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A house of dorran type construction has come up for sale near me that I am very interested in but would it be a stupid move. The owner told me that as long as the house is regularly painted on the outside there won't be any damp issues
The owner's probably keen to sell up. It's the issues with the construction, and the lack of insulation thats the major problem. I think condensation leading to internal rusting of structural parts of the bits holding it together are the major issues. Paint isnt a "magic" dampcourse and insulator.
Besides, would you even get a mortgage on one these days?
I'd avoid, simply with an eye for resale. Last one I sold like this (many many years ago) the owner had got a grant to effectively hold up the roof, whilst the walls were replaced one by one with brick. And it looked very odd, the only bright orange semi, in a row of 14 otherwise grey houses.
It would need to be cheap. Can you get mortgage on it? We looked at a nice non standard house. Would've let us get a place in a stunning location for way below market rate. Decided against in the end, but due to other reasons. The actual construction wasn't a big issue. In fact we bought a more traditional stone built place that probably has way more issues. I wouldn't rule it out but it does need to be priced accordingly
I'd run a mile. I can't imagine it's econmic to heat, never mind any damp issues.
Had to Google Dorran - was expecting some sort of modernist Huf Haus type of house! 🤣
Having seen what it is then not a chance. Unless it was dirt cheap and you were just buying as a place to live, not any sort of investment.
They’re usually known as prefabs and built with a comparative short design life. They’re also now likely 70 years old…
Only way I’d buy one was if the plot is nice and you can knock the house down to build something better on it.
I wouldn’t. They’re probably passed their life expectancy.
That seems all pretty unanimous, thanks for all the replies
If it’s a pair of semis is that a Dorran Dorran house!?
…coat on already! 🧥🧥
If it’s a pair of semis is that a Dorran Dorran house!?
OP should ask the seller if there's something he should know.
Buy it for cash. Knock it down and put a modern pre-fab on it. E.g. HebHouse. Then get a mortgage on it.
I lived in a Doran, but it had been reskinned with brick on the outside to make it mortgageable. Even then it still added an extra layer of faff when it came time to sell. Personally, I wouldn't do it again.
Buy it for cash. Knock it down and put a modern pre-fab on it. E.g. HebHouse. Then get a mortgage on it.
The best option if you can afford it
When we were first time buyers we couldn't get a mortgage on one, but could on a semi demolished house with the sink and toilet left plumbed in.
Would probably heed militantmandy advice and avoid, there is a reason they are so cheap compared to normal mortgageable constructions.
I'd buy one if the plot was nice and I could afford to knock it down/get planning permission to build something else whilst still having somewhere else to live.
there's been a couple for sale near me, they are on the market for ever. Basically you are buying a plot, unfortunately it's a very expensive plot as the current market is just madness and there seems to be an assumption by some that people will buy just about anything.
Apart from Dorran houses.
+1 on see it as a plot, not a house.