Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

7 bed Edwardian villa - complete rewiring and new central heating costs?

46 replies

MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 15:48

Does anyone have any experience of this type of project?

We need a rough estimate of how much it would cost to have a 3 storey, 15-room detached villa rewired (lighting and extra power points in each room) and and new central heating installed (or possibly upgraded.)

I know I know, how long is a piece of string? . Or rather, how deep is this bottomless moneypit!

It was last re-wired over 40 years ago. Horribly inadequate central heating on ground and 1st floors only. Needs a new boiler.

We eventually want to install a new bathroom in the roofspace leading off one of the attic bedrooms, and convert an existing ground floor cloakroom adjacent to utility area into a shower room with disabled access, so would need to incorporate the electrics and plumbing for these.

The first floor kitchen needs a refurb and a dishwasher installed.

We would have a budget of up to £75K. I am guessing at least £40-50K for the initial rewiring and plumbing alone.

Am I bonkers?

OP posts:
frogs · 07/05/2009 15:54

Shedloads of money. But you knew that.

We burned through £30K on complete rewire + heating /hot water installation + new boiler + new bathroom. That's for a 4/5 bed big Victorian terrace in London, with no major unexpected snafus. We knew the contractors and had used them before -- it could have been done cheaper, but I doubt it could have been done well for much less, tbh.

We did what you're planning and had the plumbing and wiring spec done to include the possibility of loft extension (someday, when we have a spare £30K lying around). You will need to consider the boiler size and cylinder size as well as wiring and pipework, but with a house htat size you'll be wanting a monster boiler/tank anyway.

Have fun...

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 16:04

Thanks frogs! . The house is in Bath, which I think is similar to London for building costs.

I have absolutely no idea how long this work will take. The house is big enough for us all to "camp out" and move from room to room, but I would imagine we're talking months rather than weeks .

OP posts:
Sorrento · 07/05/2009 16:50

The construction industry has collapsed, now would be a great time to do that kind of project.

noddyholder · 07/05/2009 17:18

25k

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 18:59

25K Noddy?

OP posts:
noddyholder · 07/05/2009 19:44

I think so.Will you be living in the house while its being done?If you aren't and considering how builders are struggling I would say drive a hard bargain,I have done similar recently on a 3/4 bed terrace so smaller and it was about 12k inc fitting 1 bathroom and a ds toilet utility area.They are coming back starting next week and are very competitive on their prices as they treally need the work.

nowwearefour · 07/05/2009 19:47

sounds like a great property though. noone ever moves out fo the edwardian villas where i live so you just cant get to buy one!

Thebolter · 07/05/2009 19:54

Have you considered all the other possible costs: damp and woodworm treatment, plastering, flooring, carpentry, new windows, structural work, garden, etc?

Also depends on your spec - i.e. do you want spotlights, chrome fittings, etc. What type of kitchen and bathrooms do you have in mind etc....

I would imagine 75k would just about cover an 'average' spec.

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 20:16

We would be living in the house while the work is carried out. There are 2 kitchens.

The house is structurally sound, no bad damp problems, windows and roof OK. Just needs internal modernisation and refurbishment. We'd be quite happy with an "average" spec. All the fancy stuff can be done as and when, we just need the important stuff sorted out ASAP.

This is my "familY" home - my mother can't manage on her own anymore, and she has been trying to sell for a year but there is just too much work needed for most buyers.

She was going to sell up and move to London near us, but we're seriously thinking about moving in with her instead. We rent in London, and DH can run his business from anywhere in the country.

OP posts:
barbarapym · 07/05/2009 20:23

You could do it on that I think, especially now - it's true that builders are keen to get work. Sounds like a fab idea in fact, and a good use of the money. Beware though - our house was rewired and had central heating put in 40 years ago too, and there were all sorts of things they did then that seem to cost extra to put right!

verylapsedrunner · 07/05/2009 20:28

Sounds fantastic but I fear your 75K may be too low. If you are rewiring and plumbing etc you're probably going to have to replaster (I know just from looking up at our 1904 ceilings that they all need to come down and be replastered etc) plus flooring, new light fittings etc......150K?

