If you are hunting for a new home, you might well come across Woolaway Housing. While Woolaway Housing won’t necessarily have complications, it is a good idea to be aware of the history and potential pitfalls of buying before you commit.
A brief history
Woolaway houses are system-built homes that were built in the mid-century to cope with the massive housing shortage after World War II. New homes were needed, and fast, so the government hatched a plan to build around 5,500 Woolaway houses across the UK, mostly in suburban and semi-rural areas.
Construction
Woolaway houses are usually two-storey, semi-detached or terraced properties with medium-pitched gable, tiled roofs and rendered exteriors. One common and distinctive feature of the Woolaway house is the metal cowl on the chimney. The homes were system-built, which allowed for rapid construction at the time, and consist of a concrete foundation supporting pre-cast concrete columns and aerated concrete panels which make up the external walls. These homes were a solution to a big problem, but they were only built to last around 60 years, which means homes that are on the market today have exceeded their life expectancy.
What to look out for
In the last 70 years, some common problems have been identified with Woolaway homes:
- Cracking in the concrete columns, which can impact the structural integrity of the building.
- High carbonation levels and low chloride levels in the concrete, which can lead to the corrosion of the steel reinforcements.
- Corrosion of the bolts used to fix the aerated concrete panels to the frame, leading to weakened structure.
- Cracking of the concrete panes, resulting in water ingress and structural damage.
Getting the right advice
Before you consider buying a Woolaway home, it is worth taking the time and effort (and cost) to get the best possible advice.
A structural assessment from a qualified structural engineer will let you know what problems exist and if and how you can address them. From here, you can get quotes from relevant tradespeople such as builders, roofers, and damp specialists. You will also need to speak to your mortgage advisor to see if there are any mortgage or insurance considerations to be made when making your decision to buy. Some lenders classify all Woolaway houses as defective under the Housing Defects Act of 1984, which will make it harder to get a mortgage, and other lenders may offer loans under restricted conditions. Similarly, insurance premiums are likely to be higher, so it is worth getting quotes before you make an offer.
If you think that your forever home could be a Woolaway home, make sure that you have all the information that you need to make the best choice, including repair and renovation costs from contractors with experience of working with Woolaway homes.
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