Would you buy a place that needs "total modernisation"?

[IlanaK]

We are looking at a place tomorow that is described as needing "total modernisation". Plus points - it is in out price range, is a freehold house in a area that we normally only see flats, has large rooms, is old victorian with all the feature fireplaces etc, all the plumbing is in the right place for us to put in an extra bathrrom and a utility room, it has two reception rooms instead of just one as we normally see, it has a third reception room that could be turned into a wonderful eat in kitchen.

We have done total refurbs before. Our current home was one, but we lived with my mum while we did it. We can't face that this time so would need to live there while it was being done with three kids ranging in age from 1 year old to 8 year old.

Would you do it?

Well, you know what you are up against.
We idd a refurb and have just sold. NEVER AGAIN! It was a nightmare with ds as we were living here and actually carrying out most of the work ourselves.

If I had the funds to do the work then probably.

I would also suggest that you get any big work like plumbing for new heating, rewiring and plastering done before you move in as those things are really hard to live with as they are so disruptive.

At the very least, have one reception room and one bedroom finished before you move in so they can be a refuge from all the work going on.

Good luck!!

Yes, we have the funds. We also have an extremely reliable builder/plumber. However he is booked up so early that there is no way the work could be done before we move in. However, we could move out to my mother's in very very short bursts (two weeks at a time with long gaps in between!) if necessary.

that sounds like a compromise then. Or farm the kids out to her during the school hols and you and DH stay in the house, if that fits with work etc.

We moved into a house that needed a huge amount of work doing to it, and we held onto DH's old house for a bit but we were so desperate to move in that we didn't do anything before we did. Four years (and another two children)later we are still living in a 1980's old folk's home . t We have done the bedrooms and given a lick of paint to a couple of downstairs rooms. Unfortunately the cat that we inherited from my mum has scratched the walls all over those two rooms......

One day it will be showhome standard throughout.....probably when the kids have left home

When we did this I planned the work to within an inch of my life (I am a project manager), made sure absolutely everything we needed was on-site and then we moved out for 6 weeks while the dirty heavy work was done.

We advertised in the local shops and found a couple who were going on a 6 week trip - we paid a lot less than a normal short let and we just took suitcases with us and they didn't move all their stuff out or anything