Is the fixer-upper fantasy over? Though some renovation costs may have plateaued — and the government’s latest figures suggest the price of materials fell four per cent in the year to July — adding value to a tired home is no longer a simple equation.
Send skyward by a potent blend of Brexit, the invasion of Ukraine and rising interest rates, a report by Rated People suggests that the average cost of some renovation projects (bathroom works are cited as the biggest drain on funds) leapt by 40 per cent between 2021 and 2022 alone.
Add in the mental cost of living in a building site for months and it’s little wonder that modernised homes are having a moment. For a precision search, look to the slew of discerning brokers that set their own filters such as The Modern House, Aucoot and Easthaus.
Here are 10 of the best renovated homes for sale, from a Victorian mill conversion to a Spitalfields flat with a flexible layout.
Lee, SE12
£925,000
This smart but unassuming Victorian terrace has an architect-designed interior, with a walnut-panelled kitchen in a rear extension. Upstairs there’s a Memphis-inspired main bedroom and two further rooms, all with bespoke headboards. Manor Park is minutes away.
The Modern House, 020 3795 5920
Hackney, E2
£600,000
A two-bedroom flat on top floor of a Victorian mill conversion with a mezzanine level, plus a stainless steel kitchen and parquet floors. Close to Columbia Road, the old mill buildings are clustered around a secluded courtyard.
Urban Spaces, 020 3744 2500
Stockwell, SW9
£700,000
This architect-renovated garden flat has three bedrooms and a light-filled kitchen dining space in the rear extension, home to a pink Pluck kitchen. The back garden is a good size and the sale includes a share of the freehold.
Thirzie Hull, 020 3488 9683â¬
Marylebone, W1G
Devonshire Close
£2.3 million
A two-bedroom house with a roof terrace on a pretty cobbled mews minutes from Regent’s Park. Unusually, planning consent has been granted for an extra floor and rear extension, which would increase the floor space to over 1,300 square feet.
Story of Home, 020 7867 3999
Highgate, N10
£899,995
Situated within the Muswell Hill Conservation area, this thoughtfully decorated lower ground floor flat has direct access to ancient Queen’s Wood from the end of the 100 foot private garden. Inside there are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a reception and kitchen.
Inigo, 020 3687 3071
Spitalfields, E1
£485,000
A versatile one-bedroom flat within a small Art Deco apartment block close to Brick Lane and five stations. Sliding doors add additional bedroom, while bespoke joinery throughout is inspired by the heritage of the building.
Easthaus, 020 3176 1270
Leytonstone, E11
£875,000
Minutes from the Tube and Wanstead Flats, three-bedroom Victorian home has been refurbed with a period-sensitive palette, herringbone parquet floors and brass fixtures. It offers great access to green space, with Wanstead Flats close by.
The Modern House, 020 3795 5920
South Woodford, E18
£845,000
Though it suggests little from the outside, this four-bedroom semi has over 1,500 square feet of space, including a vast kitchen and living area, cellar, utility and – handily – a bathroom on all three floors. The lower portion of Epping Forest is moment away.
The Stow Brothers, 0203 369 1818
West Dulwich, SE21
£900,000
This three-bedroom period house near Tulse Hill station has classic kerb appeal, but there’s a generous extension to the rear which is connected to the garden by full-width Crittall-style doors. The house is being sold without a chain.
