Renovating a property
 

I would like to hear from anyone who has bought an old property for renovation. It is an option that we are considering doing in a year or two.
I have restored a few properties in the uk ( I know its a lot different from a stone walled house in the spanish mountainside!) but I have the basic knowledge and skills to do such a project.
Has anyone restored an old property for profit or for their permanant home ?
Did you live in it while you were restoring it ?

Hope to hear from you soon,
many thanks
Tony and tracey (Kent UK)

Re: Renovating a property
 

Hi there. Yes, we bought an old townhouse and lived in it (and are still!!) whilst renovating it. We lived without a roof or first floor to part of the house for several weeks having had to take it down because it was falling in, and without a kitchen for several months. You get by! We've done all the work ourselves apart from the final electricity connection and plastering the ceilings.
Buy a copy of "Renovating an Old Farmhouse in Spain" by Alec & Erna Fry if you don't already have it. Lots of useful info therein, not just applicable to "farmhouses"!

Re: Renovating a property
 

You should also consider the legalities as well as the practicalities.

It is virtually as difficult to obtain a building licence for renovating a country property as it is for building a new one (which is actually impossible).

Re: Renovating a property
 

We had a similar dream years ago and so did thousands of others, even then places like you want were like hens teeth.
You may get an old townhouse like Hillybilly, but I doubt an old farmhouse.
I also agree with Beachcomber`s previous post, If you was really lucky and found one to restore it would have to be used for its previous use, IE. farming, to get a licence.

Re: Renovating a property
 

Agree with the others there are very little farmhouses here to buy - like golddust - they have all been done up or demolished - people like to buy new villas now not old houses.

Spain doesn't seem to have the old buildings like they do in Italy or France - they would be much better countries to look at.

Mark