Purchasing an old house - any issues to consider?

[Bigchanges2022]

We’ve had an offer accepted for a property built in 1905. It is fairly modern inside and double glazed etc. Obviously we will have a full survey carried out but I just wondered what issues others have experienced when buying/living in a very old house?

We have not yet seen the EPC certificate, I am chasing the solicitor about that. We’re first time buyers so feel a bit clueless at the moment!

Is it a terrace?

Boiler, plumbing, electrics, roof, state of walls etc. if you’re buying off someone elderly expect lots of jolly surprises!

You'll hear lots of horror stories but remember this: it's been around a lot longer than you have and is still standing.

Inevitably there will be issues but don't let them put you off a period home without just working out how bad they actually are.

I love period houses and part of their charm is that they're not perfect. Usually they're as solid as a rock and built with far greater craftsmanship and materials than modern houses.

Don't expect any walls, ceilings or floors to be at right angles to any others.
😄

Yep - no right angles. Nothing will be straight. No job will ever go right first time, and someone will always have bodged it before you. Everything will take at least twice as long - even just putting up a curtain pole or picture hook. But it'll be solid.

Definitely worth getting a survey but do expect there to be some issues.

Also no straight walls, right angles are a given. Additionally other people will have bodged stuff before you so you could be facing odd things like wiring circuits linked in an strange fashion and funny pipework. It isn't necessarily an issue but, for example, my house is a similar age but had a lot of changes done in the 80's or 90's. Most seem to have been done well but when we had the kitchen redone a couple of years ago the builder took the ceiling down to find another ceiling above it (lovely mustard coloured swirly artex) so we had to pay for an extra day's labour to take that down. This revealed some very interesting electrical work that had been done at some previous point.

Don't be put off as old houses are lovely and generally better proportioned than newer ones.

Get it checked out for damp. Also electrics might need upgrading. You can check the EPC yourself go to EPC government register put in postcode and house number. It will tell you.

Yep agree with others! Also not sure it would be an issue with a newer house by my house was built in the 1850s and doesn't have any insulation or damp course. I had to pay to have the damp course injected. In the colder months the heating costs are quite high as it gets reallly cold. It seems to seep out of the walls! It's not a good idea to add too much insulation either as the house can't breathe and then you get damp and mould!

It's all good fun though! I love my house much more than the modern one I lived in before.

We live in a house of a similar age, and we really had to fight to get it, which shows how much we love it! As others have said, you'll probably have things like no right angles, alcoves not being equally sized, ceilings slightly different heights, things regularly dropping off (like door handles) and people consequently getting stuck in rooms, 🤣, but you'll probably still love it!
If you've already got double glazing that's a bonus as one of the big downsides of our house is that it's cold and sometimes draughty.

And here I am thinking 1905 is actually quite modern🤷🏼‍♀️😂….. check your surveyor is well versed in period properties, no point instructing someone who spends the majority of their time doing more modern stuff. An experienced hand will point out what is worth sorting and what is best left.

Yes, they're beautiful but also a money-pit. Be prepared for higher bills (particularly in winter - large rooms / high ceilings etc), check the chimney. If there is a cellar, check it for damp / ask whether its ever flooded. Have the loft / roof checked for leaks.

My current home was built in 1867. Previous was 1905. Apart from the wiring, cracks and wonkiness, its the draughtiness from old wooden sashes/doors. I like it now as I never like to be too hot or hermetically sealed but its not too great on heat waste and the environment. Ensure it is well insulated.

It’s a 3 bed semi.

Thanks all, I hadn’t even thought about the walls not being straight! Lots of things to think about, I do love the period features as it has fireplaces and some parquet flooring. We need to try and find out estimated heating costs etc. The EPC wasn’t available online so I could only look at some of the other ones for the same road.

Just know it will be high bills wise EPC or no EPC! Of course you must see it but don’t expect anything more than a C/D if you are lucky. And its definitely not a point to negotiate on either.

Turn of the century isn’t very old. Much of the UK housing stock is Victorian. Ours is 30 years older and honestly feels very modern to me. It was modernised by the people we bought it from and there have been no issues! I grew up in a C18 house with no central heating. So I’d say it depends how much it has been renovated and modernised.

1903 semi here. Moved in a year ago. The survey was fairly standard, guttering and fascias shot (I replaced them), internal decor shabby (now sorted) , bathroom needed replacing (now done), something about chimney flashings (ignored that so far), and a very old fuse box (replaced and electrics checked). My roof, windows and general structure is sound.

However, I got in a total state pre moving in that my plaster and lathe ceilings would spontaneously collapse, and the whole house would bankrupt me. A total over reaction. I like the quirkiness and you can get away with things not being perfect, unlike a newer house.

It's been totally fine. I love it. You'll love yours too ❤️

What everyone else said. We were very happy in our 1916 home for a very long time. Our roof probably caused us the most issues, various leaks etc and tbh it probably needed to be properly and fully replaced rather than a series of patchups.

EPCs themselves are almost a waste of time really but the main issue you’ll want to consider is energy efficiency and (lack of)insulation. Our old house wad so draughty.

Try to find out who did the work to modernise the house. Ours was done by the roofer who owned it before us. We’ve had a leak from his shit plumbing every year since we bought it. And the irony is that he didn’t even do any work on the roof.

Ours in 1905 too, but has not been well cared for, one lady for 50 years, then 13 years of luvvies = 63 years with not much maintenance. It is a money pit and always cold but you adapt. The bonus with ours is all the rooms are as they were when they were built which is unusual.