Articles published in Akiya Lab | Roopt (Makigumi)
Makigumi, which operates Roopt, regularly researches case studies and other information on vacant house revitalization and publishes them as columns.
We explain how to proceed with self-renovation based on actual experience. We will discuss what new renovators should anticipate based on the difficulties, successes, and failures encountered.
Noi: Hello everyone. I'm Noi, the host of this channel. In this video, we're discussing the evaluation of old small-scale residential properties for investment in modern times. Following up from last time, we'll be asking Mr. Yoshii, who has actual experience renovating old folk houses, about renovation know-how. So, Mr. Yoshii, please go ahead.
Yoshii: Thank you. In 2017, I moved from Tokyo to Tottori due to marriage, and now I live with my wife and child. Both my wife and I work with computers and work from home, so neither of us has a daily commute. We've used our free time to purchase a vacant house and self-renovate it. Today, I'd like to share our renovation experience, what went well, and what didn't.
Noi: Let's get straight to the content. We'll be discussing renovation know-how. First, please tell us the very first thing that needs to be decided.
Yoshii: The first things that need to be decided are the purpose and budget. In my case, the purpose was for us to live there, but the renovation method changes significantly depending on whether it's for investment or for personal residence. If you're renovating for an investment property, others will be using it, so if you're renovating for tenants, for example, you can decide based on what tenants prefer, considering the cost-effectiveness, budget, and expected income. This makes it easier to determine the investment aspects. However, in my case, it's a house for us to live in, so when my wife and I start thinking about what we want to improve for ourselves, it becomes endless.
When I got an estimate for my ideal, I asked a construction company for a quote, but it was about three times what I had anticipated. It ended up like that because I didn't have a budget in the first place, so I didn't really know how much it would be when I got the estimate. When I saw the estimate, it looked like I could build a whole new house with that budget, so after that, I was like, "What should I do?"
In such cases, it's very important to decide on a budget beforehand and then ask the construction company for ideas to achieve it within that range, or even for self-renovation, to decide on the budget you'll spend yourself. If you decide on that budget, you can see how much can be done within it, or what efforts can be made to reduce costs. If you tell the construction company that you want to focus on DIY, they can propose options within your budget. So, deciding on the purpose and budget first is very important, I think.
Noi: Indeed, as you mentioned in the previous video, it seems quite possible for the amount to swell to several times the initial estimate.
Yoshii: When that happens, if you don't have a purpose or budget, you won't know what to cut, and if you're unclear whether it's a passion project or an investment, it becomes difficult for everyone involved to make proposals. So, I think it's better to be clear about your purpose and budget to avoid getting sidetracked.
Noi: Among those, I think there's talk that self-renovation can save money, but when amateurs actually try to renovate, I imagine the hurdle is quite high. I'm a DIY beginner, or rather, I've hardly done anything, and I think everyone gets stuck on where to start to make it successful. Could you tell us how to succeed with renovation done by amateurs?
Yoshii: In my case, I initially tried searching online and on YouTube, but there are so many how-to videos, almost too many to count in search results. It's hard to know which ones are good, and if you start searching online without a clear overall picture, it's really confusing. So, I think it's best to start by buying a book.
Even when buying books, it's hard to know which one is good, and since I was going to build a house, I wanted to reduce expenses as much as possible. So, although I hadn't been there much, I tried looking for books at the library. The DIY section at the library was quite extensive, and at the Tottori Prefectural Library, there were many books on DIY. I borrowed a few books that seemed suitable for me and learned from them.
In that process, it's important to first understand the general types of renovations, such as painting or cutting, and what kind of tools are available for DIY. Once you have that overall understanding, you can then search online for specific details and watch YouTube videos for just those parts to learn concrete work methods and how to use tools.
Also, while studying proceeds in that way, what needs to be careful about is DIY. Although amateurs can do it, and amateurs can also use tools, especially circular saws and such, are extremely dangerous. So, for those, I watched many YouTube videos about the dangers to be careful of and how to use them properly, and then I challenged myself.
Also, when you actually try to do the work, there are often things that are hard to understand just from information written online or in books, so I think it's important to have someone you can consult with at any time. When you consider renovating the entire house, there will be many points where you wonder what to do. So, it's good to list those problems first. Then, when you buy DIY tools, you can ask staff at home centers, or ask the construction company where you buy lumber and other materials. If you're hiring a contractor for plumbing, you can prepare a list of questions and ask the carpenter who comes for a small job. By doing so, you can clarify specific points like what to do in certain areas and learn as you go.
Noi: Thank you. I learned that it's very important to follow the steps carefully: read books, research online, ask people, and then go shopping.
Noi: What were the difficulties you encountered after actually undertaking the project?
Yoshii: There were three main things: first, the demolition work; second, the extensive painting areas; and third, the significant amount of waste generated, and the cost of waste disposal. A lot of time was spent figuring out how to reduce those disposal costs.
