Am I being too picky with this house? Would you buy it? Tiled cladding

[dw4518]

Please help me with your opinions, I'm struggling with whether to buy this house or not!

It ticks all the boxes (location, schools, size etc) but the entire top half front/back has tiled cladding as seen in the photo.

I did some research and it seems that this is typical of 1970s cheap quick builds.

It consists of a single layer of brick/breeze block then timber battens, with tiles hanging from the timber (See picture).

This means:

• Poor thermal/noise insulation
• Potential maintenance issues if the timber rots ?

The house at £400k is not cheaper compared to other builds in the area. But it's perfect for us in every other way and I don't mind the look of the tiles.

Do I buy it or walk away?! Am I being too picky?

There isn't many houses within budget in our desired area, so if I walk away it may be some time before there's another one although I am in no rush.

Just to add the Energy efficiency rating is D but could be brought up to C

I lived in a house like that for about 18 months (rental) and experienced no issues due to the tiled front

The house was a bit chilly but there was very little in the way of loft insulation

No damp or noise issues

That looks a lot like the house I grew up in! I was only a child but I don't remember there being any particular issues. It was warm once we got central heating in the 80s.

Personally I do think you're being a bit too fussy. No house will be 100% perfect and there'll always be one little niggle.

If its perfect in every other way, I'd take it. Otherwise in a few months/years time, when the next property comes up, it may have an issue that is less easy to live with.

It wouldn't actually cost that much to have it removed and a more modern style cladding put on eg. cedar planks, dark grey cladding or even a metal such as aluminium or copper.

It's not clear if there is a cavity wall behind the cladding. If so, it can be insulated. The tiles will give extra protection against rain and damp.

If not, and if you decide to change the cladding, you could incorporate external insulation, using rigid foam boards. it is very effective, though more common in continental Europe than here.

As long as it is mortgageable, I wouldnt be worried! Every house has pros and cons, that one wouldnt worry me overly.

Seriously? Most houses from the 70/80s are built like that.

My parents bought one in the early 80s. It's still holding up without issues for the last 35 years.

Your £400k is mostly buying location I expect.

thanks so much for the replies so far!

here's a closer up photo of the tiled front of the house (same around back)

Mine was built late 50s and has tiles like that. No problems with it at all.

I would buy a house like that and spend a bit having timber cladding put up installed instead. It was a fashion at that time and not indicative of "cheap" house building at all.

Sitting in an almost identical one right now and it is lovely and toasty.

It looks like a well cared for property but why has it been on the market since last April/May (spring flowers in the garden) ?

@ bibbitybobbityyhat

I got the image from street view in google. It's only been on the market for a week

£400k

I presume in the SE?

We lived in a 60s house with tiled hangings for 27 years and never had any problems. Compared to many built nowadays they were better built, ours had brick internal walls, parquet floors, a gernerous hall and large rooms.

Personally I'd want to change the front door and windows for something more stylish.

@Nobettername

It's just outside London near the M25 in hertfordshire. I was hoping prices would be cheaper too but because it's 30 mins commute into London I guess that's why

@JT05

Yes that's a great idea, I was thinking wooden doors would look nicer

Well I'm very relieved with all the positive replies :)

There is so much you can do with an exterior! Agree windows and doors and render/cedar cladding or both. These are good examples:

Hi OP,
Structural engineer here. The basics of any cavity wall construction is to have an inner skin (normally breeze block) which generally supports the floors as well as provides thermal mass to help regulate the internal temperature. Then you have a layer of insulation (unless older) before an air gap (which is incredibly important!). The outer skin is of brick or timber and functions as a rainscreen - walls are not 'waterproof' but the outer layer gets wet, water then can't get across the cavity and instead, either evaporates back out or gradually makes it's way to the bottom where the damp proof course ensures it runs out rather than in.

Although we're used to seeing brick, timber is incredibly common in some parts of the UK and Europe and is actually being used a lot more due to the environmental benefits. Whilst it's now unlikely to be the tiled form of the house you're looking at, arguably the lapped tiles are the most robust way of doing it. As long as the air can still flow behind and it's adequately maintained, you shouldn''t get any problems. If you do (and no construction is foolproof anyway), it should be reasonably straightforward to fix, unlike the equivalent in brick.

Another reassuring part is that, to my knowledge, mortgage lenders still class this as 'standard' construction and have no qualms about lending against it. That speaks for itself.

Now, if it's that you just don't like the look of it (and I'm personally not keen) then that's a different matter. But, maintained properly, it shouldn't give you any problems. As pps have said, you can have it reclad in a more modern finish if you really hate it.

Ah, I see re. the streetview image.

I think it looks great. I'm another one who spent part of my childhood in a 60s house and it had the most gorgeous parquet block flooring throughout the downstairs.