Got a viewing on this tomorrow

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-35010169.html

Now I know it will be a big job but HOW big? From what I can see of it so far it is a definite new roof, possible subsidence (downloaded the brochure that has more pics of the back and there seems to be areas of pointing repair, new lintels etc), new windows and doors, completely decorate and furnish, rewire…

I have done a partial renovation before but it was structurally sound, had already been rewired and plastered etc so it was more cosmetic.

Any thoughts?

That’s a lovely looking house.

Subsidence doesn’t sound too clever – I guess there are many different levels of how bad this is. Over a mineshaft, say, versus something like a tree-root growing under a wall. You would need all the info available here.

Nice house, I like Knaresborough 🙂

whats your budget?

It’s got its own Apple Loft and Dairy – bollocks to the subsisdence, I’d find a way.

Nice looking house, but I don’t think you’d get much change from £100k to renovate that.

whats your budget?

Baked beans and learning lots of DIY over the next 20 years.

Seriously, probably about £50k initial budget and I really would have to make this a ‘bit by bit’ project for many years – certainly there would be no splashing £££££££££s on it to make it perfect in 6 months.

I’d find a way.

Is my wife’s attitude right now.

Subsidence the only real issue, but as said above, there are degrees of severity. If you’ve got the money to pay others to do the bits you can’t do yourself, then it’s all good.

As above, what’s your budget for repairs? How much can you do, or will you be paying trades? £40-50k?

Roof first to get it watertight. Then rewiring – which pretty much wrecks the place, so do that next. Then plastering and redecoration to follow, bathroom/s, kitchen. etc etc

It’s a lovely house – oh to find something at that price down here!

johndoh – just saw you last reply after I posted. I reckon you’ve got it about right for that strategy.

Forgot to add, my uncle (who I am very close to) is a retired builder so will be able to help (and point me to others for bits he can’t help with). And my father-in-law is VERY competent too (they were given an equally/more dilapidated old farmhouse many years ago and he renovated it almost by himself over many years). so I do have people around to help point me in the right direction when I get out of my depth.

The garage seems fine though – and I think we would be living in that for the first 5 years 🙂

It’s a lovely house – oh to find something at that price down here!

There isn’t many like that around Harrogate either.

Seriously, probably about £50k initial budget and I really would have to make this a ‘bit by bit’ project for many years – certainly there would be no splashing £££££££££s on it to make it perfect in 6 months.

So assuming you do roof+subsidence first, you’ll be stuck with that barbieprincesstastic interior decorating for the next few years???

Nice looking house from the outside, though!

When you are the star of a TV show for the renovation, let us know.

I’d not want to tackle that part time / DIY and live in it at the same time. You need some proper reports done on it. That is an awful lot of money to pay for something that might take 6 figures to make right.

Lovely property, that.

As said do the essentials and then spend many years with rest for what’s a lovely home.

Gardens big enough for a Static.

Get it bought

Not sure about that pink carpet. Other than that if you have the time and funds go for it!

I reckon the roof alone could easily cost between £60k and £80k depending on the state of the supporting structure.

If there is subsidence then who knows? You need to get a proper survey done.

Are you going to do all the work yourself or use tradesmen?

We renovated this over a few years using tradesmen for the big stuff:

36791_1319146709239_1664124_n by manoirdelourde, on Flickr

Come up with a reasonable estimate of what you think it will cost, then double it. And if you live in the house while the work is being done expect to be miserable for a long time . . .

Lovely village. Not sure where else that’s nice and near Harrogate you’d get the prospect of four/five beds for that price, as long as renovation costs aren’t vast. It’s a long way from being a shell, either.

Just don’t fall in love with it until you’re sure, and make sure the missus doesn’t either. If the numbers don’t stack up, you’ve got to walk.

£50k and 6 months does not sound enough – in my opinion and based on a quick look at the photos.

There are a number of things you would want to do as quickly as possible as they will be messy jobs. You would assume a new roof but also under pinning and maybe some structural work if there has been subsistence. I would also assume that the damp has been getting in for years so you need to look at all the wood (floor joists etc).

Windows look tired but might be saveable? The beams visible in the ceiling look like some one has knocked this about a bit – you could find all sorts going on once you get into it!

I am not a builder but work with developers, a similar project I am involved with (barn conversion) has a 90k budget and that is without any builders mark up on materials and labour at cost.

Good luck if you go for it.

£50k and 6 months

I said I would have £50k and that I *wouldn’t* expect to make it perfect in 6 months. I am not so daft as to think that!

Clearly there’s a minimum that needs doing – but that’s not the problem – it’s where you choose to take it to after you’ve got the basics sorted.

For instance, in a large and expensive house like that a kitchen budget might be 30 to 40k.

I’d do some homework on what the house might be worth once it’s done.

Having lived in a 600year old thatched cottage that needed doing up, I know one thing. Me, personally, I would never do it again. It all cost a lot more than we thought it would and living through the renovations was hideous.

In the end I hated the place and it was sold (at a loss).

