We bought a plot with an uninhabitable 60s chalet bungalow for its location.  Our plan was to demolish and build a contemporary house. Unfortunately we cannot afford to build the house of our dreams on the plot so are now looking at a smaller renovation project  using the existing bungalow.  I've joined the site to get an indication of costs for a number of options.

Edited November 20, 20196 yr by Angel
mis-type

Hi Angel, welcome to the forum and good luck with your project. I actually found doing a complete renovation of our last house less stressful than our new build.

We were in opposite position... Bought to renovate, worked out cheaper to build a new house, due to the poor condition of the exsting house (we'd basically have to take the house back to 4 bare walls). 

We did a renovation and extension of a 1970s semi. Top tip from me, get everything 100% finished before moving in!!

Welcome.

37 minutes ago, Conor said:

we'd basically have to take the house back to 4 bare walls

Having done 3 renovations in the past, I wish I had made that decision early on.

Would have saved time, money and mess.

Living in a money pit I wish I knew then what I know now. Knock down / rebuild without a doubt. Renovating here consists of first removing the old, badly done, then sometimes you have to compromise and workaround. If nothing else the time doubles at least.

Time is cheap, you do save on the professional fees.

I like the idea of building my own place, but the VAT saving is just not enough of an incentive. You can save that by shopping about.

Living in dust for months us not fun though.

Get a good tent, or build a decent shed to live in.

Thanks folks for comments for and against.  Access is difficult (tight turn from narrow road) so demolition and bringing materials in was going to be expensive.  The existing place is basically sound (except electrics and plumbing) and almost big enough to suit as we can convert outbuildings for additional living space. This looks to be a better option now, and should give us more financial headroom.  We are fortunate and don't have to move out of existing home until new one is finished.

Please can someone help me with use of forum.  I'd like to post a question about relative costs of certain works but in the drop-downs all the forums except this one (and the building land one) are greyed out for me so I can't make a post in the forum I'd like to.  The email I received when registering said "Once you have made your first post you will get access to the members only forums too".  I have done the 'Introduce yourself' post as requested.  I emailed [email protected] a couple of days ago but haven't received a reply.  Can anyone advise me what to do?

Click the big Buildhub logo at the top left of the page.

 

do you see the list of all the sub forums and can you go to one and the and  "start a new post"?

4 minutes ago, Angel said:

Please can someone help me with use of forum.  I'd like to post a question about relative costs of certain works but in the drop-downs all the forums except this one (and the building land one) are greyed out for me so I can't make a post in the forum I'd like to.  The email I received when registering said "Once you have made your first post you will get access to the members only forums too".  I have done the 'Introduce yourself' post as requested.  I emailed [email protected] a couple of days ago but haven't received a reply.  Can anyone advise me what to do?

 

 

I've just checked and I can't see any restrictions on your account.  I'd do as @ProDave suggests initially.

 

If that doesn't work, then it might be worth signing out (using the option in the menu that drops down under your username, at the top right) and then logging back in again, to see if that clears it.

Thanks both.  I was trying to get in through the 'create' on top left.  Now I do as you say and then enter the forum, a 'create new post  appears'.  Will see how I go.

Sorry to tag on the back of another question, but bat is the "best" way to contact admins? A while back I tried the Contact Us link at the bottom of each page (https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/contact/) but that also did not get a reply.

(I was thinking to setup a blog. I have no idea if I'd actually have time to maintain a blog, hence didn't chase it any further!)

 

17 minutes ago, joth said:

but bat is the "best" way to contact admins?

 

No, pigeon.

19 minutes ago, joth said:

Sorry to tag on the back of another question, but bat is the "best" way to contact admins? A while back I tried the Contact Us link at the bottom of each page (https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/contact/) but that also did not get a reply.

(I was thinking to setup a blog. I have no idea if I'd actually have time to maintain a blog, hence didn't chase it any further!)

 

 

 

PM is far and away the best way.  The forum email stuff seems not to be that great, for reasons we're still working on.  Easy enough to set you up with blogging rights if you wish.

@Jeremy Harris thanks!

Perhaps worth updating the "how to create a blog" info on https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/guidelines/ in the meantime?

 

Welcome, Angel.

 

Will comment on the length of your piece of string on the other thread .