Handyman Specials? Yor opinions please!

I personally am against them. My DH is for them.

I am not talking about cosmetic work. I am talking about taking a DUMP (a 'handyman special') and basically gutting it.

There are 2 homes in Kings Park (nice area, good schools, can only imagine RE here going up in value if that's the way the market in general heads) but both need work. Like:

new roof

rotten wood beams (!!!!!!!!!!) to be replaced

new plumbing

While I'd like to be able to stay in this area, the thought of taking on years of work scares me.

Has anyone bought such a house and made it a success?

i did lol. we knew it needed a lot of cosmetic work when we bought it but once we took down some sheet rock and found the electricial work wasnt legal and they once termites feasting lol it turned into a full gutt. i re did the kitchen both bathsrooms,replaced the roof,completely rewired and upgraded and moved my electrcial panel and you know its totally worth it. it does sound like a lot of work but when you think about it besides building a brand new house you will have the chance to make a alot of choices for this house. you will know that it is safe and up to code because you did the work. i was told my the electrical inspector and the company that did my work that they dont know how the house did burn to the ground years before because of all the bad electrcial work in that house. i say if the price is right go for it and just do it little by little. i have to go over to my house today and take updated pics

Thanks!!!! I would love to see pics. Do you have before and after? I need inspiration!!!!!!!!!

My opinion is that one needs to be really handy to make it worthwhile...

A lot of time is needed. My parents redid many houses but my mother was home all the time and could interact with workers as needed during the week. If you have 2 people working full-time, it's really hard to put in the time.

Septemberbride is right! It takes a lot of time and is really hard to do with both people working full-time. Our house was mostly cosmetic but like janwainterbridejoy said one thing leads to another.. like with us at first we were only going to cover up our wood paneling with 1/4 inch sheetrock, but then we ended up taking down the paneling, then taking down the old sheetrock, replacing the insulation, then putting up the new sheetrock.
All we do in our spare time is work on the house, weekends and right after work until midnight.
Another thing: if we didn't have an apartment in our house where would we be living? It doesn't sound like you would be able to do one room at a atime with all the work you have to do! If you have somewhere to stay for a while it might work.
I agree with you though, Kings Park is a great area to live (beaches, parkways, train station, schools..) A handyman's special in that area IMO will only go way up in value.

Ray and I would be glad to help

Not that I am terribly old (33) but at this point I want a house in move in condition. Paint and stuff is one thing. But a ton of work, no way.

When I was 24-25 I really would have loved the idea of a fixer-upper. I'm fairly handy, as is my dad and brothers and we would have had a blast. But now I just want to get a house so we can think about having a family soon.

I also preferred to buy a house that was complete.

MY DH was the one who wanted a fixer upper.
So I did it for him.

Our house does have potential, I picture it every day.

We are gutting the whole thing. We are leaving some original sheet rock up in some rooms but we are mainly ripping out more than 50% of the sheetrock and probably putting new insulation.

We are even going to renew the kitchen and all 3 of our bathrooms.

Not to mention we have a full size basement which is all concrete right now, we want to finish that as well.

As well as of course the landscaping.

Lots of work but in the end for what we paid and for what we could eventually sell it for in the future will be well worth it.

our house needded some TLC to get it where I wanted it to be. Roof was fine, but it needed sidding, electrical updated, new windows, new kitchen, bathrooms needed updating etc. We gutted the house and basically started over. I am so glad we did. Like someone said, it's the only way to really increase the value of your home. We did most of the work ourselves and really have learned a lot from what we did. Home depot is a great source of information and inspiration. The most important thing is to buy a house in an area you can see yourself potentially spending the rest of your life in since you never know where life takes you. You have to love the area you live in and be comfortable financially.

good luck! If you ever need help with anything just let me know I have become quite handy with powertools now

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!

There is the house in KP that is a D.U.M.P. dump but it is on a great cul-de-sac street, within walking distance of the train (which is what I want) and has a nice-size yard. It certainly has 'potential'

My DH is an electrician, so thank goodness that part willl be ok. But I am - Clueless (ok, bad joke). I think I will take some of those Home Depot classes when the time comes.

Julie and Kelly I may take you ip on your offer to help - maybe you can show me how to use a hammer! I know nothing!!!!!!

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Posted by cluelessbride
Julie and Kelly I may take you ip on your offer to help - maybe you can show me how to use a hammer! I know nothing!!!!!!

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My DH just read this over my shoulder and said to me- YOU are going to show someone how to use a hammer? you can't even use the toaster oven! I had to remind him of my handy work around the house and that I am much better at fixing up the house than cooking!

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Posted by kelly4

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Posted by cluelessbride
Julie and Kelly I may take you ip on your offer to help - maybe you can show me how to use a hammer! I know nothing!!!!!!

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My DH just read this over my shoulder and said to me- YOU are going to show someone how to use a hammer? you can't even use the toaster oven! I had to remind him of my handy work around the house and that I am much better at fixing up the house than cooking!

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I'd tell you that I'll teach you to cook but I can't do that either!!!!!!!

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Posted by cluelessbride

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Posted by kelly4

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Posted by cluelessbride
Julie and Kelly I may take you ip on your offer to help - maybe you can show me how to use a hammer! I know nothing!!!!!!

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My DH just read this over my shoulder and said to me- YOU are going to show someone how to use a hammer? you can't even use the toaster oven! I had to remind him of my handy work around the house and that I am much better at fixing up the house than cooking!

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I'd tell you that I'll teach you to cook but I can't do that either!!!!!!!

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OMG! You are cracking me up today!

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Posted by janwinterbridejoy

i did lol. we knew it needed a lot of cosmetic work when we bought it but once we took down some sheet rock and found the electricial work wasnt legal and they once termites feasting lol it turned into a full gutt. i re did the kitchen both bathsrooms,replaced the roof,completely rewired and upgraded and moved my electrcial panel and you know its totally worth it. it does sound like a lot of work but when you think about it besides building a brand new house you will have the chance to make a alot of choices for this house. you will know that it is safe and up to code because you did the work. i was told my the electrical inspector and the company that did my work that they dont know how the house did burn to the ground years before because of all the bad electrcial work in that house. i say if the price is right go for it and just do it little by little. i have to go over to my house today and take updated pics

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EXACTLY as Joy stated. I had a full blown gut job (80% of the original structure was rebuilt/replaced). It is very overwhelming at first, and we had a murphy's law series of events at our house but when I look around now at every detail that husband and I did together, we have a deeper appreciation than if we just bought a place and painted it. Every detail is our own. Plus I know what is safe, what has been changed and what materials my home is made of. Would I do it again, probably not but we had to work with the hand we were dealt, and in the end it was very much worth it. I'll see if I can find the link to my pictures..

http://www.liweddings.com/chat/topic.aspx?ID=184976

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Posted by TracyInQueens

Not that I am terribly old (33) but at this point I want a house in move in condition. Paint and stuff is one thing. But a ton of work, no way.

When I was 24-25 I really would have loved the idea of a fixer-upper. I'm fairly handy, as is my dad and brothers and we would have had a blast. But now I just want to get a house so we can think about having a family soon.

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This is our line of thinking also. But houses that are in move-in condition are totally out of our price range. Neither DH or myself are handy, and we both work full time, so getting a fixer-upper might be more trouble than it's worth.

Donna