Demolition work was the toughest part. Breaking down walls was fun in itself, but then a lot of debris and dust would come out. I prepared cardboard boxes to dispose of the waste, including wall fragments and such. I was surprised that just breaking down one wall generated enough fragments to fill about 30 cardboard boxes.
For the kitchen, I peeled off tiles, and for the bathroom, which was solidified with concrete and tiles, I removed all of it to install a unit bath. There's a construction term called "hatsuru" for concrete, which means to chip or shave off. I used a drill to aggressively remove all the concrete to create space for the unit bath. Using a drill makes a lot of noise, and chipping concrete creates a lot of dust, so I wore a mask, but it was a physically and mentally exhausting and quite tough job, I think.
: Next, I struggled quite a bit with the painting work. For painting, I finished most of the walls and ceilings with paint. When painting, it's important to mask off areas you don't want to paint and apply masking tape. After that, I applied a primer called a sealer about twice before painting. This took about two to three months, so it can be a bit tedious, but how you approach that time is important. In my case, as I mentioned in another video, I listened to Audible and Voicy, spending the time listening to audio content.
The third point is reducing waste disposal costs. In my room, four rooms were Japanese-style with tatami mats, but I was converting them all to flooring, so all the tatami mats became waste and had to be disposed of. There were probably about 50 tatami mats in total, and when I tried to dispose of them, I got an estimate from a contractor who said they would dispose of them for about 2,000 yen per mat, which seemed like a considerable amount. So, I researched and found out that if you cut them and put them in garbage bags, they can be disposed of as combustible waste. Since I couldn't dispose of them all at once due to the volume, I cut and disposed of one or two mats with a circular saw each week.
Noi: How long does it take to cut one mat?
Yoshii: It takes about 5 to 10 minutes to cut one mat, but I kept doing that for three or four months, and it was subtly tough. It also got in the way of other work, so I put all the tatami mats outside the house. Then, from the perspective of other people in the area, there were so many tatami mats piled up that it looked like a suspicious house, and people would say, "Oh, that's the house with the tatami mats" (laughs). I really understood that there was a lot of work that required patience.
I think being able to make time is really important, but if you can make time, even for tasks like disposing of various waste, if you put in a little effort, you can reduce costs. So, the more time you can make, the cheaper the cost will be. I think it's a battle against time.
Noi: Next, regarding the renovation areas, could you please elaborate on the parts you commissioned and the parts you did yourself?
Yoshii: The major areas I commissioned were the water facilities: toilets, kitchen, unit bath, washbasin, and EcoCute. I converted to all-electric, so it involved purchasing and installing the EcoCute. I wanted to focus on DIY for the overall project, but for water facilities and electricity, qualifications are required, and electrical work is genuinely difficult without proper skills, so I decided to commission those parts.
I did the work of removing existing kitchens, washbasins, and toilets myself, and for the bathroom, I handled the demolition. I separated the tasks by asking for help only at the stage of installing the new equipment.
We coordinated with the construction company beforehand regarding the necessary sizes for fitting new items like the unit bath and kitchen. They inspected the site before construction to confirm there would be no issues with installation, and then we handed over the work to them.
: As for the EcoCute, I arranged for it myself online, and after the product was delivered, I requested installation. Considering after-sales care, it would be better to purchase everything through the construction company, but buying online is often cheaper, and the construction company even advised me that it would be better to buy it online. So, I think it's good to consider it based on your budget and discussions with the construction company.
Noi: We've heard a lot about the difficulties so far, but conversely, could you please share any memorable successful aspects of the renovation?
Yoshii: Regarding the successful points, I think the painting went well. It was a Showa-era house, and it felt dark overall, so I wondered what to do. But I boldly decided to finish it with an all-white paint job. By doing so, I was able to make the house itself feel much brighter.
Initially, there were "mawariyabuchi" (picture rails) between the walls and ceiling, and baseboards between the floor and walls. Since it was originally a Japanese-style room, these were made of wood, and in the Western-style parts, there were similar elements made of plastic. If I tried to paint, those parts couldn't be painted, so I only painted the areas that could be painted white. However, for the mawariyabuchi and plastic baseboards, I purchased liquids that could paint plastic, and by painting everything white, the entire room became white, giving even the Japanese-style room a modern feel. So, I think it turned out well.
As a result, I was able to minimize the areas where I had to completely strip walls and ceilings, and largely renovated a significant portion with just paint, making the house brighter, which I think was good.
Noi: Conversely, are there any points you would like to redo?
Yoshii: If I had decided from the beginning to paint everything white, I could have significantly shortened the time spent on masking and protecting surfaces, as I had done all of that work. I feel that there was a considerable loss of time in that regard.
Also, I completely floored the tatami rooms, which I did without any prior knowledge, thinking it would be something like this, and I was able to finish it all at once. However, when I later asked professionals or looked at how flooring was done in other houses, the finished state was completely different. I saw examples where even amateurs had done a beautiful job. For large-scale tasks, I think it would have been better to have a professional come for about a day to teach me before I started the work.
Noi: I see. Like the white paint story, it's easier if you have a clear vision of the final outcome from the beginning, isn't it?
