To think 'character' properties aren't all they're cracked up to be?

[LellyGreen]

We live in a Victorian house. Its cold and drafty, we've had various issues with damp and leaks, the ceiling on the landing collapsed three years ago, we got it fixed for it to happen again last year and we had to have the whole roof replaced. There are weird alcoves in the lounge on every wall that has stopped us from being able to hang the TV on the wall like we wanted to. Solid wood floors in every room that haven't been maintained well by previous owners and dons hard hat I've wanted several times to tear up and chuck carpet down because they're in such bad state. The room sizes are very generous, but they're too big and apart from a few more sensibly sized rooms they feel cold and empty. Our hallway is 5mx5.5m!! Who needs a hallway that big? It just looks like a big empty room. Anyway.. it's just been so much hassle. We go to do one small job and it turns out it's actually a huge job, every time. I've always vowed to never buy a new build because "they have no character" but I've done it. I've gone to the dark side. I have bought a new shiny new build and I couldn't give a toss about the character I'm losing and I can't wait to be in a house that is warm, and doesn't feel empty all the time! I get a lot of it is down to developers, I've heard the persimmon horror stories of paper thin walls and box rooms.. but I'm firmly in the new build camp now. Pick a good developer (ideally a small/local one) with a good build quality and generous room dimensions and don't look back!! Character is a pain in the ass and over hyped. You can add character to your beautiful new house that isn't full of hidden problems.

AIBU? If you're avoiding new builds purely because of these reasons everyone goes on about.. I highly recommend viewing one for yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised

I live in a Victorian conversion.
I do know what you mean –we have seemingly endless problems and expense with the roof, we're lower-ground floor so there's damp issues, it can be draughty, I can't get to the cobwebs on the landing ceiling...
but any time I go to a more modern house, or look idly at a property site I just feel so turned off by modern places. They feel so insubstantial and poky and they usually have little windows. I feel claustrophobic in them and as if the whole place might blow away.

I grew up in Barratt-type cheap modern houses and had a not v happy childhood though, so it might be at least partly to do with that.

I think it depends on the quality of the build even in old houses. For instance I live in an Edwardian Terrace that was quite obviously knocked up in about ten minutes flat and has the thinnest walls in history. I'm very fond of it but every time you try to do anything you come across generations of shonky repairs to a shonky original building! My sister OTOH lives in a beatiful Victorian semi with thick walls and an irritatingly solid infrastructure.

So it's not just old or new.

We've just discovered extensive dry rot throughout our Victorian flat, which is going to cost a fortune to fix. I've always preferred old properties, but I now see the advantages of new builds!

I used to love and live in them when younger.

I wouldn't deal with them today. New or newish and modern for me.

Hmm my new build (less than 5 years old) roof leaked right through to the bedroom in a storm. They aren’t immune to problems.

I think most houses have their problems. Ours was built in 1990, when we viewed we thought it looked like a really solid, well-built house.

Since we’ve moved in we’ve discovered that there isn’t a straight wall or right angle to be found a colleague lives in the next street and she said their house is the same.

Before this we owned a 7 year old new build. The boiler needed replacing at 5 years old, and because of the ridiculous placement of it, it ended up costing us about £5k. The house itself was poorly insulated and the soundproofing was non-existent. Ours was from a reputable local builder too.

A lot of our friends have new builds and have had endless issues with snagging, noise and lack of parking.

I grew up in an old 1920s house. It was lovely, but cost my mum so much in maintenance and upkeep. They’re currently having the roof replaced now.

If you find a house that hardly costs you any money, hang onto it

• @LellyGreen*

Did you do a full survey before buying?

I have always lived in period properties and although there were a few issues, they were all flagged on the survey and we had no other issues. Only the usual bits you need to do for maintenance.

Why did you buy a house where you think the rooms are too big and you can't hang the huge TV you want? Buy the house you want and let people who love old houses buy the house they want.

Tbh I think any house requires upkeep and maintenance it’s the price to pay for home ownership. Have heard horror stories about some new builds too.

I don't like character properties either. My house is a 1970s chalet style and I love it. No major surprises when we do work. It's warm and cosy.

I'm a big fan of mid century properties.

I do get what others are saying about newer properties feeling "insubstantial" though. As cold, draughty and expensive as my turn of the last century terrace is, it does feel safer and more comforting than new houses do.

