I’m looking to get a mortgage on what was my Grandparents house, as they are no longer with us..... but it was a post war prefab construction, though designed to be permanent. Been there 68 years with no issues, but I’m struggling as it’s not brick.... it has a tiled roof now and extra cladding.

With a mortgage broker at the min but they only have 1 lender who might cover and they aren’t consistent....

Seems only folk with cash can buy these....

Any advice?

Bit sad if I can’t manage it, as my Grandparents had it from new....

Thanks 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

UK lenders are so fickle. I read recently that the whole situation of lending on properties with a history of Japanese Knotweed is a similar issue... lenders have the risk completely out of proportion. As for non-standard construction, often the land is worth a load of money by itself even if the perfectly good non-standard house wasn’t sat on it!

I don’t have mortgage adviser suggestion (I have one hut I do not imagine he’d be of particular help here) but I would suggest finding one in Cornwall.... because they have LOADS of non-standard construction properties in that county and they are more likely to have experience of the specialist lending market.

Other random idea: any peer to peer lending sites that might offer a solution?

Good luck.

Thanks. That’s a thought. I’ve not had a no from the mortgage brokers, but I’m pretty sure it’s coming.....

Someone at work wondered if I could get a personal loan secured on the house.....but that seems like a mortgage to me. 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

It’s because its a ‘non traditional’ (ie not brick and mortar). Most lenders want stuff which is straightforward and easy to shift if they have to enforce their security and so won’t touch this kind of thing. Most post war prefabs were meant to be short life - many were made in aircraft factories turned over to civilian work- but 70 years on, many still exist and are loved by their residents. That sadly doesn’t mean lenders will take them.

The big irony in all this is that the Government’s push for 300,000 homes a year can only hope to be achieved if most of the supply is from modular construction. That is using factory made large components, or even building whole units in factories. Lenders seem happy to consider these......

BTW, I’d ask a Chartered Surveyor rather than a mortgage broker. The broker and lender would need to rely on the surveyor anyway. I’m RICS qualified, but this isn’t my area of expertise, I’ve never been a mortgage valuer. There are others on here who are also RICS qualified who might be able to give more detail.

Good luck

You could get a secured loan, I guess, but typically a). Shorter term, b). Lower advance, c). Higher interest.

You’re going to pay higher interest regardless... supply & demand and all that.

Another route is to take a different property of higher value and borrow further against that one to meet the same financial objective. For example, your family home might be worth twice the pre-fab one, you may be an eccentric millionaire and mortgage free... so you could borrow against main residence.

Andy S could be into something here... look for properties for sale of the same construction and ask the selling agents about funding options. Little do they know you do not want to buy, but they may have dealt with this recently on another property.

I’m just spitballing ideas. I’ll invoice you later, no loan no fee!

Many thanks. It was designed to be permanent from the outset, but as you say, seems it’s not straightforward. It’s made of aluminium but has been modernised somewhat since then.

https://www.bisfhouse.com/hawksley-bl8-aluminium-bungalow/

Was like this




Now like this

BISF is a known system, stands for British Iron and Steel Federation. As you say, made of Ally, so likely the components were built in an aircraft factory in the late 1940s. It has had what looks like some form of repair in the form of over cladding, most likely to increase the insulation value.

There will be estates of these bungalows and the similar houses all over the place, it was much used by local authorities to build council housing stock in the 1950s and some of that stock has been bought under the Right to Buy. There is a large estate of BISFs on the west side of Coventry. Built by the Council, many are now in private hands so must have mortgages.

Re Cornwall, their non trads are concrete, there is a Cornish system as well as other oddities. Providing they have had a licenced repair they are mortgageable.

Try searching on the RICS website, www.rics.org

Andy

That’s exactly what my Grandparents did. Rented from council from 1951 and bought it in 1980 I think.

Derbyshire County Council replaced the roofs with tiles and my Grandad paid them to do theirs too.

I know the cladding had insulation in it, as I remember seeing a gauze all the way round with insulation behind.

I shall do some more digging....

 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

Hi there, I know that Gloucester has a number of non standard Hawksley BL8 bungalows which were built in the 1940s after the second world war by Hawksley Consuction, which was part of Hawker Siddley Group. I saw on a non standard housing website forum that Mortgage Brain who are based in Gloucester might consider lending a mortgage against a Hawksley bungalow. Maybe worth a call.

Thanks, but the thread is from 2019, I didn’t manage to sort anything unfortunately and an old couple from down south paid cash for it so they could relocate to be nearer family….. 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport