If you are interested in buying an older property, there are lots of things that you need to think about. Although there are lots of reasons that an older property might be appealing, there are also lots of things to be aware of when you are buying a property that has been built a long time ago.
Building standards and regulations have changed a great deal in the UK over the years. For example, during the industrial revolution, many homes were built without the technology that we have today. Typically homes of this era would have been heated by a coal fire for example, so plumbing and pipework will have been added after for central heating. If this was done a long time ago, it is worth getting a professional like this plumber Gloucester based company https://www.hprservicesltd.com/emergency-plumber-gloucester/ to check out all of the plumbing in the property.
This is also an issue when it comes to electricals and wiring inside the property. Many older homes will have had wiring done a long time ago, and this means that as well as the changes in materials used, building rules and regulations have changed, so the wiring may now be considered unsafe, either due to degradation, or due to the way that it is installed.
Materials that were used in older properties are also something to be aware of. Asbestos was commonly used decades ago and it wasn’t until the late 90s that the use of asbestos in construction was banned due to the health conditions it causes that we now know about. However, older properties may well contain asbestos, and this is definitely something worth checking out.
Although older homes are believed to be well built and sturdy, and this certainly is the case for many, because they are older, they could have structural issues which make the home dangerous, and it also means that they will need to urgently be made safe and checked by a structural engineer which can be a very costly thing to deal with.
The roof of a property is something that takes a battering over the years and an older roof can have many problems if it hasn’t been well maintained. Holes in the roof can cause issues like damp and leaks, so it is essential that you have the roof checked and repaired if necessary.
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