What to look for when buying a 1930s house?

[patchesmcp]

We're hoping to purchase an extended 1930s semi and was just wondering if there is anything to look out for with this type of house? Also what's particularly nice about living in this type of house?

Thanks in advance

Pfffft, where are all these 30s houses with high ceilings and large rooms? Our West London 1935 house certainly isn't like that!
My tip would be to check if the chimney breast has been removed on both sides of the party wall. Ours has and you can hear the neighbours clinking cutlery, talking etc. Quite easily. In future I would only buy a house where the party wall is on the hallway / stairs.

...Birmingham? half the city seems to have been built in the 30s, on cheaper land than London so roomier.

Thanks Boulevard. Our house was built late 30's and I've wondered if the doors are original, mostly because they all match except for one over an extension (very annoying!). It never occurred to me to check ebay for doors - I might find ones there like mine and then get a description of it's age!

This is a zombie thread.

However, one thing I would look for is bomb damage, and how many bombs fell in or near the house.

Obviously not IN the house. I meant in the street.

Also Boulevard, might give you a giggle, I google "How to date my door" and pulled up a load of questionable "deliver a date to your door" websites. Anyway, ebay answered my question, I have 1950's doors, in a house built in 1937. Begs the question: Did they leave the doors for a bit or was there something odd that mean that they had to replace all the doors?

map showing where and how many bombs fell in the London area

Love our 30s house. Cool in summer and warm in winter. I also love the picture rails.

check the floors downstairs - if they are timber they need ventilation, check for vents at the front and back of the property and make sure they aren't blocked. if there is an extension on any part of the house make sure they have carried the vents through the extension otherwise they will have blocked up the vents and you'll end up with rotten floors as theres no more ventilation!

just bought a 1930's house so marking this for all the potential things to check as we want to extend but also need to factor in for some of these possible surprises!

I lived in a 1930 house and it was well built and solida much better than my 1980 house I am in now. I would definitely buy a 1930 house again. They new how to build houses then. Now they just turn up on back of lorries and bang z few screws in. The walls are paper thin. Just don't buy a 1980 house.

Check it is double-walled - our 1931 house is single skinned (one layer of bricks, no air gap) and it's bloody freezing all the time. But I love it for the proportions, the high ceilings, large windows and logical layout.