That's old, what is the building made of.

yes! renovators have to be completely mad as it's often cheaper and always easier to buy an existing house and move every few years before the house gets too shabby and needs repainting but it can be very gratifying to restore an old place and give it the love and attention that it deserves but it puts great pressure on relationships and is ten times more difficult and expensive than you can begin to imagine.... should you do it?? is like asking "how long is a piece of string?....do you already own the property and is it safe to live in as is? ...did you buy it for a great price and have you confirmed with several real estate agents what it would sell for with the usual basic modern updates? posting a plan of the existing house with a wish list will generate some ideas that should help you decide

it depends on what you want to do..some jobs can be done under guidance, some are best left to pros. Perhaps some photos and a description of what you are thinking about doing would be good too.

Arm yourself with a good designer and good tradespeople. Listen to professional advice from the good designers and trades. Have the works costed before you strike a blow. Don't follow fad's or believe too much of the crap on 'reality' renovation tv shows. They make it all look way too easy and quick.

Oh and find a group of good trades is essential, people who do great work, who you trust and who are on the same page as you especially with regard to their view on old homes. Some will think you're mad others will totally appreciate old homes as much as you do.

sarah, excellent advice...we waited almost two years for the local builder who specialises in custom renovations and his tradespeople were equally obsessed with the details and made so much extra effort to save and recycle but that all cost more time and money..i think old homes just feel and "sound" better..doesn't make sense but renovating our 50's house we now have a special home in an established area that's personalised to suit the way we live BUT if we'd still had young children and our demanding jobs a new house and more time with the family would be a better choice and save the perfect fixer upper for when you have more time although we were lucky enough to be able to buy the house many years ago and rented it out until the time was right to do the reno and move in ourselves...best of both worlds

Yes as I'm about to renovate ourselves. Great advice for us first timers.

Several friends and a cousin have done major renovations to 70-90yo homes, seeking to bring them into this century. They mostly achieved their goals but with a lot of stress, anxiety, surprises, and money. They all had to forego some desired outcomes due to restrictions imposed by the existing footprint/structure. Some minor wish list changes were costed at more than the cost of demolition.

Every single one of them has said that on reflection, it would have been better to knock the house over and start again.

If it’s the character you’re after, it can be achieved with a new build. Not far from our far more modest home is a row of stunning, late 1800s mansions. Two of them are new builds that blend so well I’ve had visitors refuse to believe they 2015 builds, not 1880s masterpieces.

I have been renovating old, run-down houses since 1984. This time, I am out in Gulgong renovating an 1890 old miner's cottage - the condition was terrible, although the 'bones' was alright. Needed restumping, internal timber achitraves, doors, windows and verandah replaced, old concrete steps demolished, garden beds installed, roof tin replaced, and I'm only half way through. The chimney is cracked across the base and needs demolishing, and the kitchen and bathroom will be demolished/ replaced by onsuites and bathrooms for the bedrooms, then put up a 40sqm kitchen/living/dining at the rear.

The house was on a double block and I got it cheap, so I am splitting the blocks and on the other side, installing a new 3 bed house. The new house will be a breeze, in comparison - a builder will lay slab, put up pre-made frames & trusses, sheet the roof and the walls, then I'll finished it off internally. That's about the easiest way to build.

But I am pretty sure I'll remember the miner's cottage (every centimetre) long after the new one is a hazy blur - the amount of time and peronal effort involved in old places, the sheer number of solutions you need, you end up living and breathing the project. I did a large sandstone terrace in Leichhardt in 1982 - it took 3 years and 2 episodes - but it its lodged in my memory as a major event.

My only warning is, you have to have time. Renovating means you can spend an hour trying to get a screw out of the wall because the Phillips head is painted in or stripped and you can't just claw-hammer it out because it will rip out the (now fragile) weatherboards.

It can mean (like I did yesterday) stripping the verandah and finding that the old cypress pine - while still stroong and service - has fissures that run with the grain that have gone dark with previous stains and because I replaced about half with new pine, when the stain goes down - you can see a marked difference. Hmmm. So you can either replace it all, or be happy with imperfection (ie, 'character') or just paint and hide.

I am now semi retired and have the time to spend most of every day working on the place. If it was a new build, I suspect I'd be mostly finished by now.

