I BOUGHT A CHEAP FLAT 

Hi Matt. A word of advice on your rental property portfolio. Try and standardise across all your properties ie use the same paint colour from the same manufacturer, same kitchens, door handles, light switches, sockets etc. Makes maintenance in future much easier. Trust me if you have different colours of paint from different manufacturers you will end up painting full rooms because you can’t remember what the paint was. If they’re all the same you can paint individual walls to freshen up when tenants change. Good luck.

Nothing wrong with those radiators, leave them alone.

Radiators can stay as the other comment suggested!! Nothing wrong with them, wash them get them painted if necessary, I also advise you to place a bath tub with a shower, not sure who has the time but apparently it's a selling point! The apartment could be sold to a young couple who eventually have a kid! Widen the scope of the potential buyers..

Replace the boiler by all means but I'd leave the radiators, I'd fit new thermostatic valves maybe return valves too and it's job done.

I love the style of these videos they’re great. The editing is so clean and the financial transparency is a rare and worthwhile addition. I also really appreciate that it’s very similar to High Peak Autos yet so distinctively a different Channel. Keep up the great work. Maybe a house tour of your own place sometime?

We need a 'house vertical' report to check for mot failures, outstanding finance, mileage discrepancies and previous accident damages etc. Got to check service history on these older examples too. Seriously though, this looks like a great project and will make a lovely home for someone. Can't wait to see it finished.

Nice find Matt, Perfect bread and butter stock. But we do need to work on your negotiation skills. A couple of points if I may: 1) Wall down and breakfast bar - Agree, the small outlay will make a massive difference and really make the property look more modern. 2) Cupboard into a wardrobe in the 2nd bedroom - Agree, just what I would do too. 3) Bathroom - If this were a house 100% I would say keep the bath as that is always high on the list of wants for families. However, your target market is more likely to be single professionals or older/retired people so I think the shower and more space in the bathroom will appeal to them more. 4) whilst the box housing the extractor fan ducting is annoying, it's not really taking up any usable space, so the cost of ripping out and making good won't give you any return on your investment. Personally, I would leave it, re-route the fan via the loft if you wish, and maybe add two down lights recessed in the old box to be over the bed lights. If I can share a word of advice, you need to treat these properties more like your part exchange cars, you are always saying you could do X,Y,Z to improve the car but it's not worth investing your money past a certain point. Well, the same for property rentals. Things like media walls and moving the light in the hall won't add money to your rental. In fact, people may hate having a media wall as you are forcing them to use the room how you configure it. If you were flipping the place then I would agree with these things as you want the property to really stand out. I was the same when I started out, I used to gut the places entirely and start from the ground up. However, after a while, I realised a fresh coat of paint, new flooring and a kitchen and bathroom update make a property look and feel fully refurbished. Plus you can turn the properties round much faster and save thousands. I can honestly say all tenants want is a clean and tidy property they can call home. And if you want a lower turnover of tenants, offer the property unfurnished. But you are well on your way.

Nice one, before you put new floor covering down just check the copper rad pipes in the floor have been wrapped - concrete and copper don’t mix and I’ve had to hack through new floor coverings to fix leaks over the years, not what you want in a flat and especially when rented out.

A lot of these jobs and ideas sound like the sort of thing you do to your own house, not necessarily to a rental property where it is all about return. Such as the bathroom extractor re-routing

For the pipework for the rads, you can buy skirting which has a rebate in the back of it for heating pipes. It is what I intend to do on the ground floor of my house as I also have solid concrete slab.

I bought a very similiar flat from an elderly lady who had to move to a retirement home. I did a full a renovation myself other than the plastering and electrical testing. The main advice is to keep to budget and keep it simple. Don't think about what you like but just what does the job and looks nice. Avoid grey as that's out go for white and neutral colours. My flat is now rented. Good luck Matt. 👍

Great presentation Matt. As always no nonsense and straight to the point. Love the way you way you have diversified into this new channel running in parallel to High Peak. I think you a role in one of those daytime TV property programs awaits you. Your a natural at this. Well done. x

I love Matt’s video I’ve always had an intrest in realestate my dad does property, catering and cars so I learn majority of my dad’s property advice of Mat. Inspirational🤟🏽

Dammit, beat us to it regarding keys and service history 😂. Lovin’ this content Matt 👍🏼

Loving the videos. It would be interesting to hear of your negotiations/ dealings with the freeholder and the management company with regard to all the works you are planning.

Great purchase Mat. Would be nice to see the property finished 👍👍

I'd leave the rads exactly as they are. Can't see a reason to change them; just flush them.

Another great episode. Having done this myself for developers I’d say, change the radiators for new double convector rads the same size as the existing. Solves the pipes issue. They’ll get hot quick and cost less to run. You could lose the radiator in the kitchen all together as cooking creates heat and the living room rad will be sufficient for both rooms. Good idea opening up the space between the living and kitchen to provide a space for some sort of seated dining. Personally I’d not fit an oven, just leave a space for a free standing oven so it’s the tenant’s responsibility, they get filthy anyway so saves cleaning. Electric shower is the way to go although I’d keep a bath, parents use then to bathe children. I was nearly going to suggest losing the gas altogether and having electric heaters in each room and small electric on demand water heaters for the hot water, it would negate a yearly boiler service and safety check. You decide on that one. There may well be a clause stating that hard floors are not allowed in the living room, landing and bedrooms, carpet usually has to be fitted to stop it being noisy for the downstairs occupant.

Evening matt saving this for 2 am drive to the airport will be covered. Keep em coming

Put an hvac system in, as the lounge is dining too. Worth every penny, place will always be fresh, wont need extractor over hob, wont need fan in bathroom, wont need fan in bedroom, very very little to run, they're silent, tenant pays running cost and your property is aired permanently. Go all electric too, unvented water cylinder and electric wall heaters, pipe problem is gone ! I'm amazing!

You should be on mainstream TV and start your own production company. The quality of your videos is excellent. Succinct, realistic, passionate, knowledgeable, honest and homely. Your car videos are brilliant, and this video adds another dimension to your work. Please keep it up and hopefully one day you'll be on TV! Although RU-vid is TV!

That looks a solid project and nice on the exterior too. This is going to sound weird, but, my parents house was built in the same year and the bathroom had exactly the same extractor fan which made exactly the same racket. It just brought back a memory, like these things do 😂. Good luck with the refurb.

Just put new doors on the existing kitchen units.

For the radiators you can get coloured pipes or sleeves so the pipes match the skirting boards.

One thing I'll say with it being an old house, be careful of mold. If the house isn't insulated it could get really bad in the winter with water dripping down the walls and stuff. Btw the smell Ur smelling is probably must or a moldy smell

Yes! Go with a large shower! Gives room for a decant sized vanity for storage too.

Those radiators look fine. There are no such things as 'inefficient' radiators, they can be slow or quick to heat a room, but our house has them and they work perfectly well.

Very interesting twist in the program. I wonder if you may start with the property as you get it, messy run down and as it comes. That will show the contrast of the before and after, all you efforts and work done to turn it around into a smart living space. Cheers and keep it up!

Nice video matt. It would be nice to see what your properties look like after their refurbishments :)

Thanks! Now I know the meaning of Cheap!

The only carpet we have is on the stairs and the landings. Makes for easy cleaning too. 👍👍👍

Pumping the content out lad 👍

Re the radiators they will be imperial sized but if you measure them you can get a new one around 50mm smaller and fit a drain tail on the valve and you won't need to alter pipe centres. Also keep them big and then you can get a low temp system that will do the job and also save on gas 👍

Chase the pipes into the wall matt. I'm a plasterer and I hate surfaced fixed pipes. I've skimmed round enough of them lol

Have been waiting for this one Matt🙏🙏

You forgot to mention that it needs a gearbox oil service and a good buff ;)

I am sure you have already checked but you might need written permission to remove the kitchen wall and have the bathroom fan run through the loft space also you might find that you might have access to the loft space but it might not belong to you. The shower room seem a good idea. If your having a new central heating boiler it would make sence to have the old radiator pipe work replaced considering its been in from the get go. It might be worth looking into having cat 6 put through the property. If you make this property a very high spec consider the rental income. I am certain you will have looked into this already good look.

