To hate the removing of character from old houses?

[Mushrooms0up]

I probably am being unreasonable as it doesn’t actually have anything to do with me. But there is a gorgeous house near where I live on a private road which came up for sale a while ago. It needed a bit of TLC but looked like a lovely, lived in family house.

It’s just come back on market for a lot more money, and I’m so sad at what’s been done. The marble tiled flooring just doesn’t match the house and the character and it just seems so sterile :(
If you like that kind of look why buy a period property? What do you all think?

Here’s the before:

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=73256386&sale=91032045&country=england

And after: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118542002#/?channel=RES_BUY

I completely agree.

I live in a 150 year old house, nothing fancy or grand, that has UPVC windows. They look fine but a house further up the row has proper sash windows and they look brilliant. Really add to the character of the property. If we weren’t intending to move I definitely be looking into them, for the front three windows at the very least.

Oh god what have they done to this? It’s completely soulless

@Bluebluemoon I agree.

This house is close by www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117984446?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY and renovated much more sympathetically. Obviously more expensive but 100000 x nicer!!

I know what you mean OP. There was a gorgeous between-the-wars semi with bay-fronted windows and a period front door near me. I never saw the interior, but I'm familiar with similar houses. They absolutely gutted it, destroyed the lovely mature garden and it is a shadow of its former self. The heart has been ripped out of it. There were 30's windows at the front with stained glass panels at the top that matched the door, and the whole lot has gone and been replaced with modern windows with grey frames. The front door looks like a factory fire door now. It's wicked.

They've ruined it. I'd have happily bought the before house, close to where I lived as a kid.

@HermioneKipper

Oh god what have they done to this? It’s completely soulless

I agree - I could cry.

@Weredone

I clicked on this expecting some modernisation *@Mushrooms0up* but this is horrific why wouldn’t they just buy a new build?! They’ve destroyed all the original features!

Maybe it was where they wanted to live, the size they wanted and the price they could afford.

OMG vile. So vile. We are looking atm and there are hundreds of these on the market, not budging. Conversely we have made an offer £100k above the price for the cookie cutter knockthrough conversions for a beautiful Victorian house today because it has the original detail.

Fucking criminal.

It's gone from a lovely house, in keeping with its period, perhaps in need of a wee bit of modernisation in the bathroom to a bland monochrome box.

That lovely parquet floor, picture rails, cast iron fireplace...

I can't see the before photos- link just goes to a generic Right move page. Agree about the refurb- so cold and sterile and how on earth are they going to keep those white carpets clean!

Maybe it was where they wanted to live, the size they wanted and the price they could afford.

They only bought it recently

Also the focus in almost every bloody room on a big tv on the wall.

We have one tv. One. Are we the only people left to think you don't need 6 televisions in a house?!

@MrsPsmalls

I don't particularly like everything they have done, but yes you are being unreasonable. People want the new look they have created and are prepared to pay for it. For all people saying they prefer it as it was, in reality people are only prepared to stump up the cash for the 'after' product. Very few young families would have any interest in the 'before' house.

People are prepared to pay for neutral and low maintenance, yes, like the bedrooms, but not enormous teal inbuilt media cabinets, TVs recessed into the wall and a floor that will scratch instantly with kids. They took it wayyy too far.

@TheHoptimist

Maybe it was where they wanted to live, the size they wanted and the price they could afford.

They only bought it recently

Well circumstances change, maybe they lost their jobs, split up it isn't anyone else's business is it. It isn't a museum, people buy it and live in it how they want.

That first link doesn't work for me.

I thought you was being precious….looked at the photos and it’s horrible!

YANBU

The first link doesn't work for me either - can someone please post some pics as I'm very curious!

@DeepaBeesKit

Also the focus in almost every bloody room on a big tv on the wall.

We have one tv. One. Are we the only people left to think you don't need 6 televisions in a house?!

Do you think you are somehow superior because you have one television? How odd. We have more than one, DH is disabled and spends long hours in bed so we have one in the bedroom, we also have one in the lounge where GS and I tend to watch TV. It really is none of your business though, if I want 20 TVs and I can afford them and I want them I will have them.

To be fair the extremely shiny marble floor tiles wouldn’t look good anywhere except maybe a hotel lobby - not really sure if that’s a period property issue rather than a taste issue.

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

YANBU there was a lovely Art Deco place nearby I'd have loved to buy but couldn't afford. It's been wrecked and turned into a total travesty.

There beautiful Art Deco house near me. It was bought by some lottery winners and demolished to build a Telly tubby style eco house. Which was never built. So sad.

It’s a bit chavvy.

I think YABU

I live in a house that is 125 years old.
I wouldn't want to be living in a house that was, as it was 125years ago though.
We live with todays comforts.
It has had central heating added. Double glazing. Loft insulation. Extra bathrooms. a Utility. Phone lines. Wi fi. Newer fireplace in main living room but no draughty fireplaces in others. 1001 other things changed over the decades.

I mean, I am definitely not a fan of kitchen islands or shiny white tiles on the floor, but the 1997 photos were of a house as it had been done up in the 80s or 90s, NOT the original look at all.

Houses evolve. If people are doing to sell, then they do to what will recoup them the most money / sell the quickest in the year they are selling. If they are living in them for a long time, then they make them as comfortable and appealing to them as they can do.

Friends bought a house like this totally gutted marble floors, white walls and paintwork. They're Italian so I can understand the marble it's gorgeous in its own way but not homey.

We sold a house over 200 years old, in the country lots of character, that was gutted and now looks like this all marble and granite, walls removed massive walls of glass it's very sad

I can't link the before phoos for somw reason. I like the after though think it likes nice except maybe too much grey.

Cannot believe what they have done why??? It was beautiful home.
Our terraced house built 1872 has all the original fire places, even in the upstairs bathroom, original doors windows and some coving. I love love love it and woe betide anyone who suggests modernising it!
Sadly needed an extension for wheelchair access.
CheshireKitten123 I will join you .