I need help with my house I’ve found something that could cost a fortune to restore

[JustPaintOverIt]

Sadly we bought the most ridiculous period property. It’s a terraced house built in 1760 listed on the exterior for reasons we didn’t understand.

We were first time buyers and extremely naive! We did a survey but it wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.

So we moved in 3 days before lockdown so we did a lot of decorating ourselves or mainly DH as I worked in icu. We fitted a muti fuel stove in the front room and painted everywhere.

We discovered the house’s original bannister and spindles from basement to landing, they’d covered them up with wood chip over the spindles, we found original beams, we found the original Thomas crapper flushing toilet and the letter asking to install it in our outhouse (now shed), we also found an original window plssterboarded up inside and outside

We have an open fire in the dining room that works we just don’t use it.

last week directly underneath the open fire we found an original fireplace, when we moved in we found a Victorian (ish) cast iron range in the gas meter cupboard and we were going to fit it to the wall in the basement as the previous owners had the basement tanked and converted then we needed a socket fixing and long story short the electrician found the fireplace.

can we use the restored cast iron range in the fireplace if we get it lined?

or would you put a big eco multi fuel stove in there to be a bit more modern? The basement renovation is our next project so ignore the mould because it will all be sorted. The photo of the stairs is what was previously boxed in & the range is an example of what we have.

Or would you just pretend you didn’t find it and hide it again 🤣

They have explained that they have consent for some of the work but then also mention not being sure about stud walls counting so I was trying to explain that a stud wall removal or insertion would need listed building consent. Maybe I should have been clearer?

You should be speaking to your CO, not MN, to ensure that everything you're doing is in accordance with your LBC. Every element of any work you're doing should already be highly detailed and specified in your LBC, and if anything unexpected pops up you down tools and wait for the CO to advise. If you don't do this properly you risk a criminal conviction.

It's listed or it's not - not just the exterior. You can get lots of good advice via the Listed Buildings Owners' Club.

I have a suspicion our spindles have been boxed in. But I’m too nervous to try to attempt to remove one in case they ARE the original ones! Please can you share how you came to find out about yours and what you did?

I just wanted to say the house is lucky to have you as owners.

This. How has this not been pointed out to you OP? You seem very casual about the listed status- I hope you understand the implications.

Victorian ranges were dangerous (especially the ones with back boilers, which frequently exploded). They weren't built with any regard for carbon monoxide emissions or particulates. There is absolutely no way it will meet current rules for wood burning stoves, and at least a small chance it will kill you - especially installed in a basement.

By all means keep it as a decorative item but you should not be thinking of using it.

I’m on my third Victorian renovation.

I wouldn’t be installing any fuel burning appliance that isn’t up to modern regs.

Not what you asked, but the mouldy materials need to be removed (not treated) under containment and negative pressure. Ideally by a specialist and not a regular builder because ime despite what they might confidently tell you, they don't understand mould and how to stop it spreading.

Depends how much money I had, id defo explore it if I could

The range will definitely be usable- there is really very little to go wrong with them, but there are disadvantages to using wood/ coal for cooking- it can be quite smelly/dirty .It will be a steep learning curve learning to cook on it, buff up with some Aga cookbooks, the principles are very similar.
Your location, if you are quite rural and there is woodland it will be easy to use wood you collect for kindling and buy split logs for main fuel-we did this when we lived in rural Devon, it's pretty economical and helps keep the whole house warm (word to the wise though, you need another cooking method for hot weather). Good luck.

I’d also be very wary of putting the range in a basement. Can you say more about the crazy paving wall? Don’t you have to get rid of it if it’s a listed house?

Former conservation officer here, OP. Well done for discussing with your LA. They should be able
to provide some guidance. Do you have a specialist advisor? If not I would strongly advise appointing someone who is a conservation specialist. The IHBC is a good place to start, or someone on the RICS or RIBA conservation register.

Were you aware of the unauthorised works when you purchased the property? Was it flagged during the sale? What is the arrangement for the previous owners making good the damage? Is any of the repair/reinstatement work that needs to be done as a result of previous owners’ unauthorised works coming out of your budget?

SPAB have good guidance and this website has links to heritage specialists https://www.buildingconservation.com

And just to clarify, any part of the building, inside or out and attached structures such as a garden wall are all listed and subject to the requirement for consent. Unattached structures within the curtilage which predate 1 July 1948 are also covered by the listing. Even investigative opening up is likely to require consent if it affects historic fabric, although there may be scope within the conditions of your listed building consent to carry out opening up/investigate works/further works as necessary, but that’s something you’d have to check with the LA and it’s likely you’d have to submit further plans and information before going ahead if it wasn’t covered in the initial consent.

From a practical point of view, I can’t comment on the stove specifically but there are potentially ventilation issues with lighting it in a basement and you would need Building Regs approval too.

Please be especially wary of black mould and starting/reactivating/releasing any damp issues in and from that basement.

We're renovating and enlarging an old house and it amazing how things sit for years relatively safely - until someone comes along and improves disturbs them !