Older Properties in Need of Some Attention

A report released by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has highlighted some of the problems facing owners of older properties. These can often be left in a poor state of repair, leading to major problems building up for new owners. For these types of properties, having a thorough survey carried out is extremely beneficial.

Those houses that date back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras can be particularly susceptible to issues. The report from RICS shows that these type of properties account for a higher percentage of the essential repair issues that are brought up in survey reports and mortgage valuations than newer homes. Many of these problems could be due to the type of materials and the processes that were used by Victorian builders.

Survey Benefits

This report shows the importance of carrying out a thorough survey before you commit to buying a property. This is especially true with older properties, where there could be major problems that will only be picked up by a surveyor. If you fail to have one done or it's not carried out correctly, you could be left with a high price to pay to put things right.

A professional surveyor will quickly be able to pick up on the major issues, such as timber decay, structural movement and damp. However, they will also know what the more minor issues are that won't cause a property owner too much concern.

Maintaining a Period Home

If you already own a period property, it's vital that you keep up with the maintenance of it. A number of those issues that surveyors see all the time could be minimised if the right repair work was carried out promptly. You also need to ensure that during this work the appropriate materials and tools are used. Often damage can be caused to period homes because property owners are unaware of the damage they are causing by not using the right products. For example, they may replace period features with modern alternatives, which could impact on the look of the property and significantly reduce its value.

When you're having additional features installed, you need to ensure that they fit in with the style of your property. For instance, if you want to include a balcony to the rear or side of your home, this needs to be in keeping with the overall design, even down to choosing the balcony railings.

Period properties can be extremely beautiful if they are maintained correctly. However, there are also many bad examples of homes that have been left to deteriorate and desperately require some attention.