1930s semi upkeep and larger maintenance costs on single income

[redmapleleaves1]

My offer on a 1930s semi in an exposed area by the sea has been accepted. The survey came back at the weekend and I've started to get queasy about possible larger maintenance costs. Networking with someone else on the road they described how everyone at their end had needed to replace the roof and falling chimneys. I'm on a single income and much as I love the house wonder whether, instead of a quiet wind down to retirement and maybe some holidays, I'll be working another 10 years to pay for new roofs, penetrating damp and replacement of failed wall ties a bit like taking on a puppy as my teenagers leave home.

Really grateful for the experiences of others on any of this.>

If you replaced failed wall ties in the cavity wall, how big a job was this, and roughly how much was it?

I've read they don't recommend filling the cavity wall as in rainy areas the damp can then bridge the insulation and penetrate further. But does that mean its pretty cold and/or what are your energy costs in a 1930s semi without insulation?

Have you taken on an older house towards retirement, with some coddling and maintenance needed, and what were your experiences? Thanks all

Why do you mention wall ties?
Is the house exposed brickwork or rendered? Has it been well maintained? Plastic facials and guttering? Recent-ish uPVC windows?
If it has not already been repointed/rendered, or had a new roof, then it’s likely to need some serious maintenance as it’s approaching 100 years old of a very hard life.
You are right to question your decision.

We have a 1920s house. Fortunately it had a new roof shortly before we bought it.
No issues with damp, condensation etc but that's because it's well ventilated (draughty!)
Our biggest issue is high energy bills.lack of cavity wall insulation means it's freezing.
We also need to budget for re-rendering, new gutters & fascia's plus a new front door in the next few years.
It's definitely a money pit!

The only way to get a better understanding of the possible costs and future issues is to have a thorough independent survey done. Do not rely on the lenders skin deep assessment.
You will be able to use this to negotiate on price if there are issues - or better still stop feeling queasy if it's all good. It's money we'll spent and not that expensive in the scheme of the costs involved when buying a house that's nearly a century old.

My 1930 house is actually easier to heat than I thought but it is a mid-terrace so might have something to do with that and so far no damp issues.

But yes I worry about future roof replacement and I am saving every penny for that.

You might want to buy a new built but even then they still come with issues sometimes.

My surveyor was not very thorough (although I had paid for the highest possible survey) so I would recommend instead asking for individual experts (electrician, plumber and roofer) to have a look as well and give you an idea of costs.

So far I have: replaced some of the gutters, fixed the kitchen drain gulley, added a stopcock, fixed one roof tile, leaky toilet cistern and fully rewired.

I did a lot of the decorating work myself: painted the house, the kitchen cabinets and tiles, removed the carpets and restored the wood flooring and stairs.

So yes you might to consider whether the DIY and upkeep is too much.

But I must say that I also bought in a small coastal town which I love and there were very few new built or flats available. 90% of the housing stock is Victorian, cottages and 1930 housing so the choice was limited too. Everything in my price range needed work.

Thanks all, sorry I wasn't clear.
Yes the survey done was independent. It mentioned v wet under roof in timbers and roofing felt - could be because no ventilation, could be vents sort it, could be worse;,
need for independent roof and chimney review (and I'm thinking need to budget for roof);
and damp and timber review given damp in walls, likely down chimney;
it mentioned need to check re urgency of replacement of wall ties as has the cracks which suggest it but needs further assessment to check how urgent.
House has been rendered, has upvc windows, upkeep otherwise looks ok apart from the major bits above.
Am now trying to get roofers to do a roof review - all v booked after the weather we've been having which is also giving me pause for thought...

I've done loads of diy to get my current 1970s house ready for the buyer. Sinking heart about these major projects which I couldn't do myself.

We have retrospective insulation fitted, which I can't recommend highly enough. We have no damp issues and barely need the heating on. With regards to the roof, how long ago was the roof repaired? Perhaps there is a roofing type which is more reliable in an area with specific needs: sea, wind etc

What condition is the house in... refurbished, or in it original condition. This all makes a difference.

Ooh thanks @TheWorldisGoingMad . Do you mean retrospective insulation externally? Or in the cavity? (The in the cavity is what everyone locally is recommending against in these conditions, and several houses in road have had this removed).

Roof is in reasonable repair externally, think the problems are the damp internally and risk of rot.

House is refurbished, in reasonable condition I think. That for me is part of my expectation management, it looks great, but as with every house of this age, of course there are projects, some more urgent than others. thanks.

@redmapleleaves1 “mentioned need to check re urgency of replacement of wall ties as has the cracks which suggest it but needs further assessment to check how urgent.”
Cracks in the render? Could be the house will need rerendering anyway if the wall ties are replaced from the outside. ‘How urgent?’ still means in the next few years while you own the house.
Internal insulation can be done, can/does involve plumbing, electrics, skirting boards and obviously redecorating.
Damp on the inside of the roof could well be just a ventilation issue. You definitely need someone local to check it.
Have the other houses in the street been reroofed?

@OneForTheToad thanks. Yes have roofers and damp/timber people going in for additional comprehensive assessments now.

Yes other houses on the road have reroofed, so I think thats likely to be needed, at least in next few years, even if adding ventilation makes a big difference first.

I love the house and the location, and in main looks like its been well maintained. I hope once I'd done these big jobs, - likely roof, and wall-ties, maybe insulation, it should be fairly stable for a decade or so...

Does anyone regret having taken on a (fairly well maintained, urban) older house? In terms of cash, effort, energy costs and also as single woman coming up to retirement and therefore less income (though savings and will have pension lump sums once it kicks in, if big expenditure needed.

I think this is about the exposed coastal situation more than being about an older house. Roofs don't need replacing on houses all that often. They can easily last 50+ years. However, it might be the wind in this area that's damaging roofs. If it's wind and salty air that are making things on the house deteriorate more quickly, then that'll be the same whether it's an old or a new house.

I've lived in a 1920s house for 17 years - maintenance costs haven't been anything problematic. Solid walls, so the cavity insulation isn't an issue. I've had it repainted once in that time, a bit of minor render repair, had a cage put on a chimney to stop birds getting in, replaced the gutters, replaced the front door (but that was just personal taste). Had UPVC windows as soon as I moved in, never touched them since. I think that's it as far as "maintenance" type things.

Thanks @Tupster really helpful to read your experience, that is the kind of level I'm hoping for. That makes loads of sense about the exposed coastal winds being the key factor, and it helps lots with the decisionmaking, as that is the bit I love. Fingers crossed!

Don't take advice on damp form a company that does damproofing. They frequently recommend very expensive and disruptive things that don't solve the problem, and sometimes even when there isn't one, or their recommendations make things worse if there is. I'd get a specialist damp surveyor. And at the very least, read Heritage House's website first.

Hi OP do you have an update? Buying a similar property and having similar reservations after our very comprehensive survey.

Hi there @EatsShoootsAndLeaves yes I'm several steps further. Still buying the house, but not yet there as my buyer pulled out and had to get another one...

In the process I got a comprehensive roof survey (£250) which identified the problem was just the need for ventilation tiles under the roof (c£2,000). The damp and timber survey said wall ties needed doing, but no idea on urgency, and I'm sceptical about this company. They estimated £2500 + scaffolding for the wallties, plus need to hack away render and redo (?£7K?) - but I will wait and see with a reliable company once I'm in here.

I'm feeling less panicked, thanks in part to comments upthread, and partly by the comments by tradespeople vs the panicky language from the surveyor. I'm thinking I'm always going to need a sizeable amount ready in savings for the roof one day, but it will be worth it for the location/views/house/community. Houses of this period are larger and better located than newer ones often. But I'm also framing it for myself that this might be the house for me for the next 10-15 years, rather than necessarily for a frail retirement, because I can see the location will mean it is more exposed, more likely to need more upkeep.

I got the 1930s House Manual from the library which was a very helpful, calming read if you're new to this period of houses/this kind of DIY. Much recommended. Good luck.