What to Look For Before Buying a House You Plan to Renovate (Architect’s Guide)
By Emily Barnes, ARB Architect & Founder of The Potential House
Buying a house with renovation potential is exciting — but it’s also where buyers are most vulnerable to hidden costs, planning limitations and layout constraints. Estate agents sell the dream and surveyors flag defects, but there’s a gap in between: who is actually assessing the home’s potential?
That’s the role I take when I view a property with a client. I’m looking at light, flow, structure, planning potential, buildability, cost feasibility — and whether the property genuinely has “good bones”.
Below are the things I look for as an architect, and the issues buyers often overlook.
1. Light and Volume
Before anything else, I look for two things:
• Natural light
South- or west-facing gardens are ideal, but even in trickier orientations, there are often ways to pull natural light into the middle of a plan — internal glazing, roof lights, courtyards, borrowed light. Light is often the key to unlocking a successful layout.
• Ceiling heights
Volume matters just as much as square footage. Good ceiling height — especially in loft spaces or key ground-floor rooms — can completely change how a home feels. It’s one of the quickest indicators of potential.
These two clues often tell me more about what’s possible than any estate agent’s floor plan.
2. Does the Layout Support Real Life?
Balanced spaces
I look for a good relationship between private rooms (bedrooms/bathrooms) and the communal space where daily life happens. A four-bed house with a cramped living area rarely works for a family, no matter how attractive the listing photos look. Once we find where the imbalances are - we can find options for addressing them with the client’s budget in mind.
Circulation
I check for:
minimal narrow, dark corridors
a logical, uncluttered flow
rooms accessed independently (not one room leading awkwardly through another)
These issues are often fixable — but sometimes not without significant cost.
Entrance hall
One of the most overlooked spaces, but it sets the tone for the whole home. A well-designed hall can:
calm the arrival experience
help manage clutter
create a sense of order and spaciousness
It’s often the first place I look for quick wins.
Storage
Buyers focus on the “big moves”; I look at whether the house will genuinely function. Without adequate storage — ideally built-in — even a beautifully renovated property will feel chaotic.
Systems for living
Laundry routes, bin routes, cooking flow, places to put muddy boots, how you move through the house when carrying shopping… the everyday things matter. A home that works well is always more enjoyable to live in.
3. Structure: What’s Possible vs. What’s Sensible
Most structural layouts can technically be changed — the real question is whether it’s worth the cost.
I assess:
positions of load-bearing walls
whether new beams/steels would be required
knock-on effects on other rooms
whether the adjusted layout justifies the spend
how the final value compares to renovation cost
Sometimes the cleverest renovation is the simplest one.
4. Plumbing & Drainage: Quiet Costs That Matter
Kitchens and bathrooms are most cost-effective when they stay broadly in the same zones. If drainage moves, floor levels change or soil stacks need relocating, budget increases quickly.
This is one of the things buyers rarely spot during a viewing — but an architect will.
5. Green Flags: Signs of Strong Renovation Potential
These features consistently signal a good opportunity:
Good orientation — or scope to improve light
A garden proportionate to the house — crucial for extension potential
Simple structural layout — fewer constraints
A staircase position that allows flexibility
Lofts with enough head height
6. Red Flags: When I Advise Clients to Pause or Walk Away
Some limitations are permanent, and no amount of renovation will solve them:
overshadowed gardens or rooms
awkward or wedge-shaped plots
extremely cellular layouts that require extensive steelwork
listed status or heavy planning constraints
a road with a clear ceiling value
A property can have potential on paper yet still not stack up once costs are understood.
7. Which House Types Renovate Best?
Victorian / Georgian
Beautiful proportions and character
Expensive to renovate — but the charm is unmatched
1930s / Art Deco
Good plots and natural light
Flexible layouts and strong family appeal
1960s–70s Modernist
Large windows and generous volumes
Increasingly desirable
Often need thermal upgrades
Architect’s rule of thumb:
Work with the era, not against it. A renovation that respects the building’s character usually looks better and costs less.
8. Early Renovation Cost Guide (2025 UK)
The ballpark figures I often give during pre-purchase appraisals:
Basic loft conversion: £55–60k
Loft extension (London/SE): £80–95k+
Single-storey extension: £45–50k per 10m² (incl. modest kitchen)
Double-storey extension: £70–80k (outside London) / £120–140k (London/SE)
Kitchen / bespoke joinery: from £10k+
Professional fees: 10–15% of project cost
Contingency: 20%
Costs rise where drainage moves, excavation is needed, glazing is high-spec, or multiple rooms are affected.
9. When Early Advice Changes the Decision
A project I advised a client to walk away from (Brighton)
A family loved a large period property, but every space required structural change, the circulation was confused, and the style needed significant investment to unify. Once we added the renovation budget to the purchase price, it exceeded the ceiling value of the road. They avoided a costly mistake.
A property where I spotted hidden potential
A compact 1930s semi that seemed “too small” on first viewing:
wide plot
south-west garden
side-return potential
good loft height
sensible ground levels (no excavation)
With a modest extension and loft conversion, it could match the “done homes” nearby — at a far lower total cost.
They offered the next morning and secured it.
10. Why Pre-Purchase Architectural Advice Matters
Most people only discover constraints after buying — when options are limited and budgets are already stretched.
Early architectural input helps you:
understand what’s genuinely possible
get realistic costs before committing
avoid overpaying
compare the property to the “done homes” locally
avoid hidden money pits
negotiate with more confidence
buy with clarity rather than guesswork
It’s a small step that can prevent very expensive surprises later.
Book a Free 15-Minute Call
If you’re viewing a renovation property and want clarity before you commit, I offer a free, no-obligation call. Ask me anything — layout potential, planning risk, structural feasibility, likely costs — and I’ll give you honest, practical guidance.
FAQs
1. Do I need an architect before buying a renovation project?
If you’re planning any extension or major reconfiguration, yes — early feasibility and cost clarity are invaluable.
2. Can you tell me whether a house can be extended?
In most cases, yes. I assess orientation, plot width, structure and local planning precedent.
3. Are all structural changes expensive?
Not necessarily. Some are modest; some are major. The key is knowing which is which before you commit.
4. Will moving bathrooms or kitchens increase cost?
Usually, yes — drainage and services need rerouting. Keeping them in similar zones saves budget.
5. How much should I budget for a full renovation?
It varies widely. Period houses often need more extensive upgrades than buyers expect. I always advise a 20% contingency.
6. Can you help compare two properties?
Absolutely — it’s one of the most useful parts of a pre-purchase appraisal.
7. Is the initial call really free?
Yes — it’s a simple, no-commitment conversation to help you work out whether an appraisal would be helpful.