Victorian Properties

This was one of the biggest house building eras for the UK. During this time properties were built for people of different levels of wealth, so there are more sizes to choose from. Most towns and villages have some victorian properties, with some more than others depending on the areas development, and how it was effected by bombing in the Second World War.

The properties were built straight onto the ground, so have no real foundations, unless added at a later stage. The rooms for the smaller terraces are usually around 10ft or 12ft square, whereas larger properties can be up to 16ft square. The kitchens are usually galley type or quite small and for the terraced properties many still have the bathroom downstairs. In some of the properties, especially those that are advertised with 'three bedrooms' it is important to check whether the third bedroom links off the first. These should be advertised as "2+1", but many have found a way of creating an upstairs bathroom, but again you might have to through one of the bedrooms to access it. Victorian properties normally have a small courtyard garden and for the terraced properties, few have space for parking, apart from on the street.

Things to Consider when buying or owning a Victorian Property
The types of things to watch out for with Victorian properties are similar to Georgian ones in that you need to check for damp and the state of the foundations.

As with any older properties, electrics, heating and plumbing typically cost more to have work done as they are rarely straightforward jobs and the pipework/electrics tend to have been 'added' onto through the years, so one change might result in another and so forth.

More Information about Victorian Properties
There is much written about the Victorian era and information on Victorian properties and their style are no exception. The first place to start is the Victorian Society. They have an excellent section about a Victorian home that you can view for free and covers everything from listed homes through to interior design and specific features on fireplaces, kitchens and decorative styles. They also have a special leaflet on Care for Victorian Homes which has essential information for any owner who wants to preserve or renovate the Victorian Home. It costs from £30 to £40 a year to join, and you can gain help and advice from the society as a member as well as their own magazine,  visits to properties, lectures and conferences.

The Period Property website also has information about Victorian properties and the era and a 'dos and don'ts' section for Victorian Property owners.

For more information such as on Reclaimation, owning old properties and books about Victorian homes, click here for our Property Media section.

Copyright of Designs on Property Ltd 2005