Ok, I understand the terms of this site and the specific questions, such as How much will it cost for me to renovate my kitchen? are off limits. I certainly understand why. Every project is different, in different geographical regions, which can be a big factor, and it is near-impossible to give good answers without first inspecting the space and the needs of the individual.
However, I think that a good and appropriate question to ask may be as follows:
I'm considering purchasing an old, vacant, run-down house. What are some general guidelines I should consider regarding whether it is worth renovating or rebuilding?
In other words, I am a not a contractor nor have I had any sub-contracting experience. I have no clue what may need to be done to extensively renovate an old house.
I know that no one could remotely give me a good idea on the cost of any particular home but I am sure that MANY of you could give good, general advice regarding big-ticket items to look for, as well as issues to look for that might appear significant to a nonexpert but aren't really difficult (or expensive) to repair and fix.
As someone who has no idea how much work or money it could take to fix up an old home, I'd like a little advice on discerning whether an old home just needs a lot of TLC, is one that might be fixable, but the repairs would be so extensive it would be cheaper to bulldoze the building and start from scratch.
Is this question appropriate?