But every day that passes, you develop more attachment. That's the big difference. I have lived in houses where its 'just a house' and I have no real attachment, and I have lived in houses where my labour has transformed the house into a (minor) work of art. I can tell you, the 2nd option is far better.

It depends - if location is important then renovating makes good sense, especially if you intend to stay for a long time or want to re-sell or let long term.

Yes! If you are not builders or experienced, or don’t have knowledge of how old buildings need to be treated, don’t do it! It’s expensive. More expensive than building or buying new,
I am speaking from experience here! More than 50 years experience.
I love old houses I live in an old house but if you have not stripped it back to a shell it creates non stop dust, constant repairs and difficulty for anyone to work on unless it’s timber of course in which case it’s an easier task.
Spend your money on an architect and get a new house with a classic design on the outside and a brand new practical design on the inside. In the village where I live there are a couple of houses which pass this test. The renovators however have been faced with shonky building practices such as bathwater discharge under slab of 1970s Reno, no foundations on brick wall holding up extension. The list goes on! Get a builder to give you a quote on everything that will need fixing. Make sure he is capable and loves old houses. We have had people in our village employ licensed builders who have just walked away halfway through work because it got too difficult/they underestimated! You as a client must understand that all kinds of nasties will be uncovered! Most of these are expensive to fix. Watch grand designs and count how many of these people go over budget because of unforeseen problems.

Our home is an old bluestone villa and had to be restored and built onto it is approx. 130years old, we did it all about 20 years ago but have done some more updating recently, we have NEVER regretted it and as it is an a sought after area (not when we bought it) but it is now it is worth hundred's of thousands more than we paid so all in all a good investment as well so if you feel up to it and want to do it, do it well and you'll never regret it but just don't over capitalize that is a big mistake. GOOD luck!

OH and for going over budget, we did a little but that was due to choices I made thinking at the time that high end pays in the long run but we probably only went over budget by $10,000 my idea is get a building inspector to give your place a good check out before you decide, a few hundred dollars may save you thousands if he can find large faults!

Ok, as I said, there's old and there's old - the condition they are in varies greatly!

OF COURSE building new from scratch is always going to be cheaper, it's not something you'd ever do as a cost saving. The key is to have a very clear understanding of what costs would be involved from the outset (a very thorough building inspection (at least 2 hours, looking in roof, underfloor, walls, everything, that gives an itemised list of works required with cost estimates), be realistic in what you're trying to achieve within the constraints of your budget, the existing home/layout/space/aspect etc; gather a team of skilled and trusted trades; and allow for a generous contingency for the inevitable things that you can't discover til later.

Clarify what your dealbreakers are and walk away from those, don't look back, no matter how good the deal seems. And I hear time and time again of issues often arising, less with the original home itself, but around poor quality, unauthorised additions in more recent decades.

Yes, it's not for the faint of heart or if you don't have the budget, but go in with eyes wide open and financial and mental flexibility and fortitude ; D and I think it's a fabulous route.

Personally I can't stand new houses or extensions built to look old, it devalues the genuine old architecture and craftsmanship of the original home or those in the area. Although it may look same-same superficially, it is different and seems kind of fake to me, like a Disneyland castle or the faux French flashy chateaux popping up in suburbia currently. I love old homes, whether Victorian, Federation, Bungalows or MCM, but if I was to build anything new, it would be contemporary to its time. So if I was to build a new house, it would be contemporary, reflecting the best design and technology prevalent now.

I think you either see the value in original craftsmanship and quality or you prefer new. And that's an entirely personal thing! (and that's ok! ;D)

Beautifully put donntrent, I've never thought about the attachment, but you're spot on for me too. Whilst our home is no beautiful historic home, I marvel almost everyday as I discover new small things that show the craftsmanship, quality and materials that have gone into it's build. Something you won't find in most mass produced homes these days.

We have kept the integrity of our home with claw foot bath and antique leadlight window we found at an architectural repurpose business we didn't go for open plan kitchen but kept the kitchen separate we put back old cornices and roses etc so I was not suggesting that to anyone I was suggesting if you do it right and don't over capitalize then you should be fine all I know is that often when we have visitors for the first time they just say wow and that we have created a warm inviting home, I hate it when someone takes a beautiful old home then creates super modern as an add on, all that has to be done is find your style, love it and do it, I have friends that have taken a villa and made it super modern stripped away all the old cornices etc, that is their right and their personal choice, I won't judge them, it is just not for me. I feel the 14ft ceilings need cornices etc that is my personal taste not for everyone, as I said it is subjective to our own personal tastes, I respect any decision that is made by the home owner after all they have to live in it and be happy with the result.

