Selling a Non-Standard Construction House

Selling my house built using non-standard construction methods

When you’re ready to sell your house but own a property built using non-standard construction methods, you might naturally have doubts about the sale price you will be able to achieve and whether buyers will be interested or your house sale may have fallen through. The good news is that the team at LDN Properties has years of experience making fair offers for non-standard homes, so you can sell quickly and with ease.

Check out our helpful guide below on selling your house with non-standard construction, and some answers to frequently asked questions on the process.

Non-standard construction

Generally speaking, “standard” house construction refers to properties that are built from the traditional materials of stone or bricks and mortar, and that feature a roof made from tile or slate.

So you may be asking what is non-standard construction? “Non-standard” wall construction covers pretty much all other methods, including but not limited to: walls made from wood, steel frames, glass walls, metal walls and prefabricated concrete houses – the latter being in widescale use in England following the post-World War II building spree. Another well known example of non-standard construction is a Wimpey No-Fines property.

For roofs, “non-standard” similarly describes many types of coverings that are made from materials such as shingles, plastic, steel, thatch, asphalt and corrugated iron.

Tips when making non-standard changes to your home

If you make any modifications to your home that result in it being defined as “non-standard”, there are important tips to follow when undertaking such work that can remove a potential barrier to sale. Buyers will want to see documentation proving the warranty on such work.

For those homeowners that contract a third-party company to undertake the “non-standard” work on a house, you should ensure to keep all possible documents from the works (including structural warranties, engineers’ reports, technical reviews and more). This can provide reassurance to mortgage providers when they review a buyer’s application to fund a home purchase.

Alternatively, if you decide to perform the “non-standard” construction work on your home yourself then you should be sure to do extensive research on the property and the changes that you are looking to make beforehand. Take time to assess the various certifications and guarantees of building materials proposed so that you can provide these documents to buyers as required. It is also a good idea to query mortgage providers or insurance companies on how the work that you have planned may affect your ability to sell in the future. Going through these steps will also give you an insight into the potential impact on the valuation of your property.

Selling a home with non-standard construction

If your house qualifies as “non-standard” that doesn’t necessarily mean there is going to be an impact on your property valuation. Indeed, you may be pleasantly surprised as to the offer LDN Properties are able to present you with, along with a relatively straightforward process. You may find it useful to read our step by step home buying guide.

You may have heard anecdotally that it’s harder to sell non standard homes such as timber frame, but that’s not the full story. It is correct that a non-standard home might not be ideal for some buyers since they may have concerns it will be difficult and expensive to correct any problems that arise with the non-standard materials used when compared with a standard home. The potential for higher insurance premiums to cover any issues could also be a dealbreaker for some people.It’s possible that some buyers could also be reluctant to buy non-standard houses as mortgage providers can be reluctant to finance such properties out of concern that any future problems with the non-standard construction might lead to large future repair bills.

If you would like to read specifically about selling a steel frame BISF house, be sure to see our specialist guide – Selling your BISF house.

At LDN Properties we help overcome these hurdles by working directly with you, the seller, to provide you with a hassle-free process and make you a committed offer for your non-standard house.

LDN Properties can buy your non-standard house

Rest assured, at LDN Properties we have dealt with purchasing non-standard homes for many years and have a straightforward, hassle-free process for making you an offer. Contact our team today at 020 7183 3022 and we’ll look to make you a no-cost, no-obligation estimate for purchasing your home – or use the “Request Offer” button below.