I am the proud owner of a 1930’s house. It’s beautiful, with stained glass windows and high ceilings, but old houses often come with their own set of problems as well. We’ve had our fair share for sure. When we moved in we were only the second ever owners since it was built, as the previous owners were in their 90s and had died.
What, no washing machine?
We discovered that they hadn’t owned a washing machine so there was no plumbing for one at all – we had to take our washing home to Mum and Dad for a couple of weeks until we got it sorted. We have a separate large garage but the roof was leaking – not a cheap repair at all by any means. There was an old gas fire which was a health hazard and needed capping off. When I look back now over the past 7 years that we have lived here I’ve almost forgotten the amount of work we’ve done already because there is still so much to do.
Insulation
There was no loft insulation or cavity wall insulation. Luckily enough we qualified for the government scheme to insulate, so we had the cavity walls filled with those little grey balls, and loft insulation put down. The roof is OK, but there are some loose tiles that need replacing. I’m just praying it holds out for now because that is a big job we can’t afford.
Boiler Inefficiency
When we moved in there was an ancient boiler, circa 1980, but it worked. Terribly inefficiently, but it worked. We saved up and eventually last year we were able to finally replace it, we got rid of the water tanks in the loft which can pave the way for a possible extension at one point. We also renovated the bathroom, knocking through the separate toilet.
Asbestos
All of the ceilings in the house were covered in polystyrene tiles, in fact there are two bedrooms that still have them. We had to have tests done for asbestos, and there’s a chance that one of the lino floors underneath the dining room carpet contains asbestos. If you’re going to remove anything with asbestos, you need specialist removal and disposal.
Dodgy Electrics
We’ve had to replace a lot of the sockets, the problem we have is that the electrics were added as an afterthought, so we have a lot of sockets in the skirting board and in odd locations. It’s still a work in progress. Get an electrician in to take a look at your electrics. We replaced the fuse board which has a failsafe so we can’t overload the system.
Do you have an older house? They are never problem free, but they give so much back in character and space that they’re worth it to me, I’ve always lived in period properties so I guess it’s just what I’m used to. For more common problems in old homes and ideas on how to fix them, check out the infographic below from Certas Energy.
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16 Comments
Building your dream house, or rebuilding rather; is not an easy task. That’s why i really admire what you’re doing here. You’ll reach the finish line too I know it. Keep it up!
June 18, 2019 at 3:25 amOur house is quite old, and we’re experiencing the same problems! But thanks for the tips on how to fix them!
June 22, 2019 at 6:50 amMayumi Sugai recently posted…Why Restaurants Should Use Polyurethane Flooring
Good advice here, we bought an old house and wow, there can be so many things that require care. You have to keep your eye out for any of these problems before they become a huge issue. Leaking in ground oil tanks are a big problem where I’m from.
April 11, 2020 at 10:40 pmHey, This is true, the old house has many problems, in that one of the problems is the roof repairing. It is must be required to repair the roof when the house is old, It will protect the family and loved ones. Thanks for sharing!
May 6, 2020 at 4:48 amPlumbing problems are probably the most common problem with old homes. You need to have trusted plumbers to check it for you.
June 30, 2020 at 10:56 amplumber Capalaba recently posted…Harvesting Rainwater – Invest and Reap the Benefits
I like the infographic!
July 20, 2020 at 9:25 pmElectrical and plumbing are the normal common problems that old homes have and needs very good attention to when repairing and renovating.
September 2, 2020 at 8:19 amretail electrician recently posted…Why Do You Need Preventative Maintenance?
Hi Jenny,
October 18, 2020 at 4:50 pmWell I sincerely liked studying it. This information offered by you is very helpful for accurate planning.
It’s hard to come by experienced people about this subject, but you seem like you know what you are talking about! Thanks
October 24, 2020 at 1:10 pmVery good write-up. I certainly love this website. Thanks!
Totally agree! That’s why it’s better to build a house of yours 🙂
November 23, 2020 at 9:25 pmWe have the same kind of roof that you mentioned where some loose tiles need a better replacement. My husband and I moved into their old house because we can’t afford our rent anymore but I guess we still need to fix the property first to make it livable. I’ll try to look for roof contractors and ask for an estimate for their repair services.
December 30, 2020 at 1:09 pmElectrical and plumbing are the normal common problems that old homes have and needs very good attention to when repairing and renovating.
January 15, 2021 at 1:17 pmAs a handyman, those ten problems you mentioned are usually what people call me for. I am glad that you did a great job in fixing those problems. Cheers!
January 19, 2021 at 6:40 pmThanks for sharing the post. Keep up the good work
July 2, 2021 at 4:49 amAsbestos has been utilized ordinarily in ordinary items including homes, schools, structures, and modern areas because of its fiber strength and warmth safe properties. For more information visit here – Asbestos testing
August 10, 2021 at 8:23 pmAlways check for these things to avoid costly renovations in the future.
August 30, 2021 at 2:03 pm