Your Opinions needed please - doesn't sound good at all!!

shazzy1773

I've received the survey report on the property we want to buy and it sounds awful.
It's also been valued at £15,000 less than the offer we put in for the property - would you walk away? - we really don't know what to do!

Overall opinion:
The property,an original 1960's semi-detached bungalow,has been extended and
had a first floor conversion made to it to provide semi-bungalow
accommodation with a large first floor bedroom.A rear extension has been
undertaken to a poor standard and the first floor conversion in a relatively
unaccomplished manner. Over all maintenance has been neglected and
considerable expense is now required with maintenance works necessary in
early course to preven tfurther deterioration and to fund works deemed
desirable to correct/replace defective/poor workmanship in the extension and
conversion parts.

Mainwalls
The reconstituted blockwork to the front and flank elevation walls of the
original building appearsto be infair condition, however there is stepped
cracking to the mortarjoints above the entrance door on the flank elevation.
To preventf urther movement a lintel should be introduced above the door.
The main rear elevation is rendered. Attentionis required to this. Parts are
unkeyed from the understructure and parts are cracked. The extension has
been constructed in a very crude and unaccomplished manner and the flank
wall is not aligned with that of the original building, the wall veering outward
slightly. Subsequently it appears that settlement has occurred in the
structure and there has been re-pointing of the flankwall where it adjoins the
main building and over the window.

Internal walls and partitions
Overall these appear to be in fair condition, however within the Dining Room
extension plasterwork has become unkeyed from the understructure because
of the movement as reported and the overall plastering finish is poor with
areas out of alignment.

Garaqe and outbuildinqs
The Garage is in very poor condition. The mineral felted flat roof is leaking
and re-roofing is required. Re-building of part of the rear elevation will be
necessary as there is a considerable amount of decayed brickwork and the
render has broken away from it. Wet rot is affecting the timbers of the
window frame and the verge boarding. Replacements are required.



F2 MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS
Point roof verges.
Overhaul gutters and downspouts.
Replace defective rendering to main rear elevation wall.
Paint exterior woodwork.
Replace defective interiorwoodwork and decorate as required.
Replace defective Bathroom appointments.
Replace defective brickworkand render to the Garage, replace rot affected
timbers and re-felt the roof.

F3 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Replace failed double glazed window units. We consider the best course (
action in this respect would be complete replacement with bettAr quality,
probably PVCu units, with a satisfactory width of double glazing. The
existing ones have a very narrow gap.
In our opinion the rear extension is such a poor structure that it is likely to
cause severe problems on the re-sale of the property. We consider there i
no simplistic remedial action that is needed and believe the only course of
eventual action is to demolish the existing structure and re-build.

tomstickland

All of that is fixable.....for a price. So it's not a lost cause, but you need to subtract a realistic cost from the offer. If the seller fails to see reality then you will have to abandon. Then again, any other buyers will have the same situation.

Doozergirl

shazzy1773 wrote:

We consider there i
no simplistic remedial action that is needed and believe the only course of
eventual action is to demolish the existing structure and re-build.

That really doesn't sound good shazzy. you wouldn't often read that in a report. What level of survey did you have done? Have you had the mortgage valuation yet; will they even lend on it?

If you don't want to walk away yet, I think your only option is to get a structural engineer to give their opinion - at the expense of the vendor, I should think. They're going to have to do something about it before they can sell. They either sort the problems or reduce the price accordingly for you to do it - that means quotes rather than a quick £15k knocked off.

In the meantime? Keep looking for another house.

Doozergirl

Tom, are you sure that having to rebuild an extension is't that bad!? Even I'd think twice!

tomstickland

Depends on buyer's expectations, price and location of house. eg: someone who expected to have to do some work and bought the house cheap and it was in a very good location, then not so bad. If buyer thought it just needed some paint, then bad news.

I mean, the survey is saying "shoddy work and one bit needs knocking down", so not a bed of roses.

BobProperty

Flippin 'eck (near said something else thinking I was on a builder's forum). I've added comments and prices in your quote. It'll be nice when it's finished.

shazzy1773 wrote:

I've received the survey report on the property we want to buy and it sounds awful.
It's also been valued at £15,000 less than the offer we put in for the property - would you walk away? - we really don't know what to do!

Overall opinion:
The property,an original 1960's semi-detached bungalow,has been extended and
had a first floor conversion made to it to provide semi-bungalow
accommodation with a large first floor bedroom.A rear extension has been
undertaken to a poor standard and the first floor conversion in a relatively
unaccomplished manner. Over all maintenance has been neglected and
considerable expense is now required with maintenance works necessary in
early course to preven tfurther deterioration and to fund works deemed
desirable to correct/replace defective/poor workmanship in the extension and
conversion parts.

