Renovated v unrenovated

[Colette]

Friends of ours can't find the property they want in their price bracket so are thinking about buying a place in need of renovation and then doing it up.  They will have to use local builders as they don't have the time or the skills to do it themselves but they are worried.   Although the two places they've seen and like are both what the estate agent calls structurally sound, they'll need to reroof, wire, plumb, plaster, new windows, doors and floors plus, I think, add a staircase.  Is it really difficult having all this work done when you are in England?  Are you forever having to pop over to keep an eye on what's being done or not being done.  Can these companies work with minimum supervision? 

I've always heard that you need to really be on site permanently in order to get a good job done but as they say, so many people renovate whilst being based in theUK so it's not impossible, or is it?

Also, although they would naturally get a number of quotations, if you pay Euros 100,000 for a place in need of renovation, would you normally expect to pay the same again in renovation costs?

[adrianpmills]

I'm in the middle of such a renovation.  I live in France and I think I would find it virtually impossible to co-ordinate such a massive project remotely.  I would try and find a good project manager.

[Val_2]

Never underestimate the true cost of a complete renovation here in France. Materials are going up constantly, cement and associated products have gone up 8% recently and most other items between 3 and 8% also. We artisans have to charge a realistic cost because we have to pay social charges so what you may think is expensive compared to the same in the UK must be understood that France will always be dearer in which to have work done. Never underestimate too that other items won't crop up, they do. No one can estimate completely truely when half the time the building needs quite a bit of dismantling to re-do properly and then you find all the bad things like damp and rotten timber. We always suggest to our clients that they keep a reserve for such things and then the work can continue unhindered. Another thing too is that payments for invoices here must be made within 30 days of date or else the artisan is well within his rights to charge 10% majoration as his charges will be charged the same for late payment too. To be honest when a client or prospective client has bought a real ruin, we have actually said to them that it would be a lot cheaper to pull the lot and re-build but that again depends on personal choice and the style and age of the building as well as planning rules here.

[1938]

Difficult question that one. We bought an old cottage 2 and a half years ago, which needed total renovation and thought it would be a 5 year project to complete. Well we now think 8 years as it is really difficult to find good artisans, and when you do they have a years waiting list !

So if you are not in any hurry or can do the jobs yourself, then fine. If not then I would think again. We can now at least camp out in our cottage in the summer months and have hot water and a toilet but it is still pretty basic.

We did look at several so called renovated houses but you dont know what lurks underneath, at least with a ruin you can see it warts and all, so horses for courses I suppose.

I agree a good manager to oversee the work is invaluable, but sadly we couldnt find one so are sorting it out ourselves, sometimes very frustrating but sometimes great fun and each small step is rewarding.

[Anton Redman]

Broadly if you enjoy working on a house then it can be cheaper buy and renovate yourself. Unless you buy somewhere which has been very well started I would recommend either :

Buying a wreck

Buying somewhere part complete  and paying below or close to the price of a wreck

Buring a renovation having first compared the price with a local good quality new build