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Original poster

Why do I, well, not really like new houses, and yet...

65 replies

Pruni · 19/04/2006 17:37

...I kind of hanker after living in one. Sigh.

I am so tired of crusty, shoogly windows that rattle in the breeze, and no insulation, and electrics that are only borderline safe, and anyway only one power point in a room because when the house was built people had nothing to plug in, and tongue and groove with god knows what behind it, and damp, and slaters everywhere, and cracks in the ceiling, and doors that swing the wrong way, and crappy old radiators...

I want double-glazing! Proper heating! Walls that aren't crumbly! Can you tell I'm keen to move?

Can you tell me what's nice about new houses...so I have some ammo to hit DH with when he turns his nose up?

OP posts:

hulababy · 19/04/2006 20:47

I love, and much prefer, new homes. We have a small garden, but that is what we prefer, not being gardeners at all. Still goign through snagging process - but at least someone else is sorting that out and not having to do any DIY stuff ourselves.

See no appeal in most older houses, unles you get a really sweet, lovely looking cottage type place - but then the amount of work likely to be needed. Eek! When looking and we didn't think we could afford a new home in the right location, we looked at some older houses. They just never felt right, not even the two we settled on at various times. And both had problems needing sorted straight away. :( Here we just moved in and it was ready.

Each to their own and all that.

Caligula · 19/04/2006 20:48

Why can't you have double glazing with an old house?

(Will that question make this thread kick off? )

hulababy · 19/04/2006 20:49

Not all new homes are small though. Ours isn't huge, not small either. but some of the houses on this estate are very big and many have pretty big gardens too. Mind, they are expensive!

cupcakes · 19/04/2006 20:51

because if you have original sash windows it would only uglify them.
We're getting double glazing in the new extension at the back so you know where we're going to be gathered come winter!

roosmum · 19/04/2006 20:51

was brought up in little C19th cottage, open fires etc, yum! so my shiny smooth box really doesn't do it for me. it serves a purpose & i know we're lucky to have it....it just has no emotional tug on me, i guess. plus i'm not keen on the estate thing - it looks like toytown round here, all the houses (even big ones) somehow manage to look really really insubstantial. wonder why that is...

hulababy · 19/04/2006 20:52

You see, that is what I mean - if character means being cold, then no thanks.

cupcakes · 19/04/2006 20:54

The sitting room (old part of house) isn't that cold as we have big velvet curtains. But the windows don't keep out much of the traffic noise and you have to have the tv on quite loud sometimes.

hulababy · 19/04/2006 20:55

Sorry, not convincing me. We sit in short sleeves, curtains open all ear round - and we are warm and noise free (but very quite estate anyway). Even int he new build apartment we had int he city centre, with windows closed it was warm and quiet!

Gingerbear · 19/04/2006 21:01

Older houses are a PITA when it comes to heating - we have 9 inch solid brick walls that soak up the heat. e.g. when it is minus 10 outside, our cars NEVER ice up due to the heat emitted from the walls!
Crumbling plaster, crooked walls - we had to have a 'bespoke' fitted kitchen that cost 2x as much as a standard one.

Cess Pit - 'nuff said

expensive oil fired CH - no effing mains gas

It looked idyllic 12 years ago - cute little cottage, bithplace of Thomas Crapper, 200 years old. BAH I want my brother's house - he built it himself, it has underfloor heating, is triple super dooper glazed, they have a heat pump and solar power - costs F all to run and has 7 bedrooms!!!!

Go on Pruni, get a new house.

GDG · 19/04/2006 21:07

True GB - ours needs heating on full blast and there is always some bit of maintenance needs doing! Probably would help if I didn't drive the car into the porch mind

Original poster

Pruni · 19/04/2006 21:07

GB can I have your brother's?

I want light and heat (and a roof). And a huge utility room. And a library. And...and....

