Cost to finish this home

bie · 20-06-2022 10:51pm #1

Hi, considering putting a bid on this home for 90k and wondering at a very high level what the costs would be to finish this to a basic inhabitable state. 2500 sqft in County Donegal on the coast about 10m above sea level, so hopefully not a concern with sea level rise in my lifetime.

There is a private road that leads to the house (a bit hard to tell from the photos) and a rough driveway out front that I could finish myself.

I would have posted the link to the ad in lieu of so many pictures, but unfortunately my profile is too new to include a URL. Thanks for your feedback!

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Bass Reeves · 20-06-2022 11:20pm

It will depend on the level and quality of finish. First thing to make sure is that there is no mica in the blocks.

I am unsure of building prices in Donegal. Still an awful lot of work to be done. All internal finishes. It seems to be nearly at builders finish. The electrical will need to be completely recertified I presume.

Is the septic tank/ treatment system in place outside. Footpaths etc to be completed. I see radiators so it's an oil or wood pellet heating system.

50k minimum probably to get to some sort of habitable condition. That for Electrical completion and certification, completion of plumbing, stove and sorround, Kitchen, utility, bathroom and Utility ware. Second fixing carpentry, doors, skirtboards, timber floors and skirtingboards.

The stairs alone may cost you 5k to complete, what is there is only a builders ladder. Above is for a very basic finish. If you wanted something decent I be costing it 40-50/ sq foot.

External works will cost 20k ISH for footpaths, completing drive, basic septic tank.

It might be an idea to see if the house qualify's for an SEAI retrofit. However I doubt it.

Bushes are right up to the side of the house in places so this house has been like this for years.

At a guess outside and inside 100 k minimum to bring to a minimum habitable conditions. Furniture and white goods would be on top of this.

Gant21 · 20-06-2022 11:25pm

Double the 100k, I’ve wore the shirt.

bie · 20-06-2022 11:25pm

Thanks! Yes, I've inquired about Mica to see if it's been inspected, and am waiting to hear back. I think the home was built around 2008, so is definitely within Mica range.

I believe the Septic and electrical was installed to some degree, but it's been awhile so not sure about the condition. Hoping to get an appointment to visit in person later this week.

For the SEAI retrofit, the home was built in the right timeframe to be eligible, but I don't know if it's somehow considered "occupied" and in turn eligible - I couldn't find a definition on the website. I'd wager not.

I've noticed a lot of unfinished homes around Ireland of a similar age and finish level, are many of them from the 2008 / Great Recession era where people just ran out of money to complete?

afatbollix · 20-06-2022 11:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119229023#Comment_119229023

You obviously didn't live here at the time. It was bad, really bad. Whole estates were left to rot. The country was bankrupt, The banks were worse than bankrupt.

As with most things we all have short-term memories.

And this thread makes me feel old.

Also looks like a good enough house. Bit of work to do but looks in better shape than most of that era, Alot had pipes ripped out of them for scrap. If I was you I would try find a local builder and get him to walk around pricing things up. If you can't find a do it all builder ask a plumber/electrician/carpenter to come in and price it. Personally, I would add about 20 to 30% to the cost they give.

Bass Reeves · 20-06-2022 11:47pm

Another issue to remember is when the Mica rebuild/retrofit starts prices for building work in Donegal will go through the roof. That means that you will need to get it completed fast if you buy it.

On the plus side house look ok from a dampness point of view. There is no visible external damage and gutters do not looked blocked.

A lot depends on your ability to source material's and finishes. It also depends on what level of finish. A bathroom could cost 1k or 5k. A kitchen 5k or 25k.

The outside can be bought to a minimal level to park a car. If you want tarmac and a garage that is a differ matter.

I am not sure what state the underfloor heating could be in. Nearly 15 years since it was installed.

bie · 21-06-2022 12:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119229038#Comment_119229038

Thanks for your feedback! I didn't live here then, but am sort of surprised so many homes are still unfinished from that era. They seem to have pretty good bones and I'd think the cost to finish many of them would be a lot cheaper than a new build at this point. But perhaps not.

