Mr. Karl Deeter:

It probably did not have central heating when it was bought. It was probably not built on a foundation full of reinforced steel bar. It was probably built using standard brick construction with very little insulation and maybe some felt and tiles on the roof, but that was it. The standards today are so much higher, so it is not really a comparable argument. When people do up older houses, that cost is a cost push for the next buyer. It passes through.