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Your New Home - When Does Redecoration Become Renovation?

Date Published 03 October 2024

When you're looking for a new home it usually starts with a dream ideal, although it's usually one that reality slowly chips away at bit by bit.

That's probably not something you expect to hear from an estate agent but it's the truth for the vast majority of buyers! It's a fact that life is full of compromises and that's certainly something most buyers will know all about.

Whether that means one less bedroom, a smaller garden, no off-road parking, or being a few streets away from the centre of your target location, it's usually not really a big deal. It's just part and parcel of the process of searching, offering and negotiating.

It does pay to be realistic and know what you can afford in the area that you want to live in.

However, sometimes the condition of the property will be a factor, because the cliché of 'the worst house in the best street' is actually something that can turn out to be in your favour.

State of play

Finding a new home that is ready for you to 'move in, unpack and open the wine' is something you expect if buying an off-plan new build, but for most people seeing the potential in a property is one of the big attractions.

For estate agents it cuts both ways, as it can be a difficult task to explain to sellers that a new owner won't necessarily like the existing interior decoration or styling (the one they've usually been building up and living with happily for years).

So on viewings buyers will often need to look beyond the existing picture and see the way they could make the place their own - it's why visiting a property gives you so much more than simply seeing an online listing.

The condition of a house or flat can sometimes not be quite as important as where it is, how big it is and what it offers in terms of possible improvements.

Redecorate?

Redecoration is a word that covers a lot of ground. It can mean everything from a simple new coat of paint on walls and ceilings, stripping back wood floors and doors, or a full-blown new bathroom/kitchen makeover.

For some properties things can be done on a room by room DIY basis once you've moved in, whilst others will involve calling in the professionals for a faster (but far more expensive) guaranteed result. Whatever the solution, it's to be expected that the previous owner's tastes might not match your own, and at the very least you'll want your new home to reflect your character, not theirs.

Renovate?

Renovation is something else entirely. It definitely means getting professional contractors involved and might need planning permission or buildings control sign-offs as well. It basically covers things that are structural or on a totally different scale to simply changing the interior or exterior look of a building.

Think stripping absolutely everything out, adding a loft conversion, a side return extension, opening up the kitchen to the garden and so on. This type of work can totally change the character of a home and add monetary value too. Sometimes people will talk of buying a 'doer upper' and in other cases it's just a case of adding a specific element or improvement.

In any case, this type of work takes time, money and commitment. Do you see yourself moving into your dream new home and then doing without a functioning kitchen for two or three months? Have you budgeted for the work and the inevitable extra costs it will end up incurring?

Help and advice

Here at Matthew Anthony we set out to be a new type of estate agent. We see our job as being with you on a journey, giving help and advice along the way. That approach means we start at the beginning - when you tell us about your picture of your dream home, we can help you reach that goal.

When you get the chance give us a call on 01903 608080, drop us an email or come into the office at Worthing House, 6 South Street, Worthing BN11 3AA and have a chat.