Dangerous buiding renovation dilemma...

[funnymoney]

Hi all!
My family and I live in a semi-detached property, which is next door to (and adjoining) another property we own. We are just starting the process of having the vacant second property converted into a half extension, half holiday home to let out during the holiday season. We have the plans and planning permission, however need the advice of the experts I know will be reading this.

The problem is that finances are limited, and the second property is in a very bad way and in need of urgent attention before the winter as it may collapse. This would be disastrous as it is attached by bricks and mortar to our home and is right on the street outside where there are pedestrians who could be hurt if it fell.

Is there anywhere which gives grants towards this sort of thing, aand is there anything you guys suggest? We're worried that if we approach the council that they may decline the grant and then order us to bring the building down immediately, which we do not yet have the funds in place to do. Would like to avoid more loans, as we already have 1 mortgage and may be remortgaging to include the renovation of next door.

PS The part that is collapsing is 250 years old, if that helps. Was an old baptist chapel but you wouldn't thinkso looking at it, looks like an old barn.

Help!!
Thankyou in advance...
funnymoney.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Can't advise re finance but will strongly suggest you scaffold and support the house before it kills someone.
Get a structural surveyor out to give you advice on safety and repairs.

 

[middi]

First and foremost, is the property insured?

Secondly, your building must be made safe, if it means using acro-props, planks of wood or a couple of pieces of tin for the roof screwd down.--------so-be-it-----, this will give you breathing time. You can tell the authorities what you are doing they will probably appreciate it.

As to getting a grant ( not an expert on this !) but it depends on a number of criteria if it qualifies and on a private dwelling the owners are usually " means tested", as you have claimed you already own a property, I can't see you qualify for it.

Also a grant is quite a long winded exercise with appropriate work shedules and time limits involved, after you make the initial application it can be up to one year before you can commence work, and usually it must be completed within a year.

In your circumstances you have nothing to loose, apply for it, it may be a good delay tactic and will give you more time to think.

 

[Nemesis]

We would all love someone to pay for the repairs to our buildings, but sadly it's not very probable.

IF the building is listed Grade I or II* you may just be lucky to get some grant aid from EH, but that's very, very unlikely. Your local authority may have in some circumstances a tiny pot of dosh available to help with the repair of listed buildings, but hen's teeth spring to mind.

If the building is dangerous or a blight on the area the local authority however has powers to step in and make you ensure the building is safe...



http://www.ffhb.org.uk/live_html/index.php

 

[Penners]

As Nemesis has said, if the building is listed there is an outside chance that you might get some sort of modest grant. But if it isn't, then frankly I reckon your chances are just about zero.

Even if you are listed, local authorities often don't have any funds available, which means that your grant waits until they do (and it sounds as though waiting is not something you can contemplate). The other problem is the constraints that grants bring. If you do get a grant, be prepared to be required to carry out all kinds of work specified by the local authority.

I got a local authority grant to help me with restoration work on the first listed building I tackled. I would never do it again - the constraints added almost as much to the cost of the entire project as the grant was worth.

In your shoes I would forget grants. You'll just have to bite the bullet and get on with paying ut a builder to make the place safe. I really don't think you have any other option. Sorry.

 

[NT]

> I got a local authority grant to help me with restoration work on the first listed building I tackled. I would never do it again - the constraints added almost as much to the cost of the entire project as the grant was worth.

quite!

For the OP, involvement with the council would be liable to result in a repair order, demolition order, or prosecution.

Doing nothing could result in a jail term.

I'd get suitably qualified advice, explaining that cash is a real problem and you want to know what the options are, as whatever it is you're likely to be doing it yourself.


NT

 

[NT]

Also buildings insurance probably would not cover it if it collapsed, since a condition of most policies is that you keep the building in good repair. Add to that your possible failure to notify them of the situation - and if you did notify I cant imagine them wanting to continue insuring.

If it falls on someone you've got criminal issues to deal with, plus loss of the house, plus structural repairs to your remaining house.

There really is only one sensible solution... get on with it.


