New Build vs Grade 2 listed?

[OnTheJourneyOnwards]

I'm looking to buy my first home this year. But I'm really not sure what sort of home to buy.

Help please!

I'm in an area where 70% of homes are Grade 2 listed. They are 400 years old, mostly Tudor! And whilst charming with the old beams, I'm worried about what problems may occur with an old property.

The other option is a new build on a newish estate. The developer is Persimmon though, and I've only ever heard bad things.

I don't really want to move out of our little town, so those are my options really at our price range!

What would you do? Any experience of either old houses or new builds appreciated!

Thanks 🙏🏻

Not all new builds are bad. Personally I’d take one over an older house that’s likely to be a money pit.

I’d go for some viewings of both though - that might help you work out where both your head and heart are at.

I would avoid both but in general I would take an old house over a new one... look at it this was that 400 year old houses has stood strong for 400 years in a time when things where built with care and made to last.

New builds are often thrown up haphazzardly by the cheapest bidder to turn big profits. They often have lots of issues and no known 'test of time'. Try watching 'new home quality control' they're job is to sign off on new builds their video of the bodge jobs are quite viral.

My parents house was 300+ year old an no real issues, it wasn't grade listed though because that adds a pain in the ass if you do want to change things (even for logical reasons).

I live in a grade 2 listed house and love it but I think you have to approach it as a privilege, because it comes with all sorts of costs, getting any work done costs more and means faff with consents, and there will be some things you are simply not allowed to do. So given that you don’t sound like someone who’d happily take all that on for the sake of living in a house with history, I’d go for the new build.

It's like comparing apples & pears and without knowing specifics about the houses, any advice can only be general.

An older property (particularly the age you are talking about) will have character but may be high maintenance, awkward spaces, different levels, expensive to heat etc.
A NB (and Permission do not have the best rep) will be better laid out, cheap to heat and pretty much maintenance free for several years.

As I say, probably best to line up some properties to view and then if you feel brave, post the RM links on here for comment.😉

Thanks for this, very helpful. I think some of the houses around here might not necessarily be listed but a large number are. I keep looking at the EPC ratings of each one and they are always very low - D-E, at best!

I didn't know there was all that extra work with consents and so on. That's worth knowing. I'm not afraid of very light renovations - cosmetic stuff - but anything else I'd be clueless! I do love the charm of an old building but I'm trying to think of all the practical stuff of each before I go and see some houses 🏠

I wouldn’t buy a listed building or a really old building , wonky walls , floors and beams are not my thing .

It is impossible for most listed buildings to have a good epc due to how the rating is calculated and limitations on adaptations (such as replacing single for double glazing), but that doesn’t automatically mean they are expensive or uncomfortable. We live in a big, old stone house and it is remarkably stable temp wise all year round, and as long as we make good use of curtains and drought excluders at a couple of leaky doors / windows it is very cozy in winter, and remains blissfully cool in heatwaves.

There is probably a greater likelihood that maintenance will be required over the next decade in an older property, and imperative to have a good survey and pay attention to how well the property has been maintained. But then you see all sorts of disaster stories about new builds with issues, so not sure you ever really get peace of mind.

I also personally find many older properties more liveable than new builds, as typically rooms are bigger and more flexibility to adapt rooms to your needs (vs. the ubiquitous open plan or semi-open plan layouts in a new build). But that’s just personal preference.

I love my listed building but we’ve had to spend a lot of money improving it since the last owner let a few things go to rack and ruin… money we could have spent on holidays or a newer car… but it’s beautiful and will always be beautiful and retain its value. I couldn’t bring myself to buy a new build to be honest…. And round here they are the same price (or more) as the house we bought…. but not as big or as charming. It’s obviously personal preference, but I’d rather put up with the quirks of an old characterful house. You need to
go into it with your eyes open though!

It is worth reading up on what you can and cannot do with a listed building. Normal maintenance doesn’t require consent as long as you replace like for like in terms of materials, nor would replacing an existing bathroom or kitchen typically. If you are thinking of more extensive renovations (additions, knocking down walls) then it becomes vastly more complicated and expensive. I wouldn’t buy a listed building unless I was happy with the layout as it exists.

Don't you need to comply with specific requirements for listed buildings? So any work has to be done with specific materials etc which often cost more & you can't do lots of things?
I know in PILs village, one of the listed cottages had single glazed windows & they were refused consent to change to double.
I'd go for the new build if it was a straight choice. We've been in our new build for 12 years & other than standard maintenance (boiler etc) we've not had to do any major repairs or upgrades.

The listed house. Grade II isn't scary. It will probably be a money pit.

We've had three new builds and only had a problem with one of them which was resolved by the builder at no cost to us. Our last house that we just moved out of was old (much newer than Tudor though) and had loads of issues. Just my experience. We've just bought another old house but are completely renovating it, it's not listed though. What are the other considerations, such as location? I'd be open to either old or new and probably take the one in the best location.

I’d keep looking as I wouldn’t want either, but if I had no other choice I’d take the new build over anything listed.

Don't buy a listed buildings as your first house. I live in one and it is the equivalent of buying a horse as your first pet. There is a lot to learn and it would be an extremely steep learning curve and could end up bankrupting you or even I think possibly a prison sentence if you really screwed it up?

Or alternatively, educate yourself and read up about them, lots, and so some DIY courses at college.
https://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/

We live in a listed Tudor house and it is amazing! The EPC is terrible, but the house still feels really warm - something about beams and plaster just retains heat. Much better than our old house (Victorian) and so much more characterful than a new build.

It depends on so much. We lost out on a grade II listed house last year (ended up moving into a different house on the same street in the end, so no regrets) and the works needed didn't put me off, but it had been owned by the same people for nearly 60 years, definitely needed modernisation regardless of its listed status. The new owners have been getting work done since they moved in back in August, so its listed status hasn't slowed anything down for them.

I vastly prefer older houses though. Room and plot size just can't be beat, but as a first time home owner I do understand the appeal of something new with a warranty.

Maintaining a house will always cost you in time or money or both. It's best to accept that about home ownership and buy a few tools, learn some DIY skills along the way.

I would not recommend anyone buys a grade 2 unless they are affluent, or can afford to conjur up anything between 10 and 50k in an instant for whatever goes wrong next.
A good new build will be a better buy.

Yeah my mams house had nearly 2 foot thick solid stone walls... no brick, cavity, brick, might not be the 'modern standard' but it takes a bloody long time for the heat inside to get out of 2 foot of solid material so it held the heat well.

I know how expensive horses can be... it's why I never had one 😂

So perhaps avoid anything listed. Our town is tiny (practically a village) so we have very minimal choice. The market moves incredibly slowly and houses at our price range don't come up all that often, so it's good to hear opinions first.

I'm coming around to the idea of a new build in terms of (hopefully) less maintenance costs for our first home, then maybe we upgrade to the period Tudor houses later. I do think older houses are prettier, but we don't have funds for renovations...