In the first part of this series on how to ensure your renovation is a success, Emily Smith looks at how to tell if a house is worth taking on as a project

When Mark and Stephanie Fernandez came across an outdated bungalow in Berkshire, they knew a renovation and extension project could turn it into their dream home. Their hard work paid off, and for a build cost of £275,000, they’ve created a contemporary abode, packed with wow factor

ANTHONY COLEMAN

Before

Buying a fixer-upper is an attractive and popular project for those looking to make their stamp on a house and achieve great value for money. Get it right, and it’s a fantastic way to invest your cash. Not only will you be creating a space that’s tailored to your needs, you’ll also reap the rewards in terms of the property’s end value. Get it wrong, and it has the potential to turn into a disaster akin to a never-ending soap opera, guzzling up your finances with no hint or hope of a profit at the end.

Over the upcoming issues of Build It, I’ll be investigating what it takes to ensure your renovation works result in a wonderful home that you can enjoy for years to come. The first step, of course, is having a house to renovate.

Finding a project

A quick look on the online property search engines will show you that there are plenty of buildings out there for sale. But sifting through and determining what has the potential to be transformed into your ideal home requires you to first establish some fundamentals.

Think about where you want to live – not only in terms of the geographical location, but also regarding what amenities your perfect future dwelling has access to (ie good schools, transport links, a decent pub etc). To what extent would you be willing to sacrifice your dream location for the right house? How much do you want to spend in total (both on the purchase itself and the works needed) and how much of a project are you happy to take on?