Hi, my opinion on renovating is - Do you have position that makes it worthwhile? eg.gorgeous view,close to city ect. Is this going to be your forever home? If you answer yes to the 2 questions I would go ahead if you can accept this true statement. Set a budget, then double it, shoot yourself in the foot now your ready to start.

can I additionally point out that a new house may be cheaper but the materials are often cheap AND nasty. The house I am renovating is close on 130 years, yet with a bit of hard work - given the house has not really been renovated in the past - it will be extremely comfortable.

Modern houses, whoosh, lucky to get 30 years out of them before someone consider knocking it down. New houses are built from composites, aluminium, plastic, veneers, and fake timber. If you actually wanted to produce a house like what was built in 1900, it costs a fortune, because the old houses were built when there were lots of trees, so getting quality timber was normal.

These days, the pine trees are cut as early as possible, when the trees are thin - a lot more knots, more twisting, and they need to be treated.

Back then, things were hand made - windows, door knobs, kitchen benches, for example. These days, knobs are made in China, windows are mass produced aluminium, doors are popped out of a mould, and kitchen bench are a version of laminex.

Point is, now houses ARE expensive to get the warmth and quality - before you renovate, make sure that the job you do will restore that warmth. If it s a bed old house when built, it will still be a bad old house when renovated.

love singwell's comment "set a budget, double it and shoot yourself in the foot.. now you're ready to start" so true!!

It's an on going labor of love, you just wouldn't survive it if it wasn't

So much wisdom here. I too love old houses but I don’t want to live in one. I loathe very high ceilings and small windows; must have 9’ ceilings and lots of light. We went for a mid century modern which has been fun to do up as the room sizes were good and the views from the picture windows are amazing. I have never felt so happy in a house ever. We have built an extension on and this was relatively painless as it was possible to live comfortably inside the house while construction went on at the rear. Replaced the existing bathroom and kitchen and it was complete. Think carefully about what type of spaces make you happy and use that as a guide. Take on something straightforward to begin with and see if you enjoy the experience before you tackle all the issues older houses present.

old houses are just like mid century and others that can be restored and up dated to suit your life style. You seem to have found your perfect home, well done

Renovating old houses always opens up a can of worms but it is enjoyable, costly, stressful but once you are finished you and your partner if you are still together will reap the rewards. I have completed nine houses three old and each were different and offered different challenges but in the end you have a piece of history.

Love old houses. Go for it I say. Everyone starts out as a beginner, just make sure you employ skilled tradies.

My other advise would be to go slowly, if possible, better to live in a house for a while to get a good feel how it works and what you really need/want.

Old houses have a beautiful character and feel to them that new houses just can't replicate ( I may be biased). If old period houses are what you prefer then do it.

Oh, and make sure you get a good building inspection before you buy, so you know what to expect structurally. Helps eliminate expensive surprises down the track!

at the risk of starting an online bushfire, some of the above comments must be read with a ' grain of salt'...treated pine whilst cheap generally is not full of knots, is structurally sound if used correctly, will twist if (so will other timber) if not used quickly; it is possible to hand make things like doors and windows (I have no special carpentry skills but manage to do just that); you save costs if you have a go; if you want detail, originality, quality workmanship then you are going to have to pay...that is why on a single low income I am not attempting to restore old houses. Horses for courses. Old houses often have character, but can be dim, mouldy, and poorly laid out; new homes if designed, built and furnished well often have better windows with double glazing, better insulation, and can still be full of character and charm too. Just adding my 2c worth.

Yes crazy. But nothing worthwhile is easy.

Well that’s what I tell myself everyday.

