Things to look out for in a period property (100yrs + old)

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 12:10pm #1

Hoping the good people of Accommodation and property will have some suggestions on what to look for while viewing a period (100 + year old) Property.

The property does have central heating and aluminium windows which I believe are double glazed but I'd say they are blown at this stage as they look like early double gazing.

Would it be typical for this type of property to have DPC installed?

If not what are the signs of rising damp etc.

Any other Items to look out for on a first viewing?

If we are interested we will obviously have a survey carried out on the property etc.

Many thanks

****** Items added to thread to watch out for *****

Rising Damp.
Sagging Roof.
Ancient wiring.
Condensation and poor ventilation.
Crap insulation obviously.
Add on without proper planning.
Subsidence.
Dry rot.
Asbestos.
Ancient plumbing.
Radon barrier.
Woodworm.
Bad repairs / cover-ups of problems.
Lead paint.
Water tightness (Flashing, Guttering etc)
Window seals.

Is it listed?
Can you get insurance?
Ground leases and other antique land issues.
Planning permissions for extensions.
Flood plane.
Rear access.

Ghosts x 2..... LOL

Samuel T. Cogley · 01-05-2018 12:28pm

Is it listed?

Can you get insurance?

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 12:29pm

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Is it listed?

Can you get insurance?

Not a listed property, Haven't checked insurance so I'll add that to my list.

Cheers

Wombatman · 01-05-2018 12:36pm

Rising Damp.
Sagging Roof.
Ancient wiring.
Condensation and poor ventilation.
Crap insulation obviously.
Add on without proper planning.
Subsidence.
Dry rot.
Asbestos.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 12:40pm

Wombatman wrote: »

Rising Damp.
Sagging Roof.
Ancient wiring.
Condensation and poor ventilation.
Crap insulation obviously.
Add on without proper planning.
Subsidence.
Dry rot.
Asbestos.

Great stuff, what are the tell tale signs of the red text above?

I think the others would be obvious to me, on the wiring I presume the fuse board would be a good indicator?

The house has been vacant for a while now so I think it should be easier to spot some of the damp signs. How could you check about Add on without proper planning? Would you have to go to the local authority on that?

Thanks

Cuddlesworth · 01-05-2018 1:38pm

ElKavo wrote: »

Great stuff, what are the tell tale signs of the red text above?

I think the others would be obvious to me, on the wiring I presume the fuse board would be a good indicator?

The house has been vacant for a while now so I think it should be easier to spot some of the damp signs. How could you check about Add on without proper planning? Would you have to go to the local authority on that?

Thanks

How long has it been vacant?
How old is it exactly?
What category is it listed under?

To be honest, listed buildings are usually money pits. They usually cost more to renovate then just knocking and building new.

jlm29 · 01-05-2018 2:14pm

If it’s not listed, that helps a lot.
If it was built pre - indoor plumbing, it may have also had a septic tank put in - this may have been planning exempt when it happened, or it may not. If a bathroom/kitchen or anything was built on with the advent of indoor plumbing, you might be lucky and find that these things were pre- 1964 (ish) and therefore planning exempt. Or else that they were small enough to not have needed them. Outbuildings etc might also have needed planning.
I’m sure you can go back through council records to find out, though it’s probably quickest to get an engineer.
The people selling the house might have some of this information for you!

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 2:40pm

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

How long has it been vacant?
How old is it exactly?
What category is it listed under?

To be honest, listed buildings are usually money pits. They usually cost more to renovate then just knocking and building new.

I have been told 100 years so early 1900's

I believe it has been vacant for about 1.5 yrs.

It is not a listed building.

Indeed, I do not want to go down the route of buying a money pit but I have no problem in renovating etc.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 2:44pm

jlm29 wrote: »

If it’s not listed, that helps a lot.
If it was built pre - indoor plumbing, it may have also had a septic tank put in - this may have been planning exempt when it happened, or it may not. If a bathroom/kitchen or anything was built on with the advent of indoor plumbing, you might be lucky and find that these things were pre- 1964 (ish) and therefore planning exempt. Or else that they were small enough to not have needed them. Outbuildings etc might also have needed planning.
I’m sure you can go back through council records to find out, though it’s probably quickest to get an engineer.
The people selling the house might have some of this information for you!

Not listed so we are good there, as I say there is aluminium windows / double glazed units. I'll add the septic tank to the list of things to check but it is in a built up area with houses around it so it could be now connected to mains? something to check on. There is a kitchen extension and a bathroom that are extensions off different levels so I will have to check for the planning on them.

I would have the house fully checked my an engineer before purchase but just want to get an idea of items that I should be aware of before I even go down the offer route.

Thanks

GreeBo · 01-05-2018 2:46pm

Ancient plumbing.

Since you are likely going to be gutting it anyway, I would do all the structural renovating (inc wiring and plumbing) now.

You dont want to find that some ancient clay pipe has cracked under your new polished concrete floor...

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 2:55pm

GreeBo wrote: »

Ancient plumbing.

Since you are likely going to be gutting it anyway, I would do all the structural renovating (inc wiring and plumbing) now.

You dont want to find that some ancient clay pipe has cracked under your new polished concrete floor...

Great stuff, keep em coming.

From what I can tell all the "water" is to the rear of the property and has all been fed in through the rear wall above ground. I am only working off pictures and my thought of what it is until I actually get onsite.

Thanks

jlm29 · 01-05-2018 3:00pm

Do you have any idea of the history of the owners? As in, if it’s been bought or sold (or mortgaged) in the last while, someone else would have had to apply for retention on extensions etc, so that might be less of a worry. Although in times gone by, banks weren’t as fussy.

