Am I bonkers to consider this or could it be ok?

[Pantspangles]

Single parent, 3 dc, 2 still at home. I work full time and can go into the office as much or as little as I like.

I don’t love our current house, it’s home so I love it in that sense but I’ve never been able to truly put my mark on it for various reasons (including the fact that whilst it is possible to make it how I want it I’d have to spend more than I’d ever get back. So doesn’t make financial sense.)

I’ve seen a place that I could make lovely. Good location, would all my boxes once renovated, and I have enough equity in my current place to be able to do so and it still be worth more than my investment.

Renovation work comprises rejigging the layout a bit and making the most of a lot of wasted space, so adding walks and doorways or blocking them up, adding a bathroom upstairs, new kitchen and complete redecoration from top to bottom. V little structural work (if any) though thankfully. Plus the garden and drive. It is being sold empty (for a good year) by a management company after the previous owner died.

I lived through some very long drawn out (years) renovation works before with exh who insisted on doing everything ourselves but I found it utterly exhausting with small children and working full time. Now they are a bit older (ones at home are 15 and 9) and I don’t have a control freak ex I’m hoping it wouldn’t be as horrifically draining and depressing? It should hopefully take 8 weeks max to do and we can move out for a bit if we need to- with the equity I can afford to pay for things to be done (but will enjoy picking and choosing the bits I want to do myself).

I guess I need reassurance that building work doesn’t have to be so torturous as it was for me before, or a wake up call to say what tf are you even thinking! Don’t buy it!

Thanks for reading if you’ve got this far!

Sounds wonderful, a project you can manage, already have planned out in your head and that you’re happy to live with the fallout from for a few months. How empowering! I’d do it, massive fun and a huge satisfaction having the ideal house going forward. Hope you go for it.

Interesting... I'm also a single parent of 3, two still at home, similar ages, and have been pondering whether to buy a bit of a wreck as a project or stay put. I'm put off by all the hassle and upheaval, the time commitment, dealing with workmen, my own flagging energy levels, financial implications of moving at a weird time economically etc. Lots of negatives. But on the other hand I resent the thought of pouring money into my current home if I don't plan to be here forever - might as well move and get it done! And part of me thinks a project like that would be a great focus as the kids are getting more independent. I don't have an answer, but I'd love to know what you decide!

My only comment would be are you basing your sums on current trades prices or working on previous knowledge / former projects etc. Only because the amount that reno work has gone up by is ridiculous. If you've had v recent (as in 3months) quotes and the numbers still work, then it sounds like it could be great. It definitely wont take 8 weeks - I'd immediately double any number you get told 😅 But that might still be ok for you if (like us) you have previously had a years long + type project as it all pales into comparison!!

I moved into a mess of a house when I became a single parent.

Getting it renovated was MUCH easier without ex in tow. I could book builders/plumbers without ex insisting he 'had a mate who could do it for less'. I could choose colours and styles quickly, without the back and forth discussions.

It was calm, relatively easy to plan, and over quite quickly because I stuck to defined tasks instead of going down rabbit holes.

If you like the house and genuinely want a project, go for it.

Adding a bathroom upstairs is probably the trickiest of those jobs, even if you are just converting an existing bedroom into one. I'd try to get that and changing the kitchen units done before I moved in.

Not bonkers. I have just done exactly this, alone with two primary aged children. But do it only if you have twice as much money and twice as much time as you are quoted. Everyone told me this and I did not believe them. They were right. And spare budget to live out for the messiest bits of the reno for both your sanity and the efficiency of the builders.

I'm kind of doing exactly that. 2 primary age Dc but they spend about half their time with their dad. Bought house a year ago and it's so much easier doing it up without having exH putting his oar in with stupid ideas or refusing/rejecting ideas just because he hadnt thought of it himself 🙄
Agree that you need to budget way more than you think. As soon as the first floor board comes up, you will uncover something unexpected and expensive!
Interview as many builders as you can and don't go for cost alone.

As pp have said, re think the timeline as it feels too optimistic and get upto date quotes so you go in with your eyes wide open.

I did a ground floor reno update, flooring, kitchen, electrics, door blocked, new door created and cost at least 28k. I think i just stopped counting after that. 11k was the trades cost for their time, not materials. No extention.

I think 8 weeks max for a total renovation, even without anything structural is extremely unrealistic.

I did this in May. Bought a house that needed a lot of work doing. New heating system, plastering, new double glazing and door, new flooring, some structural works (which luckily have been minimal) and complete redecoration. Have ran out of money now so the new kitchen and downstairs shower room will have to wait but I've loved it. I'm a single mum to three and I've done it at my own pace. It's been stressful at points but go for it!!! I've loved it and I love our beautiful home 🥰

I also think it'll take longer than eight weeks (but similar to yourself @Pantspangles I've spent literally 25+ years - DIYing - project houses with my DH so I'm basing it on that!)

Budget for everything to cost more too as materials and labour have increased ridiculously.

Otherwise, it sounds like a fabulous idea and you should have a lovely home for your family once done!

Thanks everyone for a bit of reassurance. Sage advice to double the estimated time and cost- something for me to muse on further and perhaps plan things in stages so that i can use my funds and time to best effect.

I’m a bit excited!

The house is very far from lovely outside- it is a 60s (perhaps) chalet bungalow with 2 bedrooms upstairs and 1/2 downstairs that has been v neglected but has lovely sized rooms and the most amazing views, it might be surrounded by old people in other aging chalet bungalows but the area is so wonderfully peaceful and really close to school/road links/ friends (both dc and I) and I can imagine how the whole thing would look when done and it could be just fabulous for us!

I am slightly obsessed with working out the layout now.

You think you can do that lot in 8 weeks?😳
If you can face it taking, on and off, more like a year, than it might work.
On the bright side, if the money stacks up, I would go for it if it was me. But do take all quotes and 2x...😉

Rather than trying to do it all in one go, I'd do it a few chunks at a time. I know it's tempting to 'get it all done at once' but the trades will never dovetail, and a relatively tidy and clean pause between times of chaos can help cope with it. And living in a house may change your mind about where and what you want, too. Especially the layouts. Time taken thinking it over may well not be time wasted. Covid delayd our kitche in our reno, and it ended up all the better for it as I worked out a much better layout once we'd been here a year.