New Purchase

[Penners]

Scubtstu - on your general point about things going wrong during work on a listed building, it all depends on what you mean by "wrong".

If you embark upon a project to restore/renovate/repair - call it what you will - a period property, you really need to know what you're letting yourself in for. If you go into it with your eyes open, then things won't go wrong, they'll just do what you expected!

The most important thing to understand is this. Whatever problems you can see on the surface, there's always the risk that you'll find more problems beneath the surface. For example (and this is entirely fictitious, but a typical example) you might set about repairing a rotted door frame. This exposes a dodgy connection to a light switch. Tracing this exposes some old, deteriorated wiring; renewing this brings to light a rotted ceiling joist... and so on.

This description is not meant to terrify you. It's simply meant to underline the general principle that - whatever you budget in time and money for your renovation - you should mentally double it. That way you shouldn't have any nasty shocks when your spending target and time target both overshoot.

But as I said above, if you have no experience of this type of project, I do urge you to get expert advice from a surveyor who has really good experience in period properties of your type. Ask for a full survey of the building, and a list if the main items that need addressing. You can also ask the surveyor to give you a general idea of what the work is going to cost.

Don't go on the say-so of an estate agent.

 

[Mark]

We would like to make it a 3 bedroom dwelling with 2 reception rooms a kitchen, bathroom and possibly an en-suite it currently has 3 rooms plus the extension.

This is probably just my bias, but the use of language implies to me that it would be back on the market at that point.

 

[Penners]

Nothing wrong with that, provided the work is done to a good standard and with sympathy to the building.

 

[Mark]

Quite right, but it does imply that cost control and accurate budgeting are perhaps more important than they are for those intending to keep and live in a property.

And your door frame -> electrics -> joists ? You imply that that isnt always the case. I thought that it was compulsory ? :lol:

 

[Penners]

And your door frame -> electrics -> joists ? You imply that that isnt always the case. I thought that it was compulsory ? :lol:

Well, you may have something there. I thought it was only compulsory in houses that I've owned, but if you're telling me different.... :?

 

[Scubtstu]

The only reason we would do this is to live in the property. We are not that naive to think that the agents have our interests at heart but the information was freely given and as such should be listened to and maybe taken with a pinch of salt.

We would be very foolish not to have a full structural survey carried out that hopefully would highlight the major problems which we think will be many and varied, this in turn will enable us to make an informed decision as to do we want to take on such a project. The CO is unavailable at this time so we are unable to get any info ref access etc.

The building has never been used as a family home, but only as maid's sleeping accomodation for the big house nearby, it was then used commercially hence it has no kitchen or with the exception of a WC no other facilities. Although it looks like a cottage from the outside it only has 3 large rooms.

If we undertake the restoration it would be done sympathetically and in keeping with the building being mindfull that buildings have a tendancy of telling you what they want. We fully apreciate the importance of keeping the building in an as original condition as possible but because of it's past the space does not lend itself to be made into a home without making unecessary additions subject to the relevent consents being obtained.

 

[Nemesis]

The problem is - it may be too much alteration to a small building to do as you wish - possibly you might get permission, but possibly you might not.

And it's a big risk.

 

[NT]

The building has never been used as a family home, but only as maid's sleeping accomodation for the big house nearby, it was then used commercially hence it has no kitchen or with the exception of a WC no other facilities. Although it looks like a cottage from the outside it only has 3 large rooms.

This sounds very risky. There is no guarantee you'd get LBC for the essential work, and it could be condemned at any time. You're either a brave soul or are getting it at a very low price suited to its non-habitable status.


NT

 

[Nemesis]

As it's listed I can't see that it could be 'condemned' really...

There is the added problem of change of use also however, if it's now commercial and not domestic.

It's all possible, but it also all takes time.

And it's not just a matter of sympathetic repair, it's more than that. I certainly wouldn't hand over cash on the chance that you will get permission for a great deal of alteration and addition. I'd be very certain of that before a purchase.

 

[Penners]

The building has never been used as a family home, but only as maid's sleeping accomodation for the big house nearby, it was then used commercially hence it has no kitchen or with the exception of a WC no other facilities.

I wonder whether this might add an extra dimension to your applications for consent. I should have a word with your local authority to see whether consent for change of use is required.

Anyone else got a view on this?

 

[Nemesis]

Yup - think I indicated that above.

A change of use might not be possible. The local authority might consider that domestic use would have far too great an impact on the building and prefer simple commercial - office or workshop or such - which would only require fairly minimal changes.