How to improve this house, in Penn, Bucks?

[wax lyrical]

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90404222#/

Bit 'marmite', I know, but 'location, location, location'. In that area detached house are minimum £1.2m

Externally - thinking about off-white render at the bottom and restain/ repaint the wood cladding? Colour??

Internally - ground floor - opening out the hall by getting rid of the downstairs bedroom (to create a kind of Hall/Reception)? We don't need the extra bedroom anyway.

New wood floors & radiators all over, except the kitchen/diner (leave as is). If budget permits, maybe refit a couple of the en-suites (but not essential).

All advice and input welcome.

Edited by wax lyrical on Tuesday 24th November 17:57

[wax lyrical]

THIS house wouldn't be worth £1.2m though. Too 'quirky' and compromised. Also, doesn't have a big garden. But at £840k, not a bad buy for the location.

mikees said:

The obvious answer is anthracite grey. White render grey windows and garage door , stain wood black. Flip it for 1.2m next summer.


Joking aside I like it. Penn traffic is bad during commute school run

[wax lyrical]

Thanks All. We’re planning to stay fairly long-term, but have a limited ‘improvements’ budget for now.

[wax lyrical]

Our aim is to go for a 'Nordic' vibe to the exterior, so a render is going to be necessary.

Yes, the ground floor is compromised by the lack of a large separate 'lounge', but for entertaining, most of the time people will be hanging out in the kitchen/diner anyway.

[wax lyrical]

Agreed!

Any suggestions for a really nice charcoal grey garage door (and perhaps matching front door)?

thebraketester said:

wax lyrical said:

Thanks All. We’re planning to stay fairly long-term, but have a limited ‘improvements’ budget for now.

I like it. The whole thing would look instantly better by simply replacing that awful garage door

[wax lyrical]

Thanks. I'm reluctant to lose the garage though and don't really need a 4th bedroom, so would prefer opening up the Hall instead. The current sitting room is handy as it opens into the garden.

rustyuk said:

Maybe make the sitting room bedroom 4 if needed and then convert the garage, study and bedroom 4 into your living room.

[wax lyrical]

Thanks. Really nice choices.

Camoradi said:

wax lyrical said:

Agreed!

Any suggestions for a really nice charcoal grey garage door (and perhaps matching front door)?

https://www.hormann.co.uk/

[wax lyrical]

Thanks. I'm hoping we've been lucky. Right time, right place, motivated seller and 'marmite' property that is VERY different to anything else in Penn (which is full of Period/ Listed Cottages and Mansions). Searches are currently underway and a Surveyor friend of mine has seen it and thinks it's sound.

The small plot will impact the price a lot and possibly the main road location. I can't afford one of the £1.5m Penn houses unfortunately, so this will do for a good many years, hopefully.

motco said:

Having lived, until eight years ago, in Beaconsfield for thirty five years, I am surprised that a 3-4 bedroom detached house anywhere in that vicinity can be bought for that price - even with a fairly small plot for the class of property. If I were looking in Penn, which has some of the most expensive properties in the Home Counties, and I saw a house with pushing 2,000 sq.ft. of floor area for sub £1M I would be looking very carefully into why that might be. It is sufficiently interesting, though, that spending time looking would definitely be worthwhile. When I say Good Luck I am not being cynical!

Edited by wax lyrical on Wednesday 25th November 11:10

[wax lyrical]

The cladding has faded over the years (greyish/beige now), so we will be restoring it to perhaps a natural oak colour.

thebraketester said:

Not sure but I would I for something that ties in with the cladding.

[wax lyrical]

Yep - I've popped in a couple of times for a nosey.

motco said:

There's an automotive porn shop along the road a bit - Slades Garage. It's full of mouthwatering metal!

[wax lyrical]

It's a lovely house, but not in Penn 'proper'.

£895k would have been over my budget, but I wouldn't want that location anyway.

mikees said:

Wouldnt this be abetter bet?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/75998494#/

[wax lyrical]

Thanks All, for the input. Much appreciated.

[wax lyrical]

Thanks Ian. I've sent to a PM.

IAN1967 said:

I've lived in Tylers Green (next door to Penn) for the last 14 years, lovely place to live.

The house above is on Hammersley Lane which runs down to Loudwater, lot of new houses being built down the road but you cant really walk from your house, which to me is offputing.

If you want any info on the area let me know, and yes Slades does have some wonderful cars and the house you originally posted is literally a stones throw away

[wax lyrical]

That 'Tamarisk Cottage' in Penn was built only about 11/12 years ago I think, so the owner/developer designed it that way. It's not a 50's or 60's property. However I am hoping that AFTER i have bought, these types of houses become a lot more popular. I didn't like it at that much at first (to be honest!), but my wife did.

Agis said:

wax lyrical said:

Edited by wax lyrical on Wednesday 25th November 11:10

I like it. I have always thought that going against current trends and buying on square footage is a sound way to end up with the biggest house you can get for the money. It will end up being a great family home and in the long run will be a good investment.

I remember in the 70s and 80s these sorts of houses were highly regarded whilst people turned there noses up at victorian houses and character cottages. Whilst the reverse is true now that will change again as fashion evolves.

But first get a decent contemporary grey front door and garage door on as soon as you can and that will lift the house visually immediately.

[wax lyrical]

For the exterior - what about white render over the brick, then the wooden cladding stained to a light oak colour? Match garage and fron t door in timber.

Maybe pain the window surrounds black?

[wax lyrical]

Thanks. Interesting!

5harp3y said:

white render
anthracite / grey cladding
black door and garage

[wax lyrical]

UPDATE - Due to exchange on this property in a week or so. Turns out it's actually originally a 50's bungalow that has steadily been improved and added to over the last 30 years. Big structural changes, but all done really well it seems.

Anyway, come warmer weather - time to pain the timber windows black and add white render to the brick. Will then decide what shade the cladding will be.

[wax lyrical]

How do you know though that it’s been cheaply extended/ modified?

ClaphamGT3 said:

Originally a small 2 bed bungalow from the 1970s that has been massively - and very cheaply - extended. Pulling it down and starting again is the only way you’ll prevent that being a compromised bungalow extension - and it would still be on a small plot.

I’d be spending my money on something that was originally intended to be a four bedroom house.

[wax lyrical]

Thanks, that's great advice.

mattman said:

wax lyrical said:

UPDATE - Due to exchange on this property in a week or so. Turns out it's actually originally a 50's bungalow that has steadily been improved and added to over the last 30 years. Big structural changes, but all done really well it seems.

Anyway, come warmer weather - time to pain the timber windows black and add white render to the brick. Will then decide what shade the cladding will be.

Congrats OP - after you move in and before you do anything, I would suggest getting a couple of architects around and get their thoughts on what you could do.
We purchased a similar vintage bungalow that had various extensions over the years and a loft conversion that didn’t work. Found a decent architect and he has transformed what was ok into something we love and will be our forever home.

[wax lyrical]

Thank you! Getting last-minute jitters before exchange...

RichB said:

wax lyrical said:

UPDATE - Due to exchange on this property in a week or so.

Good luck, that's a smashing location. The Crown, The Royal Standard and Slades Garage, what's not to like!