Anyone here owned a house that was listed - what kind of issues to expect?

[andrewsmith]

Tim unless your a Building Surveyor or a very good friends with one, walk away.

They are a right pain in the a***.
The rule of thumb, everything requires planning permission (with the exceptions for some emergency work to save a feature or stop damage progressing).
Even redecoration!

Tim speak to the conservation office in the council where the property is, they will be able to assist and give you the merits of the listing

Thanks for all the advice above, I'm off for a look, but with my eyes wide open and a builder mate.

Originally Posted by johnnyrod

It can be a minefield, and you do need deep pockets.

+1. Got a friend who's recently bought a listed building, they're a professional couple with no kids and had already poured loads of dosh into it getting it properly surveyed and whatnot. Now they've bitten the bullet and got it but it needs properly gutting and it's a spiderweb of hurdles that they need to jump over. But once the kitchen's done they're planning on moving in (they'll need to sell a house to keep paying for this one's upkeep)...and living in a mess till it's right. Their first major hurdle was a giant tree that had been there before the house was built, they were told it was protected and couldn't chop it down, despite it being a danger to the house being so close to it. They've taken that risk but if you've got your heart set on something it's very hard to not keep positive and make the best of it.

Good luck Tim!

[johnnyrod]

Got a link to the house, Tim?

Redecoration doens't need planning permission or conservation approval unless there are internal things of significance, or it's the outside and you want to change the colour. Planning permission is broadly needed for the same things as a normal house, but conservation approval for various other things, this might be only a letter from the officer agreeing that such-and-such is a trivial change so the full application isn't required. We've refitted the bathroom, changed the back windows (like for like - were already UPVC, somehow), new boiler inc taking off a chimney pot, all with approval by letter after discussing with the conservation officer. Oddities though were one winodw, and the garage windows, were wooden (softwood) and from the 70s, but we couldn't replace them with UPVC even though the others on the back of the house were. The UPVC ones we did argue about but in the end it was a like for like replacement. Our case was, we would just do nothing, or refit good glass to the frames, so at least let us do it and we both make some progress. Years ago in Donny however you'd be mad to buy a listed place because the officer then was like a short guy from Austria who had his paints taken away from him.

Originally Posted by johnnyrod

Got a link to the house, Tim?

Redecoration doens't need planning permission or conservation approval unless there are internal things of significance, or it's the outside and you want to change the colour. Planning permission is broadly needed for the same things as a normal house, but conservation approval for various other things, this might be only a letter from the officer agreeing that such-and-such is a trivial change so the full application isn't required. We've refitted the bathroom, changed the back windows (like for like - were already UPVC, somehow), new boiler inc taking off a chimney pot, all with approval by letter after discussing with the conservation officer. Oddities though were one winodw, and the garage windows, were wooden (softwood) and from the 70s, but we couldn't replace them with UPVC ,even though the others on the back of the house were. The UPVC ones we did argue about but in the end it was a like for like replacement. Our case was, we would just do nothing, or refit good glass to the frames, so at least let us do it and we both make some progress. Years ago in Donny however you'd be mad to buy a listed place because the officer then was like a short guy from Austria who had his paints taken away from him.

if its old and listed,14/16 century.although it looks victorian with a 70s make over,then in my boses case they wont let him do f*ck all
the victorian sash windows had to be repaired,the 70's windows cant be replaced yet,18 months down the line have passed,not even like for like,all they want is it to be is inkeeping with what it was like 600 year ago bullsh*t,600 years ago it had no upstairs as it was a hall, and no windows just openings a thatch roof and no doubt a hole in the roof for the smoke,the house has been altered and improved in every century with the technolagy of the day to make it more livable in,but english heritage and the planning department couldnt give a fig about making it a better place to live in,or the thousands that have been spent just trying to get permission to replace rottern windows,and yes it must be several grand they have spent,so just bare that in mind,or just dont tell them and get on with it

Originally Posted by widepants

I can remember working in a house once , in a village , where most of the houses were grade II listed . The client manage to source an original window to replace a softwood one that had been in the kitchen for years .He was told that was a big NO , as the softwood one had been there when the house was listed .
On the other had we did work here http://www.thehollybush.net/ and once the official in charge saw that we knew what we were doing , he pretty much left us alone .I guess it all down to luck.

Thats up road from me ... !