Renovating a run down 1930s three bed end terrace property has involved a large stake from me, my time, effort and money. How did I improve my odds of success? Three things where attractive about the property, location, land and condition.
Location. A cul de sac location was chosen because kids can ride bikes and play without busy traffic. Also traffic noise is not a problem. A Location within the inner bus zone for the city had merit because fares are cheaper and commuting times are reduced. Being 20 minutes away from the central business district would serve commuters well.
Located close to a cycle path that was converted from a disused railway line by the Sustrans Cycling charity it provides another option for getting to the city centre or travelling out of town for leisure.
Lastly there is a large well managed park nearby which is excellent for children and people looking to enjoy open space, trees, tennis, skateboarding and more.
Schools and nurseries within walking distance where also a consideration.
These are not an exhaustive list of attributes that make a good investment in property, but, should help with forming your own list depending on personal circumstances.
Land: Potential for 3 cars at the front of the property. Space to the side of the property and a large garden. Giving potential for future development of this land.
Condition: outside the property existed potential to make relatively simple changes to add value. Inappropriate masonry had been used making a boundary wall and flower beds at the front of the property consisting of a design where rectangles where laid at right angles to one another. The garden was laid to lawn with a wild part at the end which had drainage problems.
The Brief
As an amateur property renovator I decided to set myself a brief which used the following factors to guide my thought process. Unfortunately my creative inclinations where severely clipped by one overriding consideration. Let’s keep it real, it was cost. Second most important was to reduce the waste produced where possible and to reuse as many materials as possible working with the existing design to the outside and inside of the property. The remainder of this post will focus on one element of the property renovation.
property renovation