Spending Time And Money On A Fixer-Upper

If you're in the market to buy a new house, it's easy to understand why you might want to save money anywhere you can. The average price of a home in every major city across Australia has exploded in recent times, and the trend doesn't appear to be losing steam any time soon. With that said, the cheapest homes might not appeal to everyone, usually requiring pretty significant renovation before they can be considered to be of equal value to their neighbours. Fortunately, if you're considering such a project, you can trust our stellar team to help you wrap your head around just how much more it'll cost you to renovate than it would to build.

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
Thinking about what makes renovating an old home an appealing decision isn't particularly difficult. The attention-grabbing price tag is something most buyers notice right away, with the more derelict buildings being sold considerably cheaper than the suburb average. Doing the renovations yourself can help save even more money, though you'll still likely need to get some help from an expert draftsman to make sure your development plans are approved by your local council.  

Once you do have an approved plan, though, you can also take some comfort in the character of the home. Older homes tend to stick out more from their peers, whether that's due to quirks in the woodwork, individualised light fixtures, or just generally unique hardware scattered around the property. Whatever it is, old homes always leave a great first impression, and when you renovate one, you can bring all of those qualities into the modern age without needing to sacrifice modern comforts.

But That Doesn't Mean It Isn't Overcast
Inversely, all of these benefits can also quickly become negatives in the grand scheme of things. While renovating an old home can be cheaper than buying or building something newer in the same area, it can also quickly become more expensive, with certain key systems such as air-conditioning, electrical systems, and plumbing all forcing the final price up pretty sharply.

At the same time, the charming uniqueness of the home's aged appearance can also harbour toxic materials and substances, such as asbestos or lead. You'll need to make sure your development plan is equipped properly to deal with them, and even then, the renovation job will be more expensive when they are present.

Finally, because every home is different, you can never predict how quickly or slowly a renovation will progress. It may be that it will be over in no time whatsoever, or you might happen upon an unfortunate pocket of lead that wasn't listed in the building plans, and now your entire project needs to be delayed so that it can be safely removed. When you're faced with that sort of uncertainty, though, the resident experts on residential drafting, Go Design Solutions, can be of assistance. To see how we can help you with all drafting in Penshurst, you can check out our portfolio, or call us on (02) 8091 0588.