Nice little project you've got there Matt. Despite the property market and interest rates changes you're onto a winner here. Good luck with that 👍

Keep the radiators they are the size they are for a reason. could throw off the balacing of the heating with smaller ones. with a combi boiler set to low heat running efficiently they will do a good job. what other energy efficiency stuff do you have in mind? hows the loft? Is it accessible?

Those old style gas fires didn't half belt out the heat, unlike the trendy modern ones!

Hi Matt, Just to let you know the 500mm deep kitchen units are standard but by no means as popular as 600mm ones. They’re often used as in your flat when floor space is a consideration. The bit of extra floor space may be worth more than the extra 100mm of cabinet storage room. Good luck. Oh and one other thing there’s a young lad like you flogging cars. He has a RU-vid channel with a similar format to yours in fact it’s the same name. You should look into it.

Thanks so much this is a really helpful video to learn from. 😊

I know someone has said nothing wrong with rads, but I'd change them all for new ones. Get a longer, slimmer one to fill the gap between the pipes in the living room. The bedroom with the fitted wardrobes....change the door around so that it opens into the room. Will give better access to the new cupboards & privacy to the room. Doors never opened the way it does at the moment, so that when the door was open, you still couldn't see in the room. I wouldn't move the light on the landing, you'll end up with dark spots. I also wouldn't do the breakfast bar. I know it's fashionable, but noise & smells from the kitchen are really annoying when you've got over the "it's so modern" feeling (they stopped doing it in the 70's for the reasons given) It's amazing how loud a 3kw fast boil kettle is when you're watching a film 😁 Completely up to you obviously, but that's my take. PS, don't tile the bottom of the stairs, fill that space with entrance coir mat. Cheaper & will save the carpet oon the stairs .

1) leave the rads the same size as the pipe work will look naff. 2) washing machine needs plumbing so you won’t be able to put a fridge freezer where you suggested. 3) 500 cupboards is a great idea to ‘find’ free space - don’t go bigger. Best of luck!

I’m sure that grey jag was outside your last property video 👀

Keep the kitchen wall you don't want cooking smell where you sleep. Also don't piss about with small useless vanity projects. A lick of white paint and a few nice kitchen cabinets go a long way especially if it's going to be a rental.

I’m sure you’re on it Matt but make sure you get a Structural Engineer to do the relevant calculations if you’re removing a load bearing wall. It will cause you issues when you come to sell it if you don’t , as I found out a few years back !!! Great video as always .

I can beat your 11 months - I bought an investment flat last year and it took 15 months. At times it really seemed like the vendor didn't want to sell. However like you I knew it was a good price so I persevered and I'm now glad I did. That flat has a short lease but it's nothing really to worry about as long as you're aware from the start.

Chrome copper/ stainless steel pipe work for the radiators can be a better look when pipe work is on show

Matt, top of the stairs. Take the small wall down and install open stainless steel or chrome horizontal railing - throws a lot of light down the staircase.

You could just buy a new type 11 radiator of the same width and choose a height that corresponds with the heat output you require.

I'm looking to buy a flat like this next year. I really like this flat: lowish service charge and I like that it has it's own front door and stairs rather than a communal stairwell. One thing I would reconsider is replacing the bath with a shower only. I would install a new bath with shower over. I do enjoy a bubble bath once a week in addition to showers at other times! Also, think about the potential buyers. They might have young children and I understand that it's easier to bathe them them subject them to a shower.

It's different here in Scotland, once you own it it's yours, there's no lease but it's called "feudal" unless you don't pay a debt secured on your property it's yours completely

Good purchase Mat

Really good channel - Thank you 👍👍

To everyone saying have a walk-in shower not a bath, that really wouldn't be possible. The SVP serving the bathroom is located on the left of the wall at the hall end. You can see the fall in the existing pipe from the bath where it runs behind the WHB. Sure, you could lift the whole thing and step up into a long, open-ended shower but that would look crap. An over-bath shower is definitely the way to go here for this and a few other reasons.

Reminds me of my childhood in England, looks just like a small town that I think was called Tring.

First view of your property, very interesting look forward to the work 👍👍👍👍👍

I always see this guy driving about the countryside in various different cars talking to himself.

