Cost to refurb this big house
Discussion
About 120 year old, very solid stone and brick built, new roof about 20 years ago, stonework, guttering and pointing all look to be in fine fettle.
Been empty for 18 months (photos flatter the interior- Many rooms littered with dead flies, and some with mouse droppings) heating not on but didn’t feel too cold and little evidence of damp.
1Ok sq foot
2 kitchens (one in an granny annex) plus a utility
6 bathrooms/ en suites / toilets
6 bedrooms and 4 reception rooms, plus large hall
Most windows salvageable (hardwood) but the glazing could do with swapping out.
All 80s heating, plumbing and electrics (all of it needs replacing).
I’m thinking
Electrics, lighting, boiler, heating, CCTV, alarm - £80k
Kitchens + bathrooms - £120k
Decorations/ plaster made good / flooring - £60k
Windows / doors refurb / replace - £40k
Internal joinery (doors, fitted wardrobes etc) + Project management/ contingency / smart tech -£50k
Total £350k
Plus drive and landscaping.
Tidy up cellars/ garage / workshop
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157458149#/...
Been empty for 18 months (photos flatter the interior- Many rooms littered with dead flies, and some with mouse droppings) heating not on but didn’t feel too cold and little evidence of damp.
1Ok sq foot
2 kitchens (one in an granny annex) plus a utility
6 bathrooms/ en suites / toilets
6 bedrooms and 4 reception rooms, plus large hall
Most windows salvageable (hardwood) but the glazing could do with swapping out.
All 80s heating, plumbing and electrics (all of it needs replacing).
I’m thinking
Electrics, lighting, boiler, heating, CCTV, alarm - £80k
Kitchens + bathrooms - £120k
Decorations/ plaster made good / flooring - £60k
Windows / doors refurb / replace - £40k
Internal joinery (doors, fitted wardrobes etc) + Project management/ contingency / smart tech -£50k
Total £350k
Plus drive and landscaping.
Tidy up cellars/ garage / workshop
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157458149#/...
Went to view today (one of three viewings we did today) huge grounds and lakes.
It is not as old as it looks, was well built by an architect turn of the previous century.
Was a b&b 20 years ago and then lived in by an elderly couple until their passing in 2022.
Garage has a 90s Bentley and Jag (both looked great, bit of dust and slightly deflated tyres).
It is not as old as it looks, was well built by an architect turn of the previous century.
Was a b&b 20 years ago and then lived in by an elderly couple until their passing in 2022.
Garage has a 90s Bentley and Jag (both looked great, bit of dust and slightly deflated tyres).
Wilmslowboy said:
1Ok sq foot
2 kitchens (one in an granny annex) plus a utility
6 bathrooms/ en suites / toilets
6 bedrooms and 4 reception rooms, plus large hall
Most windows salvageable (hardwood) but the glazing could do with swapping out.
All 80s heating, plumbing and electrics (all of it needs replacing).
I’m thinking
Electrics, lighting, boiler, heating, CCTV, alarm - £80k
Kitchens + bathrooms - £120k
Decorations/ plaster made good / flooring - £60k
Windows / doors refurb / replace - £40k
Internal joinery (doors, fitted wardrobes etc) + Project management/ contingency / smart tech -£50k
Total £350k
Plus drive and landscaping.
Tidy up cellars/ garage / workshop
Entirely depends on what exactly you want to do with it and whether you want a crisp new finish or to live with a bit of patina. The latter, you can get a decent amount for £350k, the former double, perhaps triple, it. The thing with big houses is that the costs quickly get punchy. A principal room won't take a day or two to decorate: it'll take a week or two.2 kitchens (one in an granny annex) plus a utility
6 bathrooms/ en suites / toilets
6 bedrooms and 4 reception rooms, plus large hall
Most windows salvageable (hardwood) but the glazing could do with swapping out.
All 80s heating, plumbing and electrics (all of it needs replacing).
I’m thinking
Electrics, lighting, boiler, heating, CCTV, alarm - £80k
Kitchens + bathrooms - £120k
Decorations/ plaster made good / flooring - £60k
Windows / doors refurb / replace - £40k
Internal joinery (doors, fitted wardrobes etc) + Project management/ contingency / smart tech -£50k
Total £350k
Plus drive and landscaping.
Tidy up cellars/ garage / workshop
There's no way you're getting the kitchens and bathrooms for anything close to £120k at a standard a house like that deserves. Likewise, windows and doors will breeze through £40k without trying: specialists really know how to charge for that sort of work.
