Bielby's Blog - Buying a Good Second Hand Home V Anything Involving Hard Hats

Everyone loves the idea of building their own house. You, a blank plot, and a vision of sweeping staircases and oak beams. Lovely. Except it’s not. It’s hell.

First, the money. You think you’ll spend £200k, but by the time you’ve argued with planners, bought 12,000 bricks, and discovered the ground is made of blancmange, you’ve doubled that. Builders turn up when they like, eat all your biscuits, and leave you dazed every Friday when you realise you’ve got no roof yet, but another invoice has landed.

Then, extensions. Also sounds great: “We’ll just knock through, add a lovely kitchen diner.” Yes, and you’ll also spend months with dust in your tea, your pets traumatised by angle grinders, and a bill big enough to make you cry into your fish fingers. And here’s the killer — in parts of Shropshire where the average semi sells for £266,000, spending £70k on an extension can make you the proud owner of the most expensive house on the street, which is about as sensible as buying a speedboat in Wolverhampton.

The Glorious Second-Hand Home

And then there’s the third option — the one hardly anyone talks about because it’s not “Grand Designs” sexy. Buying a really good second-hand home.

Think about it. Someone else has done the graft. The walls are already up. The roof doesn’t leak. The boiler works. You can move in, put the kettle on, and watch the neighbours silently judge your choice of curtains.

And if you’re clever, you buy one in excellent condition. Not falling apart, not needing a new kitchen, not “ripe for renovation” (estate agent speak for “bring a sledgehammer”). A proper, well-kept home where the garden’s already landscaped and the taps don’t scream when you turn them on.

The Sensible Bit

In Shropshire, with the average house price around £282,000, the best value lies in picking up a second-hand property that’s already in cracking condition. You’re not overspending, you’re not waiting 18 months for a builder to show up, and you’re not discombobulated by spiralling costs.

You just buy it, move in, and get on with your life. No mess, no fuss, no budget blowouts.

Final Word

So yes, you could build. You could extend. But honestly? If you want space, comfort, and sanity, buy a solid second-hand home that someone else has already perfected.

Because sometimes the most sensible option is the least glamorous one — and let’s be honest, nothing says British common sense quite like a house that already has carpets.