Mainwalls
The reconstituted blockwork to the front and flank elevation walls of the
original building appearsto be infair condition, however there is stepped
cracking to the mortarjoints above the entrance door on the flank elevation.
To preventf urther movement a lintel should be introduced above the door.Few hundred quid
The main rear elevation is rendered. Attentionis required to this. Parts are
unkeyed from the understructure and parts are cracked. The extension has
been constructed in a very crude and unaccomplished manner and the flank
wall is not aligned with that of the original building, the wall veering outward
slightly. Subsequently it appears that settlement has occurred in the
structure and there has been re-pointing of the flankwall where it adjoins the
main building and over the window.See later about re-building, sounds like the foundations weren't good enough

Internal walls and partitions
Overall these appear to be in fair condition, however within the Dining Room
extension plasterwork has become unkeyed from the understructure because
of the movement as reported and the overall plastering finish is poor with
areas out of alignment.

Garaqe and outbuildinqs
The Garage is in very poor condition. The mineral felted flat roof is leaking
and re-roofing is required. Re-building of part of the rear elevation will be
necessary as there is a considerable amount of decayed brickwork and the
render has broken away from it. Wet rot is affecting the timbers of the
window frame and the verge boarding. Replacements are required.
Several hundred quid going on a couple of thou


F2 MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS
Point roof verges.
Overhaul gutters and downspouts.
Replace defective rendering to main rear elevation wall.
Paint exterior woodwork.
Replace defective interiorwoodwork and decorate as required.
Replace defective Bathroom appointments.
Replace defective brickworkand render to the Garage, replace rot affected
timbers and re-felt the roof.
Get it all done at once and you only need to pay for the scaffolding once :eek: another few thou depending on what you want in the bathroom etc.
F3 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Replace failed double glazed window units. We consider the best course (
action in this respect would be complete replacement with bettAr quality,
probably PVCu units, with a satisfactory width of double glazing. The
existing ones have a very narrow gap.several hundred per window
In our opinion the rear extension is such a poor structure that it is likely to
cause severe problems on the re-sale of the property. We consider there i
no simplistic remedial action that is needed and believe the only course of
eventual action is to demolish the existing structure and re-build.Basic extension would cost £10-15k, you need demolition on top. Decent extension £25-30K depending on size.

Is this place realistically priced? I would want to know if they were realistic about the state of the place and open to negotiation otherwise I'd walk away. If you are considering taking this on, I would be starting offers at about £50-60k below a reasonable price for the finished product. Any rightmove link so we can see it?

BobProperty

Further thought - is there Planinng and/or Building Regs approval for any of this?

Ian_W

shazzy,
I wouldn't walk away in view of the money you've already spent .... I'd RUN a mile and consider the money spent on the survey, very well spent indeed.

Unless, of course, the house is being sold well below market value and you were expected to have to rebuild a substantial part of it and do a signficant amount of remedial work as soon as you bought.

The words "bargepole" and "touch" and "wouldn't" spring to mind!

jet77

I paid for a survey last year that made me feel like crying. The garage was condemned, the house was riddled with open asbestos, the bathroom was a serious safety hazard and the list went on. At the time I was devastated because a) I was about to be made homeless by my landlord and b)it cost £500.

Anyway, I ran and am so glad that I did because I then found a lovely home which I now live in for a similar price and lots more room.

It also has future potential of being split in to 2 seperate properties which I need help with (I have posted a thread).

Anyway, hope all works out - take this as money well spent.

shazzy1773

Doozergirl wrote:

That really doesn't sound good shazzy. you wouldn't often read that in a report. What level of survey did you have done? Have you had the mortgage valuation yet; will they even lend on it?(

We had a homebuyers survey done which was done by my own independent surveyor, the mortgage valuation came back as ok to lend on the property (we have £60,000 equity from the sale of our house, so the mortgage isn't for the full value of the house)

Doozergirl wrote:

If you don't want to walk away yet, I think your only option is to get a structural engineer to give their opinion - at the expense of the vendor, I should think. They're going to have to do something about it before they can sell. They either sort the problems or reduce the price accordingly for you to do it - that means quotes rather than a quick £15k knocked off.(

The house is in the perfect location for us but not many semi-detached houses in our price range come onto the market very often. Our property is now going to contracts so were worried were going to have no where

to live soon. We did look at the renting option but so far our dogs are not welcome - 2 Dobermann's.

shazzy1773

BobProperty wrote:

Flippin 'eck (near said something else thinking I was on a builder's forum). I've added comments and prices in your quote. It'll be nice when it's finished.

Is this place realistically priced? I would want to know if they were realistic about the state of the place and open to negotiation otherwise I'd walk away. If you are considering taking this on, I would be starting offers at about £50-60k below a reasonable price for the finished product. Any rightmove link so we can see it?

Thank you BobProperty, your advice is apreciated.

The link for the property is:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-5831335.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy