Survey Contains details of work needed on House

I'm adding my bit now as I've worked on restoring quite a few victorian properties in the last decade.Firstly the report doesn't indicate anything that says the property is uninhabitable.Unless house prices suddenly crash the works done on the property are to your benefit as it will increase the value.

Let's break dowwn the report to realistic money terms and what it really means.

'Specialist contractor to inspect all timbers in house ' - as someone has already stated this is to cover the surveyors backside.He wants you to check that there's no wet/dry rot or woodworm in the rooftimbers and floortimbers.Unless it's a timber framed house built in the 80's we're looking more to the roof timbers and any possible damage the water ingress may have caused.Get several quotes before anyinspection takes place but you're looking at £200 - £400 for this inspection.
'and also to inspect whole property for damp as there as signs of damp in 2 downstairs rooms' Get this checked out at the same time as the timber inspection .The damp could be penetrating (i.e. pointing needs redoing ,gutters might need cleaning out as they're full of moss allowing water to run down the wall.) If it's penetrating rectify the cause and then prevent it happening again and reinstate any damaged internal plasterwork.£1000 max
If it's rising damp (doesn't state whether the seller has had a damp course installed and if it is still under guarantee) then it requires a damp course installed/injected and internal plasterwork reinstating - £2000 max

Roof to be checked (there are some light gaps in roof) - this would indicated no underfelt on the roof so you're looking at £1500 max to underfelt and replace worn slates.
Floor of utility room to be renewed - without seeing this I don't know whether it's a tile floor with no dampcourse underneath or what.Let's go for the worse senario the floor needs excavating 300mm deep , sharp sand at the bottom,damp proof membrane laying, insulation laying then concreting over .£1000 MAX including new floor covering.
Water ingress from chimney stack in utility room to be investigated - sounds like the flashing has worn away and this will be included in having the roof underfelted as mentioned above.
Flue & linings of open fire to be checked - this is just to check no carbon monoxide is leaking - a corgi registered engineer can check this out .If it needs relining £500 including inspection.
£5400 max for the lot

Floxxie wrote: »

You could be describing any house - I don't consider most 1970s houses to have character!

Yes, they do have thinner walls but noise is an issue in most houses, especially if they are small! And at least you know that the works were done by a tradesperson and not Mr/s weekend DIYer.

The house I bought is styled on a Victorian property, is large, has high ceilings and any snags that have been found, have been corrected by the builder...even after 4 years of being here...it's a case of checking out the builder prior to buying.

Some people just prefer houses that don't have damp, old electrics, issues with foundations (or lack of them), walls and windows that let heat out and cold in, beetle and woodrot etc., because of the ongoing costs involved and the discomfort.

The OP is concerned at 'normal' areas that are raised in older properties; it suggests that s/he should be looking at properties that don't require extra outlay at the time of purchase.

I made my initial post because you said "If you want to buy a house that requires no work and therefore no extra outlay, then buy a new build".

You then say that you have had the builder in to correct snags in your new build. So you've had work done? I bet most owners of newbuilds have considerably more complaints than the average 'Old' house.

I think your house was styled on a Victorian property because purchasers know Victorian houses are built to a superior quality, so the developers play on that because they can command a premium.

Everyone prefers a house without damp, old electrics etc, but all this is up for negotiation.

thesaint wrote: »

I made my initial post because you said "If you want to buy a house that requires no work and therefore no extra outlay, then buy a new build".

You then say that you have had the builder in to correct snags in your new build. So you've had work done? I bet most owners of new builds have considerably more complaints than the average 'Old' house.

I think your house was styled on a Victorian property because purchasers know Victorian houses are built to a superior quality, so the developers play on that because they can command a premium.

Everyone prefers a house without damp, old electrics etc, but all this is up for negotiation.

This is turning into a new build v old build discussion! I have lived in both new and old houses. I find old houses are a drain on the finances.

The work I have had done on my 'new' house is less than minor - filling in of settlement cracks (they are normal when a house is drying out!), evening of plaster, repaint in several areas, replacement of blown worktops...fortunately the builder will make good such things. I know of others that won't come through the door once completed. However I do not need to pay out for anything that has been replaced/repaired and so there has been no extra outlay.

It is interesting that you write buyers know Victorian properties are built to a superior quality and therefore builders can command a premium. In my job most surveys I see will pull apart Victorian properties citing movement, damp, electrics, beetle infestation, timber issues, single wall kitchens, damaged roof and the occasional loose gable end. I am beginning to wonder if people go for these properties in the hope that they can get major reductions for what is normally a solid house. (In terms of a premium price, this type of house hadn't been built here before so the price was very reasonable)

I think those of us who buy new builds expect everything to be perfect and therefore we are not happy if they are not. Whereas in an older property you should expect things not to be perfect; people seem to require old properties to be bought up to today's standard without having to incur the cost themselves.