Honest opinion about this grade II listed, and what questions to ask

[Disneyblueeyes]

This house came up today and we absolutely love it. It ticks so many boxes for us.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133337237

However are we mad to even consider it as it's grade II listed? We can afford it, and also new carpets and a new kitchen (which it desperately needs). Am a bit concerned at the size of the kitchen and probably wouldn't be able to knock through, but could work around it as house is big enough otherwise and there's plenty of other rooms for socialising.
Currently have an open plan kitchen/snug which we designed ourselves so it's a far cry from that.

No urge to extend or change the exterior in any way. It's stunning as it is.
Main concerns are the windows (I don't think they're double glazed) and general upkeep/maintenance costs as it's an old house.

Am wondering whether to phone the estate agents ...what sorts of questions to ask with a house like this?

Thanks.

I have no experience of listed, but that one looks gorgeous, and looks well maintained. I would just want to know if the electrics and plumbing had been redone, and to have the roof checked, if it hasn’t been replaced, depending on how old it is.

Windows are small and so affordable
Everything from 1700 in North Yorkshire is listed (well except 1 we bought which sent the planners into a frenzy!) Apparently someone drove round in the 1960s finding them all

I have owned 2 and never had any issues with either- extended both

To add- as its a pretty typical house for the area then finding builders etc who work in stone isnt an issue

Just read the details to see 17th century. Can’t see an EPC rating for it, so I would definitely want to know how well insulated it is as well, especially if the windows are not double glazed.

Looks like it has been extended a few times already

Wow - I need to move to Yorkshire. That would get you a five bed on a housing estate where we are!

I would ask about any rights of way (I think I can see a side gate to the neighbouring property) or covenants. And ownership/rights of way connected to the woodland they mention.

Looks like it’s been well maintained. Love the outside, hate all of the inside. I don’t know how easy it is to make changes, but the floor plan, with the bedroom wedged behind a bathroom off the main room looks strange. Floor plan would put me off anyway, but as long as you take into account considerable building costs, and you think it’s worth it… I don’t think listed houses are as scary as they first seem

That’s lovely. I would put money on the electrics needing doing though, but this isn’t to do with it being listed. However externally it looks well maintained, I would definitely go and see it, because of how beautiful the garden is 😍

If I were you I’d find the listing and read through its list. Depending on the date of the listing, certain features may have been added later and can be removed / replaced but most things such as skirting boards, doors, architraves etc will need to remain. Windows can be replaced, but will need to be like for like along with the relevant heritage (or original) glass.

@Sundaefraise yea that scares me regarding the electrics!

The inside is indeed hideous. The layout upstairs isn't ideal.
It's the gardens, look, location and garages that attract us the most
(DH is a petrol head)

@Fallulah yep pretty typical price for a house like that up here.
To be honest it's a bit expensive considering the interior. But listed, square footage brings the price up I guess

@snowflakeinastorm it's exempt from EPC rating, probably because it's awful.

It's exempt from an EPC rating because it's listed.

• II

House, formerly village school. Reputedly early C17 with later additions and alterations. Magnesian limestone with cast-tile roof and brick stacks. U-shaped on plan with lobby entry. 2 storeys, 3 first-floor windows. Off- centre entrance a C20 porch with glazed door within. 12-pane casements throughout. Ridge and end stacks. Interior has some chamfered beams.

All listed buildings are EPC exempt. No idea if it’s possible to pay for that to be done yourself pre purchase though? It’s worth enquiring about double glazing though as it’s sometimes allowed/sometimes not. It seems to depend on the the area you are in.

Questions to ask:

How is it heated? Is it on mains water?

There's no EPC because it's listed; it could be a heating money pit.

If the answer is: oil (kerosene), septic tank, come back to me and I will talk to you more.

@KievLoverTwo our current house is oil heated.
Our last house had a septic tank.
Didn't have a problem with either.

The gardens alone are worth it!

The ceiling height in the bedrooms would bother me. But I'm a bit prone to feeling claustrophobic.

@dew141 good point. My DH is over 6ft 😅

Beautiful house. What's going on with those strip lights in the kitchen though?? Bizarre!

The mistake a lot of people make when buying listed buildings is they assume they'll be able to create a more modern open-plan type layout, and will be able to do things like install double glazing. Depending on the building both of those things may be entirely impossible.

Any material change you make to the building will require listed building consent, even if you're removing clearly modern partitions. You wouldn't have much trouble getting that consent, but it's still a process you'd have to go through. Carrying out works without LBC can cause big BIG problems down the line, and could essentially make the property unmortgageable in future.

Re: oil. Depends on the house, I suppose. We moved out of a 1450 sq ft 150 yo rental last year when oil hit £1.30 a litre and was going to cost £1250 a month to heat in winter.

That said, the LL insulated NOTHING.

I don't especially like being at the mercy of violently fluctuating market rates... but, it looks as though we're about to buy an oil heated home.

Shrug.

Countryside living.

All the strip lighting is awful. I have no 8dea how difficult it is to change the lighting in an old listed house. The house itself and the views are stunning.

Grade 2 is a nightmare had to jump through hoops to change a door, also would be looking at flood risk because I know the areas around Tadcaster have flooded quite badly

@3WildOnes it's horrific isn't it? 😂