If you have moved house and got you and your loved ones into a nice older house, there is a lot of charm with these types of older houses, but despite all the charm that an old home can exude, there are a few things that you may want to be aware of. An old home is certainly something that has a lot of character and more space, but there are a few things to bear in mind, including the following.
Older Heating Systems
We can easily think about most homes having a fireplace or a more modern heating system, but there are lots of older properties, especially those previously owned by older people, that have quite outdated heating systems. Lots of older homes have an oil tank instead of contemporary methods, and while you can easily get a replacement oil tank, if you want to keep the heating system you will have to bear in mind that if you want to completely upgrade the heating it can cost a pretty penny. Because it’s not just about adding a new heating system into the home, but about digging beneath the surface and installing a new structure.
What Lies Beneath (the Walls)
Lots of older properties have different types of walls, and if you are looking to strip the wallpaper and put a nice modern glossy paint on the walls, it might be a bit more work than you had reckoned! Lots of older properties were built with black mortar, commonly known as lath and plaster, and if you are moving into your dream home and find that you start hacking away the walls, this black mortar can come off in chunks which is incredibly dusty, hard to clean up, but can also be very difficult to patch up. Lots of old homes also have issues with the walls because older people may have just opted for the “make do and mend” approach to fixing up walls, which could mean that they’ve put plaster over the wallpaper rather than stripping the wallpaper off. This could mean that in the process of stripping the wallpaper, you end up removing plaster and finding out that there are more surprises underneath!
Outdated Electrical Outlets
Older homes have a lot of charm, but we have to remember that if we’re purchasing a property from an older couple who had to move on or have recently deceased, it’s very likely that the electricity in the home leaves a lot to be desired! There could be a number of issues with the electricity, not to mention the plumbing and the cost of upgrading the home to accommodate the modern electrical demands might also be an expense you hadn’t factored in. Rewiring the home is something that can cost a few thousand pounds and can take a long time to save up for, especially if you’ve spent all your money moving into this new property!
An old home is a strong and sturdy structure, but there are a few things that we all should be aware of, just so it doesn’t become a massive shock to the system later!