OP posts:

hulababy · 19/04/2006 21:08

But GB - your house is a proper older house. It looks lovely, and the kitchen is fab :)

Bozza · 19/04/2006 21:08

Hmm I quite like old houses but don't think it would be for us. We are detached and really have very little external noise. I wouldn't like to live on a huge estate but where we live it is just one cul-de-sac of maybe 20 houses with a green for the children to play on. And noise from upstairs is fine if the person upstairs is anyone but DS. We don't have a kitchen diner but do have a kitchen table and a dining room so not too bad. Agree that the garage is too small - although fits in my Fiesta adequately. But then a fair proportion of old houses don't have garages anyway. I like it because it is in the centre of the village but tucked away quiet.

GDG · 19/04/2006 21:09

But you can't beat the bigger plot of land, the chunky walls, the high ceilings, large rooms, huge leaded windows.....can't beat it

Bozza · 19/04/2006 21:09

Oh and our house does have history. DD was born here!

Bozza · 19/04/2006 21:11

Well my parents live in a house that probably has the same floor space as ours - if you include the attic and cellar but is a smaller plot of land because it is terraced and narrower than ours.

roosmum · 19/04/2006 21:14

that's lovely bozza

gdg - yes to high ceilings! i dream of my very own high ceiling-ed library. floor to ceiling books with, just sometimes, no babies/dh anywhere in sight...

(i'll keep on dreaming then!)

sobernow · 19/04/2006 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fennel · 19/04/2006 21:14

i love old houses, don't mind crustiness and cracks. but if we were buying a new house it would be for the way they are often built so it's child-friendly outside, places for children to play and ride bikes and mingle with others. lots of older houses are on busy roads or not quite as good for that.

we're house hunting at the moment and that's the main attraction for me of the new houses. being able to let the dds have lots of freedom.

Gingerbear · 19/04/2006 21:16

Why thank you Hula, but honestly, you wouldn't trade it for yours, believe me.

Pruni, I think a roof should be no. 1 priority when seeking a new abode.

MadamePlatypus · 20/04/2006 17:51

I know what you mean. We went to look at some new houses near the IL's at the weekend, (just snooping). We have been doing up our Victorian house for years (there was no wall that did not need replastering), and the thought of moving into a house with lovely clean carpets and cupboards and smart little light switches and lots of bathrooms and lots of lovely kitchen cupboards was very tempting. I think I will stick with the Grand Designs fantasy for a bit longer though.

lucykate · 20/04/2006 18:02

we're in the process of buying a late 60's build house.

we looked at newer houses but found the estates so crammed in, detatched houses so close you can only get round to the back by going through the house, tiny bedrooms and ensuites that were really just a cupboard with a shower cubicle in them.

the 60's/70's build ones, much more spaced out, built on bigger plot so bigger back garden. rooms much larger, build quality better. admitidly no character features but very practical space wise for a family.

noddyholder · 20/04/2006 18:19

I had always lived in old victorian properties until my current one which is a 60's townhouse all double glazing and perfect walls and I have grown to hate it.Am moving tomorrow back to rattly windows and a bit of character!

NomDePlume · 20/04/2006 18:26

Hahahahahaha, GDG, just seen your post.

I've just sold my 8 year old house. When we were looking for a new place I insisted on pre-war stuff only. We found a stunning Georgian town house and fell in love, put our offer in and then our sale fell through . Anyway, we pulle dout of buying Georgian Dream (as I know refer to it) and remarketed our property. In the meantime, Georgian Dream sold sstc to someone else. We found another buyer and went looking again... Found the house we are about to exchange on (tomorrow!) and guess what ? It is a brand new, non-estate architect designed (a la Grand Designs ) 3 storey house ! I was hugggggggggely surprised by the place, but the fact that it is built by an individual rather than one of the big developers has really made a difference to the build quality - no paper walls or flimsy fixtures. It'll be a damn sight cheaper to maintain over the (Grade II Listed)Georgian Dream, too.

NomDePlume · 20/04/2006 18:27

"now" refer to it

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