ehenning1537 t1_ixzscln wrote on November 27, 2022 at 5:53 PM

I haven’t done exactly what you described but I did renovate a house up in Takoma ten years or so ago. We went piecemeal and it was its own challenge. I did a lot of the work myself but we hired a contractor for some of the stuff that required skill.

Contractors always take longer than they estimate. Always. You might end up paying more than the initial estimate too. Especially with a full gut job.

Older houses tend to have asbestos and lead paint so that’s fun.

I don’t regret not buying a renovated home but that also wasn’t really an option for us. If you have the money it’ll be much less of a headache.

It’ll also have an impact on your relationship if you live there through the renovation. It puts a lot of stress on two people.

Expect the unexpected. These houses are old and as they tear it open they may find some more expensive problems to solve.

Good luck!

sb2677 OP t1_ixztaa1 wrote on November 27, 2022 at 6:00 PM

Thank you!! Love hearing other’s experiences :) What type of projects were you able to tackle on your own? And can I ask what your rough contracting costs were?

ehenning1537 t1_iy0jc82 wrote on November 27, 2022 at 8:51 PM

I did the painting, some drywall, refinishing the wood floors, repainting the cabinets. In the basement we had asbestos flooring so we just encapsulated it with an absorbent underlayment and a floating laminate floor. The contractor ripped out the drop ceiling in the basement and put up drywall, they also framed out the unfinished basement and enlarged a small window by knocking out some bricks. They moved gas lines and had to move some plumbing for a kitchenette. It was 10 year ago but I think all in it was around $25,000 for the contractor and at least another 5 for the stuff I did.

We got lucky and mostly kept the existing floors and walls. Lead paint, foundation or roof issues would’ve dramatically increased the cost. No lead paint and the hardwood was in decent shape after a good sanding.

sb2677 OP t1_iy1gjvb wrote on November 28, 2022 at 12:46 AM

Thanks for sharing your experience!!