How would you improve this with 40k

[Homeiswherethedogis]

I've spotted this house, it's in a nice area known to us and the space is great. However it looks like it could do with a lot of updating. Particular concern is the conservatory. So with a 40k initial budget inspire me with your ideas (or tell me not to bother)

Thanks in advance

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149635253#/?channel=RES_BUY

1. Landscape the garden, put in trees, so it's a lovely space and not just a boring unshaded oblong of lawn
2. On the ground floor switch around the toilet room and utility room, and make the toilet into a full bathroom

I would spend the money on really nice decor. The house itself is fine although I don't really like conservatories. I'd focus on making it look more interesting with good use of colour, nice curtains, good flooring. And changing kitchen cabinet doors.

Personally I wouldn’t, as it looks like there are numerous things to address…but, if I was, I’d struggle to live with that kitchen for long. So I’d start there.

I was expecting much worse having read the first few comments...
Personally I'd get rid of the conservatory (hate them)and have a brand new kitchen
The rest just looks to need re decoration with possibly new bathrooms in the future wouldn't spend right now on landscape gardening. That garden is a good size and will benefit massively from a good tidy and some hard work but landscaping is ££££ and it doesn't appear to be urgently needed right now

It looks "ok" so I would try living there for 12-months before allocating money.

Certainly I would go to town on the garden as it is way too bare for our tastes.
Plan & plant and then let nature to her thing while you start updating the interior of the house.
Personally we like a well designed & constructed conservatory so I would not make any immediate plans until you know if it is fit for purpose (or not).

Initially I'd say decorate some rooms to your own taste, and add some interest to garden areas in terms id trees/shrubs/pots - you can do this slowly yourselves unless you feel you want to splash out. I wouldn't rush to do anything internally, unless you know something doesn't work for you already - that way you can give yourselves 12-24 months to work out what you really need to change.

Very interesting the garden is coming through as priority. I was expecting flooring and kitchen.

I like the idea of moving the downstairs toilet to utility. Would still want a big sink and washing machine/drying space in there but I think it could work.

No calls to convert the conservatory to extension yet, guessing that would be out of budget?

I wouldn’t get rid of the conservatory but I would have the roof done - it’s makes it into a useable space. Get plenty of quotes - some companies quote extortionate prices for this. But it makes a huge difference to the room.
the rest is mainly decor that you can change to suit your taste. I don’t think there is anything drastic, it just looks a bit boring in its current state.

I'd start with some tins of paint that aren't magnolia, some plants in the gardens, and plants to break up that front wall of the house.

How decent is the conservatory roof? I'd consider upgrading that to one if the thermal/solid roofs.

I think the kitchen would annoy me, but id live with it for a bit, and work out if I could turn that room into a full sized kitchen and dining room, rather than having the kitchen on all walls.

Edit: took me ages to write, and have just seen your latest post.
Yes, probably some flooring too.

Much of the issue is it’s so bland.

id redo the kitchen to be honest, and I’d put a new roof on the conservatory.

past that its decor, big rugs, you can do that cheaply

I would wait until you have lived there a while to see how the downstairs works for you, I would probably want to pull down the conservatory at some stage and make the kitchen into a family room. Not sure you need two doors out into the garden from the kitchen. It would take more than £40k to extend and replace the kitchen.

Turning the conservatory into a properly insulated extension would probably eat up everything and more. Shame, as with it, it's a nicely proportioned house. Without, it's a wee bit cramped.

I'd replace the worktops in the kitchen - get rid of that weird mini breakfast bar and replace the tiles/splashbacks. I don't love the kitchen, but it's neutral enough that it could be made OK until there was budget to do a more ideal job. (I'm assuming it's in basically fine condition, just unfashionable).

Bigger spend - I'd get a solid roof put on the conservatory - that could be half your budget.

Personally I really don't like the bathroom tiles, so they'd be a priority for me. I'm happy with DIY plumbing and tiling, so I could probably sort that within budget - but recognise if paying workmen, might just have to keep suites as is and just redo the tiles.

The conservatory looks like it has pvc roofing- if so, that could be converted either to standard roofing or to solar glass. We did ours with glass as the noise when it rained was deafening and the increased insulation/ protection from sun made such a difference. Cost about 8k a few years ago and was a similar size to this one. It would depend on the structure whether it would be possible as these roofs are much heavier than pvc.

I don't like the way the garage dominates the front of the plot and the front door is tucked around behind it, leaving a dead space between the two buildings. I would infill the gap between the two and possibly convert the garage to another room.

oddly, as it’s usually the opposite , but it looks much better on the virtual tour than in the pics, I think it’s as it’s so beige, and it’s not been done well, no colour or nuance, but that’s a positive as it’s a blank canvas, even the garden is.

OP, the right answer for you then is the kitchen and flooring if that's what you were expecting to come up. Again, give yourselves a few months to decide what you'd want in terms of layout/colours.

It would be the flat roof on the conservatory for me. Or better still knock it down and build a proper extension. I could live with the rest for now.

Have an abc plan
a is things that need doing immediately, dripping taps , offensive to your eyes wallpaper / decor / carpets etc
b is what to do after a few months of living there
c is what you would do with an unlimited budget
I would swap out kitchen doors and change worktop to a lighter cover and update a bathroom as part of b

I’m with @Tupster with the caveat of probably live in it first for 6-12 months. Also agree with the garden comments, install a couple a trees or decent size shrubs.

I'd live in it for at least 6 months forst cos how you live will then highlight what you really hate and want to do. For me that conservatory is the wrong place I like to sit in a living room and see the garden but it's blocked by it I'd have had it off the kitchen to created a proper kitchen diner.

But as it's built I'd probably look to extend it full width and create better spaces so 2 reception rooms with a open kitchen diner if the dimensions work

I'd want to extend out the front. Fill in the gap between house and garages. Build a new front at the side of the garage with a nice front door, entry and a snug/office.

Me too! It’s the worst feature of the house imo or at the least the one which needs a proper structural solution to address it. It really puts me off.

I almost never see houses in areas I know on here!

The bones of the house look fine, and it isn't that old I don't think, so it is mainly decorative.

It does seem very keenly priced for a detached 4 bed in Burwell with a reasonable plot.

New kitchen and replace the conservatory with a decent extension. Get rid of the laminate. The rest of it just needs paint and better furniture.