NT

 

[funnymoney]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful if not exactly what I wanted to hear :lol:
Will definitely crack on with pullling it down before the bad weather arrives and does it for me. Just off the top of your head, can anyone give a rough idea of the cost of demolition, I know it varies a lot depending on the circumstances, but would like to know of your experiences.

I'd get suitably qualified advice, explaining that cash is a real problem and you want to know what the options are, as whatever it is you're likely to be doing it yourself.

Do you mean a solicitor?

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to a newbie like me,
funnymoney

 

[Nemesis]

Hang on - you have a 250 year old chapel, which is probably a major part of the history of the place where you live, and you are intending to demolish it?/

I think you're on the wrong forum!

 

[middi]

I must admit it does not make sense from any angle you decide to look at it. NO, not demolition.

 

[Gervase]

Do I detect a wind-up here?

 

[Nemesis]

Well in the initial post there was talk of renovation of the property, now it's demolition...

 

[NT]

I'd get suitably qualified advice, explaining that cash is a real problem and you want to know what the options are, as whatever it is you're likely to be doing it yourself.

Do you mean a solicitor?

If you think a solicitor is the best person to advise you how to repair or demolish your building... I'll say no more.

I'm pretty sure this is a windup.


NT

 

[Schoolmarm]

Hi all!
We have the plans and planning permission, however need the advice of the experts I know will be reading this.

they may decline the grant and then order us to bring the building down immediately, which we do not yet have the funds in place to do.
funnymoney.

he told us it was coming down already, sadly.

 

[Nemesis]

But also says we are in the process of having the vacant property converted...

Confused? I certainly am!

 

[Lynn]

Seems if my history is right that would be a very early English Baptist church since the Puritans left England, established Baptist churches in the Netherlands and 1800 is a date for when the church got reestablished in England. So anyway if this is not a troll with 2 posts making people angry, then maybe the Baptists would be interested in keeping it as a landmark of their early church.

 

[Nemesis]

The first Baptist church in England was built in Spitalfields, London - 1612.

The pic isn't it but here's more info.

http://www.eolfhs.org.uk/parish/spitalfields.htm

and

http://www.request.org.uk/main/churches/baptists/more01.htm

 

[Penners]

Will definitely crack on with pullling it down before the bad weather arrives

I thought you were planning to restore the building. A 250-year-old chapel is not just for throwing away.

Anyway, the cost of demolition will be considerable, and that money could fund the start of a full refurbishment programme.

By the way, do you have an expert view that it's about to fall down, or is that just your opinion? If it's stood for 250 years, what makes you think that this winter will be its last? If you can afford to demolish it, then surely you can afford at the very least to make it safe, for future restoration?

 

[funnymoney]

LOL- just seen the replies I've had...
OK, where to begin?
The chapel is made of cob, and is a very simple structure which would have little historical interest. Like I said it simply looks like a barn, and is the size of an average semi-detached house, maybe a few foot longer. The interior is stark, with just 1 large room (as you'd expect from a barn) only seperated by an 'aftermarket' poor quality ceiling/floor seperation between upstairs and downstairs, and a wooden staircase.
The walls are starting to bow out, and the roof is currently supported with props. The wooden timbers which form the roof structure are splitting, and it has none of the features you might expect a chapel to have. Large cracks are starting to appear in the walls, and it is fairly obvious now that it is rapidly deteriorating.
We are trying to decide between taking it down half way and building up from there or complete demolition to the ground.

If you think a solicitor is the best person to advise you how to repair or demolish your building... I'll say no more.

I was fairly sure you didn't mean a solicitor, just trying to prompt you for more of a specific suggestion, sorry!

I'm not a troll, though my other half has been known to liken me to one...

 

[Nemesis]

But it sounds historically very interesting to me...

I gather it's not listed, but have you delved into its history? Have you sought advice on how to repair without such damage?

http://www.spab.org.uk

http://www.hct.org.uk

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-loughwoodmeetinghouse/

That one doesn't look too fancy either... but it's important...

and there is this, which I know well and is very simple...

http://www.thenortheast.com/hexhamquakers/CoanwoodFMH.html[[/