Like a perfect sunny vacation, our home needs to be just as special and life changing. Our home is more than just a place you go to sleep at night, our home is a place where life long memories are created. How do you transform a building made out of walls and paint, into a fortress of solitude and security where families gather and grow? How do you make a simple house, become a home? The answer, make it truly yours; so original and unlike any other home around. In a world where pre-manufactured homes are around every corner, the dream of the perfect home can be difficult to find, but not impossible. One of the best solutions around, is the idea of the “fixer upper” home. A fixer upper home has a lot of options. Perhaps, it means transforming an older home into your dream home or even finishing an incompletely built home. Whatever the choice, the fixer upper option is the ultimate DIY a home owner can embark on. Yes, it is true that the fixer upper process involves a decent amount of work, however, the results are life changing. The results are the creation of your dream home. So how does one begin the fixer upper process?
— Dave Miller (@cozycrates) June 7, 2022
HUD HOMES or Incomplete Building projects
Financing a house is an expensive and complicated process. Unfortunately, many people struggle with the finically aspect of building a home, and this leaves a unique option open for the fixer upper. One type of house the fixer can look for on the market is a what is called a HUD home. In short, A HUD home is a home that needs to be sold fast. Often time these homes are foreclosures or homes that hit some sort of unforeseen financial set back. Whatever the case may be, the goal for the HUD home seller is the same; sell the house fast. Often times, HUD homes that are being sold are in need of serious renovation or perhaps are even incomplete. A HUD home almost always needs some kind of work. This is not desirable for a lot of people looking for turn key homes, however, for the DIY fixer upper, a HUD home can be a gold mine. Not only are these homes in a state of renovation already, but also, many time they are priced extremely low. HUD homes are not always easy to find because they sell fast, however, if planned correctly a HUD home is a perfect start for a fixer upper DIY home.
Older Homes
As cities grow and develop, older neighborhoods are often times forgotten and overlooked as an option for buying a home. Many individuals prefer the look and smell of a brand new home, and don’t even bother looking to purchase in older parts of a town. This trend creates another unique opportunity for the fixer upper individual. The older home market offer an array of advantages. First, they are almost always priced lower than the new home market. This low price leaves plenty of finically wiggle room for renovations. Lastly, older homes provide more unique designs that newer homes, that allow for more interesting renovation options. Purchasing an older home as a fixer upper home is a solid and smart option.
Historical Buildings: There are a lot of old fixer-uppers that are classified as historical landmarks by the state you live in. Before construction begins you need to know if your project falls under these guidelines because any alterations to your project need approval from elected officials in your community. In most cases, the exterior of a historical building must remain the same. Professional restoration contractors in this sector are highly advised.
Debris Removal: Gutting your fixer-upper is going to generate a significant amount of waste materials. If you have access to a truck with a universal open box-style trailer this is one option of removing your debris; however, there are a lot of landfills that will charge you per load by unit weight for disposal at their facility.