couple of fireplaces, new driveway, new heating system and boiler, redecoration and some other stuff.

Admittedly we do tend to go to first fix where possible and we do as much as we can ourselves but we've spent 60k max on everything.

Clymene · 01/02/2022 19:50

@Jisforjuggling

There is no-where to move to. I know a number of families living in air bnbs because there is nothing to rent.
Do you have to stay exactly where you are? I presume your children are already in the highly sought after schools?
Suzi888 · 01/02/2022 19:54

2

Get a reputable builder instead of an Architect?

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 01/02/2022 19:56

Get some more quotes? 20% of that fee is potentially the architects. It is a choice to have one supervise the whole build.

You can also with an architects help run a fixed price quote process to appoint a builder. Cost over runs are then their problem.

Both of these options are more expensive than taking plans to a reputable local builder.

On your options I'd settle in and do it properly personally. It sounds like a great location, appreciating in value and stamp duty is extortionate. You don't have to spend gazillions on a super high end fit-out. Buy good quality stuff but if you want to buy a £5k bathtub, make sure you can take it with you!!

It will feel like a completely different place when you've taken it back to brick and made it your own. Made it safe, made it soundproof, made it warm and energy efficient, made it homely or glamorous whatever your preference.

I've bought two wrecks and done them up now. If you don't go mad you will definitely see a return on your investment. Best of luck!

Calmdown14 · 01/02/2022 19:59

That quote is insane. You could buy my 3 bed house twice over and some for that renovation cost!
Would it ever be worth the value it costs?
The hot market is in your favour for selling. How much stock is there in what you'd be seeking to move to?
Do you lose much by trying to sell now? Perhaps if you go into it not really expecting it to come off it will be mentally easier? Just do the very basics of presenting to its best and see what happens

stuntbubbles · 01/02/2022 20:00

£700k for a house you’re saying needs to be stripped back to bare brick to make liveable?

StylishMummy · 01/02/2022 20:01

We've just redone all plumbing, wiring and added a wraparound extension that also doubled the size of the upstairs bathroom. Was £60k all in! (Midlands)

Original poster
Jisforjuggling · 01/02/2022 20:04

@Suzi888 do they exist??

OP posts:
FAQs · 01/02/2022 20:05

What are you trying to do, hopefully not rip up an old house and practically rebuild it into a modern box.

Starseeking · 01/02/2022 20:14

Option 3. It sounds like the house needs to much work (in your eyes) for you to ever be truly happy there.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 01/02/2022 20:14

[quote Jisforjuggling]@mimos4 bought the house for £600, it’s probably worth 680-700 now. The quote we got was £330k but it didn’t include about £100k of external works- landscaping (nothing fancy), new driveway and a garage, plus a contingency fund. So just shy of £500k by the time we finished and I don’t think we’d get more than 850 at a push when it’s finished.
We are astounded that the boiler has lasted this long….but the house is falling apart, thing break all the time and we are just patching them back to get us through[/quote]
Fuck. Me. How the other half live.

FelicityBob · 01/02/2022 20:15

We’re renovating a 3 bed and will not be spending anywhere near the extortionate amount you’ve been quoted! Go back and get several quotes and as above, take the architect out of the equation

whyohwhyohwhyohwhywhy · 01/02/2022 20:27

But you still don't need to do this. Is it essential to plaster? Is the plaster coming off? You can just tell that you want to renovate to a really high standard. Which is fine, but own it. It is not essential works.

We've just bought a house for 650 which hasn't been touched for 20 years. We have some work to do to it but fully some of it is discretionary. There is a working kitchen, it is just coming to the end of its life. I could replace it for 5-10 k, but I am likely to choose to extend the property and put in something bigger. I don't need to though.

Eightiesfan · 01/02/2022 20:39

OP I would spend the money and do it up. It sounds like all the hidden problems have made you hate the house. Gut it and create a space you love. It will pretty much be a new house. Don’t waste your money patching things up, as that is a very short-term solution and you’ll still hate it.

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