Tell me the worst bits - and best bits! - of living in an 18th century grade II listed house.

[MovingToPlan]

I know houses this old can be quirky, interesting, money pits. I'm really keen to understand the daily life experience of owning a house like this. Have you managed to update the interior (new kitchen or bath?)

We've viewed a house like this recently and I'm thinking of making an offer. 😊

Whilst they often look lovely, I imagine they are a pain in the arse. Someone I know put me right off. Have to have specially qualifies trades people often to adhere to rules along with limits on what you can and cannot do.

Hopefully someone comes along with a better experience soon.

We have one from C16th and love it. Have just redone kitchen and got a joiner in to do it. The kitchen doesn't require any special permission as just replacing like for like. Bathrooms are same.

I’ve worked as an interior designer on properties like this, and while it’s a great chance to get creative & do period looks… I’d say dusty, musty “oldness” is quite expensive to update.

Grade II generally means you need permission for anything on the outside, Grade I (much rarer) is permission for anything on the outside or inside.

There is a house in my neighbourhood built in 18th century that was listed in the 1980s after it had white UVPC double glazing fitted in the 1970s.

The owner wanted to change this to more traditional double glaze sash windows but was told that the 1970s double glaze windows are now part of the listing.

my dd and son-in-law's home was built in 1832. grade 2 listed in a small conservation zone.
he's a professional architect, he was able to fully modernize the home including two extensions BUT the first application for pp was denied and it took a specialist architect/famous historian to get the pp approved.
some of the items they insisted be kept in place the first time around were nonsense (one section of the banister, the size of the gate) and single pane windows (he however had secondary windows fitted on the inside of some windows) and he widened the gate anyway as it was too narrow to fit a standard vehicle.
all in all it's a nice big solid home.
about a week after they moved in a woman in her 70's knocked on the door, said she had lived in the home 60+ years ago and asked to see the home. i gave her a tour, and in return she forwarded some of her personal photo's of the home.
there are a couple issues that i think could have been better dealt with (property drainage and the washer and dryer installation (but the w/d installation is a very minor detail). property drainage not so easy.
he shared the cost of the project, it was a full interior gut and rebuild if i remember well it was nearly the same cost as the home.

i bought a grade 2 listed stone cottage with beams, original slate floors, secondary glazing built in 1840 and i love it.
there’s small issues with mould from humidity/condensation but the character, location (snowdonia) just over rides it.
i love the solidness, can’t hear what’s going on in the next room, so can’t hear people snoring 😂but can’t hear if someone is knocking on the back door.
its not for everyone, but to me any other house is very boring.

None of this is putting me off, so that's telling me something!

Our house is very early c17.

Downsides are it’s drafty and the ceilings are very low and there are low tie beams running across some bedrooms.

We absolutely love our house though. We have a modern and spacious kitchen in the slightly less old part of it.

Internal works on a Grade 2 property often need Listed Building Consent so don't just assume you can do what you want. Always discuss your ideas with the Conservation Officer at the Council to see if an application will be required before doing anything.
As no two Listed Buildings are the same, it is difficult to say with certainty what will require consent. There are hefty fines for unauthorised works.
That being said, it is possible to do most things if you are willing to compromise. Unfortunately that normally means spending money - specific historic materials and materials can be costly.

grade II shouldn’t be too arduous but I think you’ve got to take pleasure in owning something old, unique and architecturally important. You’ve got to want to preserve and restore it otherwise everything will seem like a pain in the arse.

I live in one. Some info here is wrong. You can change things like kitchen, bathroom, interior decor, upgrade heating etc, with no permission, unless it’s original which is very rare indeed. You don’t need specialist trades folks.

What you need permission for is if you wish to make structural changes ie extend or knock down walls, replace windows etc etc. you also need permission if you’re going to build anything or replace in th4 grounds,

the only downside I find is hard to heat due to old windows, but you find ways to manage it ie thermal blinds, log burners etc.

upside is usually very unique and often beautiful . If we moved, I’d look for another one,.

Only internal works that are structural changes.

Odd comment from someone claiming to be an interior designer, the op hasn’t said it is dusty and musty.and being listed has no correlation to musty and dusty, plenty of old properties are well maintained.