Bass Reeves · 21-06-2022 12:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119229117#Comment_119229117

I was looking at Daft. There is 880 properties for sale in Donegal. Over 200 are four bed or more properties. 250-300 k would buy you a decent house. Above 300 k gets you a mansion

You would want to be buying that house for sub 100k IMO and even at that there is better value out there

bie · 21-06-2022 12:23am

I didn't include all of the photos (since they took up so much room), but added a few more - the home is on the coast, which made me think it might be a good investment property if I could finish it to a decent standard for 150-190k all in.

But you're right, there are some good values in Donegal.

bie · 21-06-2022 10:06pm

Does anyone by chance have any recommendations for any builders in that area in Donegal?

rob316 · 30-06-2022 11:54am

5k for a basic stairs? I really have been living under a rock if that's the kind of prices these days. I bought a single flight stairs from munster joinery for €900 , 2 years ago and a child could fit it was so easy.

Baybay · 30-06-2022 12:10pm

What part of Donegal is this, please?

eusap · 30-06-2022 4:27pm

There is a least 200k to be spent on this house, no plumber will connect those pipes (floors up and new pipes/radiators) 20k min, Kitchens Bathroom 20-30k, Electrics 20kAssuming the planning is lapsed so may need to be re-applied for.

Treatments systems are costing 15-20k,

The reason they are empty so long is it has taken the banks this long to go through the legal process to reposes the houses which is another reason interest rates are high in ireland

mickdw · 30-06-2022 4:55pm

Part of the reason they are left behind is certification.

Original owners are no longer involved and certification is missing.

These houses are not generally mortgageable and as such are for cash buyers only for the purchase stage at least.

Some of the windows there have damp spots internally at window board level so I'd question the quality of the trades involved.

It's well along to be honest. Pipework for the most part at least will be fine as it appears to bring everything back to manifold so there should be no underfloor joints at all. New pressure test and all would be good. Plumber may want to redo rad connections or whatever and rads themselves may be deteriorating so that would need to be looked at.

It looks like a give away at 90k. I recently looked at a small house in mayo that is going 125k with only blockwork inside and much more outside work to do. And the finished value of the mayo house would be in the region of 240k.

That house in Donegal when finished should be worth alot of money given the location.

Pyrite / Mica is a big concern though.

bie · 30-06-2022 5:05pm

It ended up selling for 176k after a bidding frenzy. Because I hadn't had the time to get all of the surveying and Mica check work done (and hadn't heard from many people in this forum at the time), I didn't bid that high. I believe it was constructed in 2014-2015, so hopefully Mica would not be an issue.

I did read through the planning docs on this home, and saw plans were approved, and everything generally looked to be in order with the home permit-wise. I really wanted this home but it was not to be sadly.

I bought another home in County Galway instead (see other post :)). Boards will now let me post the link for the Killibegs home in the original post, so here it is:

https://bidx1.com/en/en-ie/auction/property/78288

Bass Reeves · 30-06-2022 8:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119270846#Comment_119270846

I paid 1400 for a red pine stairs in 2016. That was fitted. I spend another 3-400 boxing it in and some trimming. I stained and varnished it myself it took me 8-10 hours. There is a turn at the top of the stairs. Bits it's only a 7'6'' raise. It in a rented farm house

I am not sure if the OP intended to do all the work himself and put in a very basic stairs. I be assuming not with the amount of work to the house. 30 years ago a teak stairs cost me about 1k and that was in pounds.

If it was a bog standard straight stairs I would imagine 3-3.5k if he was adding detail maybe glass sides and at the landing top. Stainless steel rails. I say you would hit 5 k easy enough

As I said at the start of my post it depends on the ''It will depend on the level and quality of finish. ''

Cost to finish this home

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