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is there a builder in the hoose ?
theconrodkid - 1/2/14 at 10:49 AM

In a nutshell,i am moving,i have a shortlist of properties and am torn between the 70,s/newish and Victorian houses,i love the look and feel of Victorian as they seem to be really solid and "proper houses " but are there likley to be any problems due to their age....assuming they will have been rewired and updated over the years.

Smoking Frog - 1/2/14 at 11:35 AM

quote:

but are there likley to be any problems due to their age


Not really. Usually have no wall cavity. Some ground floor rooms may have inferior floors. Traditional roof so easy to convert and gain another room. Problems seem to exist more with poor extensions than the main building.

benchmark51 - 1/2/14 at 12:45 PM

Which ever you buy a good surveyor is essential.
I relied on the building society survey, ended up with
dry rot, wet rot, mongolian nob rot, you name it !!!

I sued and eventually won but it took 4 years. In which time
I could not touch the house as it was evidence.

A lot of worry, inconvenience and expense.
I now wouldn't touch a Victorian house, but not to keen on new builds either.
Something around 1950's, solid and adaptable, with a proper damp course and
a good surveyor is what I'd go for.

cliftyhanger - 1/2/14 at 01:00 PM

50's houses tend not to have a damp proof membrane under concrete floors either.....

Having been involved with a few Victorian houses, many issues are caused by people doing damp proofing with no regard to the house construction. The solid walls need to breathe, so the original lathe and lime based plasters work really well.
Sash windows usually get botched and new quality ones are expensive.

But I like them. Despite most not having any foundations at all....and in Brighton being made of bungaroosh. Unique to this area I hope!

motorcycle_mayhem - 1/2/14 at 01:26 PM

Builder, no, but I've dealt with (and am dealing with) deteriorating overpriced piles of bricks from various eras.

Current is a 1950's built thing, with all the ingredients for a great time; No real footings, no damp course, wooden block flooring in bitumen, lime mortar dropping out. Corroded plumbing, unsafe wiring and just about everything else.

Previous was a self-built 1970's bungalow. Lovely structure. Had to upgrade the really terrible DIY electrics, but all the rest was fantastic.

A 1960's council house (Boot variety), very solid and spacious. Needed general updating, but a good shell. Windy roof, no sarking or anything else used.

A 1990's estate semi. Warm,comfortable, solid little shoebox. No worries, no problems, fantastic.


If it was me, I'd go for the 1970's place. It'll need some work performed upon it, but should have had to comply with some sort of building regulations(!).

theconrodkid - 1/2/14 at 02:13 PM

Thanks for the replies...bit of a split decision still and Benchmark,you have u2u

cb500t - 1/2/14 at 02:52 PM

70's houses are no where near as well insulated and generally constructed as people may think,and problems are now becoming apparent due to the construction techniques used then...( I'm a Building Surveyor with 37+ yrs of trying to get my head around some of the shi&e ! people churned out over the years )

nick205 - 1/2/14 at 06:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cb500t
70's houses are no where near as well insulated and generally constructed as people may think,and problems are now becoming apparent due to the construction techniques used then...( I'm a Building Surveyor with 37+ yrs of trying to get my head around some of the shi&e ! people churned out over the years )


I'd go with that. Our entire estate is mid 70s built. Timber frame with brick and tile exterior. They look OK on the surface, but all are suffering in the same way. Poor roof construction with tiles and felt not overlapped enough laid on weak trusses means roof sag and water ingress. No real insulation either although that's relatively easy to sort in the roof, it's not so easy in the walls.

That said several friends in new build houses 2-4 year old have had all sorts of issues from leaks to cracks and damp.

The house you live in is generally a liability and not an asset.

JoelP - 1/2/14 at 09:53 PM

New builds do seem pretty shocking these days. To be honest, imho if you want a properly built house to modern standards of insulation, you need to do it yourself, or closely oversee the builders.

inkafone - 2/2/14 at 02:56 AM

Check the roof space for sagging beams etc,creaky floors and general build quality. Insulation is the main problem on older properties. Have a chat with any neighbours in similar houses. A good surveyor or builder is a must.

David Jenkins - 2/2/14 at 01:56 PM

When we looked for our current house we decided that we wanted a 'proper' one - no timber framing, solid interior walls (not just plasterboard), but still with cavity walls etc. Ended up with one built around 1967, with concrete block inside, brick outside. Still had a few issues, but nowhere near as many as my neighbour who moved into a house built just a few years ago - that one's already starting to fall apart.

I've had to get cavity wall insulation, double glazing, etc. and our loft could do with extra insulation, but we've been here for almost 30 years now without serious structural issues! (touch wood).

theconrodkid - 2/2/14 at 04:48 PM

thanks for all the replies and info....looks like i will go for one that has already been around for 100 years or so,just need to find a surveyour now