Mortgages on Non Standard Construction House
Mortgages on Non Standard Construction House
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Discussion

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Just been to view a house, I was told in advance its non standard construction - I went anyway cos it seemed to fit my criteria, ie Garage and somewhere to sleep ;)

Anyway, whats the deal with a mortgage on one of these places - Ive been told its loads more expensive than a standard mortgage... why? help?

Thanks in advance!
Dom

sleep envy

62,260 posts

279 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
what's non standard about it?

Plotloss

67,280 posts

300 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
I know you will very much struggle to get a mortgage on a straw build.

Most modern time saving ideas are covered though.

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
sleep envy said:
what's non standard about it?



Its metal frame and concrete instead of bricks and mortar basically...thats as much as I know.

Seemed like a perfectly ordinary house to me - damn good value for money too if you could get a decent mortgage rate...!

lord summerisle

8,174 posts

255 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
I know you will very much struggle to get a mortgage on a straw build.

Most modern time saving ideas are covered though.


whys that? not heard of too many problems from other straw builders - so long as it is passed by building control as conforming to Building Regulations

Plotloss

67,280 posts

300 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
I think its down to risk aversion more than any regulatory control.

We looked at it about 12 months ago and couldnt find a lender that would lend on a straw build unfortunately. The costs are much lower though and I would still like to incorporate it once we find a plot (no pun intended) probably in the form of garaging.

lord summerisle

8,174 posts

255 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
I think its down to risk aversion more than any regulatory control.

We looked at it about 12 months ago and couldnt find a lender that would lend on a straw build unfortunately. The costs are much lower though and I would still like to incorporate it once we find a plot (no pun intended) probably in the form of garaging.



ahhh so i'm not the only one with such a dream - constantly working on trying to get straw bales into my work... so far havent had an oppotunity come to fruition - and building my own home out of straw again remains ever present.

During my last job at Bury Council i was very close to having one project go with the straw idea - costs where very tight, big brief, green belt, site of natural beauty and all that + wanting to get community involment - inital skeptazism from the principle architect gave way to 'go with it and convince me' to getting the client on board - but then his budget ran out for a year and i moved to a different practice...

the greenest thing i have so far managed was sheeps wool insulation in walls of the new Adult Learning Centre in Bury.

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Okay, update:

I have been told the building is UNITY 2...!

Whatever that means. My mortgage advisor mate spoke to a couple of lenders who couldnt find anything on their lists to ring alarm bells so we'll have to wait and see.

Time to get an offer in and see if I can bag myself a bargain (3 bed semi, with garage, large garden + big driveway all for £95k!!!).

matt_fp

3,402 posts

279 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Would this be a tin house? I.E. Concrete lower, tin upper?

Most tin uppers have been rendered now so as to look like more normal brick builds.

Northern Rock will lend on them but a survery is around £1500 - £1750 as it required sevearl holes in walls drilling to check the condition of retaining bolts etc.

Good houses though if you want something a bit different and at bargain money!

Matt

minimax

11,985 posts

286 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
matt_fp said:
Would this be a tin house? I.E. Concrete lower, tin upper?

Most tin uppers have been rendered now so as to look like more normal brick builds.

Northern Rock will lend on them but a survery is around £1500 - £1750 as it required sevearl holes in walls drilling to check the condition of retaining bolts etc.

Good houses though if you want something a bit different and at bargain money!

Matt



phew! (takes off jacket and sits down) late to this thread!

NR will lend as stated above but need a full structural on a sliding scale cost-wise..at 95k it won't be much though, perhaps 750 notes?

there are others but NR seem to be head and shoulders above them at the moment.

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Thanks chaps - not sure whether its a 'tin-top' or not...

Now googling for a unity2 for some further info...

It seems like such good value for what is a big plot with a good sized house on - nothing ventured and all that!!!

zetec

5,237 posts

281 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Once had a mortgage refused by Bristol and West because the house was of a timber frame and less than 50% brick. Was a few years ago but I am sure that was the reason.

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Cant find a damn thing on the net re 'Non Standard Contruction Houses' or more specifically 'Unity 2'.

Not a thing

Tank Slapper

7,949 posts

313 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
It is most likely due to the concrete construction. A lot of lenders are wary of it due to the potential of 'concrete cancer'.

A relative of mine built a house in the 70s primarily of concrete, and had problems selling it recently due to people finding it hard to get mortgages for.

monkeyhanger

9,267 posts

272 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
We have a number of "Unity" style houses in town here.

Basically they're post-war houses that were designed to be put up quickly, for obvious reasons. I assume "Unity 2" is some sort of improvement on the original design.

They're built with metal framework / concrete slabs and have tin roofs.

As far as i know getting mortgages should not be a problem. The local council spent a fortune upgrading them recently.

monkeyhanger

9,267 posts

272 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
After a bit of digging...


These are described as Unity houses..

www.student.cnwl.ac.uk/technology/construction%20of%20houses/start/industbld/unity/unity2.htm


Perhaps the half-concrete, half-metal type is Unity 2 ?

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
Apparently the council were considering a compulsary purchase thing in this area fairly recently (with a view to pulling down these houses and building new). The locals all went mad about it so the council checked the houses over and gave them a clean bill of health for another 20-25 years...

If they did go ahead with a compulsary purchase at any time it would be a winner again anyway, the actual market value of the house + the fact its calculated on square footage (corner plot with mucho square footage ) I'd be laughing....I hope!

lord summerisle

8,174 posts

255 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
out of interest - where is that your looking?

i was at a housing seminar the other month with other resident's groups who where under threats of council CPO orders...

more labour nastyness!

popov123

Original Poster:

4,084 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
lord summerisle said:
out of interest - where is that your looking?

i was at a housing seminar the other month with other resident's groups who where under threats of council CPO orders...

more labour nastyness!


Outskirts of Norwich. (Costessey to be precise)

lord summerisle

8,174 posts

255 months

Wednesday 26th October 2005
quotequote all
ah, i was just wondering - as similar construction houses in manchester and oldham are under the bulldozer threat ATM - i was hoping that you where talking about there, and the threat had been lifted.