Survey - too many problems to take on?

stilernin

Housebuyers survey: - Can someone take a look at this for me please? It all sounds a bit scarey. I know that the surveyor will have to mention everything to cover himself but this sounds a lot.

Urgent:

• Timber treatment - decay in wall plate timbers within garage (leaking valley gutter)
• Roof gutter repairs - water penetration into garage
• Garage felt covering and flashings
• Chimney repairs - pointing poor
• Boundary wall repair - low wall between drives

Further investigation:

• Check subfloor timbers in living room - movement, check for infestation
• Wall ties - inspection "in properties of this age the ties can break down"
• Electricity - older style fuses - specialist report recommended

Maintenance consideration:

• Clay sub soil - control drains and trees
• Movement - replace lintels
• Double glazing - need to replace double glazed 5 pane bay, some seals broken down and some cracked panes
• Roof - cement torching falling away
• External redecoration - routine maintenance is due
• Some purchasers would wish to re-fit kitchen

Phew.......... it seems a lot to me. What does everyone else think?

It's 1930s medium size round bayed semi. I would have had new kitchen and bathroom and redecorated everything but what sort of money are we talking about here to sort it out before I can do the above? Would this little lot have you looking for a price reduction? How much?

I'm a single silver surfer so whilst I can do the decoration, the rest is beyond me.

Thanks everyone for reading this far.

Toiletduck

I guess it depends on the price. I didnt realise the homebuyers survey went into so much detail i dont think mine did.

As far as i can tell the electrical bit is a standard thing they write down if they spot a fusewire fusebox. I had it, an electricians report is about £80 ish. Probs pays for itself as unless it was last rewired in the past 2 years or so theyll find lots of things to update to current regs which you can use to knock down price.

A timber and damp inspection for me was about the same price, although they will not lift flooboards move furniture boxes etc. So the owner will have to be cooperative.

You should be in a good position to negotiate a big discount though id have thought, unless its allready priced super cheap.

stilernin wrote: »

Housebuyers survey: - Can someone take a look at this for me please? It all sounds a bit scarey. I know that the surveyor will have to mention everything to cover himself but this sounds a lot.

Urgent:

• Timber treatment - decay in wall plate timbers within garage (leaking valley gutter)
• Roof gutter repairs - water penetration into garage
• Garage felt covering and flashings
• Chimney repairs - pointing poor
• Boundary wall repair - low wall between drives

Further investigation:

• Check subfloor timbers in living room - movement, check for infestation
• Wall ties - inspection "in properties of this age the ties can break down"
• Electricity - older style fuses - specialist report recommended

Maintenance consideration:

• Clay sub soil - control drains and trees
• Movement - replace lintels
• Double glazing - need to replace double glazed 5 pane bay, some seals broken down and some cracked panes
• Roof - cement torching falling away
• External redecoration - routine maintenance is due
• Some purchasers would wish to re-fit kitchen

Phew.......... it seems a lot to me. What does everyone else think?

It's 1930s medium size round bayed semi. I would have had new kitchen and bathroom and redecorated everything but what sort of money are we talking about here to sort it out before I can do the above? Would this little lot have you looking for a price reduction? How much?

I'm a single silver surfer so whilst I can do the decoration, the rest is beyond me.

Thanks everyone for reading this far.

dander

The two things that leapt out at me there were - the older style fusebox - I guess there's a strong chance that means your entire house could do with rewiring. I'm not sure how much that is, but I'm pretty sure I've seen prices listed on the "Is this quote fair" board. A complete rewire is going to be an awful lot of upheaval with floorboards coming up, walls being chased etc, so you'd want get that done before anything else really.

In the maintenance list 'movement - replace lintels'. Does he give any more information about that - has this movement stopped moving? Is this anywhere in particular, or the whole house?

TBH, it does sound like quite a lot - more than the average house - but pretty much all fixable stuff if you're prepared to grit your teeth and get it done. I'd definitely be looking for a price reduction on this though - funny that the bay window is in 'maintenance' that sounds like something you'd definitely want sorting.

I'd recommend having a good search through the 'is this quote fair' board - there's loads of useful price guides on there.

wallbash

know that the surveyor will have to mention everything to cover himself but this sounds a lot.

