When will the old Victorian houses start to fall down?

shortcrust

Doozergirl wrote: »

There's barely a house in the country that doesn't have a ridiculous bodge behind the facade.

Ignorance is bliss, though

I thought so too until I read your 7am post!:eek:

Peter_Williams

Doozergirl wrote: »

No. You've misunderstood my wording. We've taken it back to brick and are piecing the house back together.

It's alright, I actually get paid for this for a living!

I understand now. Thanks.

Yes, I agree about old houses. Best option is often completely strip out and renovate or do nothing.

But financially, if you're going to completely gut and renovate an old house you're looking at a huge investment. So you need to keep that house long-term (ie 40+ years) to make it worth while.

Very unlikely you can recoup your money by selling. No one will pay you for the work you've done because:
1. They won't trust the work (ie what is hidden?)
2. They would prefer to do it their own way.

edgex

Peter_Williams wrote: »

I understand now. Thanks.

Yes, I agree about old houses. Best option is often completely strip out and renovate or do nothing.

But financially, if you're going to completely gut and renovate an old house you're looking at a huge investment. So you need to keep that house long-term (ie 40+ years) to make it worth while.

Very unlikely you can recoup your money by selling. No one will pay you for the work you've done because:
1. They won't trust the work (ie what is hidden?)
2. They would prefer to do it their own way.

Developers do it all the time, & obviously make money.
As long as your costs are less than your sales price, you make a profit.


Why would someone not trust new work, but trust old work?
What about replacing joists, new plastering etc would they do their own way?

Electrical - test certificate
Gas - test certificate
New windows - FENSA
Insulation - install note or invoice
Other works - building control (if required)

EPC & surveyors report

Peter_Williams

edgex wrote: »

Developers do it all the time, & obviously make money.
As long as your costs are less than your sales price, you make a profit.

Why would someone not trust new work, but trust old work?
What about replacing joists, new plastering etc would they do their own way?

EPC & surveyors report

Yes, sorry I was referring to Joe Public who works in a supermarket, but has seen it on TV.
Not professional developers / builders who make it their full time (and more!) profession.

lincroft1710

Doozergirl wrote: »

There's barely a house in the country that doesn't have a ridiculous bodge behind the facade.

Soooooo true!!!

Our 1960s semi had had an extension built in the 1970s. Whoever did the electrics for part of it thought that it was good idea to save a bit on the wiring by running it diagonally in the wall!

lincroft1710

Quality of materials and workmanship will determine length of life and most of the worst examples of Victorian jerry-building have long since gone. But that does not mean that those that remain are problem free. As the youngest Victorian houses will be about 120 yrs old, problems must be expected.

need_an_answer

Just wondering where the OP's logic sits with a Victorian factory or warehouse conversion that's developed and then sold on as new....

These are quite popular round by me and make wonderful spacious and high ceiling properties....and in most cases come with a developers guarantee.

Hopefully the one I bought a few years back will still be standing after the 10 years.

Sea_Shell

Will Victorian houses ever gain Grade 2 Listed status en masse, if they survive long enough.

How old would they need to be and would it only be if they became rare and needed protection??

need_an_answer

Sea_Shell wrote: »

Will Victorian houses ever gain Grade 2 Listed status en masse, if they survive long enough.

How old would they need to be and would it only be if they became rare and needed protection??

Slightly wide of the topic,but I'm sure I read recently that some of the small pre fabs that went up in the 30's and 40's and were only supposed to last a few years as temp accommodation were now being if not listed certainly protected.

CarbonImage

My parents' semi-detached house was built in 1872 and they have maintained it at great expense over the past 35+ years they have lived there.

They are now considering selling up, as the adjoining house has been a rental for the last 20 years, churning tenants and having no work done to it whatsoever, and they are now having damp come through the party walls and ruining plaster, paint, wallpaper, everything. They have had to redo the walls yearly for the past 5 or so years in the adjoining rooms, but can't solve the issue as it's caused from the other side..

As most have said, if houses are maintained, they will last. If they aren't they very quickly won't, and could drag others down with them.