You may be living in the house for quite some time, so make sure it has all the amenities you need for the future. This may mean checking out local schools when you don’t even have a child - it’s better to do it now than realise in a couple of years. Check transport links and future proposals for roads and public transport as you may not always be in your current job and may need flexibility going into the future. Have a look at the local development control plan in your local council offices to make sure that the field in front of your house is not going to be a housing development or office any time in the future. Walk the area and really get to know it. Make sure there are enough facilities for you; restaurants, coffee shops, supermarkets, libraries ... etc.
Once you have found a location and street, the next important factor is aspect. This is how the house is located in relation to the sun. Bring a compass, or use the one on your phone. As a nation we love to spend time at the rear of the house, in privacy and close to our gardens. A house where the rear faces south is top of the wish-list, and if you can find one you have struck gold.
A west facing garden would be the second choice. This is where you will get sun in the evening when you are home from work. I would look to see if you can locate your evening living spaces here to take advantage of the sunset!
An east facing back garden will be glorious in the morning but will lose light early. Make sure the garden is big enough to find a spot not overshadowed by the house when the sun moves around. The front of the house will be great from early afternoon, so make sure you are happy to connect to these rooms and live to the front.
Finally, all is not lost with a north facing garden - there are many ways to bring light in. You will have to be inventive, but it can be done. With the back of the house in shadow, the garden will always be lit. When the rear faces north it means the front half of the house will always be bright. This may mean moving daytime spaces to the front so make sure you keep some budget to do so.
I would advise to buy the biggest house you can afford; it will be the most flexible for changing life circumstances. If the house is small but all you need for now, make sure there is space to extend. The first preference for expanding is to the side as it won’t make the house any deeper. This means that you won’t darken the remainder of the house with an extension.
If you need to extend out the back make sure you can still channel light into the remainder of the house. If there is no space for expansion to the side or rear, then look up, there may be an opportunity in the attic. Try for a house with a traditional cut roof which is much easier to convert than a prefabricated roof, and make sure you have enough head height. You should be able to put a ceiling in at 2.4 m for half the floor area.
Older houses are fantastic; they have huge character, especially if the original features are intact. They have great proportions even in smaller properties with high ceilings. Check that the building is not a protected structure as there is very little alteration work you can do. If you don’t like the current layout it may be a good Idea to walk away. Older period properties will, depending on condition, need some upgrading. You will need to keep a budget for structural work as a lot of these houses were built without foundations. Other works to also consider are insulation to floors, walls and the roof space, windows may need to be upgraded (and they are more expensive in an older property), re-plumbing and rewiring, refurbishment of fireplaces and old cornicing, or timberwork like shutters. Older properties are a labour of love, but I think they are worth it.
So-called modern houses from the 60s an 70s will all need to have the insulation upgraded and will probably need to be rewired and re-plumbed, if gun barrel piping was used. Structurally these houses are good, but you may want to take out a few walls to make them suitable for contemporary living.
Even houses from the 80s and 90s may need to have insulation and windows upgraded.
Get a professional to look at the house. An engineer will look at the structure, but also get an architect to look at the house to make sure it complies with building regulations. Lots of people have extended or refurbished in the past without an understanding of building regulations - know what you are buying. If the ceiling in an attic room isn’t tall enough you cannot call it a bedroom, but many do! Check for asbestos and dry-rot as these can be very expensive to remove.
Finally, look for a house with good light, connection and flow between the rooms and try to see the potential.
Dermot Bannon