Do not underestimate running costs either. 10k sqft of old, poorly insulated, house + 46 acres will burn through money at an alarming rate (even by PH standards!). Did you happen to note whether it's oil or gas, and the size of the current boiler(s)? That'll give you a bit of a clue...
OP, 350K wouldn't even be the start of it. Without a complete renovation which would be 1M+ just the heating bills alone would be lunacy.
This is why so many older properties, especially outside high-income areas get levelled in favour of a new build or developed for multiple occupancy.
This is why so many older properties, especially outside high-income areas get levelled in favour of a new build or developed for multiple occupancy.
Windows and doors will see off £100k I'd have thought based on doing similar recently. Likewise for a decent standard kitchen that size you're looking at £100k with all appliances if you don't want to skimp. Again, based on doing similar recently.
In terms of plastering, painting and flooring the rooms, to do it justice and if you plan to replace flooring then it very quickly mounts up. Find the odd bit of damp which I'm sure you will and it'll need sorting. If you're rewiring then that's a lot of plaster...
I'd double your initial estimation and be happy if it stays around that point.
Upkeep, terrifying. Before we did our windows/doors and replaced 2 central heating systems (one for each side of the house) our gas/electricity was knocking on £1,500 a month during the colder months.
You'll spend a lot on landscaping just to stop yourself thinking it looks a bit tatty every time you come home. Upkeep on the gardens, we pay £600 a month for mowing and a day a week of titivation/brushing/pruning etc.
We didn't realise what we were taking on when we bought it, don't regret it but you'll uncover things you don't expect. Is the damp caused by the roof, bits will need repairing/making good. We had the whole house repainted, half of one elevation fell off so to do it properly it all had to be re-done so it didn't look patchy.
It's a lovely property and could be a beautiful home, but we have generally worked off what we think it should cost, doubling it and generally being there or thereabouts.
In terms of plastering, painting and flooring the rooms, to do it justice and if you plan to replace flooring then it very quickly mounts up. Find the odd bit of damp which I'm sure you will and it'll need sorting. If you're rewiring then that's a lot of plaster...
I'd double your initial estimation and be happy if it stays around that point.
Upkeep, terrifying. Before we did our windows/doors and replaced 2 central heating systems (one for each side of the house) our gas/electricity was knocking on £1,500 a month during the colder months.
You'll spend a lot on landscaping just to stop yourself thinking it looks a bit tatty every time you come home. Upkeep on the gardens, we pay £600 a month for mowing and a day a week of titivation/brushing/pruning etc.
We didn't realise what we were taking on when we bought it, don't regret it but you'll uncover things you don't expect. Is the damp caused by the roof, bits will need repairing/making good. We had the whole house repainted, half of one elevation fell off so to do it properly it all had to be re-done so it didn't look patchy.
It's a lovely property and could be a beautiful home, but we have generally worked off what we think it should cost, doubling it and generally being there or thereabouts.
If you are serious I would get a professional in to give you a rough idea of costs but I guarantee it will be frightening compared to your estimate. A few hundred K will get you in and but that's about it.
I lived in a similar age and style of property (albeit a bit bigger) for about 10 years. Thankfully I didn't have to pay the bills which were 100K+ PA even back then. Eventually, it was sold because it was not economical.
I lived in a similar age and style of property (albeit a bit bigger) for about 10 years. Thankfully I didn't have to pay the bills which were 100K+ PA even back then. Eventually, it was sold because it was not economical.
If it’s going to be materially more than £400k then it’s a no go for us, hence my question.
With regards heating etc, it had no heating on for months, and the outside temp today was around 5c plus windy. It was remarkably damp and draught free inside.
It is less medieval castle and more Edwardian Vicarage.
With regards heating etc, it had no heating on for months, and the outside temp today was around 5c plus windy. It was remarkably damp and draught free inside.
It is less medieval castle and more Edwardian Vicarage.
Wilmslowboy said:
If it’s going to be materially more than £400k then it’s a no go for us, hence my question.
With regards heating etc, it had no heating on for months, and the outside temp today was around 5c plus windy. It was remarkably damp and draught free inside.
It is less medieval castle and more Edwardian Vicarage.
It looks like the sort of thing a rich Scottish banker would have had built - half mansion, half fake castle. If you like it you could always buy it and just keep it as it is, then smarten it up bit by bit over the years.With regards heating etc, it had no heating on for months, and the outside temp today was around 5c plus windy. It was remarkably damp and draught free inside.
