At what point does a house become too much of a fixer upper that it’s restrictive?

Whatever you think it may cost, double it. Been down that road. Cost a fortune more than expected. And that was before Covid. You have all that inside that you mentioned plus any exterior problems or updates plus landscaping, fencing, patio updates, etc, etc. it’s all really expensive and worse if aren’t doing any yourself. We had $300+k in the rehab but a lot can vary based on what you want to do.

I bought a fixer upper in 2016 because I couldn’t afford to buy a new house with a large yard in a good area of Ascension so I had to get an older home that needed lots of updates. It’s always a project with something to do. I’m just now getting to the point where I can start slowing down and enjoying life again so unless you hire out all the projects, be prepared to miss LOTS of family time. It’s very satisfying knowing you’re doing it yourself, though.

I've always been a "fixer-upper" type and have done 3 houses in my home buying adult life. I don't regret a single one of them.

One thing is for certain-----you either learn how to do the work yourself or you write the checks for someone else to do it.

The first will cost for materials and the time it takes away from more fun things to do with the family while the second option disposes of your disposable income drastically as you write checks for someone else to do it for you. And hopefully, that someone does a good job and doesn't screw you over.

Here's a quick breakdown of the last big project I did.

I had to completely gut and redo the ground floor of my house after Katrina's floodwaters did their thing. I got my insurance payout and figured if I had someone else do it, I would have likely come close to breaking even.

I did it myself and on top of getting things back in order, I also replaced the truck and motorcycle I lost, paid off the remaining balance on the house and had money left over to do a few upgrades on the 2nd floor.

I'm a very firm believer in "sweat equity".

quote:

---

I think the flooring is the only immediate need. But it’s essentially two floors of carpet that needs to be ripped up and replaced.

---

I believe in working from the top down, i.e. painting ceilings, walls and trim first, replacing kitchen and bathroom cabinets and any other work done first.

The last thing I do are the floors, especially if going with wood flooring to minimize any potential damage to them.


I know old carpet sucks, but while they are there, they are as useful as putting down a tarp, or just rip it up if too soiled and work over your slab or subfloor.

You say the house has been on the market for a while. WHY? There must be an underlying issue. Most places are gone before they even hit the market, if they are a deal or desirable.
A lot of the time, once you start peeling that onion, there will be a multitude of other problems you will need to address. And that can easily cost 3 times more than the budget.
Contractors are another issue. Seen it so many times. Contractor is either not on your wavelength or they take the money and run. Vett them thoroughly.
Always make a budget and try to stick to it.
Last, are you a handyman. Be honest with yourself. Can you plumb in a bathroom? Instal Sheetrock. Change out an electrical panel. You need to watch the movie Money Pit.
There are some good apps out like construction estimator that you can get to help with figuring out cost.
Hope this helps.

quote:

---

I believe in working from the top down, i.e. painting ceilings, walls and trim first, replacing kitchen and bathroom cabinets and any other work done first.

---

Makes sense. We’d have to get rid of the popcorn ceilings, paint the walls, I don’t think we’d necessarily have to replace the cabinets, just repaint them. The replacement could come years from now.

quote:

---

know old carpet sucks, but while they are there, they are as useful as putting down a tarp, or just rip it up if too soiled and work over your slab or subfloor.

---

Yeah it just doesn’t look good. That’s it.

quote:

---

We’d have to get rid of the popcorn ceilings

---

Good lord....that alone should make you run away. That's a ton of work and messy as hell.

You better absolutely LOVE this house if you plan on doing all of that work to it. It will cost a fortune even if you do most of the work.

Find a good designer and get an estimate. Remember you don’t have to do everything at once.

Then let the wife control it all, speaking about most cases. Life will be easier that way.

We bought a house built in the 60s in a great area, and gave it an overhaul from the floors and walls to remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms. Probably north of $150K altogether. It’s about 2/3 your size.

What would the house sell for if it was updated?

You could start with flooring and paint. Then do the kitchen/bath upgrades down the road.