Design It
Victorian house renovation projects can make amazing fixer-uppers with bags of potential, but what do you need to know and look out for when hunting down an old Victorian house? Renovation expert Kate Sandhu takes a look at the key considerations
Victorian house renovation projects are hugely popular among those looking to transform a period build into a comfortable family home. The Victorians certainly knew how to build homes, and though there were variations in style due to the long time span of the era, there are some key features of an old Victorian house that makes them beautiful and easy to spot. These homes are statement buildings with incredible potential, whatever state they’re in.
The overriding factor is that Victorian terraces are usually ornate; outside you’ll find bay windows, detailed facades, decorative brickwork, ornate gable trims and sash windows. Inside (if you’re lucky enough for features to be preserved), old Victorian houses feature are high ceilings to make the spaces seem grander and bigger than they were, feature fireplaces, detailed plasterwork, such as ceiling roses and coving, and striking floor tiles, often seen in geometric, colourful patterns.
In terms of layout, before any alteration, an old Victorian house would often have two floors, both with two rooms, with the entrance hall and staircase to one side. Variations on this may include a basem*nt, a third floor or another bedroom to the rear upstairs.
So, what do you need to consider before getting underway with a Victorian house renovation? From energy efficiency to how to the key considerations, here’s your complete guide.
What Should You Keep an Eye Out for When Undertaking a Victorian House Renovation?
If you’re thinking about renovating an old Victorian house, there are a few key things you need to consider. Firstly, as with any property, you need to make sure that the renovation work you want to do is feasible in the local area. You will never get a guarantee that the local planning authority will allow your desired adaptations, because policies can change.
But you can get a decent guide as to what you may be able to achieve by looking at what others have done, either on your local authority’s planning applications, online property sites or just by looking on the street. This could also provide you with some inspiration for your own project.
The other thing to consider when undertaking a Victorian house renovation (and this is true of any renovation) is how much the works will cost and whether they make sense in terms of the ceiling price of the area. This includes the house price and renovation price combined, since going above the maximum sale value for a comparable property can be risky, as you may not make your money back should you sell in the future.
Next, you should turn your eyes to the Victorian house’s structural integrity, ensuring there are no signs of issues like subsidence or problems with the roof, as both will be costly. The price of sorting subsidence varies wildly, while a new roof could be in the region of £5,000.
Above: Inspired by the homeowners’ love of art, design and architecture, this Victorian house renovation by Bradley Van Der Straeten Architects embraces eye-catching medley of textures, colours and patterns. The walls have been lined with cork insulation and finished with a lime render to ensure the masonry structure can breathe, mitigating any damp-related issues. Photo: French + Tye
Structural complications can also need specialist insurance, which may impact your ability to get a mortgage. Your structural survey should highlight issues and outline the cost of repair. Also check for signs of damp – although largely manageable, it could mean you need to strip the old Victorian house right back, which will cause major and expensive upheaval.
Look at the Victorian house’s mechanical and electrical details, namely the plumbing (including the boiler) and wiring – two big-ticket items that will impact on renovation costs. The exact condition of these may not be immediately obvious. Request electrical certificates, which will tell you when they last had any work done and detail their overall state. If you still aren’t sure, get an electrical safety certificate or an Electrical Inspection Condition Report, which will assess the state of the electrics and identify any issues, helping you negotiate the sales process. A full rewire in a Victorian terrace will cost between £3,500 and £5,000.
Plumbing in an old Victorian house can be more difficult to check, but do things like running the taps, checking hot water and asking for the boiler details, such as the latest service and size (a combi-boiler in a typical Victorian terrace should be around 30kW). You can get a plumbing survey report, which will check blockages and leaks – prices could be between £100 to £400, but vary with the level of inspection. Replacing central heating as part of a Victorian house renovation could set you back around £4,000.
Check the windows when looking around an old Victorian house. They are key to overall energy efficiency, but depending on style, can be expensive to replace (wood will cost more than PVCu, while sash and bay designs will be much more than casem*nt). The good news is that if work like this is needed, then you should be able to negotiate it off the sales price.