Its a 1930 semi , they built good houses in those days, now their eighty years old But basicly still very sound. Nothing that surveyor said , could not be said about nearly all 1930 semi's, bet most will still be with us in other hundred years.

Yes the fuse box could be upgraded, but my house built in the 70's still has
older style fuse box , I still sleep soundly
Rewiring was done piece by piece as I redecorated each room , not a problem. They keep changing the regs as Toiletduck posted. If you are correct today. you will be out of date nextweek

I didnt realise the homebuyers survey went into so much detail i dont think mine did.

Mine told me that the front of the house ( ground level) was too high and
interfered with the DPM:eek: , but any fool could see that the large overhanging porch stopped any rain reaching the brickwork

If you like the house , buy it .

thebaldwindowfitter

i have seen these serveys lots of times the banks biggest thinks to pick up on are cavity ties ,damp proofing,timber treatment ,movement and electrics all of which are all mentioned on your servey .the most common thing mentioned is get specialist report .being in the building trade all my life your are easy fixes
Urgent:

• Timber treatment - decay in wall plate timbers within garage (leaking valley gutter) acrow prop roof cut out infected timber and replace with tanalised timber re new valley gutter
• Roof gutter repairs - water penetration into garage -possibly cast iron or plastic gutter joints
• Garage felt covering and flashings -refelt or make into pitched roof and tile
• Chimney repairs - pointing poor -repointing
• Boundary wall repair - low wall between drives-take down and rebuild or just repoint

Further investigation:

• Check subfloor timbers in living room - movement, check for infestation -possibly slate packers slipped (could be timber packers which have shrunk)repack timbers and check for rot
• Wall ties - inspection "in properties of this age the ties can break down" -this is true only way to find out is expert
• Electricity - older style fuses - specialist report recommended-as stated the revisions for electrics change yearly

Maintenance consideration:

• Clay sub soil - control drains and trees
• Movement - replace lintels - most houses of this age did not have lintols
• Double glazing - need to replace double glazed 5 pane bay, some seals broken down and some cracked panes -replace units or complete frame and glass approx £1100
• Roof - cement torching falling away -can only think this is ridge tile pointing
• External redecoration - routine maintenance is due -are the walls painted or does this refer to fascia boards
• Some purchasers would wish to re-fit kitchen-in his opinion

woodbutcher_2

Most of these problems you would find in any 1930's house but it is the surveyors job to point these things out.If you like the house,use the survey as a bargaining tool to get the price down.5 years ago,they wouldn't even comment on electrics but with the new regs everyone seems to be paranoid about wiring.Basically,surveys are mainly an a**e covering exercise.Anythng goes wrong in the future,they can say that the problem was pointed out.I am on my third 1930's semi in a row.They are solid houses but need maintaining.

Toiletduck

dander wrote: »

The two things that leapt out at me there were - the older style fusebox - I guess there's a strong chance that means your entire house could do with rewiring. I'm not sure how much that is, but I'm pretty sure I've seen prices listed on the "Is this quote fair" board. A complete rewire is going to be an awful lot of upheaval with floorboards coming up, walls being chased etc, so you'd want get that done before anything else really.

I think the only way to know for sure will be to get an electrican to inspect the wiring, it could be an old rubber wire deathtrap or a relatively modern installation done prior to the introduction of rcd/mcb units and may just require a new fusebox.

thebaldwindowfitter

under part p regulations you cannot just fit new fuse board if you alter anything it all has to be done to part p regs

Toiletduck

a6windows wrote: »

under part p regulations you cannot just fit new fuse board if you alter anything it all has to be done to part p regs

I think as long as the wiring insulation is sound they just have to upgrade the main earth bonding if required when they change the fusebox.

I say this as this was my situation last year.

woodbutcher_2

That was my understanding too.

thebaldwindowfitter

it may well be different for home owners but my experiance is based on the landlords electrical certificates which i have had done on the properties i rent out.full rewire on 2 bed terrace cost me £475 all in although i lifted floor boards andchased the walls out so id say your looking at up to 1k for semi detached 3 bed