Would You Swap a Newer-Build for a Victorian House

[Luv2chat2U]

Looking for some opinions on a possible house exchange. I’m deliberately not naming the locations because I don’t want to give too much away, and I don’t want the discussion to become about the areas themselves. Neither location is especially desirable, although I’d say my current area is the better of the two.

My current home is a newer-build style house (not brand new). It’s on a close with its own driveway, and there are many things I like about it.

The property I’m considering is a Victorian house on a residential street. I’ve always preferred houses on streets rather than closes or cul-de-sacs, and I’ve always been drawn to period homes because of their character.

If you were in my position, would you stick with the newer-build style house on the close with a driveway, or choose the Victorian house on a residential street? Is simply wanting a change, and preferring a different style of home, a good enough reason to move?

You have to love a Victorian house to live in one, and the love of it has to trump the problems it can cause you. They can be money pits and they require knowledgeable tradesmen and methods for some jobs.

Me? Victorian house all the way, but new builds make me shudder. Each to their own.

if you have a car or more than one in your family I would stay with the house with the drive. Trying to find a parking place becomes very boring very quickly.
I now live in a 10 year old house with parking and yes it’s hot in summer. And previously lived in an old cottage without parking but it was lovely and cool in summer. I really love having my own parking.

I prefer older houses to soulless boxes, but if you go for high end new builds there are some beautiful homes, just not a fan of the average new build.

My Victorian house was beautiful and convenient for shops and station. It had on street parking, high energy bills, freezing cold, mice, high repair bills and I could hear the neighbours talking and their cigarette smoke penetrated the walls. It was in a highly sought after location and looked the epitome of elegance. My new build is cheap to heat, has a drive and I have never heard my neighbour through the wall. It's not a good looking house, but the lack of constant maintenance is so much better. Only you can decide OP if the disadvantages of superficial aesthetics outweigh practically.

What perplexes me about many of the TV programmes where people renovate Victorian and Georgian houses, is that they renovate them to look current, with lanterns, bifold doors, kitchen islands, built in wardrobes, fancy showers etc.
They make a thing of retaining original features, but that’s generally ceiling roses, cornices and fireplaces.

Some older houses are ugly, as are some newer ones. I get fed up of hearing them described as soulless boxes, as though all new builds are a homogeneous group. I don’t want to have to do house maintenance, other than decorating. I don’t want to shiver because there’s little to no insulation. I don’t want dry or wet rot and a roof that needs replacing. I like parking the car on the drive or in the garage, which easily fits a large car.

Maybe it depends what stage of life you’re at too. I like the fact that the bus stop is a five minute walk away if I need it. I’d rather spend money on making my home a pleasant place, than spending it on replacing the roof, windows and trying to keep it warm in winter.

It's a no from me. I hate Victorian houses and would never own another one.

Tricky because I prefer non-through roads like cul de sacs but would definitely prefer a Victorian to a newer build, assuming it still has some of it’s original features.

It depends entirely, surely, on what state the older house is in? Some Victorian houses have been sympathetically restored and updated, others (like this one when we bought it) will need rewiring, replumbing, replastering, and a kitchen extension, because the original kitchen was intended for servants!

Relating to old or new, it depends on the quality of the original build and how well maintained it's been.

Our Victorian house wasn't particularly cold, neither was the Edwardian one before that. My 60s flat oth was an icebox.

Regardless I'd never move to a property without offstreet parking.

Newer house with a drive. I don't like Victorian houses much.

A drive for me trumps everything. So would stay where I was.

Make a list of your needs and do a pro/Con list alongside that.
If for example, ease of parking is importamt to you, that gets a tick in the current (newer) house side, assuming Victorian house has on street parking.
if you want high ceilings a larger windows, it’s a tick on the older house side.
Having lived in both, I loved my old character filled house, but much prefer the running costs of my newer build! I halved my running costs moving from old to new.

Mine is a Victorian terrace. There is a certain beauty about Victorian homes and an old slate roof. I just love them. However the repairs are never ending, zero sound-proofing, attics that are open to the neighbours (well my street has this issue) and abysmal parking. I would love a house with a driveway and some decent sound proofing in the walls.

Period homes with lots of original features are the dream. However I have lived in a 1980’s built house in a cul de sac with a large driveway and garage for the last 27 years while my children were growing up. It was what’s best for them. They could play outside, ride their bikes up and down etc. you wouldn’t have that on a street. Why not move to your period dream house when you retire?

I grew up in a Victorian terraced build house. It is single brick so it gets very cold and noise travels. We could hear a lot from next door neighbours and vice versa. Smells travel a lot too. Parking is a nightmare visiting my dad who still lives there and most people have 2-3 cars per house, we usually park halfway down the road. New builds have better insulation and sound proofing. The windows are massive! All curtains and blinds had to be specially made to measure and cost a fortune! I would never buy a Victorian build.

In a blink of an eye. Victorian properties are so much nicer than new builds in every way and much more desireable.

The only people I know who have bought new builds have done so because they couldn't afford an older property, or needed to ise a shared ownership or help to buy scheme.

Older property for me any day of the week my house detached and built in 1900, the walls are so thick both external and internal it holds the heat. Well it’s cozy warm in the winter and cool in the summer.. I just don’t like New Builds, they don’t have the character of an older House. Mine has many original features and I’ve lived here for 52 years quite happily..

Older every time. I love period houses and IME the build quality is far better (or perhaps it''s just that the ones with better build quality are the ones that survive).

I would only consider a newer house if it was really beautifully designed eg https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/174608144#/?channel=RES_BUY not that I could afford that, so I guess I'll never consider one.

If you have the money to maintain an older property.. pay the higher heating costs in winter, maintenance and repairs etc then the Victorian is always much more pleasant.. however, they are a money pit. They were built 125 years ago and now they need a lot of care and attention. Had 2 , but now live in a modern apartment. Much easier and more cash to spend on other life enhancing experiences

I think it depends on the area. If both feel equally safe then I would definitely go for the Victorian. I hate new-builds with a passion; to me they are soulless. I wish I liked them because I can see they are more practical but I just cant. So I'd go for the Victorian.

Ahh, yes, also depends on the children. Younger ones are more likely to be able to play out in a new build so I would factor that in. That's priceless.

I love Victorian houses but only if I have the money, time and the right to “modernise” them - eg put in proper insulation, timber double glazing etc.

If you are renting or don’t have money to fix up and a Victorian house hasn’t been well maintained or modernised it can be horrible.

Why anyone would move to an area they consider to be worse baffles me, especially if it is a choice!

That aside, love our 1890s house.

The Victorian house or Edwardian will definitely be colder, cost more in maintenance but be honest, it’s probably not a characterless, soulless box exactly the same as every other characterless box on most modern estates

Unless you have a healthy budget for renovation of and energy/ventilation upgrades for a Victorian house, I would stay put.

Most Victorian houses I find are not up to modern day standards of insulation, energy efficiency and air quality. You need to factor in a larger sum of money. But all things being equal, yes I would prefer the Victorian.