When you are looking for a new home, there is a lot of charm and appeal to buying an older property. The quirky character and original features in an older home is something that many people are attracted to. However, before you do go ahead and buy a property like this, it is a good idea to check if it is a listed building and consider the implications this may have in the future.
A listed building is a building that is protected by planning laws as it is over a certain age and/or has some significant architectural or historic importance. The aim of listing buildings is to protect them and their history for future generations. This means that when you own a listed property, there will be more restrictions on planning laws that will dictate what you can do to the property, regarding alterations, building work and repairs.
There are three different grades when it comes to listed buildings, and the lower the number, the more regulations there will be when it comes to making changes to the building. Grade 1 is the most protected, although this only accounts for a small percentage of privately owned homes in the UK, most listed buildings will be grade 3, or possibly grade 2.
It is certainly worth checking the listing status of a property before you decide to buy it and getting more information about the sorts of changes that you can and can’t make. For example, you may need to use certain materials, like these Timberpride oak roof trusses, or if the building has a thatched roof, you will likely need to find an approved thatcher who can make repairs and do maintenance to keep the roof in that way.
However it is important to remember that changes can be made to listed buildings – as long as you have followed the correct process and got permission to do so, homes that are listed can have extensions and conservatories built on them, and changes to the structure can be made – it is just important to be aware of the fact that this may be a more challenging process than it would be to make those sort of changes to a building that isn’t listed.