Tapestry Rails

[staceym]

I own a Victorian Townhouse which is about to be converted into smaller units. In the process the original features are being removed and I am selling them - there are 2 reasons for this 1) to fund the work and 2) because I couldn't stand to see them damaged or skipped and want them to end up in a renovated Victorian home. Anyway to this extent, I need advice on the best place to sell some of the features - for example - the tapestry rails. I can't find anywhere else that sells these and so I have no idea how much they are worth and where to advertise them. I thought about taking them to a salvage yard, but I am worried they will be looked over or that someone won't realise what they are. Ebay doesn't really cater for this market...........any suggestions would be very welcome.
Thanks in advance

 

[JoceAndChris]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

I don't really know where to begin with this, except by pointing out that this is predominantly a conservation forum, most of us would give our eye teeth for period features left in our properties to tell their story, and most of us have cursed previous owners, in varying degrees, for thinking it's a good idea to rip them out. But if you'd like to destroy some history in order for someone to create some fake history somewhere else, and devalue your property into the bargain then carry on.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Joce - that was very restrained; right behind you. I fear where this thread is headed!

Stacey - Welcome to the forum. Can I ask why it is necessary to remove all the original fabric from your building? If you must make alterations,then I would urge you to pay due regard to the history of the building you are the current custodian of. I am sure with some thought and sensitivity you could retain the fabric and make alterations.

Joce is dead right - there are so so so many thoughtless "conversions" to old buildings from developers after a quick buck, who have no idea of the value of what they own. Once a building is ruined, it is lost forever.

Please think again - people on here would be very happy to advise you and try and help you develop a more sympathetic plan.

 

[Tom]

I wondered who'd answer this first. I tried several times but couldn't really decide how to say what I wanted to say! I also wondered whether the OP might be a troll.

FW, the OP said "...there are 2 reasons for this 1) to fund the work...". I suppose, given that, there's no point trying to persuade them to retain the features. It would seem necessary to sell them to achieve their goal.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Jaqy, I also wondered whether Stacey was a troll. If she comes back, I guess we'll know.

However, I really can't imagine that the funds raised from the sale of tapestry rails and other original fabric will cover the costs of the work "convert" the townhouse into "smaller units".

 

[Tom]

Jaqy, I also wondered whether Stacey was a troll. If she comes back, I guess we'll know.

However, I really can't imagine that the funds raised from the sale of tapestry rails and other original fabric will cover the costs of the work "convert" the townhouse into "smaller units".

Mmm, that's what made me wonder :?

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Removing original features is tantamount to vandalism, please think very carefully. Many people are happy to see original features in a conversion, particularly fireplaces and mantelpieces.I trust the building is not listed, but even so there could be a conservation issue.

 

[Pford75]

Stacey - welcome to the forum.

Putting aside issues of conservation, the largest stumbling block I can see is that these period features will in no way come close to funding your conversion. As you have directly identified, salvage yards are not set up for these things...and even if they were, they tend to pay a pittance for the pieces in the first place.

Thinking in economic terms, you are likely to get a better 'return' from these features by leaving them in situ and seeking a higher asking price, rather than ripping out and trying to sell them.

My brother is an estate agent (yes, I know...the shame), but would always value a home with original period features more highly than a modern box. In the current market, I would be keen to make my property as saleable as possible.

Is the proprty listed or in a conservation area?

 

[essexbearhunter]

Not really sure how "commercial" tapestry rails would be - modern examples look rather like curtain poles (unsurprisingly) and a variation on the metal picture rods that you see below cornice level in large rooms. I agree with Pford - the selling advantage of leaving them in-situ (more or less) far outweighs their salvage value.

The main site for ethical recycling of architectural salvage is Salvo.co.uk . This has entries from private individuals as well as salvage/demolition firms. However, as you scroll down the FOR SALE section, you should look at the dates - some items linger for years if the price is too ambitious.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Hmmm.... I suspect Staceym was a troll after all, and we were the three billy goats gruff trotting across the bridge.

S/he has not visited the site since 2 hours after posting this on Monday...

Maybe it's that American company getting their own back for all that spam we signed them up to! :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

Isn't a 'visit' only logged when a user actually logs in, rather than merely reading the pages?

I suspect it was a genuine enquiry but it soon became apparent that this was the wrong forum to ask. :lol:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I guess you're right FF. I have this set up to automatically log me in when I visit. Can't be bothered with entering my password whenever I visit websites (except the bank of course).

 

[staceym]

Thanks for your replies. Not really sure what a 'troll' is - sounds incredibly flattering though. My guess is it is someone who winds up other forum members - but anyhow..........