In both my new builds I have never had a problem with noise. Just now it’s noisy outside due to more building works. Also no problem
Parking as we all have two paces and tons of visitor parking.

Why on earth did you ever buy his house? It sounds like it really doesn’t suit you.

I don't feel like my house is less safe, every time the wind picks up I sleep sound that the tiles aren't trying to break free and take a chunk out of my car but I do miss the bay windows and how they would happily absorb an eight foot Xmas tree without rejigging the furniture.

I was brought up in a Victorian semi with no central heating & remember ice on the inside of my bedroom window.

Rushing downstairs after a bath/shower to get dressed in front of the fire!

A hose just down the road was renovated & down up.

No features left, ceilings lowered-now that was sad to see!

We moved from a Victorian house with lovely high ceilings and fireplaces to a 1960s ugly box. New house certainly isn't as pretty but big rooms an big windows and much easier to maintain (so far!)

'new build' here (now 20 years old, bought off plan) and it's been a great house. Nice large rooms, generous garden, double garage, warms up easily.

We did look at an old house a few years ago as we fancied a change. we got to 1 day before exchange and received a quote for £120k to french drain and re-roof it. We backed out!

Ditto, went to help DS with his Victorian cottage renovation - lifted the floor in the lounge to see it was built straight onto dirt!

I was against new builds, but moved into a nice sized 5 bed and love it. It had slopping roofs in the master bedroom and kitchen, which adds character, skylights, stairway in the middle of the hall. Our en suite is very large. One other bedroom has an ensuite of a good size.

Decorated it lovely, no issues, keeps warm with minimum energy usage. Even my small square office looks good with plants trailing everywhere and interesting fittings.

I’m with you too

I grew up in a 300 year old house. Very pretty and chocolate-box, but always freezing, always felt damp, creeky. Hated it

Our first house was a Victorian terrace. Again, cold, draughty and damp. Constant money pit.

We now live in a house that was converted from old farm buildings. It’s pretty much a new build, but still has lots of character and quirkiness. I love it, cheap to run, always warm and cosy. I can even buy curtains off the shelf as I don’t have to cater to random size windows

Ignore typos

@Bubblesgun

* *@LellyGreen**

Did you do a full survey before buying?

I have always lived in period properties and although there were a few issues, they were all flagged on the survey and we had no other issues. Only the usual bits you need to do for maintenance.

My husband bought this house just before we met, I moved in after a few years together. He said there were issues on survey but all things that seemed manageable. If he'd known of the severity of the damp, hidden cracks and general hidden damage there's no way he would of purchased. Someone had sorted the damp and replaced ceilings just before he moved in. Which we've now done ourselves twice and replaced entire roof only for it to reoccur! So many things that they claimed were minor but have turned out to be anything but. I'm just worn out with it. He is too. I'd never of bought this property due to badly maintained wood flooring and annoying alcoves alone to be honest. Though before living here I always said I'd only ever buy an older character house. I've definitely changed my stance.

I sold my old house and moved in to a new build. Whilst there’s a couple of things I miss like open grate fire, and pully to hang washing on
I wish I’d done it years ago. Main thing for me is there’s no spiders! Used to get monster ones in old house

Our last house was around 250 years old and I really loved it, but the layout was dis functional, small and a listed home. We had very little furniture because it was so small.
Our current house is a 150 year is farm house, modernised quite well before we moved in however it’s just impossible to keep warm.
I often think of a new build that I could stay warm easily in 😂

Yanbu we live in a old council house. The floors are coming away from the wall, the whole floor downstairs floor needs to be replaced. The upstairs hall way ceiling is cracked and sagging. All the ceilings upstairs need to come down to sort the loft flooring out thats bowed and split. It's cold and draughty. Had to have roof fixed, the chimney breast leaks when it rains. Mold on most outside walls. Always needs repairs doing. The council were going to sort it all but the first lockdown happened.

The housing officer that rang yesterday even said he hates the older houses. That you can fix something but its only temporary and your always throwing money at it. He is trying to get us moved thank god

YANBU. There’s always bits falling off our 300 year old house, it’s cold and Impossible/expensive to heat. The electrics is are bonkers and power cuts frequent.

On the plus side, the walls are 4 ft thick, even the internal ones. Noise is kept to the room and we have space. It’s lovely and cool in a heatwave and the longer we’re here the more we’re able to try and get it under control.