Survey suggest wall tie replacements

house_hunter_2

Hi all

I wonder if someone can help me. Me and my partner are first time buyers. We have had an offer accepted on 3 bed semi-detached house with no chain. We have applied for a mortgage and they've done the valuation. On there report its states that the wall tie replacements need to be checked before exchange of contracts. On the letter they said that they will not proceed further with our application until they have seen a builders report, etc.

So my first question is: I had a surveyor come out last Wednesday and he said yes they all need doing and will cost £1850 enclusive of VAT. Do you think this is a good price? Also because it needs doing I feel we should ask for a lower price on the house purchase what do you think?

We had the report yesterday so Im ready to send it to my mortgage company. Yet at the same time we have received a mortgage offer from our mortgage company so now I'm totally confused because first of all they tell us they wont proceed with the application further until they have received the evidence about the wall ties and now they sent me the mortgage offer.

My second question is Because we have this mortgage offer can we still ask the people we are buying the house from to reduce the house price to cover the wall ties charge?

Sorry my message is long but I'm so confused. Anyones help would be much appreciated.

not_loaded

If you're talking about the galvanised wall ties that are shaped rather like a dog's bone, and go across the cavity wall gap, then I would have thought this a very complex job to do. That quote sounds a bit cheap to me.

I can't imagine what attracted the surveyor's attention to this though. How old is the property?

I suppose, like all potential buyers, you should take advantage of this to negotiate the price down. I'm guessing your mortgage offer could simply be conditionally based on that work being done?

house_hunter_2

Thanks not_loaded. Its for cavity wall tie replacement works and they will install new stainless steel wall ties (mechanical fixing) to the front, side and rear elevation cavity walls.

The reason why I think this attract the surveyor's is because there is a horizontal lines on the wall and this is a indication that the wall tie corrosion. The property was built in 1955.

I thought that my mortgage offer could simply be conditionally based on the work being done but it doesnt actually say that.

not_loaded

In that case, it doesn't seem to me like an unreasonable quote, and maybe you should go ahead and look for a reduction in price? You may not get it of course.

I think mortgage offers become clearer and clearer the nearer you get to actually wanting the money paid over.

Good luck!

house_hunter_2

thanks again not_loaded much appreciated for the advice.

I will keep you informed of our progress.

tbs624

house_hunter wrote: »

On there report its states that the wall tie replacements need to be checked before exchange of contracts. On the letter they said that they will not proceed further with our application until they have seen a builders report, etc.

So my first question is: I had a surveyor come out last Wednesday and he said yes they all need doing and will cost £1850 enclusive of VAT.

I'll hazard a guess that this "surveyor" offered a "free survey" & works for/runs a company that ...ahem...makes it's money from renewing wall ties.

How did he assess the property? If he merely went on "horizontal lines" or a quick poke around he's likely to be a con merchant.As a FTB you are just what they want in a client/customer:He may be right about the wall ties or he may be one of these link

Have a look here - link - scroll right down the page to read about the ages of properties most likely to be affected by wall tie failure and how the assessment for corrosion should actually be carried out under BRE (building research establishment) guidelines. (Jeff Howell has a construction industry background and lectures & writes on property matters). I wouldn't rush to show that report to your lender without re-checking with an independent.

keith969

Its probably worth getting the work done because come the time you want to sell the same issue may arise and it might cost more to fix by then. They don't actually replace the old ties - they put in new ones which are like screwed rods, so they just need to drill holes to put them in. Get at least 3 quotes though before you go ahead.

You can certainly try to get the vendor to reduce the price, even if they will only meet you halfway it'll be worth it.

house_hunter_2

Thanks tbs624 & keith 969 for your responses.

tbs624 no this surveyor didn't offer a free survey I had to pay for it and also I went through and the guy does all sorts of work.

He did just look at the wall and went on the horizontal lines but I did ask him about the camera and he said its obvious by the cracks also the EA was with me and he knows the bloke who came out to check it and said that he was very good and he agreed they do need doing.

Thank you for your links I found them very interesting. I have checked with another surveyor thats not even in my error and asked him how much it would cost and he said £2000. Ive also checked on the internet and someone had theres done in 2006 and they was charged £1600.
Keith696 - I thought that myself that its worth getting the work done because if they have been done since 1955 its bound to need doing and at least we have the money now we can get it done now because if when we get old we may not be able to afford it and it be more expensive. I will be getting more quotes I hope the mortgage people dont say I have to do the work before they give me the mortgage I dont want to delay things further.

_Andy_

I doubt the mortgage lender will be concerned - we had a similar experience with this house a few years ago - if memory serves we managed to get the vendor to pay for the wall ties - that said they were desperate to sell and move abroad.
Cost I believe was c£1500 but this was a few years back.

tbs624

house_hunter wrote: »

THe did just look at the wall and went on the horizontal lines but I did ask him about the camera and he said its obvious by the cracks also the EA was with me and he knows the bloke who came out to check it and said that he was very good and he agreed they do need doing.

Sorry but if he hasn't removed anything from the wall I wouldn't be coughing up two grand to him . Remember that the EA doesn't work for you- he works for the vendor. Far too may EAs have a "you scratch mine and I'll tickle yours" arrangement in these situations

house_hunter wrote: »

I have checked with another surveyor thats not even in my error and asked him how much it would cost and he said £2000. Ive also checked on the internet and someone had theres done in 2006 and they was charged £1600.

The actual costs you've been given for the work isn't the issue - it's more *if* the works actually needs doing. From that link:

"....have the condition of their home's wall ties assessed using the method described in BRE Digest 401, which specifies that two bricks should be removed on each elevation (at high and low levels) and tested for corrosion. Inspecting ties by drilling a hole in the outer leaf and looking through a boroscope is not a satisfactory way of assessing their condition, as the most serious corrosion is likely to be where the ties are embedded in the mortar. Wall tie corrosion is a growing problem, and mortgage valuation surveyors are increasingly recommending that wall ties should be inspected as a condition of a mortgage advance. It is likely that the widespread presence of retro-fill CWI will increase surveyors' alertness to the possibility of wall tie corrosion, and might therefore create delays when homes with cavity wall insulation are put on the market. Homes most at risk of wall tie corrosion are those built with wrought-iron "fish-tail" ties prior to 1920, and those built with galvanised steel "butterfly" ties between 1964 and 1981."

My highlighting - you say this property was built in 1955?

If you get a decent quote using a reliable method of assessment , rather than an "I've given it a good dose of looking at" job then you may find it possible to negotiate on th epurchase price with the vendor, as Andy mentions.

not_loaded

I think we should remember that the initial discovery of the problem was by an independent surveyor.

When I invited the second builder/surveyor in, I would have asked him “What are those horizontal lines then?” not, “Do you agree with the previous surveyor?”.

It's a bit like asking your mum if she wants a hand with the washing-up, the answer is always yes.