Renovating a house in terrible shape???
hi, we are considering purchasing a brownstone in terrible condition. It is, in fact, quite scary – you would NOT want to live there in its current state…. But, most (if not all) of the original detail is present – fireplaces; plaserwork; moldings; woodwork; etc… We understand how expensive this undertaking can/will be. However, I…
hi, we are considering purchasing a brownstone in terrible condition. It is, in fact, quite scary – you would NOT want to live there in its current state…. But, most (if not all) of the original detail is present – fireplaces; plaserwork; moldings; woodwork; etc… We understand how expensive this undertaking can/will be. However, I guess we lack “vision” and are concerned that we could make a truly beautiful house out of it given the current state of disrepair. As for the current state – the floor has been mostly covered with nasty lineloeum; the bathrooms look like something out of a bus stop; there are holes (water damage) in the ceiling; the staircase (original) feels a bit rickety at places…. Putting aside the cost of renovation which we know will run the range of $500 -$750K), we just want to make sure that this place is “salvageable”. In that regard, I was hoping someone could post “before” and “After” pictures of their homes that looked the way I describe this one prior to their renovation.
I guess my concern is the following – we have seen beautiful homes that need a full renovation, but the homes looked like they just needed a bit of sprucing up. (Ie, painting, minor repairs, new kitchens/bathrooms). But because those homes also needed all new plumbing/electric, they needed a major renovation. This house, however, looks like it needs much more than sprucing up and we just were hoping to see confirmation that such a house could be rescued.
thanks!
Let me guess,… 181 Adelphi?
I don’t think $500-750k is high. It’s probably realistic.
You MUST hire a good structural engineer to give the house a thorough going over. There are many references on this site. Search the archive.
Our house was in the “scarey” category. No major upgrades in 45 years and severely neglected for much of that time. We renovated from the bottom up, creating a garden rental apt where we lived for a year while work continued upstairs. It was like living in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE.
I strongly agree with Mrs Limestone that a major renovation is not for the faint-hearted.
You also need to consider that neither an engineer nor an architect nor a GC will be able to anticipate all the structural repairs that a house in this condition may need. I’m talking about replacing beams and joists, rebuilding the staircase etc. They can’t always be assessed until you own the house and start opening up the walls and floors. So you need to budget for these contingencies. If you think you might not be up to that, no-one will think the worse of you and you may also be dodging a bullet.
Good luck with your decision.
OP here – if $500-750K seems high for a full renovation, what would be a better estimate? Note that it is four floors, needs electric/plumbing; new kitchen; new bathrooms; flooring; some plaster/ceiling repairwork; etc….
This would not be super-high end renovation, but not a cheap one either. Something along the lines of Mrs. Limestone’s work.
thanks
“spend the money to have an inspector who specializes in brownstones and/or old houses.”
Can anyone recommend such an inspector? Where does one find an expert brownstone inspector?
Holes in the ceiling, and even rickety stairs do not necessarily mean structural damage. As mentioned above, a thorough inspection is needed. If you are serious about this, and have the funds to consider up to $750K for a reno, then spend the money to have an inspector who specializes in brownstones and/or old houses. They will tell you what is really important, and what is only a degree of cosmetic repair.
If you love the house, and think you can go through this process, go for it. Unless you are going high end for almost everything, you won’t need $750K.
I’ve seen so many houses that I have fallen in love with, because of the details, the general layout. If you have the vision to see you and your family there, go for it.
From my own experience researching a house that needs a lot of work, your budget sounds generous – though I’m not sure how big it is, a critical variable. Also, restoring and working around detail is more expensive than being able to get rid of it if that’s more cost effective. I’ve also learned that most brownstones have issues that an inspection turns up, so that’s par for the course. My advice would be: if the purchase price is low enough to make it worth it to you, and if you relish the chance to make this yours despite the trade-offs of many headaches and stress, go for it. Otherwise, others may be right that you probably have the cash to buy a house in move-in condition.
Where’s the house and how much is it?
With that kind of reno budget, you should just buy a house that’s ready to live in.
When we bought our house it had great details and virtually no mechanics. We did it bit by bit hiring a lot of people and a lot ourselves — after 7 years we had kids and then the rest really had to be completely hired out. We are both designers and loved figuring out the aesthetics. We also learned that architects bring a level of discipline to a project that is critical. We have done beautiful work and learned a lot. My husband questions everyday whether it is worth it. I don’t.