Owning your own home

@konastab01 cheers yeah definitely agree Vs last one. I think nightmare - though could maybe get a little 2 person table in that corridor. A little low maintenance courtyard garden would be perfect

I read that hemp wool is a non moth friendly alternative.

Hemp is great but don't think it quite has the warms of a woolly jacket. I need to do my research. I really want to go full natural materials on my refurb but I suspect I don't have the ££

It would be worth checking that the property has planning permission for conversion from single person/family house (C3 Use Class) to multiple occupancy/HMO use (C4 Use Class).

Assuming it does, and you wish to return it to a single person/family house (C3 Use Class), then the works should be 5% VAT rated. May be of interest if you are planning to undertake building works.

This should fall under permitted development. I'm currently doing this the other way around - turning two flats back in to one house. When I checked, both directions fall under permitted development - assuming your not doing any other significant works that would require planning permission.
The 5% VAT thing is real (and a lifesaver), but you'll need to get something in writing to show your builder because ultimately it's them that has to bill you at 5% and then prove why if HMRC come calling.

Yes evidence is key, and for this reason it is worth submitting a Certificate of Lawful Development so that there is a carbon record of the previous condition and proposed works (ie: Conversion of 2no. flats to 1no. single dwelling-house).

You are right that it is the contractor who takes on responsibility, so you may want a VAT consultant to confirm the reduced rate. I also believe that not all works are 5% rated (ie: joinery), and a VAT consultant would be able to give you a comprehensive list

@EstelleGetty @jonlubi thanks very much! It has a HMO license currently. So if I got it, submit that certificate, keep a few copies for builders and can get 5% VAT? this (and houses really) is completely new to me
And this applies as long as whatever you're doing to a house is permitted development?

On that one (maybe not all in year 1, budget constraint), I'd knock the downstairs bathroom down to get a garden back, put the bathroom in the upstairs small bedroom, knock the dining room/downstairs bedroom down so it's one open kitchen/dining/lounging space. Plus it'd need the structural work, whatever is wrong with it. Some on the road have loft conversions too

Kitchen getting tiles

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ooh. You'll have the dehumidifier crew along in a minute. Put a lid on that pan.

Read up on what is included here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buildings-and-construction-vat-notice-708#section8

Also in my experience it helps if your wife went to school with someone in the council that decides to help you out with documentation!

But then if you are in Wales like us, you’ll also get stung with the need to get fucking sprinklers installed if you want to get your building control certificate at the end of it all...

VAT consultant is not on the list of people who will be getting the money gun pointed at them...there are plenty of others!

Are you putting those up yourself, Dov? Nice job... I like diagonal, might bite your shiz for our kitchen...

Nah. This is beyond me. Got a bloke in.

I used 50mm celotex and 9mm ply all over my shed and it was still good 7 years later, I had a small fan heater in there too. Moved now, but it is still in situ. Nothing rusted.

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Fake stone cladding? Isn’t it just made from stone?
The whole street looks like that.

I’m not sure I’d touch it to be honest.
Why is it an HMO? Is the whole area full of HMOs? That might mean students, noise, crime (see graffiti on the wall next door). HMO residents tend not to give a shit about their area or their neighbours. Fine if you’re renting but if you bought it and want a long term home then look for peace and quiet.

Street View says yes. Although a three places have rendered.

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shame it's sold - lovely this

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76533279?fbclid=IwAR2lNNHypN5W7_FGt6l3v0MIZXzm5phXcEEiRDzNtalYhzbFOBR3axLjiUE#/

WTAF as full organ built into the house!

Reckon they've just robbed a church and only managed to get away with enough panelling for one room? Oh yeah, and the organ instead of a chimney.

In a terraced house.

Must be loved by the neighbours...

What is the rough cost of the netting/mineral wool? Thanks!

Yeah, just wow. That would be an interesting conversation with the neighbours...

"So, quiet area is it?"

"It will be..."

Etc.

Also is that painting on the left in the living room the one from the meme? And is the painting on the right blurred out?!

I saw that blurred painting too. Wonder if these sites run an algorithm on photo uploads to blur out family photos and it caught this.

We picked up the insulation on sale, it was about £10 per m^2 + £30 local delivery. Given width between joists and such it was slightly more efficient for us to buy slabs rather than rolls. Ended up with very little in the way of wastage, maybe half a bucket worth or so.

The netting was about £30 for a 1mx100m roll. Not sure what we'll do with the rest of that. Hopefully find someone who can use it in their garden/allotment.

Probably spent another £15-20 on staples too.

I got quoteed £1,800 for 40sqm.