Remodeling tips

[TravelGirl]

I'm new to this tread so forgive me if this is already being discussed. My DH & I are considering buying a house that needs some work. The list includes:
Updates needed to the house: new light fixtures, new carpet/tile thoughout, Paint everywhere - including trim, new railing on stairs, new closet doors, new bathroom fixtures, remove 1980's intercom system, remove thick texture from walls, add crown moldings, and new blinds throughout.

Updates to the yard: pull bushes out front, clear out the back of overgrowth (tress, bushes, etc.), remove half built stone path, level yard & add retaining wall, add sod, add sprinkler system, and power wash patio.

Any tips or lessons learned you can share?

The house is on .3 acres, is 3080 sf, built in early 1980's. I'm guessing upgrades will cost $50,000 - $70,000. No idea on timeline but not everything has to be done immediately.

[pixielou]

we are currently doing a bunch of work on house we just purchased. new roof, new siding, new garage door, new septic tank, interior painting, and new kitchen counter. and that is only the stuff that needs to be done before we move in. we move in 2 weeks.

make a detailed list of what needs to be done and prioritize it. what needs to be done before you move in, what can wait. also figure out what you can do yourself and what you need to hire people to do. and get estimates for the work that needs to be done before you move in.

we are holding off on the big interior renovations for a couple years. we really want to see how we live in the house before we redo the kitchen or the deck or the sunporch. i *think* i would rather have a patio off the kitchen than a deck - but i can live with how it is right now. maybe i'll decide i love the deck. maybe i'll decide i want a screened in porch instead.

i *wish* i had gotten more written estimates of work that needed to be done. for instance - i knew the bulkhead needed to be replaced. i figured it would be $1,000. but the quote came back at $3,500. also i figure it would be about $1,000 to replace the tub - one guy quote me $2,000, the other $3,500. so those things aren't being done right now.

lastly, are you comfortable in making such a financial commitment to the house? and will you be able to recoup your investment if you need to sell? do you have the cash available for these projects - especially the ones that need to be done immediately? loans tend to be hard since you have little equity in the house at the beginning.

~pixie

[shortcake]

Travelgirl -
Hey there! If you are handy, it sounds like a lot of the work is things you might be able to do yourself. Paint (everywhere, yes, it's exhausting), some of the clearing out in back, etc. On the other hand, do consider what your time is worth! It took us ages to paint 3/4 of the inside of our home (EVERYTHING needed it, like yours) and took about a day for a professional to come in and finish it when we realized we just didn't have time. Likewise we are paying a couple thousand for someone to fix up our backyard before we sell.

Like the PP said, make a list and prioritize. Try to finish projects you start (it is harder than it sounds as something else always seems to pop up).

Don't go buying ALL your light fixtures at Home Depot and then leave some of them sitting in the garage until you sell the house (as we did).