Homebuyers survey action points - is this costly? necessary?

NickDurham

We've just had a homebuyers done on a property (we're FTB). It's come back with a few action points that I'm not sure quite how serious they are/if they're just "to be expected".

1. The damp course is too low to the side of the house and in the conservatory and we need to lower external ground levels (this would include the patio which is at the back of the conservatory I think). Is this necessary? If so, is it dear??

2. A strut was removed when the loft hatch was enlarged and there needs to be work to improve the support of the roof structure as a result.

3. rising mains pipe is of lead and needs replacing due to health/safety. They are unsure if more of the pipework will be of lead, but said it should all be checked and replaced if it IS of lead.

4. All electrical fittings need replacing (would this mean the wiring could be shoddy too?)

There are several other things, such high damp readings in several places downstairs and the windows will need replacing 'in the short term and should be budgeted for'. THe brick built outhouse has a roof that could be dangerous - it's concrete and the metal joints are corroded. BUt my mian issue is how much the work above will cost, is it necessary, etc... ANY help would be REALLY gratefully received!!

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AdrianW2

NickDurham wrote: »

1. The damp course is too low to the side of the house and in the conservatory and we need to lower external ground levels (this would include the patio which is at the back of the conservatory I think). Is this necessary? If so, is it dear??

We had that too. I'm ignoring it for the moment.

NickDurham wrote: »

3. rising mains pipe is of lead and needs replacing due to health/safety. They are unsure if more of the pipework will be of lead, but said it should all be checked and replaced if it IS of lead.

Just run the tap for a bit before drinking the water.

wallbash

There has been a number of posting by FTB about a homebuyers report .
General advice is always the same

The report is full of the word 'COULD'

or Should be checked

or improve
May be etc etc

Its not the report or the surveyors fault , its the legal way of covering their backs.

1) DPC is too low ( or rather that the surrounding patio has been installed.)
does the patio allow the rapid flow of any rainwater away from house ??
Answer yes..... ignore:rolleyes:
2) Lead mains pipe .
a) your grandparents survived so will you.
b) the supply might be mainly blue plastic and its only the piece that is visible , that's the old style, if it works leave alone.

3) strut missing .
How old is the house . Is their signs of movement , ceilings recently cracked??

4) quote All electrical fittings need replacing
Its a bit vague :eek: the fittings might be old , that does NOT make them dangerous.

You can see from my posting , I;m not a fan of these reports.

NickDurham

andrew-b wrote: »

1. Is the damp proof course level with the external ground or above it..or below? If it's below or level then i'd say it definitely needs attention as soon as. If it's slightly above and the external ground slopes away it might not be as urgent. What is the state of the external ground ? If it's just paving slabs it may not be that tricky to resolve yourself...if it's solid concrete slab it's alot more labour to break it all up. If you would replace all the external paving anyway it probably isn't really too much of an issue. Paving tends to be fairly pricey if your not DIYing as it tends to be alot of manual labour.

2. Needs attention ...wouldn't have been mentioned otherwise. I would think it's a 10 minute job once you know where to fix a new strut - if that. You would just need a suitable piece of timber and a few nails. Knowing where to fix it is the sticking point i suppose.

3. Needs replacing. Job for a plumber really - though i'd probably DIY it myself!

4. Ask the surveyor why. If the fittings need replacing then it's quite possible it needs a full rewire which could be alot of upheaval if channelling out of walls is required as it will mess up the decor. If you wish to go ahead with this purchase it would be advisable to get an electrician to compile a report on the state of the electrics and if it's deemed necessary ask for a quote for a rewire. Most surveyors will now recommend an electrical check anyway.

The locations with high dampness readings...do they correspond with the external walls where the dampproof course is too low relative to external ground. If so then it may indicate more urgency for point #1. If not i'd ask the surveyor what he considers to be the cause. He may recommend a damp specialist to come and look at the property. If so ask him if he can recommend one.

With regards to windows, as they say allow budget to replace. Maybe take measurements and contact a window company to give you a quote if your unsure on cost. Or someone here will probably give you a ballpark figure.

Brick outhouse...sounds like it will definitely need a new roof but it's not really a show stopper. If your DIY skills are upto it you could probably do this yourself - or just knock the whole structure down and stick in a shed.

Basically i would call your surveyor and discuss with him these points raised. Also ask the key question "is there any reason you consider i shouldn't go ahead?". I'd also ask if he considers it reasonable to ask for a reduction in purchase price to rectify these things or whether the price already reflects the need for these works.

The electrics and rectifying existing/potential damp issues are likely to cost the most to fix.

Basically you need as much info as you can to make an informed decision as to whether to go-ahead with your purchase. If it's going to cost a few thousand to rectify (for sake of argument) and you don't have that sort of money then you might want to walk away - not always an easy decision to make if you've got too attached to the property already!

We bailed out of one purchase (a recent refurb but it had some cracks my Dad who surveyed it didn't like the look of) and another one fell through before our own first-time buy. It's not always smooth sailing. However one thing i will say is you will pretty much never find a property that doesn't need at least some minor works done on them - except maybe some new properties though even then its not unheard of!

Anyways good luck!

Andy

HUGE thanks Andy - and everyone else. The problem is pretty much all our savings except say 2K are tied up in deposit and fees. The other issue is that my wife has now fallen in love with a different property which does need total cosmetic upgrading, but which we know is raised above the level of the external ground, hasn't had anything done to the loft (not even boarded out - something to be done, of course), and has an extra room. There are bound to be issues with it as well, but at least we went round it with a builder who estimated 1.5k for ceilings to be replastered, chimney stacks remortared/repointed, and who checked that damp patches are due to condensation, not damp (the house is vacant and has been for a while). It's going to be a lot of work, but I figure new carpets/flooring, paint on walls, kitchen - all of which we can live with and do bit by bit - will put more value on a house than spending a similar amount on replacing the double glazing, which is far better than the 1st house.

In the meantime I'll call the surveyor about everything, but I'm beginning to come round to the idea of the other house. Also, the house we've just had a survey on we got for 6k OVER the asking price - and I am still not sure we weren't played like a fiddle by the EA.

EDIT: The outhouse is a bigger problem than you might think, as we were planning to convert it into an office in the medium term. The survey means that will cost more than we'd thought. :S

wallbash

Hate to quote those tv progs but one thing they carp on about is correct

Location Location Location

Every problem with a house can be fixed with ( enough) Money
except the location. Have never bought a perfect house yet ( don't think they exist )

. The problem is pretty much all our savings except

:rotfl: its the same for all of us

macman

The main issue is surely whether the building society will put a retention on part of the advance pending some of the remedial work being done. Otherwise there is nothing on that list (except a possible rewire) that can't be delayed a couple of years.
Surveyors can hardly come back with a report saying 'no faults, the house is practically perfect', so (assuming no obvious faults exist) they tend to come up with a lot of vague issues and generalities that might or might not be important, just to bulk out the report. (one I had years ago informed me that 'window sills require regular painting to avoid decay'. Well fancy that!)
I have found that asking a builder to spend 30 minutes looking around will give you a far more realistic picture than an HBR can-and much cheaper.
If the cost is justified, a full structural survey is always worth it, but an HBR reveals little.