Refurb costs - flat

[philcourier]

Looking at picking up a small 1 bed flat, going very cheap. It's in a 70s block and the inside of the flat has been completely stripped bare and looks untouched since the 70s -

I've done a rough budget as follows:
1) New electrics throughout - £1500
2) New bathroom - £1000
3) New kitchen - £1000
4) 4 double glazed windows £1500
5) New flooring throughout - £500
6) Walls plastered and painted £750
7) New internal doors x 5 = £500
8) Misc. / contigency - £1000

I'm yet to have a builder look over the place but was wondering of rough costs. My total above gives £7,750 It's only about 250 square feet in size. I'm new to this game, so these really are estimates. Do any of them sound way out?

Any input / thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Merlot]

Kitchen budget seems cheap?

[northwest monkey]

philcourier said:

Looking at picking up a small 1 bed flat, going very cheap. It's in a 70s block and the inside of the flat has been completely stripped bare and looks untouched since the 70s -

I've done a rough budget as follows:
1) New electrics throughout - £1500
2) New bathroom - £1000
3) New kitchen - £1000
4) 4 double glazed windows £1500
5) New flooring throughout - £500
6) Walls plastered and painted £750
7) New internal doors x 5 = £500
8) Misc. / contigency - £1000

I'm yet to have a builder look over the place but was wondering of rough costs. My total above gives £7,750 It's only about 250 square feet in size. I'm new to this game, so these really are estimates. Do any of them sound way out?

Any input / thoughts would be much appreciated.

Don't know what area you're in or value of flat, but here's my 2p:-

1) New electrics throughout - £1500 (should be ok providing no fancy lighting etc)
2) New bathroom - £1000 - assuming you're including tiles then if it's a cheap rental then it's too much. If it's a cheap resale then much too much.
3) New kitchen - £1000 - Wickes Houston white gloss kitchen & black gloss tops well under £1k & looks good
4) 4 double glazed windows £1500 - I'd be paying about £1100 for a door & 4 windows (unless freaky large or leaded etc)
5) New flooring throughout - £500 - about right
6) Walls plastered and painted £750 - walls plastered not painted. Unless it's a skim over the top of whats there.
7) New internal doors x 5 = £500 - no more than £60 per door for a primed door inc furniture.
8) Misc. / contigency - £1000

What about some form of heating? Is it easy access (e.g try getting a 3m worktop up 4 flights of stairs or in a lift etc)? Can you park a skip anywhere?

Drop me a mail if you want any more info - I do this for a living. Can't answer for a couple of weeks though I'm off on hols

[wolf1]

philcourier said:

I've done a rough budget as follows:
1) New electrics throughout - £1500
2) New bathroom - £1000
3) New kitchen - £1000
4) 4 double glazed windows £1500
5) New flooring throughout - £500
6) Walls plastered and painted £750
7) New internal doors x 5 = £500
8) Misc. / contingency - £1000

I take it this is for resale and not for yourself

1 Not sure of price of a rewire but it depends on whether it's the old rubber sheathed stuff or just needs updating/inspecting
2 You do know you can get a bathroom suite for less than £200 and you don't have to tile the whole bathroom. That's even if you bother tiling and just paint it instead. Then just find the clearance section of your local DIY store for some taps etc.
3 Kitchen is a possibility if you shop around a lot for cheap and cheerful. Try factory outlets like Bernstein’s in Westhoughton or end of line stuff. Try looking for ex display kitchens.
4 Seems a lot for just 4 windows
5 Are we talking cheap carpet and lino here?
6 I'd have thought you could more than double the plastering price. Decorating can be done by yourself just take your time and get the prep right.
7 I bought solid oak doors for £90 each maybe you are over doing it a touch. Solid wood doors are available from the likes of B&Q for £24 and the door furniture would run to around a tenner a door if you don't go to mad.
8 Triple it and then some as something always crops up and then something else

[52classic]

Not far of the mark I'd say.

You could maybe shave a couple of hundred each off the windows & doors and perhaps even the bathroom if you keep it simple but the plastering is tight and the kitchen even more so..... What about kitchen tiling and appliances?

How are you going to heat it?

Learning to tile is a must and rely on mates rates for the windows.

[Rollin]

250 sq ft. That is a very small flat!

[B17NNS]

1) New electrics throughout - £1500
Pretty accurate I'd say. A typical 3 bed re-wire costs me circa £2k

2) New bathroom - £1000
Is this materials only or labour only or both? I'd say you could get a suite and tiles for around £500 if you shop around. The labour however I would imagine to be another £1k on top.


3) New kitchen - £1000
As above, materials only yes. Another £1k to fit though

4) 4 double glazed windows £1500
Maybe a touch high. I'd have thought £300 a window.

5) New flooring throughout - £500
How long is a piece of string, easy enough to work out acurately yourself, just take the measurements to the carpet shop or work out the price per square metre for laminate or what have you.

6) Walls plastered and painted £750
Walls need to be stripped of paper before being skimmed. I'd have thought you would be looking at about £1k to skim out the whole place. Decoration (inc materials I'd have thought about £500

7) New internal doors x 5 = £500
Materials only?B&Q have some lovely Oak veneered shaker doors at the moment for £24 a throw. Add £15 for furniture and £50 each to fit. Pretty acurate.

8) Misc. / contigency - £1000
Double it, also double how long you think it will take.

Don't forget to take into account purchase costs (solicitor, survey), sales costs (solicitor, HIPS, agents fees) and costs whilst doing the project (mortgage interest).

If you buy it inform the council of what you are doing and you should get 6 months expemtion from council tax.

Any other queries give me a shout!