I did wonder how much detail I should go into in my initial post - but decided you wouldn't all want to hear about my life history.

My house is not listed or in a conservation area - its in humberside and I have to sell it. I have had 5 estate agents into my house all have said that they cannot sell a 7 bedroomed house and only 2 agreed to even list it but they would list it at £150,000 which is madness (this is coming from estate agents who will list a shed). A few of them suggested making it into smaller units and then try to sell them. Therefore to split the house, I need to cut the large hallway in half - lifting the original victorian tiles. I need to remove the very large fireplaces, to make the front rooms bigger. There are other features too, like a gaslight on the bannister and the tapestry rails that would not be of interest in a modern flat.

It isn't that I want to destroy the house, I love it and I wouldn't have bought it if I didn't but people's circumstances change and I can't stay in the house any more. The fireplaces are all original (all 7 of them) and there is a pump in the cellar, with all those and the original tiles, plus things like tapestry rails, the pump, etc I am hoping that I can raise enough to cover the first elements of work.

I appreciate what you are saying, but isn't it better I try to ensure they go to good homes, instead of letting my builders rip them out? Anyway, sorry if you felt my post wasn't appropriate and hopefully I will have some joy at a salvage yard.

Thanks
Stacey

 

[Flyfisher]

Have you tried some more specialist estate agents? It sounds like the one's you've spoken to may not be the right sorts for this type of property. Have you thought of advertising privately in period property magazines, Country Life and also on this website?

Basically, I think you need nationwide coverage for this sort of property, to attract the sorts of people looking for a change of lifestyle. Local estate agents may not be best placed to provide such coverage.

As mentioned before, it seems highly unlikely that selling some period artifacts would fund the conversion of such a large property. I also wonder about the financial risk of investing a fair chunk of money to convert a house into flats and then still not be able to sell them. It's very easy for an agent to recommend conversion into flats, but they are not having to take any of the financial risk are they?

 

[citizensmith]

I agree with te above comment and urge you to rethink. Even in troubled times there are people who would jump at the chance of an un-messed with large period house (if they knew it existed). We love ours and everyone thought we were completely mad when we bought it and paid too much (probably true on both counts).
It only takes one buyer to fall for a property. Big ones stay in the same hands for long periods of time and the stock of large homes will only get smaller as population density in the uk and land availabiliy decreases. I sympathise with your dilemma but ssincerely hope you can find another way. In any case, period features only add to the desirability so leave fireplaces as they are.

 

[Moo]

Do you absolutely have to sell it?

Have you considered letting it - either as a whole family house or (a last resort) as a HMO?

 

[Tom]

I can't believe that no one in the whole country wants to buy a 7 bedroomed house. More like they don't think they can sell it fast enough (for them) locally and don't want it sitting on their books!

As already said, if you really need to sell try a specialist agent who can market it properly and attract the right prospective buyers. Good luck....it sounds amazing!

 

[middi]

I have tried quite hard to justify the content in Stacy's post, unfortunately I am also lost for the right words to support a raid on historical features

Middi

 

[staceym]

I have tried quite hard to justify the content in Stacy's post, unfortunately I am also lost for the right words to support a raid on historical features

Middi

OK, do you think this was an easy decision for me? To leave a house that I love and have spent god knows how much money on? All I asked for was help not judgement. If I had unlimited cash, I could keep it, but as it costs me more than my income per month to keep and rent my house where I work it is not feasible. Would you donate your home to history & live on the street? If it gets repossessed it will just get turned into a HMO for DSS or dock workers and the original features will be lost anyway.

Thank you to the rest of you for sensible suggestions, but this really is the last resort and all the other ideas have been looked at (except trying to find a specialist agent, although I can't think of one in the area) The local estate agents will not rent it out because it will get turned into an illegal HMO and to turn it into a legal HMO will cost too much money. I have been offered £5k for each of the marble fireplaces, which makes me believe they are worth a lot more, so I hope that they will be a good starting point.

I always thought the idea of forums was to help people and share your experiences/knowledge not make people feel worse for the hard decisions they have had to make. Since when has it been ok to make judgements about people when you don't know the circumstances?

 

[Tom]

Stacey, do you have any land with your house? Or are you in a rural or semi rural area? There are specialist agents for such properties. Have you tried marketing the house youself? It's not as scary as it sounds and your audience is countrywide. We sold our last house ourselves and I'd never use an agent again! Basically, you do all the marketing and negotiating yourself and just bring in the solicitors for the legal stuff. If you want to use an agent, have you tried Pygott & Crone? They deal with a wide range of 'non-standard' properties.