Survey results - what do we do now?

charliechin

Hi all,

We've just had a homebuyers survey completed on our lovely potential home, but to our dismay it suddenly doesn't sound so lovely!

The survey has picked up the following items:

1. Evidence of wood boring beetle
2. Evidence of "rising dampness to ground floor walls and timbers in contact may be defective"
3. "Instruct building contractor to expose & replace as necessary lintels spanning openings to side and rear elevations" (a single patio door and a single window at the side)

Is the above likely to be a serious headache? Are we best asking the seller to sort all this before we move in, or getting the cost deducted from the mortgage and sorting it ourselves?

Thanks all,

Russ

pawpurrs

http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/ppuk_discovering_article_014.shtml

Doesnt sound bad at all, have a read here.

Nearly every survey comes up with timber and damp.

pawpurrs

I wouldnt reduce or do any work as a vendor based on above, I take it its an old property?

charliechin

Thanks for the link.

The house was built around 1935. The thing is that the surveyor/mortgage provider has put down a retention of £4k

There are a few other things like the electrics/rainwater goods/plumbing that need looking at.

Why wouldn't you reduce or do the work?

In this case, the vendor will not be selling to us because the bank will not provide us with the mortgage.

pawpurrs

You didnt mention the retention, retention on what basis?
Are they asking for quotes for electrics etc?

Based on your first post wood boring beetle, damp, if its an old house I would allways expect them to come up on survey.

Now you are mentioning other points. Surveys allways seem daunting, if in doubt you can allways speak to your surveyor, but its normal to say get reports on timber/damp, electrics its just the surveyor covering their own backs.
Why wouldnt I reduce, because timber/damp normally comes up on every survey, and normally beetle infestation is old (or in my case, it is and theres nothing wrong) High damp meter readings all old houses will have those, and a damp proof course isnt necesarily the answer. If its not bad enough to show, most of the time its not worth doing ( i am talking on old houses, if you get high damp readings on a newer property thats a different kettle of fish)

charliechin

Thanks.

The retention is for

• Investigation into the beetle infestation and damp by a member of the BWPDA
• Expose lintels (he thinks there is at least one missing)
• Surveyor thinks the electrical installation is unsatisfactory - electrician to examine the system fully
• Overhaul rainwater goods as necessary
• Instruct plumbing contractor to upgrade hot water cylinder & lead plumbing
• Replace a cracked manhole

I do hope that is the case, I do really like this house.

Russ and Kel

pawpurrs

Ok in which case you can either get the relevant people in to quote, which will mean paying out money for them to inspect, take in to account that these people will want work so some will quote even if there is no infestation etc.
Or just ask for a 4k reduction and wing it!
You may find that the quotes are a lot less than 4k as surveyors nearly allways overestimate on price, in which case if the vendor is unwilling to stump up the 4k (they normally want to meet in the middle at least) you may be able to get the retention lowered.

Bf109

I'm amazed that anyone is contemplating taking on debt at all. Dont you know the global financial system just broke down today? At least 5 banks went under today, and thats before lunch!

Fair enough, buy a house if you have cash but seriously, do not take on debt at this stage of affairs!

Sonofa

Bf109 wrote: »

I'm amazed that anyone is contemplating taking on debt at all. Dont you know the global financial system just broke down today? At least 5 banks went under today, and thats before lunch!

Fair enough, buy a house if you have cash but seriously, do not take on debt at this stage of affairs!

The last time I checked the World hadn't stopped turning.

People WILL still get on with their lives and this includes buying a HOME. Yes, note that the OP said "home", not house, not BTL, not cash cow.

The original question was with regards to survey info so peddle your end of the world doom and gloom elsewhere!

To the OP, on the face of it, it doesn't sound like too much work is needed (certainly not the end of the world). As others have said, surveys on older houses will always turnup, or at least ask for specialist reports on damp, wood rot, etc. Get the quotes in and look to do a deal with your vendor. Doubtless they are as eager to get things resolved as you are.

When we sold our last house the EA actually gave me a copy of my buyers' survey. I was able to work through this and agreed to sort most items out myself before the sale.

charliechin

Exactly, we are buying a home not an investment. Stuff the money - we just want a happy home.