The dos and don’ts of buying a historic property in South Wales
South Wales is an iconic part of Great Britain, rich with luscious landscapes and a unique past. The historic properties you find here are living evidence of days gone by. The fact that many of them are still habitable is incredible. You could access rolling countryside, beaches and sea-air of this beautiful country from your house.
Does owning a home like this sound like the ultimate dream for you? I don’t blame you. I feel the same way. Before you make your move, though, I’d like to put my thoughts and advice out there.
I hope you can use my insight to ensure you don’t make a costly error. Let’s get into it.
DO your research
There are all sorts of historic properties in South Wales. These range from glamorous country homes to tiny, crooked houses in old villages. You’ll also come across all kinds of barn and hut conversions.
All these different property types come with various things to consider. For example, historic homes are expensive to both purchase and run. Converted properties can suffer from poor building work or DIY, while old cottages might be literally crumbling from the ground up.
So, be prepared and ready to look out for common problems.
DO watch out for damp
Many homes suffer from some form of damp intrusion. Three of the most common types that I see are rising damp, penetrating damp, and condensation.
Condensation can affect any home without adequate ventilation. It isn’t usually too serious and can be fixed with relatively simple repairs.
When it comes to historic properties, rising damp is probably the most important to watch out for. It’s when moisture rises through the ground and into the home. In eras gone by, building regulations were, shall we say, less strict (often non-existent). As a result, foundations and damp-proof courses weren’t constructed to prevent rising damp.
Signs of rising damp include the following (all at the bottom of walls or on the floor):
- Damp patches on the plaster
- Flaky/bubbling plaster
- Rotting beams/floorboards
- Cracking mortar
- Rusting iron fasteners
- Rotting or cracking skirting boards
- General musty smell
It’s essential to spot rising damp early to prevent it from doing any further damage, as it can cost several thousand pounds to repair. Thankfully, these symptoms can also appear in less severe situations, like a burst pipe.
Keep an eye out for penetrating damp, too. You’ll see similar symptoms, but they’ll be higher up on the walls or ceilings.
DO be mindful of subsidence
Subsidence is when a building physically rises and falls as the ground underneath it swells and shrinks. As you can imagine, the weight imbalance puts undue strain on structural beams and walls. It sounds serious (and to some extent, it is), but subsidence affects about 20% of all UK properties.
All manner of things can cause subsidence. Around South Wales, the things most likely to cause subsidence are:
- Underground mining caverns and tunnels
- Soil with a significant clay content
- Coastal erosion
- Poor quality foundations and rigid structures
- Tree roots undermining soil/foundations
Today, we build homes to handle a certain amount of flex. Historic properties are more rigid, so they’re more badly affected by subsidence.
I should also let you know that it’s almost impossible to get a mortgage when subsidence is detected. Cash buyers are welcome to proceed at their own risk. However, I’d highly advise investing in repairing/managing the subsidence as soon as possible.
DON’T be afraid of historic properties in South Wales!
I do hope I haven’t put you off. To me, living in a historic property is an idyllic way of life.
That said, it’s always sensible to be cautious. Don’t rush into things; take your time. It’s not worth pouring your life savings into a home that you then can’t afford to repair or maintain.
The best way to avoid these problems (and more) is by getting a RICS-approved home survey. Before exchanging the keys, I’d highly recommend instructing a chartered surveyor. Ensure that person knows the local area and market well. That way, they can look out for the most common issues, and you can avoid a disaster.
I work in GB Home Surveys’ office in South Wales. If you’d like to get in touch with me regarding historic properties, you can contact me through the head office. Use the form below or send an email to contact@gbhomesurveys.co.uk. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can for an obligation-free, informal chat.
I hope you’ve found this page interesting and informative. Crucially, I hope you can see how the joys of living in this exquisite part of the world are worth being careful over. That way, you’ll end up with your own little slice of paradise.
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you.
