Buying an older house

louloumc89 · 17-02-2014 3:55pm #1

Anybody have any advice for buying an older house? It's built in 1760's. It's mid terraced house.

The whole house appears structurally ok (well outside walls), roof replaced a number of years ago. The house is poorly ventilated with shabby add on kitchen extension. The whole house smells damp too. Creaky floorboards all over. Upstairs appears rickity. It's been unoccupied for 18 months.

All in all, it's a very nice terraced house. Good sized, good city center location, good price. Budget would be split 50/50 on cost of buying it, and the cost of renovating it.

Getting a builder in to quote the work first. But am worried about things like foundation, rising damp, woodworms and stuff like that as its so old. Don't want to buy a house that ends up being money pit.

Anybody had any experience of buying a 1760-1800's terraced house or any advice. Obviously there'll be a full structural engineers report and the builders itemised quote first. But anything else advice wise would be great as it's a first home.

cookie1977 · 17-02-2014 4:05pm

Have you had a survey done?

MouseTail · 17-02-2014 4:09pm

Two things to consider: Is it listed? It can be very difficult to get insurance on a house >100 years old.

louloumc89 · 17-02-2014 4:09pm

cookie1977 wrote: »

Have you had a survey done?

"Obviously there'll be a full structural engineers report and the builders itemised quote first."

Not yet, just looking for things I should be watching out for before going ahead with that. Bank will be doing a survey also.

louloumc89 · 17-02-2014 4:11pm

MouseTail wrote: »

Two things to consider: Is it listed? It can be very difficult to get insurance on a house >100 years old.

It's not a listed building no. It's an older terraced house. Not really particularly special. But falling apart inside. Will it be difficult to get insurance even if the whole things being gutted?

cookie1977 · 17-02-2014 4:24pm

Did you talk to the neighbours?

MouseTail · 17-02-2014 4:27pm

louloumc89 wrote: »

Will it be difficult to get insurance even if the whole things being gutted?

Most insurance companies won't even quote once its over 100 years old. It is possible to get insurance, but you don't have the choice or competitiveness you would with a younger house.
I love Georgian architecture, but you are talking a labour of love here, its only when renovation starts that you can uncover some problems.

louloumc89 · 17-02-2014 4:37pm

cookie1977 wrote: »

Did you talk to the neighbours?

Got talking to some people in the area, the rest of the terraced houses were newer builds, this is one of the oldest houses on the street. I definitely will call to the next door neighbours and find out as much info as possible. It probably is the next logical step! Cheers!

cookie1977 · 17-02-2014 4:39pm

I think that's the best idea. If they're in similar houses they'll be able to tell you alot about there experiences re insurance even about subsidence or flood risks etc...

louloumc89 · 17-02-2014 4:40pm

MouseTail wrote: »

Most insurance companies won't even quote once its over 100 years old. It is possible to get insurance, but you don't have the choice or competitiveness you would with a younger house.
I love Georgian architecture, but you are talking a labour of love here, its only when renovation starts that you can uncover some problems.

I should say it's not a big fine bricked georgian mid terraced house. This was a shop back in the 1760's with a house above it, and the attic later converted. Bricks were just new to the country then. I need furthur investigation but I think it is stone walled as the outerwalls are VERY thick. This worries me somewhat!

MouseTail · 17-02-2014 6:00pm

louloumc89 wrote: »

I should say it's not a big fine bricked georgian mid terraced house. This was a shop back in the 1760's with a house above it, and the attic later converted. Bricks were just new to the country then. I need furthur investigation but I think it is stone walled as the outerwalls are VERY thick. This worries me somewhat!

wouldn't worry me, most houses up to 1900s were stone, and they are still standing, including my own.

sarkozy · 17-02-2014 11:52pm

Ah go on, is there a link? Where is it? You might get better advice (though I understand your reticence). I'm not looking anyway.

People say most insurance companies won't quote if a house is over 100 years old. Nonsense. You may need to go through a broker, and few companies might quote, but all of Georgian Dublin can't be uninsured. If, as it sounds, it's a total teardown and rebuild job, then you'll be able to get site insurance until the building is renovated (or restored?) and up to code. Our house is 104 years old and we got the house insured, though only two companies would quote. It will be easier once it's renovated.

You may have a nice project on your hands but you really need to get a very experienced structural surveyor to do a real going over, you may find the bank's surveyor report may be at odds with yours and you'll have to make your case. I can make one recommendation - PM me if I want.

You say the attic was once converted - you mean it was originally a Dutch billy? I'm very curious to know where this is. PM me if you wish to inform me!

Green farmer · 21-02-2014 1:13pm

I wouldn't be automatically put off by the fact that it smells a bit damp, if it was a good structurally clean house. A lot of houses even modern ones can smell this way if unoccupied for any length of time, and this one was for 18 months. Houses built around this time can often be structurally sound,and were well constructed. They wouldn't have lasted this amount of time if they weren't, and can have more character then newer houses. Get an engineer to check it out along with any builder you might know to give you an expert opinion. A few hundred euro now might save you thousands in the long run.

louloumc89 · 22-02-2014 10:41am

Definitely going to get a surveyor on top of the banks ones. We've put an offer in. It's a good bit under the asking, but it's fair we think. Anways...will keep you updated.

Dutch Billy? No it's not. Just regular roof with skylights put in.

snowey07 · 23-02-2014 9:07pm

My house was built in 1880 and its the brokers who wont quote on houses over 100 years old. You need to go directly to an insurance company, I got mine through the bank.

One thing to look out for is the attic space. there was no hatch into mine and when i put one in I noticed there was no party wall between me and the neighbour (Im end of terrace). It cost 1k to get the wall put in.

Also , be careful with your surveyor. I used the same one who did the banks valuation and he was brutal. He listed things as ok ( flat roof and gutters) and they both had to replaced a month after buying. If I was doing it again I would defintly only use one who was recommended.

MouseTail · 23-02-2014 9:14pm

Looks like there are a few old house affectionados on here. I think once you own one, its hard to go back to a new one. The character, the quirkiness, the history and the sheer quality of the build is hard to beat. Let us know how you get on OP, fingers crossed for you.

ballyharpat · 24-02-2014 12:03pm

I have a house that was built in the 1890's, I am in the process of purchasing another one-they are virtually bombproof. I have no problem getting insurance, but that is because the wiring and the plumbing has been updated. I feel there's a great enercy and homeliness in older houses that you cannot recreate in new ones no matter how hard you try....

Buying an older house

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