Manor buy

ANTIQUARY

A PHONE call from Jaipur turned into a plea for help: could we assist in selling off an ageing haveil, an old mansion built over 3,000 sq yards in Amber, now completely in ruins?

On the face of it, who would want to buy crumbling relics from some point in history unless it was to use it commercially, as has been done by promoters of heritage hotels in the state? Still, the current owner had himself bought it specifically to renovate and turn around for personal use, as if to the manor born.

Only, the task, it appears, had proved formidable. For about a decade, the property lay in shambles. Resurrecting ruins, unless they call for very little by way of renovations, is not only a hugely expensive affair, it is also time-consuming, often frustrating, and sometimes near impossible.

To begin with, references have to be searched on the nature of architecture and, should the walls have fallen and the roof caved in, there is likely to be little known of the original character of the structure, apart from the foundations that are, at most, useful only for delineating spaces.

As more such buildings go on the block, it is becoming important to ensure you're not being landed a dud when you buy a slice of architectural history.

If the building has fallen to such an extent that nothing can be resurrected, it's best to leave it be. The interesting spark is finding at least some part intact. Renovations can then be structured around the standing structure.

Equally, as part of renovations, plumbing and electrical lines may be required to be laid, and parts of the built area may need to be modified to provide for contemporary necessities (attached bathrooms, for instance).

These are just some of the concerns when you set out to buy an old house. But obviously, there are many others, and soundness of structure while of primary importance, takes second step to the documents themselves.

There are harrowing tales of properties sold (and registered) over which the selling party has no rights, and even cases of attempted sale of properties owned (and needless to say, abandoned) by various government departments. It is important to have a lawyer validate all documents and speak to any or all members of the family that owned the structure at any time in the past.

Another thing to check is the soundness of at least a part, if not all, of the house. That makes it habitable, and restorations are thereafter easily undertaken.

But if the structure itself is weak, there will be additional costs for pulling it down, haulage of rubble, and rebuilding (in which case, why not build a new structure somewhere else?).

An even more important issue is to check the quality of the doors, windows and other fittings that are offered as part of the sale. If the woodwork is good enough for use, it would lighten the cost of renovations, as well as keep the character of the building intact, and that should be weighed in consideration of the offer. Of course, if the house also comes with furniture, check its quality, but this too should be viewed as a plus.

Many of these considerations will not matter if the property is to be used commercially (a heritage resort, for example), but do keep in mind the high scale of maintaining the property individually, especially gardens.

Observe the building for repairs, check out the quality of original construction, and look for masons who can carry out repairs to match, using the original materials.

Most of all, have the building surveyed professionally to see if it has murals or carvings that have been covered by lime plaster over the decades, and keep that in mind when negotiating a price.

Even though prices for properties have increased sharply in recent times, it is likely that there is no set price for old buildings, and the notional price that an owner quotes may have to be whittled away through a mix of coercion and reasoning.

Clearly, though properties that have tourism potential will command a higher price, for private buildings such costs will be commensurate with the price of the land and not the building itself, unless it is of sterling quality. But then, it's hardly worth buying an old property unless the value lies in its architecture. Right?