When buying a house, many people turn to older properties because of the charm and character they possess. Exposed brick, wooden beams, and period features are just some of the things that make older homes so appealing.
However, although older homes can be beautiful, they often come with issues that will have to be fixed before you move. Before you buy an older home, make sure you consider some of the major problems that older homes usually have and how you can make affordable home improvements.
Problems to consider when moving into an old home
When you buy an older home, you need to understand that there will undoubtedly be some issues that will need rectifying before you can move in. Here are some of the most common issues with older houses:
- Roof issues: the roof is an integral part of any house, however, older homes usually have issues with roofing. Although different styles of roofs have different life spans, over a long period, all roofs will start leaking or cracking. Replacing a roof can cost up to $8,000, so this is something you need to consider before you buy an old property.
- Hazardous building materials: if you have bought a property that was built before 1978, it may have been built with harmful chemical substances such as asbestos and lead-based paints. Make sure you get your potential property checked for these sorts of materials before you move, as they will need to be removed to protect your health.
- Poor insulation and energy efficiency: although old houses usually have the charm of rustic, beautiful windows, they are not usually well-insulated or energy efficient. If you move in without fixing any of these issues, it will end up costing you a fortune in utility bills.
- Old plumbing: if the water pipes in an old house haven’t been used for a long while, there is a strong chance that they may have frozen up and burst. Make sure you get these checked out by a professional plumber before you move in.
Best affordable old home improvements
If you aren’t careful, your old house could end up costing you a lot more than you originally thought. Fortunately, there are some cheap and easy ways you can make home improvements to your old home.
- Paint: one very cheap and easy way to make your old home look much smarter is to paint over any old walls. If you want to make your house look even more modern, why not create a feature wall using vibrant paint?
- Make your home energy efficient: while this might not be a cheap option, it will save you hundreds (and possibly thousands) of dollars in the long run. Update any insulation in the walls and the roof and make sure all of your windows are double-glazed. Over time, this will help you save a lot of money on your Direct Energy bill.
- Work on the front of your house: old houses can look beautiful from the outside. However, they often look dilapidated if they are not cared for properly. Painting the outside of your home, as well as any doors and shutters will immediately make your home look more welcoming. If you have some time, work outdoors in your garden, as this can add thousands of dollars worth of value to your home.
- Paint the kitchen cabinets: instead of replacing all of the kitchen worktops and cabinets (which can cost tens of thousands of dollars), painting the kitchen cabinets will give a burst of color to old cabinets.
ConclusionAlthough older homes can be beautiful, they can also be incredibly expensive to fix up. Therefore, before you purchase an older property, make sure you do your research and create a home improvement budget.
Read More: This is the Importance of Kitchen Cabinets