Yoshii: That's right. I felt like I overdid it without really seeing the finished product.
Based on that, please tell us what you should anticipate or prepare for in advance. There's the point about designing the goal image, as mentioned earlier, but besides that, something I wish I had done from the very beginning is about purchasing tools. I think it's better to buy everything at once. Things like a circular saw, a circular saw guide, an impact driver, an electric sander, cleaning tools like a blower for dust, an electric drill, and a crowbar. Initially, I didn't buy much, and I bought things little by little, wondering if I really needed each one. But as soon as I bought them, the speed of work increased dramatically. For example, I was slowly peeling tiles with a flathead screwdriver and a hammer, but when I bought an electric drill halfway through and used it, the work was finished in an instant. So, instead of buying things one by one, I think it's better to boldly buy all the necessary tools at once.
For tools, if you look on Mercari, you can buy and sell them used, so you can sell everything after your DIY project is finished. If you think about it, buying everything used and then selling it used would minimize time loss and wouldn't cost much money, so I think that would have been a good approach.
Also, I think I should have considered the timing of material purchases. I bought flooring boards early on, but I bought them too soon, and they sat unused in the house for about half a year. This not only got in the way of work, but wood itself can warp if left unattended for too long. So, while it's good to buy tools early, I realized it's better to prepare materials according to the work schedule.
Noi: Next, and finally, regarding the recommendation for house sharing, I'd like to ask about the financial aspects. Please go ahead.
: Yoshii: If you live in a house normally, and you decide on a budget of 10 million yen, you have no choice but to work within that range. As a way to increase that budget, I recommend considering subsidies. Depending on the region, there are often subsidies available for immigrants for vacant house utilization, or for renovation costs to improve insulation. These are provided annually, so it's a good idea to check the subsidy pages of each prefecture and municipality.I recommend house sharing. The house we live in is not just for ourselves; it's also set up as a vacation rental and a workspace, so it's used as a business property. In rural areas or certain regions, there are sometimes subsidies to promote vacation rentals. This can significantly reduce renovation costs, and for vacation rentals, there are subsidies of 3 million yen or even up to 6 million yen, so it's worth looking into. I was also able to significantly reduce the burden of renovation costs and new equipment purchases by combining vacation rentals with applicable subsidies. Also, old houses, 40 or 50 years old, often have many rooms, and toilets are separated on the first and second floors, so it's also effective for utilizing unused rooms. So, I think it's good for families to share a house.
I also recommend house sharing. The house we live in is not just for ourselves; it's also set up as a vacation rental and a workspace, so it's used as a business property. In rural areas or certain regions, there are sometimes subsidies to promote vacation rentals. This can significantly reduce renovation costs, and for vacation rentals, there are subsidies of 3 million yen or even up to 6 million yen, so it's worth looking into. I was also able to significantly reduce the burden of renovation costs and new equipment purchases by combining vacation rentals with applicable subsidies. Also, old houses, 40 or 50 years old, often have many rooms, and toilets are separated on the first and second floors, so it's also effective for utilizing unused rooms. So, I think it's good for families to share a house.
I was also able to significantly reduce the burden of renovation costs and new equipment purchases by combining vacation rentals with applicable subsidies. Also, old houses, 40 or 50 years old, often have many rooms, and toilets are separated on the first and second floors, so it's also effective for utilizing unused rooms. So, I think it's good for families to share a house.
Also, if you can create a simulation where house sharing generates income as a business, it becomes different from just living there yourself. You can then take the perspective of increasing the budget, getting better equipment, and creating a situation where customers are happy.
In my house, the entrance door couldn't accommodate smart locks, so I completely replaced the door itself and installed a smart lock as part of the renovation. Since many people would be visiting the house, I wanted them to be as comfortable as possible, so I also replaced all the window glass with double-paned glass to improve insulation. There was also a subsidy for this, so I was able to replace the windows quite cheaply.
When people come to the house, to make them as comfortable as possible, I want them to enjoy delicious coffee, so I have a De'Longhi coffee maker. If it's just for ourselves to make things comfortable or buy nice things, it's often a dilemma, but if you consider it as a business and increasing income, it becomes easier to buy slightly better things, I think.
This is slightly different from the budget discussion, but living in the countryside often means less diversity and a narrower perspective. However, by sharing your home, you create opportunities to connect with people from outside the region or from overseas. So, I hope those living in the countryside and working remotely will consider it.
Noi: That's really good. Living in the countryside, it can be difficult to get stimulation, and the amount of information and people tends to decrease. But creating such a space and opportunities yourself is truly wonderful, I thought. This time, we had Mr. Yoshii, an experienced renovator, talk about renovation know-how. I think this was a very helpful session for those who are about to start DIY. We will continue to upload videos on the evaluation of old small-scale residential properties for investment in modern times, so please check them out. Thank you very much, Mr. Yoshii, for this time.
Yoshii: Thank you very much.
First published: Akiya Lab (2024 - now integrated into this site)
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