House of Non Standard Construction - what are the best options?

FreeBear

rmbastey said:

From what I understand the house is pre cast concrete sections and was designed to last 10 years originally. I have not managed to find out a name for the type of construction such as Airey. The council apparently have no records of what is in the concrete. It was built mid 1950s and I acquired the house through family so never had to go through the buying process or got a survey done etc. I've been told that the buyers would need to be cash buyers, I used an estate agent who confirmed to me they deal with Non Standard Construction all the time and

If you post a link to the listing (or message me privately), we can hazard a guess as to the most likely name.

A photo from inside the loft showing the party wall (if it is a semi) can often nail it down even further.

gwynlas

Many non standard construction houses were built in the 1940/50s period and are still habitable including some of the prefabs. If yours is situated on an estate it should be fairly obvious whether some have had remedial works completed, look for a brick built skin. Once the work required is signed off the house is mortgageable. Get a full structural survey and quotes from local builders who should have some experience of what is required. 

philipjohn123

When dealing with a house of non-standard construction, consulting a structural engineer or architect is essential. They can provide tailored solutions considering factors like safety, longevity, budget, and local building regulations. Options may include reinforcement, renovation, or partial rebuilding to meet modern standards and ensure the property's stability and value.

annetheman

This is a tricky situation and I really feel for you. My parents bought a house of non-standard construction, it is a concrete house on a famous housing estate (ex-council) and in 2006, they managed eventually to get a specialist lender through a broker. Now, almost 20 years (WOW) later, the entire housing estate is being knocked down and re-developed - so he has been spared the misfortune of trying to sell by a Compulsory Purchase Order.

When they announced the redevelopment, I helped my dad look into sale options. It was impossible. The reasons why are listed below and if you don't have at least 1 of these, consider yourself slightly better off:

• Non-standard construction lenders typically require bigger deposit / lower LTVs, so buyers rare.
• Higher rates.
• Request a lot of detail about building materials, often lost over the decades - reduce valuations by assuming the worst used.
• Leaky roof.
• Concrete slabs leaky and prone to mushrooms.
• On an ex-council estate.

We considered selling his 5-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2-living room, garage, garden, balcony, big kitchen house 8 minutes walk to an Elizabeth Line zone 4 station for £250,000 in London - that is unheard of. But as mentioned the CPO saved the day and he is leaving with significantly more.

Just to give an idea of the kind of low price you'd need to be looking at! 

You have given a normal sale a good go for several months. Just in case, it might be worth keeping it going for a few months more over the spring and into the summer. If still nothing proceedable, I would definitely consider an auction with a reserve price at a level that covers your costs to move on only.

It's really tough, I sympathise a lot. I'm having an issue with a non-standard extension only and it is draining. But it will be resolved, just not in a straightforward way! Good luck.