You won’t be able to ask Henry Hobhouse, one of whose descendents was Sir Charles Hobhouse, an M.P. for East Bristol, why he called his residence Cornwallis House, because he died in 1773, at the ripe old age of 59. Nevertheless, Cornwallis Crescent was named after the house, that I expect old Henry named after Charles, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, a leading general in the American war of Independence! Enough of history, the current owners have been in this particular house for the past thirty or so years and a bit like the house I saw yesterday, it too was something of a WYSIWYG property. There are, in total nine bedrooms, three bathrooms, two kitchens and three living rooms, and more, but, hey, who’s counting! I did count the number of stirs from ground floor to the top – 60 –and I was nearly put of breath! Well, although this house won’t quite have the ‘elegance’ of Cornwallis House, after a few years of hard slog, it should come up to a satisfactory shine…   more »

I have just been to see a house ‘typical’ of the 1930’s, probably because it was built in the 1930’s. It has pretty much stayed the same up until now, when my Clients are hoping to purchase it for their parents, which I thought was very generous of them (and I will remember to tell my children about it at the appropriate time!) The house has as small extension to the rear and some, limited double glazing, but I expect that it will all be ripped out so that they can start again. Then they will have a very comfortable house in a green and pleasant valley after which the road was named. It will still be a WYSIWYG, but here an improved house so again…What You See Is What You Get…   more »

Had I been alive some 2000 years ago and had I lived in Bath (Aqua Sullis) and had I wished to walk to Bristol, no doubt to the Roman Villa at Sea Mills (there’s not much left now but a pile of stones), then I would have very probably walked along the Via Julia, the Roman road from Bath, that ended up at the Downs. I didn’t, because I wasn’t there then, but I was there today at the end of the ‘via’ – Julian Road, where I inspected a pleasant two bedroomed flat, largely in good condition. The managing Agents seem a bit autocratic – “must do this, must do that and mustn’t do the other” – probably they get it from the Romans…   more »

I have just seen a typical 1930’s semi-detached house in the leafy suburbs of Henleaze, an area of Bristol heavily developed in the 1930’s. Houses then had larger rooms, larger gardens and were probably better built than today. They’re as popular now as they were then. I suspect that this house has not been on the market for a good many years, judging by the interior, but whoever liver there in the past endeavoured to keep it as well maintained as possible. The roof has been recovered and the rainwater good replaced, as have the windows, with double glazed units. There’s not much external timber left as it has all been concealed. However, although plastics and laminates are sold on the basis they are maintenance free, they tend to attract grime and if they are not regularly cleaned – maintained – they don’t look too good, as is the case here, where the grime is probably ‘in-grained’ into the plastic and laminate. It wouldn’t happen with painted timber! The house needs modernisation and upgrading, but then my Clients will have, hopefully, an endearing home in which to live for many years to come…   more »

Apparently the forth Earl had ‘connections’ with the city; I do not know what they were, but no doubt sufficiently good enough for a couple of roads in St Andrew’s to be named after him. Anyway this house that I inspected today had been fairly conscientiously renovated, but the vendor ‘sort of’ forgot the roof! A couple of new velux skylights had been introduced, but the roofer just left a gap between the bottom of the side velux and the concrete tiles that he ‘filled’ with four clay tiles, and these had slipped down the slope! They never bothered to lift and re-bed the ridge and hip tiles – why? And the rear velux needed attention! The roof structure as a whole had ‘slipped’; it was a bit ‘lop-sided’. Originally it might have been covered with light weight slates – clay or concrete tiles are much heavier and this may be the cause. Bristol was also heavily bombed during enemy action of the last war and I discovered a bomb had exploded close by that could have started/aggravated the movement. Whatever, it wasn’t there in the Earl’s time, neither was the house because he died in 1773, some hundred or so before the area was ‘developed’…   more »

This semi in a cul de sac in Fishponds which I saw today, sort of falls into that category. It was a smallish house that had been fairly well modernised, a pleasant bathroom and kitchen, but no fire door to the hall, so a chip pan fire could easily spread up the stairs, but this can easily be sorted out. The ridge and hip tiles will need lifting and re-bedding, which is a scaffolding job. So do you just do that, and leave it, or do you start again with the roof? The roof is original and the under felt, which protects the rafters is deteriorating, so strip the roof, re-felt and batten and re-cover with new concrete tiles. Oh! and re-point the stack. And whilst the scaffolding is there, upgrade the rainwater goods and do not forget to clad the facia and soffit with laminate, all top reduce future maintenance, or do you just re-bed the tiles? Do a proper job and then have a shinny new roof of which you can be justifiably proud…   more »

I have just been to see a small, but perfectly formed flat, a short stone’s throw from the ‘village’, well a reasonable throw from the village, actually quite along throw, but an easy walk away! It needs a great deal of ‘TLC’, but, because it is small the cost should not be prohibitive. Each of the rooms has natural light and ventilation, well at least light, ventilation will follow when the windows are eased, or in this case, probably replaced, even though they are UPVc and double glazed – they’re just not working! A new kitchen and bathroom will need to be installed, possibly gas central heating, if gas is available, otherwise oil filled electric on peak, but timed radiators will need to be fitted, after ditching the old nigh storage heaters and then redecoration. Oh and we mustn’t forget the drainage – the man hole was full of you know what that needs to be cleared and then we can see what caused the blockage. Anyone know a man with drainage rods???   more »