Ive not owned older than victorian but love old houses. I recommend having a traditional AGA that is on all the time in the kitchen (buy a second hand one - new ones are not the same) as this will keep the kitchen warm and may help warm the rest if the house depending on how big the house is.

look up information on maintaining old houses as you dont want to start using cement or modern building materials which can prevent old houses breathing.

dont even think of UPVC windows but ive seen good secondary glazing put in 16th century houses which doesnt show from the outside and is better than ordinary double glazing.

good luck!

It probably needs new carpets, and I'd like to update the bathroom and kitchen, but the windows have been sorted with secondary glazing and it's a very solid, homely house.

I've been convinced by this thread, so thanks all! Need to speak to the EA and go from there.

My dps lovely aunt lives in a 500 year,grade 2 farmhouse-it's gorgeous but does have issues with damp,mice and the amount of money to keep it going

She says the worst bit is the dust-it never feels clean no matter how much she wipes,mops or polishes

I've told her I'll wipe up every speck of dust,all day,everyday if she allows me move into her (bloody massive) fireplace

Oddly,she laughed but I think you really have to be a certain type of person to be able to live in one (id love to-i live in a 1950's house but love the history of older buildings)

Kitchen, bathroom, carpets are no bother.

The costs come in heating (extortionate!) and any work requiring period materials eg roof, plastering.

Plus even general stuff like fitting cupboards may be more expensive as these houses don't have straight walls or floors so everything is more work.

I love period properties and - fingers crossed - am midway through buying a grade 2 Georgian house. I love the fact that renovating feels like maintaining a thing of beauty although it’s definitely a labour of love (and more costly!).

Mine has a basement that is half habitable but will need plastering - researching at the moment as I’ll need to do lime plastering and it will no doubt be more expensive. Have a look at SPAB - I say go for it!

Your old house UK - Repair and conservation is a great resource on Facebook.

We have a Grade 2 listed house built in the 1700s.

Upsides:
it's stood here for 300+ years so feels safe, even in a storm
it's beautiful, with flagstones, servants bells and other period features
there are solid, thick walls, you can't hear anyone downstairs if you're upstairs
it has huge rooms and high ceilings

Downsides
it's expensive to heat, old windows, draughty
buildings insurance is £200+ a month
we can't change anything structurally but luckily don't want to

I live in a very boring 1980s house - surely some of the upside of period houses is the level of Christmas poncetasticness you can do? It always looks a bit sarcastic in mine 😂

Big Georgian townhouse. My parents have similar only theirs is 2* listed while mine is plain grade 2.

Best thing: I enjoy the lovely architecture every single day
Worst thing: the fuel bills due to thin walls, big single glazed windows, big rooms with high ceilings.

It is lovely and cool in a heat wave though!

Dh does more of the organisation of works than I do and he would probably say the worst thing is that it is a bottomless pit of works that need doing. We have never had trouble getting tradesmen and they tend to be lovely and interesting ones who like doing old buildings so you end up friends because of the shared interest. You have to be up for learning about it because until you have built up your collection of tradesmen you trust you have to be capable of fending off bad advice. SPAB is very helpful.

Ours is only 1912 and not listed - but cellars are a fucking pain in the arse (ours flooded during Storm Babet and the water level's only just gone now) That's my input. Oh yeah and the costs of decorating with huge high ceilings so beanpole DH refuses to do them because he can't just wander around like a smug tall git not needing a ladder like he used to do in our old house, and curtains to cover the huge windows are horrendously pricey.

It's a beautiful house though, makes me smile seeing all the different exterior details of the houses on our road which are all totally individual in design even though they were mainly built around the same period in time, and the light and space is fab, plus having a proper hallway is amazing after the tight squeeze we had before we moved here.

Mum lives in a converted 18th century coaching inn (again not listed) and the only issues she's had with the house are the 1960s flat roof extension!

I think you are right but you have to be committed.
I have columns either side of my front door and my first year I thought it would look nice with tinsel wound round but my feeble skinny tinsel just looked pathetic and I would have had to spend so much to get enough to look appropriately sumptuous I couldn’t justify the money 😂

Pro: it is cool even in crazy hot summers,
Con: expensive to heat and often cold.