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. 😊

Bathrooms and kitchens might be fine, but might need consent if they obscure features. Painting parts of the exterior a different colour might need consent. So always always check for anything, with the conservation officer, before you start any work. I have seen so much illegal work carried out, and dealt with so many people in anguish when they can’t sell their houses because they have carried out illegal work, that I always tell the truth about how they should approach living in a listed building.

I actually list buildings for a living, so I will stand on being the expert here, thanks.

Our house was built in the 1700’s and I wouldn’t change it. Sometimes I get fed up of being cold in the winter but the longer we live here the better we get at working out how to stay warm.

Though the only reason we bought it was because we knew the layout would work for us long-term so we weren’t likely to have to butt heads significantly with the conservation officer. We do need a big window replaced because the frame has completely failed and that’s proving to be a nightmare. We’re planning to completely redo the exterior at some point but since that’s stripping off the modern pebble dash added immediately pre-listing I don’t anticipate any particular objections.

Then you should have known better than to post what you did, as it was erroneous, as you’ve just back tracked and accepted. With the use of “well it might if it obscures original features.,

id not want you advising me and listing can mean doing rhe admin.

I think the problem @Gardeningtime is that you are trying to project your experience with one listed building and one local authority onto all listed buildings. Whilst you may have been allowed to do things without LBC, it doesn't follow that it will be the same in every case. What I and @APocketOfGooseFood and others are trying to point out is that advice should always be sought from the local conservation officer/planning authority. I have worked in planning for over 30 years and have seen LBC applications required for a huge range of different things. Every property is unique.

The myth I wanted you to stop peddling is that the interior of Grade II buildings isn’t listed, or interior works don’t need consent. It is simply and factually wrong, but for some reason seems to have great currency.

I 100% agree @APocketOfGooseFood . For some reason it is one of the few areas on MN where the voice of qualified experience is totally ignored. Apparently if you've lived in one LB you know everything there is to know 🙄. One day someone will fall foul of the legislation and have to suffer the consequences due to all the misinformation given here.
Just do yourselves a favour and please speak to your Conservation Officers before doing anything.

I lived in a grade 2 cottage built in 1800. We loved it, it felt very safe and homely, like it’d stood for so long it would look after us well. Loved the sense that it’d done it all before and we were just the last of a long line of families. Had an enormous fireplace and I do love a fire. I adored it, but the location wasn’t brilliant and it didn’t have the outside space we dreamed of so we moved to a sixties money pit that needed renovation. It doesn’t feel as solid although it no doubt is!

I’d go for it if the inside layout works, because that will be nigh on impossible to change. Things like bathrooms, kitchens etc you just get on with.