Character 4 Bed House Next Door (For Rent)

Initially I spotted the house next door but one to me for sale on another agent's site so made enquiries with the neighbour about who owned it and also who owned next door and whether that was for sale.

View from next door over looking my garden

Initially the owners wanted 15,000 Euros for this, but having viewed inside and seen that it needed a lot of renovation, had many cracks in the ceiling and would require some outside rendering I went in a little below the asking price. There is basically a large central hall downstairs with kitchen sink and then one living room off this to the left and another cellar type room to the right.

External stairs lead to another large hall area and three bedrooms.

Outside was a small mud brick building with an open fire place which would make an ideal BBQ area. The plot is around 1,000 sqm.

The owners eventually agreed to 14,000 E.

I intend to renovate this into a 3/4 bedroom house for rental.

February 2008: Deal now completed and should get keys shortly so I can have a good look around and start thinking of ideas for renovation.

March 2008: Got an idea of costs to make this into 4 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms - will be around 26,000 Euros. I am going to use individual tradesmen with someone employed as project manager and so far costs are coming in much cheaper than using full building company.

April 2008: Builders have had a quick look at roof and seems many of smaller timbers rotten and so larger job than we initially envisaged. Work should start soon.

May 2008: EVN (electric company) have now been and fitted electric meter to outside of house in line with new regulations that will come in and in time all houses will have their meters switched to outside. Paying to have this down now means no need to alter electrics in the future.

New roof and guttering being done

July 2008: All new white PVC windows in, all electrics and plumbing done, new super duper septic tank installed that recycles water for garden, all plaster boarded inside and painted. Some damp discovered on lower floor so measures taken to concrete area outside to prevent rain seeping into ground and new water proof plasterboard put on.

December 2008: New railings on, house painted yellow and white, wooden floors stripped and tiling started and inside painted. BBQ area more or less finished and is a great feature.

June 2009: Still waiting for builders to finish final bits and pieces and tidy up the paint work. I will then get a basic sink unit fitted and the kitchen area tiled and will look to rent this out long term as an unfurnished 4 bed house. Would be ideal as a B&B as downstairs can be used as a completely independent one bed apartment and can then look to rent out 3 rooms upstairs which have their own bathroom.

Eventually just told builders to go and I would finish off bits and pieces as was getting no where. They had been insisting they had finished for months and demanding last of money but there were many small jobs that had not been finished off properly.

July 2009: Slowly getting there. Took 3 days to clean all paint, plaster and cement off windows and frames. Bulgarian builders appear to have never heard of masking tape and simply either splatter paint everywhere or do not bother to paint up to skirtings or edgings. And just look at the idea of patching up small areas of paint below - completely different colour!!!

Plot has now been more or less cleared and will make a start on repairing mud brick walls.

Kitchen has been ordered and should be fitted within a month or so. Aim is to get this house ready as an unfurnished long term let by end of September. There will be a landscaped garden with large chicken coop and run, area for growing vegetables in and fruit trees.

August 2009: All walls repaired so plot secure, pergola built and plot tidied. Just need to build patio, tidy up well and plant some bushes and flowers and throw some grass seed down.

All doors painted in house, kitchen fitted and just tiling to be done, wood burning stove bought....nearly there

October 2009: House completely finished. Kitchen is tiled, light fittings all up, wood burner installed in lounge, garden tidied and more or less finished with roses, honeysuckles and bushes planted.

Downstairs - kitchen, hall, lounge

Ensuite bedroom

Upstairs - example of one bedroom and the bathroom

  BBQ House

Here's a video of completed house, ready for rent:

FOR RENT: 200 Euros/mth unfurnished plus bills if long term (minimum 12 months rental and 400 E deposit).