I had a look at a pleasant three bedroomed bungalow in a quiet spot in Winterbourne today. I don't know how long the property has been tenanted, but at the risk of annoying all tenants throughout the land, they don't often look after the homes they rent and this was no exception. It was not used and abused, as can often be the case, and better than the two houses I saw earlier in the day that were let out to students, again not used and abused, but boy what they don;'t know about untidiness is not worth knowing about! In Winterbourne the tenant just did not seem to care how he kept his landlords property, but it was not damaged. The building will need some repairs to the roof and the two chimney stacks. More insulation in the roof – a grant maybe?- a new kitchen, possibly and definitely a new bathroom. There is a pleasant quiet garden and shop close by...   more »

There used to be, where there is now the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a very large and no doubt gracious house, a splendid mansion belonging to Richard J Poole King, but the company that he founded went out of business circa 1906. Kensington House was set on a rising slope of a park-like verdant lawn, surrounded by exotics and evergreens of the choicest selection, and was in the centre of a double hedgerow plantation of luxuriant elm, beech and other timber trees. Nevertheless, it was was pulled down in 1973, to make way for the PDSA. The dwelling that I saw today was in the road named after Kensington House, one in a row of fairly substantial and attractive terraced houses built in 1904, or thereabouts. It is a large house with good sized rooms, but not as large as those in the original property, that was sound as can be, but oh dear, the poor old roof has certainly see far better days – it's in a pretty dire state attributable... to lack of maintenance and my Clients must budget for it's replacement in the foreseeable future. That aside I see no reason why they should not safely proceed with their purchase..   more »

If your house is not on mains drainage, then it either has to drain into a cesspit, or a septic tank. I am sorry, but occasionally we do have to talk about such things. A cesspit, a brick built tank with a concrete base that collects waste (to be polite, human effluent) and stores it ready for it to be pumped out about twice a year. ( A Somerset cesspit is built with glass beer or cider bottles just below the concrete base, so that when the Building Inspector has approved it, the base is sledge hammered and broken up, so that it does not need regular emptying!) Septic tanks are very different, but are also brick built. They work by anaerobic bacteria breaking up solids into liquids and gases. (Anaerobic bacteria works in an airless situation, which is why every good septic tank has a good 'crust' on it's surface.) As more effluent enters the tank, the excess liquid gently floods into an adjoining tank,for suspended solids to sink to the bottom of the tank and eventually the liquid then discharges into a soak away for any micro organisms to dissolve harmlessly into the ground, where they have been 'neutralised'. There was no crust here so the solids were being washed into the field, and the Environment people were not happy, not happy at all. I patiently explained what I thought was the problem – the lack of a good crust - and said I would write a report to that effect, that could be sent to the Environment Department. Good. But on my way back I was telephoned by my Clients who said they were going to install a new mechanical waste disposal plant...why???   more »

Dundry - a hill that is dry - from the old English dun and dryge. It was an area of stone quarrying many years ago, with the stone used in medieval Bristol, most notably in the “...Fairest parish church in all of England...”, St. Mary, Redcliffe,but quarrying has ceased a long time ago, as far as I am aware. Today I was up on Dundry, on the northern edge of the Mendips, close to the Monarch's Way, a 615 mile long footpath, apparently used by Charles ll after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 – there you are some other trivia for the day! Anyway I saw a very pleasant 'stone' built house, although the stone used here was probably a reconstituted 'Bradstone', or similar. No real problems, except that in the adjoining garden were four of the largest beech trees that I have ever seen. I suspect they may have Tree Preservation Orders on them. In summer they will prevent most of the sunlight getting into the garden let alone the house and in winter they will deposit vast amounts of leaves all over the garden. Of course I have pointed this out to my Clients but there could be an awful lot of leaves to clear up each year, a long time doing all that...   more »

Well today I went to see a two bedroomed flat very close to the centre of 'the village' – as 'we' like to say – well you do if you live in the 'village' – Clifton that is! It wasn't a bad flat, but like all flats that are let out and there are absentee landlords – who don't really care – the building gets to be un-maintained and this was no exception. The absentee landlord of the top floor flat told the tenant that the fire escape was via the roof! In case of fire there was a set of step ladders that would give access to the roof space and from there, of course in the dark, out to the roof by way of a velux skylight! What a very great load of rubbish ( I could have used other words, I should have done so, but...) and I told the tenant so! Back to the flat; it was a reasonable 'buy' in this difficult market, but as I said to my Client, someone will have to kick the Management Company's backside to get things done. I hope he's got a size ten for a right royal hoofing...   more »