Comes down to stacking up your values against how much money you have...and it's never right or wrong. What you will need to do is understand that renovations are a completely different beast to new builds and generally much much higher cost/m2 (yes your own time put in needs to be considered a "cost" one way or the other ;) )....so there's no clear answer here.......What I would advise is get armed with information so you can make your decisions confidently and informed...and also be clear about where you are directing your questions/research.......Doing this for a living, I understand that all projects, no matter what nature/scale/budget/context/whatever are underpinned by one single equation, that is the relationship between the project objectives/requirements, and the cost involved - and understand that "cost" can be defined in terms of money, time and physical/emotional energy........Whatever you do to minimise surprises and disappointment DON'T underestimate what's involved, and as a rule of thumb I find that what people have in their mind as what a certain scope of works "should" cost, will be more realistically 2-3x more by the time it's done. For some people this can be an issue, sometimes though cost is the lower priority and it's ultimately about the long term results achieved........It really depends on the specific/particular situation...... Last point I'd make is whether you've done this before or not I don't think is necessarily a deciding factor on whether you should or shouldn't pursue it.....it will just mean that it may arguably be more efficient/sensible for you to invest in the services of the appropriate/respective professionals/trades for various aspects of the process/project....Monica, Good luck! :)

The good kind of mad! (Most) old houses ooze character, warmth and heart as much as new ones do chemicals and cheap fittings. I am a housebody, and love being in my house - I spend my money on it, instead of out clubbing and yes, there are always unexpected costs (new hot water service, leaking toilet...), but if you were renting you would have nothing of your own at the end anyway.

Three years ago I bought my first house, a fairly original sandstone 98 year old lady in need of some TLC. No builder's reports in this little town, but then she cost me less than a landcruiser...
Things I planned to do, but took forever because of rusting nails, old sizing, old quality workmanship include painting the whole thing, top to bottom, pulling up axminster carpet and getting the floors polished, putting fans and air conditioning in. Things I was hoping to avoid for a few more years but can't, include replacing the original roof, swapping the three-cupboard sleepout kitchen with a bedroom, redoing the bathroom, complete with new plumbing and actual drainage to the septic pit (which I had to have fixed a bit), and then I think the best option for the back room and laundry is just to rebuild them....But I don't regret this house, or the journey it's taken me on. Even if it has turned out to be a much more expensive journey than I thought!

With time and google, you can do a lot yourself. Before I moved back three years ago I had always been n provided accommodation, so had never used a drill and only changed a couple of light globes, but now... I took a chimney and fireplace down on my own, then re-pointed the stone and put in a ceiling panel to close it up. I have painted, put up shelves, taken down cupboards that were built into walls, patched cracks, filled gaps, pried off skirting boards, and generally turned it into a home.
For the more major stuff, like putting a doorway through a foot thick stone wall and rewiring an original bedroom to house a modern kitchen, I am getting the professionals in.

good luck!

well done Penny, the reward for all your DIY is a finished result which will be a long term monument to all your efforts but then one problem with DIY is that once you know it's possible to knock out a wall or change a window we can't stop wondering about the next idea!!

Hi yes you are crazy but we all are if you love old houses we have a cottage built 1880 and we are slowly rebuilding it or more the builders are we get things ready for them like get doors windows ect we have no exp but we stress and clean up we love our house but a lot of work send you some pics

ithis is a old photo if you look me up you can find some more good luck sally

Short answer, yes. @singwell has it right.

There is real wisdom here and relatively speaking, I am a reno toddler. We are nearly there with a mid-century renovation that didn't require any walls out/in, etc. but new everything, really.

I will say - there is something very special about restoring an old home if you go into it after:

1) Getting help establishing broadly what it will cost to do before you buy it. Pre-purchase inspections are a must but so is actually engaging someone (or sometimes many people) to map out costs in the form of quotes, essentially. (Also check out Archicentre for a document that used to exist that tells you what to expect to pay for various works in each capital city).

We thought for our place....okay, it's in our price range....it's really liveable, we can do the bathrooms, laundry and kitchen in a couple of different blocks down the track...we're adding value in a good area...but for what we've spent on those rooms (even while budget-savvy, we still can't DO most of the work ourselves, and that costs a fortune) and the unforeseen expenses (like a new roof before we thought it would need it, and things like heating and cooling replacement, let alone the floor and window coverings once you've got the bones right), it has been as @singwell predicted.

2) If it is going to be a primary residence do it all at once if you can, even if that is a stretch. I can promise you that if you think 'let's just do this part and move in, and that part will be easy to manage while we're living here' you will spend more money and you will possibly lose your mind.

Good luck!!

As a heritage builder, older home can still stay true to character with the right guidance from architects/designers.

It is important to remember that if you start with small fixes you will often find many more hidden problems which usually turn into a full house renovation as older building techniques are not up to scratch with current safety guidelines.