House where previous owner died in a fire

[UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername]

We have a viewing of a very interesting property next week, but there's a lot of smoke damage and a hole in the roof from a fire in which the owner died. Obviously if we bought it, the first step in the renovations would be professional cleaning.

I'm not overly bothered by it myself, I don't think, but we have 14 and 12 year olds and I'm worried about it from that perspective. Am I mad to even consider it?

The death wouldn't be a major issue for me, but do you actually know about renovating a house with fire damage?

How extensive was the fire? The hole in the roof could have been made by the fire service rather than flames.

There will then be the water damage from inundation if they had to out the fire out.

That’s really grim

I'd be celebrating the fact that so many of you would avoid the place. What a great opportunity to get the property cheaply! Sounds like a winner to me! Dead folk don't bother me. By the time you are planning your next move, the house will be back to normal, and nobody will give a stuff about the fire.

Dead folk don't bother me but my imagination does. If I can't relax in my home and keep thinking about it then it's not worth buying.
Old houses having someone die that I don't know about in the distant part wouldn't bother me. But something this recent where I was setting the house to rights too would absolutely be in my thoughts and dreams.

I don't know anything about fire renovation, but we're bringing an experienced surveyor with us.

We can buy it without a mortgage if it goes at or near asking, so that's not a problem. And judging by this thread, there won't be much competition!

I spoke to the kids about it this morning and they both seemed nonplussed that I thought they'd be bothered.

It's a bungalow, and the fire started in a bedroom in the back corner. There are no photos of the inside of that room or the one beside it, but I'm guessing they need a lot of work. The walls in the hall are damaged and upper halves of the architraves blackened; I don't know whether they're burned or smoked. The hall ceiling is quite blackened; I'd say it'll have to be replaced. All the flooring has been removed down to concrete. The electrics and plumbing will be interesting. And while the hole in the roof is fairly small and just over the back bedroom, it will be interesting to see what state the roof timbers are in. We must make sure to bring a ladder...

Sounds like it's going to need to be stripped back to bare brick.

Plaster may well be soaked and stink of smoke which can't be washed off, ceilings throughout may need to be taken down for the same reason (check for asbestos at the same time), replacement of affected electrics, likely a strip out of kitchen and bathroom anyway - it's a big job from what you're saying!

My experience of renovating after a house fire chimes with @ButtSurgery ’s advice. Prepare to spend a lot.

I lived in a house where the previous owner had accidentally set fire to it by smoking in bed. He tried to get out but had a heart attack and died in the hallway. I found all this out on the day I moved in from a ‘kindly’ neighbour 😂. The house had been totally renovated. It was honestly the nicest house I have ever lived in and probably where I was the happiest. I used to feel that the man who died there was looking out for us and had been a good person (sounds a bit mad I know).My childhood home was very old and I know several people died there. I and my two siblings were born in the house and my DF died there. It’s a very happy family home for someone else now.

Is it an option to knock it all down and start again if you don't have a mortgage?
It could be simpler and cheaper to rebuilt rather than renovate.

Feck it, it's this one: Belver, Avenue Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91D6Y6 is for sale on Daft.ie

Lord no, don't demolish!

Looks like it has loads of potential OP. Someone's done a great job of washing it down for the photos - although you can see the marks on all the walls and ceilings.

The damage to the back wall and roof where the fire broke out the window looks quite nasty and was obviously very hot.

What sort of surveyor is he? Does he definitely understand the true (and current!) costs of renovating the property? Can you take a builder with you too, especially to look at the structural damage in and above the room the fire was seated in?

If you bought it, stripped it and renovated, do you have somewhere to live in the interim? It'll be a few months I'd have thought.

I couldn't buy it. I have a massive phobia of dying in a fire, (or not dying, but being horribly burnt.)

Just this thread alone is making me feel slightly queasy as a result.

I've absolutely no issue with living in a house where people had died, (in fact I'm doing so now), and think I'd even be ok if there'd been a murder or something.

But that house you've posted, not a bloody chance. Could not do it.

We've sold our own house and are living with my sister at the moment, so that would continue.

Our surveyor said he'd be in a position to advise. We do have a friend who's a roofer as well, so he'd be roped in for a look as well. I could possibly get a builder too.

That’s what I was thinking- the smell will be soaked into the house so a lot of replacement will be needed. For someone willing to do the work I guess it’s a good deal.

My aunt viewed a house being sold by the GLC, man hung himself and was hanging from bannisters....she went ahead and bought it very cheap...few thousand...sold it last year for 1.4m...retired....
house near me had a fire, wife burnt alive by husband as refused divorce, its been sold a few times and current owners dont know about history....another house also burnt down as a brother was cut out of a will so set himself alight and the house, also been sold many times since and current owners dont know...it happens if house is right for you and price then go ahead.

Our house is 150+ years old so the thought of someone dying in a house wouldn't put me off but the extensive work needed absolutely would. Especially with 2 teens.

I love our house but it did need a lot of work - not as bad as a house fire and hole in roof - and it did take away from our kids at times. It was hard juggling renovation work and kids with the kids missing out sometimes.

Oh, and surveys and quotes are only a guide not gospel. Virtually everything ended up costing much more £££ than expected and there were some costly surprises.

Sorry if that bursts your bubble. I mean, we were warned..... but still did it anyway. 😄

I’m not in the slightest bit woo, but I’d find it too upsetting and would keep imagining that person burning to death. Not something I want in my bedroom.

I’d find it upsetting that the person who was killed there still has his or her bike in the garage…. It personalises it a bit too much for me. If I was their bereaved loved one I’d struggle with that on right move.

My mothers apartment was destroyed by fire but luckily insured. Be prepared for a lot of work to have to be done. Replastering, ceilings replaced, re wiring, re plumbing, window replacement, all internal doors and full kitchen and bathroom replacement. Our surveyor was fantastic but it definitely wasn’t cheap so be prepared for the costs to be more than you expect. She was on the ground floor so no roof to deal with.

House itself looks nice! Gardens not huge, could you pull it down & build on it or?

I'd be more concerned about previous customers turning up on release/discharge hoping to score, not knowing he isn't living there anymore.

Nope. That would give me major bad vibes. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.