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 07/05/2009 20:33

i am guessing 25 - 30k

re furbishing costs so much

we have just re wired and re plumbed a kitchen (alone) has been 3k

you can do it all cheaply

strip floors rather than oak

plumbers merchant can buy you a great bathroom etc

i think 75 is conservative but do able

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 07/05/2009 20:35

what is a 'villa' my terrace is classed as victorian villas and i assume it to mean town house...?

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 20:39

We would probably need to aim nearer £50K than £75K TBH . We will have to look at raising finance somehow. DH and I are mortgage and debt-free and have some savings.

We have been paying £1500 per month rent, but DH is self-employed which makes it hard to get a mortgage thanks to the credit crunch.

Would we be able to take out a small mortgage on the property if we became co-owners with my mother who owns the house outright? She is quite happy with this idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 20:49

"Villa" is how the estate agents describe the house - probably meaningless!

Flooring will have to wait. Light fittings will undoubtedly come from BHS or Argos. Painting and decorating eventually will be done by Yours Truly.

The re-plastering has been giving me nightmares . The house has high ceilings with loads of period features - cornices, friezes and ceiling roses everywhere. It will have to be done though.

This house was an on-going project for our family all through the 1970s. We lived on a freezing building site with bare floorboards for years!

OP posts:
lalalonglegs · 07/05/2009 21:28

If you are having the house rewired, it will need replastering as well on every wall you put a socket or switch and every ceiling that has a new light fitting put in it. If you have picture rails then you might be able to get away with doing some walls just up to that height.

Do spend a bit of extra money on decent switches and sockets - white plastic looks very low rent these days.

To have a stake in a seven-bedroom house in Bath, I would be prepared to spend more than £75k if I had to.

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 07/05/2009 21:33

lala - i choose white plastic over stainless or brushed steel

hate drawing attention to switches and stuff

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 22:07

I would ideally like to take out a mortgage for £150K. The repayments would be about the same as our rent is ATM, but DH's self employed status is a problem.

I suppose I'm just trying to work out how much the bare essential work will cost to start with. My mother will be able to contribute a fair bit.

We actually have a lot of period fittings (brass door handles, light switches etc.) bought cheap by my father years ago and never used. My parents were part of the 1930s Depression era pre-boomer generation, which meant they never spent any money on the house (or anything else) if they could do the work themselves.

The hallways and stairs were finally carpeted (5 years after we moved in) when my Dad saw a pub being refurbished and rescued the old carpets from a skip! He hired a carpet cleaning machine and then cut and fitted the carpets himself. They still look great

OP posts:
PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 07/05/2009 22:15

have you tried to get a mortgage?

how long has your dp been self employed mrsflitter?

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 22:24

Paula, DH has been running a limited company since 2004. We haven't tried to get a mortgage yet, but our accountant was very negative when we discussed it with him recently, because our declared profit for tax is very low. Which is what we pay him to sort out for us after all ,

He seemed to think we would only be able to borrow about £50K, although our annual income is over £60K.

OP posts:
PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 07/05/2009 22:25

well we have been self employed since 2002

limited co since 2004 and borrowed 6x (i know i know) net profit two years ago...

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 22:30

I think high multiples and self-cert mortgages are now a thing of the past! I'm sure there must be some other ways my mother could spring some capital from the house. We only want to borrow about 10% of the value of the property.

OP posts:
PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 07/05/2009 22:31

ours was not self cert

they will easily lend you for only 10% ltv

frogs · 07/05/2009 23:10

Do not under any circs attempt to live in the house while complete rewire and replumbing is taking place. You will lose the will to live on an hourly basis. Really don't.

Original poster
MrsFlittersnoop · 07/05/2009 23:17

Thanks Paula. That's reassuring! I will have to talk to a mortgage broker about this.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread