I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).

Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for things
to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone cladding
and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the list, but
what else did they have to say?



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote

I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).

Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for things
to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone cladding
and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the list, but
what else did they have to say?


See http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=6542036

Go to the programme, then click "20 ways".

Barbara

List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

Not dealing with structural disasters
Bad extensions
Smoking (including smells and dirt)
Swimming Pools
Bad taste exteriors
Artex
UPVC (especially in period properties)
Animals
Bad DIY
Avocado bathroom suites
Nightmare neighbours
Bad layout
Pine
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter
Overgrown gardens
Fake features
Dizzy decor
Cheap laminate flooring
Themed rooms
Carpet in the bathroom

On 26 Jul 2004 02:26:23 -0700, (Simon) wrote:

List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

Not dealing with structural disasters
Bad extensions
Smoking (including smells and dirt)
Swimming Pools
Bad taste exteriors
Artex
UPVC (especially in period properties)
Animals
Bad DIY
Avocado bathroom suites
Nightmare neighbours
Bad layout
Pine
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter
Overgrown gardens
Fake features
Dizzy decor
Cheap laminate flooring
Themed rooms
Carpet in the bathroom

I would have thought it'd depend upon what was there when you bought
the house? For instance, you could move into a house that has reallky
grotty lino, put down cheap laminate and the house value would
increase, surely?

"Simon" wrote in message
om...
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

Not dealing with structural disasters
Bad extensions
Smoking (including smells and dirt)
Swimming Pools
Bad taste exteriors
Artex

On walls?
On ceilings?

UPVC (especially in period properties)
Animals
Bad DIY
Avocado bathroom suites
Nightmare neighbours
Bad layout
Pine
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter
Overgrown gardens
Fake features
Dizzy decor
Cheap laminate flooring

What exactly is cheap? There are some expensive photo laminate floors about
that look good.

Themed rooms
Carpet in the bathroom

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 09:34:32 GMT, (sPoNiX) wrote:

On 26 Jul 2004 02:26:23 -0700, (Simon) wrote:



I would have thought it'd depend upon what was there when you bought
the house? For instance, you could move into a house that has reallky
grotty lino, put down cheap laminate and the house value would
increase, surely?


It would definitely decrease.......
..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On 26 Jul 2004 09:27:12 GMT, (Huge) wrote:

John Rumm writes:
I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).

AOL

Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for things
to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone cladding
and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the list, but
what else did they have to say?

Yes, did anyone watch it?

(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no. Quite suprising,
given their popularity. We hate them ...)

I didn't watch this (I have better things to do), but the list is
unsurprising

- the obvious (such as structural fixing)

- things that were once fashionable and are no longer (artex and
coloured bathroom suites) - wait a few years and they will be back

- old chestnuts like animals which may or may not offend the punter

- yuk things like carpet in the bathroom, laminate floors and pine.


I am dubious as to how many of the minor ones really affect property
value, though. Turn off if there are choices of other properties,
perhaps.....




..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In article , Simon
writes
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

Not dealing with structural disasters
Bad extensions
Smoking (including smells and dirt)
Swimming Pools
Bad taste exteriors
Artex
UPVC (especially in period properties)
Animals
Bad DIY
Avocado bathroom suites
Nightmare neighbours
Bad layout
Pine
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter
Overgrown gardens
Fake features
Dizzy decor
Cheap laminate flooring
Themed rooms
Carpet in the bathroom

Don't forget:

Wearing too much makeup
Dying your hair from mouse to fair highlights
Shouting at the camera
Showing waaaay too much flesh
Liberal sprinkling of camp innuendo
etc . . . . . .

Oh sorry that's a list from how to succeed in low budget television, their
next series . . . .
--
fred

On 26 Jul 2004 09:44:25 GMT, (Huge) wrote:

(Simon) writes:
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

[14 lines snipped]

Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter

Bizarre, given that the old owners will take all this away with them.

They are confusing marketing the property with things that really
would reduce value.

Having said that, having too much/too large furniture in a smallish
room makes it look smaller. It's a question of whether buyers can
see past that or not.



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 26 Jul 2004 09:44:25 GMT, (Huge) wrote:

(Simon) writes:
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

[14 lines snipped]

Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter

Bizarre, given that the old owners will take all this away with them.

They are confusing marketing the property with things that really
would reduce value.

Having said that, having too much/too large furniture in a smallish
room makes it look smaller. It's a question of whether buyers can
see past that or not.

Most can't as the property progs clearly indicate.

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 10:36:17 +0100, "IMM" wrote:



Cheap laminate flooring

What exactly is cheap? There are some expensive photo laminate floors about
that look good.


Read "any".



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Andy Hall wrote:

- old chestnuts like animals which may or may not offend the punter

So what are you suppsoed to do, shoot them? (Not saying which)

If you're selling an 'equestrian property' surely it would tend to
come with horses.

--
Chris Green

In article , Huge wrote:
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter

Bizarre, given that the old owners will take all this away with
them.

A trick used by housebuilders is to furnish a house with small
furniture to make the house look bigger.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

"Simon" wrote in message
om...
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

snippage

Cool! So my 'woodchip throughout' is ok then!

On 26 Jul 2004 12:14:57 GMT, wrote:

Andy Hall wrote:

- old chestnuts like animals which may or may not offend the punter

So what are you suppsoed to do, shoot them? (Not saying which)

If you're selling an 'equestrian property' surely it would tend to
come with horses.

Exactly. Personally I feel that if people have animals around it
indicates a degree of emotional well being which may well help with
attitude to taking care of a property.
We have, after all, domesticated animals for centuries.



OTOH, (and I guess this is what the program people meant), if you walk
into a house and it smells of cat pee because the owners haven't
trained the cat, that's a turn off and there may be a cost implication
of addressing it.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Andy Hall wrote:

Having said that, having too much/too large furniture in a smallish
room makes it look smaller. It's a question of whether buyers can
see past that or not.

given the "vision" of many people - probably not ;-(



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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\================================================= ================/

Andy Hall wrote:

I am dubious as to how many of the minor ones really affect property
value, though. Turn off if there are choices of other properties,
perhaps.....

As you said in another post - much of this is to do with marketing the
property rather than actaully altering its value as such. Having said
that, as was demonstrated in the million pound property experiment, they
were able to make quite dramtic changes to the sale prices of the places
simply by "dressing" the property to sell.

In reality the only reall value issues they list seem to be:-

Hard / costly to fix:

* Not dealing with structural disasters
* Bad extensions
* Bad layout

Impossible to fix (by acceptable means!)

* Nightmare neighbours

Potentially expensive to fix depending on level:

* UPVC (especially in period properties)
* Bad DIY
* Pine
* Bad taste exteriors

You could include the bathroom suite in there since the colour may be an
indication of it being old enough to want replacing anyway.

The rest seems to be floor / decore / furnishing issues which are easy
enough to resolve.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

See http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=6542036

Go to the programme, then click "20 ways".

Barbara

Could not see much from the link above. More on this one
http://money.guardian.co.uk/housepri...266300,00.html

I am very surprised to see laminate flooring is at no. 18!

I saw most of it and couldn't work out where they got their 'devalue'
figures from. Supposedly a badly placed downstair toilet can devalue
your house by 6k!
Maybe Carol Vorderman should join them.

John Rumm wrote:
I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).

Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for things
to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone cladding
and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the list, but
what else did they have to say?




What a load of ******** this programme was, all you need is a bit of
common sense not two prancing puffs spouting crap. Before anybody gets
all PC on me I have a prancing puff for a brother so I know what I am
talking about.

Yes having certain things will stop you being able to ask full whack for
your house but not by the ridiculous amounts they were talking about.


John

On 26 Jul 2004 10:57:41 GMT, (Huge) wrote:

Like the TV show says; Location, location, location. You can change
everything else.

Although I didn't see this show, I can imagine how it went (a bit like the
House Doctor, or whatever it was). In many ways, it is the flip side to
"location, location, location". When you are not in a prime location, it is
almost certainly worth following the sort of advice offered, in order to
make your property stand out amongst others. But if your house is in a
sought-after area, it may not be worth the effort. When we saw our/my
current home, it had the works: dogs, a cat, carpet in the kitchen, foul 70s
units, unspeakable patterned carpets, freshly-painted walls (freshly-painted
embossed wallpaper in colours like **** brown and lime green, that is),
dodgy electrics, close to zero water pressure, leaky rads, a lemon yellow
bathroom suite, yadda yadda. Garden was tidy, though. None of this
mattered, because it was in the right road and had potential. In the depths
of the post-90 slump, there were 3 parties in the bidding.

Sad to say it might now struggle to sell as easily as some others as I have
avoided bespoiling it with upvc windows (almost certainly contravening
conservation orders, but they seem to be enforced with the strength of a
soggy lettuce leaf) and laminated flooring. The masses are truly dumb.

--
You don't need to be a cannibal to be fed up with people.

Mail john rather than nospam...

"simulet" wrote

See http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=6542036

Go to the programme, then click "20 ways".

Barbara


Could not see much from the link above. More on this one
http://money.guardian.co.uk/housepri...266300,00.html

I am very surprised to see laminate flooring is at no. 18!


Thanks. Yes, me too: really the only surprise in that list. Given that I'm
planning refurbishment, and likely to sell in couple of years, it's worth
knowing.

But I wonder just how much that particular item depends on the target
market? I can see it still being attractive to many young professionals.

Barbara

wrote in message
...

See http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=6542036

Go to the programme, then click "20 ways".

Barbara


Ohmygawd - it's THEM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How on earth have this pair of incompetants conned another TV station to
allow them to ponce around throwing wobblies at the slightest problem ?

"Huge" wrote in message
...
(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no.

Well if you can't have carpet in the bathroom, and can't have wood, what are
you supposed to have if you don't like cold tiles and regard vinyl as a
modern version of lino.

"John Smith" wrote in message
...
. Before anybody gets
all PC on me I have a prancing puff for a brother so I know what I am
talking about.


Not as prancing as this pair I hope. The quiet one is ok but Justin brings
out the Texan I didn't know was in me.

John Smith wrote in message ...
John Rumm wrote:

What a load of ******** this programme was, all you need is a bit of

Yes having certain things will stop you being able to ask full whack for
your house but not by the ridiculous amounts they were talking about.

Yes I agree, having experienced some of these issues and had
professional valuations that returned a fraction of the price
adjustments they mentioned.

But its TV... the more they talk **** the more attention they get. Its
how tv works. If they quoted a more realistic 20% of those figures we
wouldnt be talking about it so much.

The one that continues to surprise me is pine. Pine furniture
continuse to be considered preferred goods, plenty of people are quite
keen on pine. And of course some arent. Some may not like it, but many
certainly do.

Well I scored 5/20... but the estate agent thought 2 of those
increased value, and I agree.


Regards, NT

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:37:20 +0100, "G&M" wrote:

"Huge" wrote in message
...
(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no.

Well if you can't have carpet in the bathroom, and can't have wood, what are
you supposed to have if you don't like cold tiles and regard vinyl as a
modern version of lino.

Laminate floors != wood. Why not real wood in a bathroom - it'd look very
nice if suitably finished to protect it. Chuck a couple of nice rugs down
to walk on in your bare feet and bob's your uncle.

--
Success is just a matter of luck. Ask any failure.

Mail john rather than nospam...

The REAL bottom line is.

Leaving out
stone cladding
swimming pools (I'm sure that 99% of viewers were discussing that for hours
after the prog ended)

Such properties that have many of the other 18 'features' are often 10-15%
below market price. All of these problems can be erased for the outlay of a
few hundred.
I would be tempted to target these properties to buy a place for 10-20% less
than its worth.

Arthur

"Simon" wrote in message
om...
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

Not dealing with structural disasters
Bad extensions
Smoking (including smells and dirt)
Swimming Pools
Bad taste exteriors
Artex
UPVC (especially in period properties)
Animals
Bad DIY
Avocado bathroom suites
Nightmare neighbours
Bad layout
Pine
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter
Overgrown gardens
Fake features
Dizzy decor
Cheap laminate flooring
Themed rooms
Carpet in the bathroom

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:37:20 +0100, "G&M"
wrote:


"Huge" wrote in message
...
(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no.

Well if you can't have carpet in the bathroom, and can't have wood, what are
you supposed to have if you don't like cold tiles and regard vinyl as a
modern version of lino.

Stone or ceramic tiles? These can easily be warmed.




..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:37:20 +0100, "G&M"
wrote:


"Huge" wrote in message
...
(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no.

Well if you can't have carpet in the bathroom, and can't have wood, what
are
you supposed to have if you don't like cold tiles and regard vinyl as a
modern version of lino.

Stone or ceramic tiles? These can easily be warmed.


Can't stand them ! Reminds me of school showers. We have a fitted carpet
which we replace every now and then but why people find this such a no-no is
beyond me.

And in any case when you are buying a house, furniture is removed so
shouldn't affect the price, and carpets can be. Really can't see why one
has to fit what you think others *might* like just to get a sale.

"N. Thornton" wrote in message
m...
John Smith wrote in message
...
John Rumm wrote:

What a load of ******** this programme was, all you need is a bit of

Yes having certain things will stop you being able to ask full whack for
your house but not by the ridiculous amounts they were talking about.

Yes I agree, having experienced some of these issues and had
professional valuations that returned a fraction of the price
adjustments they mentioned.

But its TV... the more they talk **** the more attention they get. Its
how tv works. If they quoted a more realistic 20% of those figures we
wouldnt be talking about it so much.

The one that continues to surprise me is pine. Pine furniture
continuse to be considered preferred goods, plenty of people are quite
keen on pine. And of course some arent. Some may not like it, but many
certainly do.

Well I scored 5/20... but the estate agent thought 2 of those
increased value, and I agree.


Regards, NT

Pine?!!?

I think poofs are into stainless steel, this year.

And I don't think that stone cladding is due to be camp for another 3 years
or so, ducky

Arthur.

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 13:56:57 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

OTOH, (and I guess this is what the program people meant), if you walk
into a house and it smells of cat pee because the owners haven't
trained the cat, that's a turn off and there may be a cost implication
of addressing it.

Even worse might be if you viewed a house and it smelled of pee, and
they don't have a cat.....

Andrew

---
http://www.ukdiy.org.uk

"Arthur" wrote in message
...
The REAL bottom line is.

Leaving out
stone cladding

Stone cladding on a detached house can look really god and give kerb appeal.
Having it on a semi or terraced is the pits.

List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

Not dealing with structural disasters
Bad extensions
Smoking (including smells and dirt)
Swimming Pools
Bad taste exteriors
Artex
UPVC (especially in period properties)
Animals
Bad DIY
Avocado bathroom suites
Nightmare neighbours
Bad layout
Pine
Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter
Overgrown gardens
Fake features
Dizzy decor
Cheap laminate flooring
Themed rooms
Carpet in the bathroom

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 21:53:37 +0100, "G&M"
wrote:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:37:20 +0100, "G&M"
wrote:


"Huge" wrote in message
...
(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no.

Well if you can't have carpet in the bathroom, and can't have wood, what
are
you supposed to have if you don't like cold tiles and regard vinyl as a
modern version of lino.

Stone or ceramic tiles? These can easily be warmed.


Can't stand them ! Reminds me of school showers.

Depends on what you choose.

We have a fitted carpet
which we replace every now and then but why people find this such a no-no is
beyond me.

Carpet in an environment that is going to range from damp to wet is
not good. Curiously, the UK seems to be about the only country in
Europe that does it.



And in any case when you are buying a house, furniture is removed so
shouldn't affect the price, and carpets can be. Really can't see why one
has to fit what you think others *might* like just to get a sale.

That's certainly true....


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 12:34:54 +0100, "IMM" wrote:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
.. .
On 26 Jul 2004 09:44:25 GMT, (Huge) wrote:

(Simon) writes:
List, in order, I'm sure you can guess which way up !

[14 lines snipped]

Gigantic sofas, oversized furniture and clutter

Bizarre, given that the old owners will take all this away with them.

They are confusing marketing the property with things that really
would reduce value.

Having said that, having too much/too large furniture in a smallish
room makes it look smaller. It's a question of whether buyers can
see past that or not.

Most can't as the property progs clearly indicate.


I'm not sure that I would take the abilities of people on TV, either
as presenters or as audience as indicative of the populace as a whole.
Having said that, on the very rare occasion when I visit a town centre
(any town centre) on a Saturday, I am reminded that it probably is.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

John Rumm wrote in news:410507cf$0$31511
:

Potentially expensive to fix depending on level:

* UPVC (especially in period properties)


My in-laws recently rejected a house from consideration for "not having
UPVC soffit boards".

I know, I know, but what can you say ?

Victoria

Victoria Clare wrote:

My in-laws recently rejected a house from consideration for "not having
UPVC soffit boards".

I know, I know, but what can you say ?

I think uPVC facias / soffits seem to be one of those things that for
some are a real turn off, and others a "must have" feature.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In message ,
writes
"John Rumm" wrote

I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).

Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for things
to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone cladding
and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the list, but
what else did they have to say?


See http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=6542036

Go to the programme, then click "20 ways".

"Property Experts" ????

Lucky I wasn't drinking coffee at the time, the monitor survives another
day

How did these two ever get on the TV ?

No don't answer that

--
geoff

In message , Huge
writes
John Rumm writes:
I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).

AOL

Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for things
to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone cladding
and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the list, but
what else did they have to say?

Yes, did anyone watch it?

(Carpets in bathrooms are another. I was also suprised to see that
the Guardian list had laminate floors as a no-no. Quite suprising,
given their popularity. We hate them ...)

No mention of hot and cold taps the wrong way around then ?

--
geoff

In message , John
Smith writes
John Rumm wrote:
I managed to miss tonights program with "the boys" (was watching Top
Gear instead and did not notice is was on until too late!).
Hence was wondering what their suggestions were going to be for
things to do to devalue your property. SWMBO and I guessed that stone
cladding and avacado bathroom suites would be there somewhere in the
list, but what else did they have to say?


What a load of ******** this programme was, all you need is a bit of
common sense not two prancing puffs spouting crap. Before anybody gets
all PC on me I have a prancing puff for a brother so I know what I am
talking about.

Yes having certain things will stop you being able to ask full whack
for your house but not by the ridiculous amounts they were talking
about.

But it doesn't make such good TV does it?


--
geoff