Depending on where you measured Your kitchen units , they should be around 570mm deep including void at the back .15mm/18mm for the doors and Worktops are generally 600mm or 616mm depending on where you buy them .

Can you consider making a complete beginners guide on property covering everything on what exactly you do and how you do it and laws to follow.

As a person who lives in a building with wood flooring on top of concrete (carpet top layer) it’s bloody freezing 24/7. Concrete sucks away any heat you have. My advice would be to rip everything up. Put down reflective flooring down and put at least 2” of Kingspan down then wood flooring/tiling on top. Helps you sell it as you can claim top notch insulation underneath flooring. With the heaters, have electric installed. Far more efficient in the long run as the electric goes into heating 99% and a lot easier to install than water heaters.

Radiators are fine but if you must replace them get same width in the living room just less hight it will match the window width better , also the bathroom wont need a bath in an upstairs flat just go with a nice large shower nobody has time to run baths these days anyway.

Agree with others, a radiator is a radiator if it works don't spend money, but TRV is worth installing. It's easy to get carried away and pursue your own tastes when the market doesn't demand it. Seems ideal for young professionals. Open plan living seems to be the current fashion, if you make it a tasteful lounge/diner at reasonable cost then go for it. Check with the management company about structural changes, also check about access to the loft, it may not be your responsibility. I would put the consumer unit up high, they are not unsightly. Might be worth thinking about EV charging. At some point it will be required, maybe some years off for rentals. White suite is essential bath with a shower gives more versatility for future tenants/owners. At the end of the day it's all about return on investment, don't get carried away. Good luck.

MDF radiator cover might be an idea for covering the living room radiator a scan of Google might be in order 🤔

Nice little flat. I think the hardest thing will be the pipework for the new radiators. Good luck with the flat, can't wait for the finished video. 😉👍

Easy resto this one, open the kitchen out to the Lounge, clean decor and flooring and job jobbed! Plenty of space for various ideas. Maybe leave those big old rads unless they’re in the way of something, admire your enthusiasm but keep it cheap and effective 👍🏻

You are in the right sector of the market. Get rid of the bath and do the walk-in shower. I would be inclined to insulate the roof space while the extractor tube is put in. It will enhance the rental blurb. Wood chip - the decor equivalent of your favourite Nissan SUV. Typical 70s cheapjack papering. Check the lease to see if the maintenance charge is subject to an increase - and, if so, when. Sound investment.

Good sized rooms, especially the kitchen. You need to check whether the gas fire has a flu, and establish which direction the rooms face. If the sitting-room faces north, it might explain the long radiator. A lot of flats dispense with the bath and fit a shower, to make room for a washing machine, and the extractor will vent the steam. You might want to find out whether the kitchen wall is load-bearing before you think of removing it. The flat looks to have plenty of potential as the brochures tend to say.

I would agree with others…… just flush the heating system and recharge making sure the fluid has inhibitor in it. Nothing wrong with that radiator unless you know it is damaged or corroded.

I agree with rob in the comments ..do not change the radiators ..the ones in are and will be better quality steel than new ones you can buy...just do a power flush...I've done exactly that with older rads in my house ..and they work perfectly...save your hard earnt cash matt

My only comment would be, don’t over personalise it. Tenants/new owners will want to put their own stamp on it the property. It will save you time and money. Good luck with the development.

The Old radiators, will Outlast any new cheap ones, just flush the system👍🤗

Wow didn't know about property you started too good luck and I will check every video

Looking forward to seeing the finished project

Looks like a solid property, looking foward to seeing progress

I would put a combi boiler where the immersion tank is, and so free up the space in the kitchen. That allows you to make a much better use of kitchen space and getting looking really nice. The space around the new combi boiler can be carefully shelved (so nothing can touch the boiler) and so be a good airing cupboard.

