First topic message reminder :

In these current times what is the renovation costs per square meter ? and what can you expect for this money? This is NOT to promote anyone in this business but a GENUINE QUESTION for info please.

Thank you seven for sharing this with us I'm somewhat amazed at the transformation it looks like you have your work cut out and what a difference its made looks very good to me and more like a home

Thanks M8 all looks great to me just shows you as already said what can be done with a little blood sweat and tears

I have just had a complete renovation of an 1820s style Bulgarian house. The quote from the same builder we used for our present home 6 years ago, was 46,000 Levas. Because of a big unforseen problem when a support collapsed, it actually cost 60,000 levas. This included a proper costed quote, an architect plan and it was brought in on time. The renovation included digging out the floor to give height, putting in a bathroom, central heating (wood burner), all plumbing with new EU sewage disposal, internal cement staircase, new flooring upstairs and on balcony, all plastering, painting and tiling downstairs throughout and new electrics. Included in the cost also was a chicken house on the side of the house converted to another room with big picture windows, a farm room converted to a conservatory with patio plus stonework and drainage all around the house and an outside summer kitchen. Outside paintwork of the house too and new double glazing windows on half of the house. From the outside the property has retained its old look, but inside is clean and functional but retaining the old fire place upstairs and original turkish style doors to the balcony. I am very pleased with the cost and end result. Can't wait to move in although I still love our present home which is now too big for us. Notice the quote was in LEVAS!

Nice little writeup oldun and in detail to do you have any pictures of before and after ? it sounds as though it was a mammoth task but all worth it well done to you and any pics would be good I love to see pictures

Some Transformation in a short time,Good Job

Wow Seven
I am lost for words. One look at that property i would have walked away. Just shows what can be done, with blood sweat and tears at times i am sure.
All of you that buy and renovate are also improving the future for Bulgaria, without this happening it would all be lost.
Well done give yourselves a pat on the back.

A good job there and what a transformation as already said I to would have walked away I have to admire you for doing this and the way you seem to have done it very sympathetically well done not many would have maintained its almost original look

Thanks guys, It did take a long time to find the right builder and there were many hours of head banging against a table when they couldn't understand what I wanted. Also, a lot of being laughed at when I had other things done.. i.e. lightening conductor, they laughed and said that now the village would be safe as my house would be the only one hit!!!!!

I did buy all my light switches form the UK and paid for a german surge protector for the whole house (500 lev). I would say to anybody looking to renovate over here... Take it slow, if the house is to be your home for the rest of your life... think... talk and think again, write it all down and then talk and think again. There were many times that I called the builder in the early hours and told him to hold fire on something that I decided the day before, he soon learnt to check check and double check each project with me....

If I couldn't get what I wanted here, I got it sent from the UK as I hope this is my family home for life and even with the extra cost,I wasn't prepared to live with something that didn't make me smile...

From the UK I bought:
Light switches and finger plates
Victorian taps
Balfast Sink
5 ring gas hob in black glass
Cast iron door handles
Yale external lock
Yale dead lock
Cast iron multi fuel stove
and I think that the only other things I will buy are uplighter shades as I can't find any here that don't need to be attached to the ceiling due to how heavy they are!!.

I will say that I was also prepared to take the chance with the Bulgarians that had never done the exact job that I was asking for, and I loved the fact that they all loved the chance to work on a restoration that was on a UK spec. It would have been cheaper to knock it down, but as has been said, I hope that this is giving a little back to the country that I am choosing to call home :-)

seven wrote:

I will say that I was also prepared to take the chance with the Bulgarians that had never done the exact job that I was asking for, and I loved the fact that they all loved the chance to work on a restoration that was on a UK spec. It would have been cheaper to knock it down, but as has been said, I hope that this is giving a little back to the country that I am choosing to call home :-)

Over here in Turkey the bar staff and waiters build houses in the winter because there is nothing else to do. The finished product looks a bit strange at times, building regs don't exist of course and planning regs are often ignored. We live in Didim and the local council are currently punishing all owners of illegally built properties, lots of demolitions and filling of swimming pools with earth is happening right now, in fact the whole place looks like a demolition site!! We all look forward to the bar staff getting behind the bar again, don't give them a barrow of cement for goodness sake. never know what you will get!!!

itchyfeet wrote:

seven wrote:

I will say that I was also prepared to take the chance with the Bulgarians that had never done the exact job that I was asking for, and I loved the fact that they all loved the chance to work on a restoration that was on a UK spec. It would have been cheaper to knock it down, but as has been said, I hope that this is giving a little back to the country that I am choosing to call home :-)

Over here in Turkey the bar staff and waiters build houses in the winter because there is nothing else to do. The finished product looks a bit strange at times, building regs don't exist of course and planning regs are often ignored. We live in Didim and the local council are currently punishing all owners of illegally built properties, lots of demolitions and filling of swimming pools with earth is happening right now, in fact the whole place looks like a demolition site!! We all look forward to the bar staff getting behind the bar again, don't give them a barrow of cement for goodness sake. never know what you will get!!!

Same in Bulgaria, except it's not just the waiters but everyone including bank managers and accountants

Is it possible for those people on here who have had renovations done, and were happy with both the final cost and the quality of work to name the companies that did the work and where they are based please?

Maybe that's something that should go somewhere else on the forum I'm not sure.

We're going to def buy this year but one of the things I'm stressing about is making sure we get a good job done, for an acceptable price, to our requirements (give or take!!)

As this will be our home and hopefully a (very)small business venture it matters that we are totally happy with it.

Judy

Good idea Judy but you may want to say what part of Bulgaria as you may get some that are miles away from where you want to be.

We're most likely to end up north of Sofis, but my question was general so that anyone buying in Bulgaria could make contact with whoever is in their region.

It would be free advertising I suppose but theirs nought wrong with that.

Judy