Am I crazy to consider buying a Victorian Villa?

[NST]

i've got a viewing to look at a semi detached 4 story regency style victorian villa. It seems like it has been looked after but i won't know for sure until the viewing is arranged. only down side is parking off street only.

What are the pit falls other than very expensive heating bills?

What should i look for when viewing older properties?

cheers

NST

[pimpin gimp]

NST said:

i've got a viewing to look at a semi detached 4 story regency style victorian villa. It seems like it has been looked after but i won't know for sure until the viewing is arranged. only down side is parking off street only.

What are the pit falls other than very expensive heating bills?

What should i look for when viewing older properties?

cheers

NST

I'll be honest, I have no idea. But I do love those properties, and if you get one I'll be insanely jealous.

Good luck with it all.

[plasticpig]

A few things to consider:

Surveyors had a fad for insisting on wall ties for a property to be mortgageable a few years ago. Don't know if this is still the case.

Check for rot in the sash windows as replacement can be very expensive.

Check wether any work has been done on the ceilings. If original these will be lath and plaster and are moisture traps. They also tend store odurs so check the kitchen in particular.

Any large trees near the property? Then you need to be aware that root's may well be pushing through the walls or floor of the cellar.

You may find that lead piping is still in use for water supply. It shouldn't be but it could be.

Most important of all get a proper full building survey done and not a home buyer type one.

[NST]

cheers

thanks for the comments.

just waiting for a viewing!

NST

[W1TAK]

be warned these properties can be money pits, I talk from experience of owning one that sounds similar. Check interal plaster work, sometimes it looks fine or is held together with multiple layers of wallpaper but if blown ( lost its attachment to the bricks behind ) can cost thousands and major disruption to have re-done.
Usual concern over wiring, plumbing etc that is likely out of date.
I managed to restore all my own sash windows myself, took a while but didnt cost that much

Good luck, I still love these properties but ended up buying a 1950s detatched...alot more practical !!

[NST]

thanks for the comments,

i have a viewing tomorrow so hopefully i shall have a better idea of what the house is like. hopefully the owners are honest with the condition of house.

cheers
NST

[The jiffle king]

I´ve lived in victorian places for the past 6 years doing renovations as I go.... They are hard work, but they have a soul.... it´s the feel of the place which matters and the rooms are not perfectly square, there are creaks, but they have a nice feel typically which is why people conitnue to want to buy them. My watchouts would be...
Check the windows... sash can be expensive to repair
check walls for damp....
check the roof space... it will be hot, but it needs to air and it´s a pricey job to repair
Any rooms without a radiator will be cold in winter..
look at the rads and ask if they will really heat the tall ceiling rooms
check for security on the sash windows... easy to install bolts, but also easy to break into if nothing is in place
If you can lift the carpets, do and have a look for tiles/usable boards...
If there is a cellar, look in it as it may give an indication of the state of the floorboards
Check the chimneys... they may work, but may have been capped at some point

Great houses... love them

T-J-K

[Soir]

May we have a look at it? linky..

[jazzybee]

A friend had one, another issue is the morter used when building lasted around 100 years due to a particular ingredient (can't rememeber what) and may need re-pointing. Check to see if it has already been done or not.

[Coco H]

We have just restored and extended a pair of victorian cottages. We only had a homebuyer (30-40 page report done) - which told us everything we needed to know - probably beacuse we got a full survey without paying for it.
To be honest it didn't matter that much as we:
Replaced the roof
Repalstered every wall and ceiling
Replumbed
Rewired
New heating system including all radiators, oil tank, boiler
3 extensions
New gutters
New fireplaces
Damp course
French drains
Wood treatment
Insulated the loft etc
New bathrooms, kitchens
New layout

The only original bits left are the 4 external walls, some internal walls and some of the windows - which aren't sash thankfully. Still not finished - nor will it ever be - constant attention required!

[shirt]

Coco H said:

trigger's house

that sounds strangely familiar!

for the OP - check structural woodwork wherever possible for rot and worm.

if you progress past the stage of inital interest, try and find out what work has been done on the house in the past and the what standard - half the work i've done on mine has been rectifying problems caused by cowboy builders who took a big conservation grant and laughed all the way to the bank.

if you have a survey done, find a company who are experienced with this type of property and pay for an in-depth report.

other than being cautious, i say go for it.

[Hedders]

thegavster said:

Then when you move in, lift up the floorboards and discover a cellar underneath the flat you've just bought

Make sure it is a ground floor flat first though.

[Four Cofffee]

Check the expensive jobs;

External visual on the roof, and then check it has felt underneath from the inside. Look for any patched/repaired upstairs damp ceilings.

Damp can be the big issue, rising and penetrating. I invested in a damp meter which seems to do as good a job as the fancy pro versions surveyors use. Also works in floor timbers as well as walls so can be used in window frames, skirting etc. Be careful if the heating is on as that can be used to get rid of damp smells (so speaks experience).

Woodchip often hides blown plaster

Watch for 'spring' in the ground wooden floors (rattling china cabinets?), which may indicate a damp problem in the joists.

[NST]

Thanks for all the comments, just the kind of info i required.

viewing this evening, no pics on the web that i can find. i think the owner is putting out an asking price to see what the market is doing according to the estate agents.

[M400 NBL]

I also live in a converted victorian flat, 4 storey as it happens. And it's massive. Well the building is anyway.

How does the square footage compare with a newish build of similar value?

We've had a few issues recently with the chimney. Maybe a bit of movement so may need attention. Find out when the roof and chimney were last checked/worked on.

If you do like it, obviously pay top money for a decent survey.

I have the same problem of on street parking. Even horse and carts were rare back in the day! Do you have to pay for a permit? I can have up to three (3rd is difficult though, special circumstances that I don't need to know about), the 1st being about £35 and the 2nd around £100. 3rd is more. It's worth checking if you have a lot of cars in the family and do have to pay for permits.

[shirt]

another thing - if it is in a conservation area and needs work, have a chat to the council's conservation officer to see if any grants are available. they can pay out up to 86% of the value of any works.

[NST]

the owner is pulling out of the viewing and and has decided not to sell.. only 1.5hrs before the viewing!

cheers for all the comments.

NST

[apguy]

shirt said:

another thing - if it is in a conservation area and needs work, have a chat to the council's conservation officer to see if any grants are available. they can pay out up to 86% of the value of any works.

Is that a made up number

I've lived in a Victorian House in a Conservation Area for over 12 years, and just bought another Victorian house in the same Conservation Area that needs a new roof, complete rewire, complete new plumbing and 26 sash windows restoring and I can promise you that the only grants available are for a few quid off solar panels (not allowed in a conservation area) and a couple of hundred off cavity wall insulation (which is always interesting with 9" solid brick).

I think you may be confusing a Grade I* listed building with a Conservation Area

[shirt]

nope, but it obviously varies enormously by council. i live in a conservation area, there are a dozen or so listed building but mine is only 'architecturally important'. i can get upto 86% of the cost back of reinstating original exterior features [windows, roof, portico etc.] and upto 75% of repair work. i am having the roof and chimney stacks done under this arrangement, though i wish i knew about it when i had all the windows replaced!

[mas99]

You can have solar panels in a conservation area now. Unless there is a section 4 notice in place.

There are some rules about positioning but it can be done. Rules changed in October.