Interesting video, looking forward to the next update. Subbed 👍

Took me a while to come round, but I got here👍 & yep still jel - I would guess in the future you maybe getting some funny looks by the bank staff wanting new loans and mortgages😜

Not sure if you can do it, but that water tank cupboard, could be turned into a great selling feature. Lower the door aperture. Fill the top bit, et voila. Walk in wardrobe. A small one. But it sounds fabulous 😂

Matt, for what it's worth, my advice would be not to stray from the basics. If the plaster is repairable, repair it, but don't re-plaster unless necessary. Same with the radiators: if they don't leak then leave'em and just paint them. Don't be too keen to put your style preferences onto the place, but leave something for the next occupants to decide 'cause they have to live there. Bear in mind that if renting there's a good chance that next occupants won't give two hoots about the place, and that anything fancy might get wrecked. I also question whether, with your other commitments, any effort by you is best use of your time. You're basically using yourself as a labourer whereas, with HP Autos, I'm sure you can gear-up to generate more than profit the cost of a labourer's time. Sure you want to get involved - only natural - but just like valleting cars, sub-contract that out to those who can probably do it more effectively, or as part of some overall package of works on the property. Sorry to be negative, but this looks too much like a distraction to you at the moment. And check that brick wall isn't structural. Some folk like to keep the kitchen separate to the lounge for a number of reasons plus, as other have said, you're losing a wall for cupboards and cabinets etc.

You're smashing it 👏🏻

Love your attitude and candidness about how you fund everything.

very professional i like your taste and the overall vibe of the editing. The transitions are excellent aswell. Nice work man, dont forget to update us its been 3 weeks

Matt You deserve a TV show where u flip everything from cars to houses 😂😂 Cheers tho for the vid!!

Fair play for having a go Matt, I myself (chippy) owned 2 houses(outright) by 38 yrs old and stopped, biggest mistake I made was stop driving forward by buying bigger and better. 26 yrs later in the doldrums

Matt Couple things jumped out at me from a legal point of view, you want to check the Lease to make sure you can knock that internal wall down between the kitchen as you might find the Lease either doesn't allow for alterations or you will need permission from landlord/freeholder. Secondly, whilst you may have loft access it's not a given you have right to use it, check the Lease to see what's included in the demise. Lastly, if your ever looking at a leasehold with less than 80 years and you want to mortgage it later on you'll need to factor in Lease extension costs as most lenders won't lend with less than 80

Hi Matt word of advice re bathroom as a recently retired builder in oz (ex pat uk) get a extractor fan unit if available in uk what we call in oz is a vented solar tube goes through ceiling up through roof vents direct to exterior plus you’ll get daylight they can also have an electric light globe in the tube

Definitely a walk in shower. Don't knock the wall down in the kitchen unless you are certain you can fit everything in. You need to include a fridge, freezer, washing m/c tumble dryer, dishwasher etc. The wall allows space for more cupboards. Open plan might look great but it needs to be practical too.

Loving the new channel, really enjoyed this one, cant wait to see it all done.

On the railing in the stairs you can have some hidden leds generally if you want any advise feel free to ask cause I’m an architect based in Greek I’d be happy to help !

Hard flooring may be noisy, particularly for the neighbour below.

Hi Matt, think you should just go nice shower in the bathroom, Bath takes up to much space. Really enjoying this new channel, hope the renovation goes well

If your plastering why not insulate and dry line the external walls . Bury the pipe work in the wall and bring them out centrally for the new radiators.

I’ve a couple of properties. My advice is like your cars, buy with your head not your heart. Keep the rads, anything like panelling for walls is something that dates so be careful and just keep it simple and neutral to widen the appeal. The tenant can put their stamp on it with paint so get the walls sorted and good old brilliant white for brightness. Go gas for the cooker (cheap to run) and new boiler is a good idea. All lighting LED. Perhaps insulate the loft 300mm - tackle the energy - again widens appeal. Nice project!

Obviously you know what you are doing. Just one caveat and that is something you touched on; the cost of borrowing and of course cashflow. Good luck and keep us all updated.

Leave the wall, spend the money now on a complete re wire, lots of plastering being done anyway, new boiler, keep the radiators. Cheap kitchen but decent taps and other hardware, sort out the bathroom and ventilation. Don’t tile floors - consider noise transfer.

Could use a radiator cover for the living room, would hide the pipes

Unless there is something wrong with the gas heater, why replace it? You can add a tv installation kit above it, and a renter can add a tv above it, with wires leading down to their own furniture for the game unit/dvd player, etc.

Made I chuckle (as usual). But Matt, you have clearly _never_ seen day time TV!