Top tips when buying a home to renovate

Renovating houses is more popular than ever, with the pandemic seeing a surge of a 36 per cent increase of renovations.

Due to several lockdowns and people being on furlough, it was a great way to spend the time working on the exciting project. Even now restrictions have eased, the decorating bug seems to have stuck around, so if you’re a keen DIY-er and like the look of an older style house, here are some of our top tips to consider…

Do your research
Properties ready to be renovated are often described as 'in need of modernisation' in the estate agent's details, but it’s important to note that. this can range from a new kitchen to some slight fixtures.

We recommend setting a budget before you start to look, as you will need to take into consideration the cost of renovating alongside the actual house price.

Most houses will be online, however some can also be found at auction, so if you’re wanting a faster sale, it’s definitely worth looking into.

Get a building survey done
Once you’ve picked the home you want to do-up, it’s time to look into getting a building survey done. As the survey will probably be your first cost, it is going to seem high, so be prepared for this.

You could say the survey acts as a shopping list for the repair of your property. It may look ok at a glance, however there could be hidden issues such as wallpapering over cracks.

Understanding the regulations
The building regulations are a set of standards that are designed to ensure that renovation work is safe and energy efficient. There are in-depth sets of regulations each relating to specific areas of construction, including structural performance, electrical and gas safety, drains, ventilation and fire safety.

The full list of regulations can be found here.

Knowing your skills
You may be a DIY enthusiast at heart, but you need to be realistic in what you can achieve - fitting a tile is different to plumbing a toilet.
Even if your practical skills are negligible, there are some things you can do to keep costs down, from stripping wallpaper to tidying up, whilst hiring a professional to help you with the complicated stuff.

Timeline
Renovating a property can be a long process, and you don’t want to still be living amongst a building site five years after moving in. Try and work out a realistic timeframe before you commit, seeking advice from experts or friends and family you know who have also renovated.

It is a hugely rewarding achievement once the hard work has paid off and you’re happy with the home you’ve practically created from scratch. Good luck, and make sure to send us your before and after pictures!

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