Are Listed Buildings a Poison Chalice?

Buying a listed building to make your home is very much a case of 'Buyer Beware'. A popular misconception is that when a building is listed, it is only the exterior of the building and the features mentioned on the official Listing, this is not the case, the whole of the internal and external structure and historic fabric are covered by the listing and so effectively even if you wish to drill a hole to put through some central heating pipes requires consent.

We heard recently of a family who have purchased a house in Staffordshire which is a Grade 2 listed historic timber framed Jacobean building. More recently the building had been very poorly rendered across the timbers on the exterior, and their plan is to strip-off the late render (with Listed Building consent of course) and restore the building to its historic and original glory. 'Buyer beware'! The previous owner are likely to have added the render to cover a multitude of problems, and since that time these issues are likely to only have become worse. Stripping back this render will expose a multitude of unseen issues and it will not just be a matter of making-good, they will need to gain approval for whatever materials and methods are used in order to complement not compromise the original structure.

Listed buildings can be beautiful but they are also a labour of love and you need deep pockets, lots of patience and the ability to accept what the Conservation Officer advises for your own home if you are going to enjoy the benefits of the historic building. Speak to some owners of listed buildings and get some considered opinions prior to making the leap into conservation.