I guess the question is how far would £50k take you and how long it would take to get it into a decent state after that.

As others have said I think you could blow £50k on the roof alone. I would guess £100k will get you most of the way there and would build that in to the price you offer.

Good luck with it.

Part of me hopes I don’t fall in love with it…

I think the key is to make the decision based on a cold hard look at the numbers. Make any bid knowing you have enough cash to get you through it without to much stress and with some very prudent assumptions (estimated cost x2 is a good one) and also ensure all the hard work is worth it i.e. you can sell it for a good chunk more than it will have cost you.

Paying cash or will you need some kinda mortgage – if so budget for cashflow ‘issues’ – and £50k will probably sort the roof out properly…

Can you get either your uncle or your F-i-L to view it with you and see what they say?

I’d be worried about the possible subsidence, as there’s no sign of trees nearby; to me that says if there is subsidence it’s probably something pretty serious…

F-I-L coming with us tomorrow, Uncle can’t make it.

It may not be subsidence, it could just be bad work in the past – I was just going from the pictures I have seen. The more I think about it, the less I think it could be – I am not aware of any history of it in that area and there isn’t anything close to cause it (other than a duck pond).

I woud be paying circa. £250k cash (inheritance all but paid off current mortgage before you think I am flash) but can probably borrow another £50k. Would need a mortgage/loan/credit card/beg/steal/sell wife for anything else on top.

Apple loft == cinema 😀

Have you looked at the house in Google Earth?

There is a small development just to the side of the house, and if you look at the road (Avenue House Court) it just ends at the field to the rear . . . that looks to me like the developer might intend or even have permission to carry on building into the field behind, which would spoil your view somewhat at some point . . . the search should bring that out.

Yeah, from what we understand the barmy garage plonked in the middle of the back garden was done by the developer at the time of those houses being built – probably their way of buying the owner’s silence then the planning went in.

Not *too* worried about developments, being party to the long term LDF – in the next 10 years at least there are no plans to allow building to be considered there (unlike my current house that stands to lose it’s open aspect).

Listen to manoirdelourde, the images of his gaff, are of something similar in size, albeit in France or something, but sounds like he has been there & done it.

His estimate of the work to fix it looked a lot more like it than the 50k mentioned elswhere.

Only my opinion, but 50k did not pop to mind when I looked.

Be lovely done though.

Yeah I am in *NO* illusion that £50k will complete the work, it is just my estimate (dependant on what I could sell my house for) of what I would have to play with initially.

I know I would be living on a building site for a long time.

That was what I meant too, 60-80 for initial make it comfy works.

I obviously dont know how strong your family ties are, but its not quite can you pop around & help me paint the door frames while I do the skirting is it.

It is really nice, will be fantastic done, you just need to as has been said and look into it very closely & get the estimates in.

I would much rather you do it than 1 of the 30 builders looking at it!

If you have 50k to play with then at least you know your budget, now get it looked at, I hope I am wrong & you get to make it happen. 🙂

Estimate what it would be worth done up, subtract £50k or so, then subtract the purchase price.

To me that looks like a nice house but the plot isn’t all that great for the standard of house which could affect its value and determine if it’s economically sound to attempt the refurb. What’s the rest of the location like?

I’ve never heard anyone report that a rennovation project was easy, quick and stress free, even those with tons of money. I would not want to take on that much stress for what is, after all, only a building. Life’s too short.

Absolutely no chance for £50k!

No subsidence at ours, but needed a new roof, wiring, heating (including radiators), fosse septique, lots of bathrooms, kitchen, third floor conversion, lighting, decorating etc. etc.
Loads of work over a few years, probably spent over £130k in total, and there are still a few bits to do (like sanding and varnishing 200 square metres of wooden floor).
I reckon a similar amount should see yours looking good.

What’s the rest of the location like?

A nice village away from any main roads, school, pub and cricket team. One of the more desirable locations around where we live. Agree about garden size though.

The Local Plan counts for nothing in the brave new world of building anywhere – if it isn’t in an AONB or National Park, and whoever owns the neighbouring land has an eye to making money from it, they’ll be able to build houses there regardless of what the plan says.

Yeah I do know – our current property adjoins a site of ‘Special Scientific Interest’ and has been turned down for development many times in the past then suddenly last year it was fine – plan away – it is now (or was, until the Government U-turn late last year putting things into confusion) the preferred option. I have no illusion that I would be buying a view. It *will* always be a nice village location though. With riding quite literally on the doorstep.

And a dogging site at the other side of the village apparently.

🙂

Think of a number then double it.

We undertook (are still undertaking) a renovation on a Grade 2 listed cottage. Not as big, or without structural issues but everything else needed doing (new roof too).

Given the choice, I wouldn’t be doing it again. What I would say is it’s amazing how you & your wife can adapt to the circumstances though, despite the adversity!

One of the more desirable locations around where we live.

Really? Well that’s fair enough, but from what’s on Google Streetview it looks like a dormitory with nothing in it!