How to renovate an older property successfully

Claire Small
Authored by Claire Small
Posted Tuesday, October 20, 2020 - 10:39am

When you own an older property, you are likely looking for ways and waiting for the right time to perform some larger-scale renovations. Doing so can add significantly to the property's value and make it a space that is actually suitable for the purpose. Whether you plan to live in the property yourself or sell it on for a substantial profit, renovating an older property can be a great way to give it a new life.

However, as you might imagine, larger-scale renovations of this nature are not always the easiest things to undertake. It would help if you were prepared to invest a substantial amount of money into the project and spend a fair amount of time waiting for its completion. In the end, though, as long as you go through the process correctly, you can find yourself with a successfully renovated property that is worth far more than you invested in it.

Here are a few tips to help you get your renovation project started on the right foot.

Secure Funding

Few people have the capital at their disposal that a significant renovation project requires. While some developers and full-time "house flippers" might be able to fund such a project form their own pockets, most people need to find an alternative way to finance their renovation. Going for property development finance might be the best route you can take when looking for funding for your own project.

Property development finance is a specific type of short-term loan in nature and generally lasts for the length of time that the renovation project takes. You can use such a loan to convert or refurbish a building that requires more than a few simple cosmetic changes. This can be an excellent option for anyone who is looking to renovate a property for profit.

Bring in an Inspector

Before you ever break ground on your renovation project, you must know precisely what it is you are getting into. If a house is in serious visible disrepair, it is highly unlikely that its issues are only cosmetic in nature. Instead, it is more likely to be the case that the home's internal working will need some serious attention as well.

It is essential to keep in mind that repairs relating to plumbing, electricity, and foundation are things that will add up very quickly as they all need individual specialist contractors. Bring in a reliable home inspector to look for signs that such issuesexist. You need to ensure that the money you are prepared to put into the renovation of an old house is money that you will see back again at the end of the day.

You should never try to pour more money into a project than you can expect to see out of it again in the form of increased value to the property. A reliable inspector should be able to give you a good idea about any major underlying issues with the property.

Share this