It is less medieval castle and more Edwardian Vicarage.
Hand on heart mate, if you are working with a budget on place like that walk away now. Its a nice idea but old properties eat money 24x7x365. 20 odd years ago I was getting quotes of 300k+ just for a new roof, 90K for a new heating system, 75K for drainage and sewage plant. Windows... ha! made the rest look cheap!
In the end the guy that bought it spent 3 times the sale price to get it to a decent livable standard. And he was an experienced property developer.
In the end the guy that bought it spent 3 times the sale price to get it to a decent livable standard. And he was an experienced property developer.
I’d definitely budget more than £400k for Ito if your plan is to get folk in to do the work. As others have said, you could do £100k on the kitchen without really trying.
Scale costs: if you look at something simple like heating and water, you’re into lots of meaty pipework, secondary returns, etc as well as large boiler(s) to drive it all. Similar story to electrics: you are into serious lengths of cable.
Then there’s the stuff you overlook. If, for example, you want wifi throughout then you could easily be looking at 10+ access points, plus kit to drive them and the residual power consumption.
Then to deal with 40+ acres, there’s a cost in kit and time or the hassle of having someone else on your property.
Of course, the alternative approach is to do it piecemeal and/or a lot of DIY. You’’d either love or hate the place after that….
ETA: if you really want to be put off, have a look at the size and cost of industrial scale heat pumps (for when you can’t get oil boilers in the future).
Scale costs: if you look at something simple like heating and water, you’re into lots of meaty pipework, secondary returns, etc as well as large boiler(s) to drive it all. Similar story to electrics: you are into serious lengths of cable.
Then there’s the stuff you overlook. If, for example, you want wifi throughout then you could easily be looking at 10+ access points, plus kit to drive them and the residual power consumption.
Then to deal with 40+ acres, there’s a cost in kit and time or the hassle of having someone else on your property.
Of course, the alternative approach is to do it piecemeal and/or a lot of DIY. You’’d either love or hate the place after that….
ETA: if you really want to be put off, have a look at the size and cost of industrial scale heat pumps (for when you can’t get oil boilers in the future).
Edited by LooneyTunes on Saturday 15th February 18:50
Depends on exactly what you want to do and need to do but, it's going to cost a fortune. You could sink £1m into that without any effort. At £400k you'd be living in a project for ever.
It's the size of 10 regular houses, and it will cost more than 10x the cost to refurb a regular house. You won't be getting cheap quotes and it's too big to DIY, you'd be doing it forever.
That plus the general upkeep of the house and grounds will be astronomical. Keeping the boarders, boundaries, grass and hedges cut etc.
It's the size of 10 regular houses, and it will cost more than 10x the cost to refurb a regular house. You won't be getting cheap quotes and it's too big to DIY, you'd be doing it forever.
That plus the general upkeep of the house and grounds will be astronomical. Keeping the boarders, boundaries, grass and hedges cut etc.
Edited by Puzzles on Saturday 15th February 19:05
Having sold a place that was half that size a couple of years ago, my experience is that half a bar goes very quickly just getting up to speed but then the ongoing costs a chunky.
My first thought with the place that you're looking at here is that someone either needs very deep pockets or a very clear plan as to how to monetise the place year round by essentially making it a business?
My first thought with the place that you're looking at here is that someone either needs very deep pockets or a very clear plan as to how to monetise the place year round by essentially making it a business?
Lovely lovely place, and I admire your ambition, but it looks a scary project. The maintenance of 46 acres of land makes me wince!
Now, I assume most of that will look after itself if it’s ‘wild’, but even simple tasks such as maintenance of fencing, or rebuilding walls, tending to fallen or diseased trees, repairs of farm tracks etc can occupy a lot of your time or produce significant enough bills.
But you may be in a position to readily pay those bills or have ‘staff’ to help in which case what a place!
Next question - should this be posted in the house porn or house nightmare thread!
Now, I assume most of that will look after itself if it’s ‘wild’, but even simple tasks such as maintenance of fencing, or rebuilding walls, tending to fallen or diseased trees, repairs of farm tracks etc can occupy a lot of your time or produce significant enough bills.
But you may be in a position to readily pay those bills or have ‘staff’ to help in which case what a place!
Next question - should this be posted in the house porn or house nightmare thread!
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