Survey - Asbestos - HELP!!

Tahiti

Right, we've offered on a house without a forward chain (and had the offer accepted) at £225k against an asking price of £229,995. The price is fair without being low and the offer was made on the basis that the heating needs looking at, and it requires a new bathroom and redecorating throughout. When we offered, my wife and I agreed that £225k was as high as we were prepared to go.

Now we have had the results of the survey back. It says that the garage roof (attached to our property, and also the next door neighbours house) will need to be replaced shortly. Furthermore, the survey reveals that there is asbestos to deal with too. We only got the report today, but the surveyor reckons it will cost £2k - £2.5k to sort out due to the size of the roof (it's about 25 ft long x 10 ft wide), and asbestos. There are other minor bits and pieces too, but we expected these to be raised.

My wife has spoken to the estate agent and enquired about a price reduction, and they have said the vendor has set a bottom line of £225k.

Obviously at this stage, we have spent a fair bit progressing things - arrangement fees, survey, solicitors etc, and don't want to lose all that.

However I am unsure as to whether we can complete the other bits and pieces we need to if we have to fork out another £2k for the roof. So my question is this. What do we do now?

silvercar

I would still go for it. You'll lose just as much money if you walk away having spent out on surveys etc. In practical terms the roof could last a few more years.

lynzpower

I personally wouldnt go anywhere near a property with asbestos, but maybe thats just me.

Just think if HIPS were in.....

Tahiti

Two valid viewpoints. Asbestos has always scared me, and the more the state "care for us" the more expensive it becomes to remove.

The real problem I have is that I'm not sure that we can swallow the additional £2k costs. It really is that tight at the moment.

silvercar

I wouldn't live near a phone mast or under electric pylons but asbestos in the roof of a garage wouldn't bother me. You just have to be aware that disposal has to be undertaken professionally.

I would ring the surveryor and ask him how long the roof would last before it needs replacing.

robwend

god calm down!! lol lots of propertys have asbestos! we arnt talking white stuff here where you all drop down dead lol, i have purchased a house where the roof of the house has asbestos under it,lol so i must be off my trolly!! lol but im not, theres so many diffrent type of asbestos, mines the solid type, dont drill it or sand it and it will be fine,your survey has pointed it out but if it was a big problem the bank wouldnt lend you, i think you have got a great seller to knock down over this as asbestos is very common in older propertys and i would not walk away over this, put the money to one side and forget about it untill it needs fixing, to be honest id leave garage alone untill you really really have too do it, good luck xxx wendy

Tahiti

I've called the Surveyor and he reckons the roof will need attention imminently. This is where my problem lies.

robwend

if it was me i would get a quote from a firm to remove it then and them present it too the seller, its up to you if you call his bluff and
threaten to walk away if he does not cough up xx

Tahiti

Looks like that's going to be the only option if I can't swallow the extra cost. The wife's going to go nuts.

I have however just noticed something which could well make a difference. I just remembered that before we put an offer in on the house we noticed that the roof was a little damaged at the front. As part of the "Special Conditions" of the offer, I asked that the "roof needs to be repaired". Now, at the time, this was referring to the damage to the front of the garage which has since been bodged. I wonder if this would have an affect on negotiations.

Being a first time mover, I am lacking knowledge with these things.

silvercar

If you walk away from this house you are going to have to pay for a survey and legal costs on the new property. It may not be £2,000 but it will be money you will need to spend before you even exchange.

It's the roof of the garage not the house roof, "imminently" doesn't have to mean immediately!

lynzpower

Tahiti wrote:

Looks like that's going to be the only option if I can't swallow the extra cost. The wife's going to go nuts.

I have however just noticed something which could well make a difference. I just remembered that before we put an offer in on the house we noticed that the roof was a little damaged at the front. As part of the "Special Conditions" of the offer, I asked that the "roof needs to be repaired". Now, at the time, this was referring to the damage to the front of the garage which has since been bodged. I wonder if this would have an affect on negotiations.

Being a first time mover, I am lacking knowledge with these things.

certainly worth a stab. you dont have that much to lose. I dont know much about it either, but if it says "repaired " and doesnt specifically deal with the bodged bit, then you have leverage, Id say.