Seth Brundle · 01-05-2018 3:02pm

Depending on where it is there may be issues with ground leases and other antique land issues

the_syco · 01-05-2018 3:04pm

Someone else will probably have the correct term, but how thick is the floor, and is there a vapor barrier underneath it? Also, is there any signs that flooding has occurred?

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 3:14pm

jlm29 wrote: »

Do you have any idea of the history of the owners? As in, if it’s been bought or sold (or mortgaged) in the last while, someone else would have had to apply for retention on extensions etc, so that might be less of a worry. Although in times gone by, banks weren’t as fussy.

Not as yet, I want to have a good chat with the agent and I hope that he has some more information or can get from the vendor. So these are good questions to ask.

Thanks

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 3:16pm

the_syco wrote: »

Someone else will probably have the correct term, but how thick is the floor, and is there a vapor barrier underneath it? Also, is there any signs that flooding has occurred?

I can ask about the barrier, it is not in a flood plane so I doubt it was flooded or likely to flood bar burst pipes. It is up a hill probably 100m above sea level so I just cant see flooding.

Thanks

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 3:17pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Depending on where it is there may be issues with ground leases and other antique land issues

I had thought of that, I know my parents home is on a 100 yr lease hold. I will have to check this too. I cant tell as yet if it is freehold or leasehold.

Thanks

Seth Brundle · 01-05-2018 3:21pm

In many old areas (such as Clontarf where I grew up), access can prove to be a major issue. A lane behind a house didn’t automatically entitle the house buyer to rear access or vehicular access as the lane may be owned by another set of houses.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 3:24pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

In many old areas (such as Clontarf where I grew up), access can prove to be a major issue. A lane behind a house didn’t automatically entitle the house buyer to rear access or vehicular access as the lane may be owned by another set of houses.

No access to the rear, only front access so no issue there. But something to check on rights of way etc.

Thanks

Roadtoad · 01-05-2018 3:30pm

Ghosts.

€100 to the C of I rector and same to the RC PP should fix that nicely.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 3:40pm

Roadtoad wrote: »

Ghosts.

€100 to the C of I rector and same to the RC PP should fix that nicely.

Maybe I should burn some sage too?

:pac::pac::pac:

Cuddlesworth · 01-05-2018 3:50pm

the_syco wrote: »

Someone else will probably have the correct term, but how thick is the floor, and is there a vapor barrier underneath it? Also, is there any signs that flooding has occurred?

Radon barrier and not a chance. Its not that big of a issue.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 3:59pm

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Radon barrier and not a chance. Its not that big of a issue.

What can be done if none in place?... not that there will be at that age.

Cuddlesworth · 01-05-2018 4:06pm

ElKavo wrote: »

What can be done if none in place?... not that there will be at that age.

You rip out the concrete flooring and put a barrier and new floor down.

Honestly its all just guessing here. If its properly over 100 years old and has never really been properly refurbished, your looking at a serious amount of money for a gut and refit. If the extensions were badly done and lots of them were, its a complete knock and redo. And all of that depends on what you want to end up with and how much you are willing to spend.

steinbock123 · 01-05-2018 4:09pm

I bought a 200 year old cottage in 1982, my first house. I lived in it for 20 years. For all of that time, from the day I bought it until the day I sold it, it was like painting the Forth Bridge. No sooner had you fixed one problem, then something else needed attention / fixing/ renewing / painting / fettling. Damp, wiring, septic tank, boiler, roof, the list was endless. But I was young and foolish. Only way I'd do it now would be if I had a good builder and loads of cash. Get him in day one, and sort everything properly before moving in at all. Otherwise you'll be chasing your tail with it and never get it finished properly.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 4:17pm

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

You rip out the concrete flooring and put a barrier and new floor down.

Honestly its all just guessing here. If its properly over 100 years old and has never really been properly refurbished, your looking at a serious amount of money for a gut and refit. If the extensions were badly done and lots of them were, its a complete knock and redo. And all of that depends on what you want to end up with and how much you are willing to spend.

From what I can tell it was refurbed, it was divided by floor as best I can tell too. So you had a kitchen, living room and bedrooms on every floor.

I want to go into this with completely open eyes and be aware of everything that can and will be wrong. I do not have the funds for a gut and refit. So anything I can spot before I get engineer / surveyor involved the better. If I can spot something that is a big expense out of the gate I will just walk away.

ElKavo · 01-05-2018 4:20pm

steinbock123 wrote: »

I bought a 200 year old cottage in 1982, my first house. I lived in it for 20 years. For all of that time, from the day I bought it until the day I sold it, it was like painting the Forth Bridge. No sooner had you fixed one problem, then something else needed attention / fixing/ renewing / painting / fettling. Damp, wiring, septic tank, boiler, roof, the list was endless. But I was young and foolish. Only way I'd do it now would be if I had a good builder and loads of cash. Get him in day one, and sort everything properly before moving in at all. Otherwise you'll be chasing your tail with it and never get it finished properly.

This is not what I want at all. As I say I don't mind doing cosmetic stuff, even removing stud partitions etc but I am don't what to spend my life pouring cash into a hole in the ground.

On the plus side the basement can be let as a 2 bed rental without effecting the rest of the property. This will achieve approx 1000- 1200 on rent a room as there is internal door to it from the main house, Just have to keep it under 14k.

Gerry T · 01-05-2018 4:45pm

Woodworm in attic, floors etc. Wall plates [timber that sits on brickwork that the joists sit on] can be rotten. You can check for movement in floorboards in corners of rooms, gentle jump up and down will show any movement.

If it's old wiring, plumbing, central heating will most likely need to be done.

Next it's water tight..check windows, roof. Flashing at chimney etc.. Any wet patches on walls, rising damp.

Look for signs of cover-up work, drylining is always a bad sign in old houses, suspect damp coming through the walls. Possible that there is no cavity [just double red brick]