I was asked to look at an extension to a house that my proposed Clients purchased some twelve years ago. For whatever reason they wished to change their insurance company, but their original survey report had mentioned the dreaded subsidence word and no insurance company wanted to do business with them. Would I come along and assess the situation and provide them with a report on their current situation? Of course I would, but when I was shown a copy of the original report, which was entirely matter of fact and well written, a bit in my own style, even if I say so myself, I suggested that they go back to their original surveyor, who I happened to know had left his previous employers some years ago. I gave them his current company still in Bristol, so he can get on with the job. I said that his report would be worth ten times mine, because he could speak from personal knowledge, so if it's not me, then it must be him...   more »

Not a great deal to do as the market seems to be deplorable and so very little work of any meaningful worth is coming in. Nevertheless I got a pleasant recommendation from an up and coming bank – not an English bank – my bank doesn't send me any work – my bank 'business manager' couldn't even be ar*ed to even get up off her backside to come and see me. She's got far too important customers to see – at least five hundred – but you would have thought that she could just get up a little enthusiasm to come and see me to meet me after three years, after all even if she only works 40 weeks a year, five days a week (600 days in total), surely she could have found a couple of minutes just to call by? She doesn't even know what |I do – will she get a bonus – probably so, but I'll be leaving, though not before I send a copy of this blog to NATWEST head office – but I don't suppose they will care two hoots. So I will really try and help my new Clients from this new bank, with whom I may well end up doing some business, out and about, here and there...   more »

Shortened to Halisbury Road after the first Earl, family name as above, who defended Arthur Orton, the ‘claimant’ to the the Tichborne baronetcy, in Hampshire. I suppose it must have been worth a fortune in those days, because it was, allegedly a sensational case at the time, so perhaps it’s as well that my Client is a solicitor! The house was built in about1905, or thereabouts and has stood the test of time reasonably well. There are some future repairs, but nothing too drastic. It’s a bit ‘short’ on bedrooms, but the living accommodation is good and there is a pleasant rear garden, where my Client can ponder what happened to Roger Charles Tichborne who disappeared on a trip to Valpariso in 1854. What was he doing, going to Valpariso in the first place? Eleven years later a man purporting to be him left Wagga Wagga in Australia where he had been living under the name of Tom Castro – how did he get there and what was he doing there? He arrived back in the UK in 1866 convincing many people that he was the ‘heir’ including the real heir’s mother, but was finally found out and received 14 years hard labour, probably back in Wagga Wagga,. So the good Earl didn’t get him off, but for compensation had the road named after him!!!   more »

I had to advise on the value of two very different properties today as a couple were parting and they had to ‘divi – up’. Solicitors asked me to act on behalf of the Court to produce a straight forward open market valuation of the two dwellings. One was a purpose built flat built about five years ago and the other a terrace house built about a hundred and twenty years ago. All a bit depressing really, because my research just showed how values seem to be continuing to fall, so there may not be much of a ‘divi –up’ after all…   more »

I don’t know why this road was named after the Baron, a distinguished military man, probably because he was ‘distinguished’, but for what I have no idea, I expect that he shot people! The nearest other roads are School Road, and wait for it Cemetery Road, because it’s in the dead centre of town!!!!(the old ones are the best!) Is the Baron burried there? This house that I saw today was, with its neighbours, built some 25 or so years after the baron had passed away. No doubt it has had a number of owners since it was built, but it has stood the teat of time reasonably well. I say ‘reasonably’, because there are a couple of matters that will need attention, for instance the roof, although re-tiled, is leaking, or at least the open joint between the coping stones are allowing water ingress and the style of the roof is such that the heads of some of the rafters are going to need some more support. But, other wise mainly sound and in a reasonably quiet position, oh! apart from that bloke who left his car all locked up with hazard lights flashing and his stereo on full blast… enough to make the baron turn in his grave…   more »

The property that I looked at today is in the centre of St. Pauls, though I am not sure if the area was named after the church or the other way around! The church was designed by Daniel Hague in 1794… perhaps with some help or interference from the Vicar. Apparently it’s ornate tower was much criticised at the time of building. Anyway, this property had been renovated after squatters had got in and then had a fire. The fire had to be put out by the Brigade, so they were never let back in! Moral – if you’re a squatter don’t have a fire and burn the place down, because no one benefits! It was ‘ok’, and has been repaired, sort of but there is a water leak from the neighbouring property running down two floors…Hey ho! The garden is a mess too, but that can be cleared and peace and quiet will restored…   more »

I’ve never been to this road, actually a cul de sac before, but there must be hundreds of roads in Bristol that I’ve never been to. This house that I saw toady was built in the late 1950’s. I don’t suppose that it’s been altered much since then, but it does have central heating, that may need re-placing. The house was fine, but the original roofing felt had failed, though as the tiles are all interlocking, there was no evidence of damp penetration. Although it’s structurally sound, everything really needs doing to it. And here there is every opportunity to consider solar heating and a massive insulation program, certainly the roof void and windows, but probably not the walls –too difficult/costly/awkward! The house looks out over allotments and the City Farm, which is pleasant and a number of timber framed sheds…Sorry, eco houses…   more »