Suevey Results in - Advice please

Made_Without

I've listed the items for concern. I've seen that previously FTB have posted results really worried and the wiser / more experienced readers have reassured them this is nothing to worry about - please help me work out the same.

The valuation has come back at the agreed sale price; does that mean I have to fork out for these costs?

I also noted that the its says agreed sales price including fixture and fittings - but in the Fittings and Content Form I received from the Vendor today - all the kitchen white goods (even those that are fitted such as the hood, hob, oven and grills) they want to sell to me!

Would appreciate if anyone has a approx indication of cost and any other comments:

1. Garage: Evidence of active wood boring beetle infestation in garage – needs to be treated

2. Treatment required of dampness to ground floor area – left hand wall as well as inspection of floor timbers butting onto damp effected walls.

3. Electric service does not comply with current regulations with regards to circuit breaker protection and earth bonding.

4. Gas metre needs to be moved to an external box (currently is in neighbours garage to the right which does not allow unobstructed access).

*5. Location of controlling stopcock unknown (? guess its a case of jut finding this more and ensuring its accessible).

6. Cleaning of roof space prior to exchange of contracts – considered to be an unpleasant job.

7. Number of slipped and broken tiles require early replacement.
8. Also deterioration of the mortar in which the ridge tiles are bedded and re-pointing and possible re-bedding in mortar will be required at an early date.

9. Concerns with regards to the detailing to the valleys at the junction of the gables and main roof – in places valleys are very narrow and could easily block, the valley verge tiles have not been embedded in mortar. These tiles will slip.

10. Render at the junction of the stack and roof is inflexible and will crack and there will be maintenance issues (some repairs have been undertaken) – can the cost of these be shared?

11. Driveway deteriorating – early relaying required.

As the following are concerns for a few years on, is there an appropriate way I can consider them in the current pricing, or should I take these more as inevitable running costs?

1. 2-3 years: Considered that the roof will require overhaul in the next 2-3 years.

2. 3-5 years: Cracking to the render – slight lamination to the brickwork of the chimney stack. Stack needs to be repaired in the next 3-5 years.

3. Repairs to garage roof.

Others areas flagged

1. [Improve insulation of roofspace – current standard 270mm (currently only 100mm)]

2. [Thermal insulation to walls – next renovation]

3. [Ceiling replacement in future – cracks in plasterboard observed].

4 .[Cleaning of fireplace flue if it is to be used as a fireplace]

I would really appreciate feedback and comments
Currently, I'm feeling overwhelmed

C*F

vegasbaby100

just a few things on there :-)

The things i would personally focus on are the roof? depending on size you will most prob looking from 3k upwards with insulation. Damp and woodworm can be a problem just had a quote for works in a kitchen 10ft wall and living area approx 15ft for damp proofing and the cheapest quote was £1400+ Vat our woodworm/beatkle treatment for all beams in the house think it was something like 92 beams came too 675+ Vat. Electrics and Gas can be expensive just depends on the movement and how far it isfor the gas and with the electric depends on what they mean i presume they mean the consumer unit which our last one cost 500 when upgrading.

What i would personally suggest would to be get some tradesman around to the house to give you quotes it wont cost anything to you and I am sure the vendors will be more than happy with this. (just tell them you have exchanged and want to get the work sorted for as soon as you complete ;-).)

good luck

keith969

You probably want to get a few roofing companies in to inspect the roof and give you a quote for any work needed. Left untreated, a leaking roof can give rise to all sorts of problems like dry rot so its well to address it as your first priority.

The next thing to focus on is the damp, again if its causing the floor to rot this will be expensive if left.

The gas and electric are not so urgent - lets face it any older electric will not comply with current regulations, and the gas meter is a problem only for the gas company to read it! Having said that a new consumer unit with circuit breakers and earth bonding was about £300 for me.

Finding the main stopcock is a good idea - if a pipe bursts you need to be able to turn the water off!

Afraid that if the valuation came back at the agreed price, the seller probably will have little enthusiasm for dropping the price...

clutton_2

they want to charge you for built in cooker etc - how perishin mean-spirited is this ?????? these things are fixtures and fittings and unless they are made of pure gold/platinum sellers always include these in the price - methinks they are trying it on ....... tell the EA to tell them not to be such daft *rses


tell them you dont want them - they wont want to take them out on moving out day thats for sure

Made_Without

@Clutton they want to sell me the towel rail, toilet roll holdersm bathroom mirror / cabinet ( really small one not talking fancy here at all), television aerial, telephone receivers.... dustbins, garden shed, curtain rails / poles/pelmets/ curtains and blinds, light fittings... I could go on...

The vendor is in L.A. what the heck is the plan with all that stuff?!

Spoke to EA and they are gobsmacked / saying call their bluff - I just find it odd and it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Even if I offered a couple of hundred for the stuff... the items flagged in the survey are more costly and these I do not want to fork out for.

I saw where the surveyor had opened the hatch to take a look a the loft - there is black dirt all around (the poor tenenets who are currently there looked horrified and were worried they would be blamed for hte mess). He wasnt joking about it needing professional cleaning and I certainly dont think I should pay for such things.

Right need to work out who I need to contact for quotes for all the stuff listed

C*F

clutton_2

dont offer anything for any of these things - just say nothing........

""vendor is in L.A."" - L.A. ??

""The valuation has come back at the agreed sale price; does that mean I have to fork out for these costs? "

buying a house is a game of poker - bluff, counter-bluff and double-bluff..... there are no set rules - which is why it is so stressful for folks.... get as many estimates for the works needing doing as you can - but at the end of the day the buyer buys the house as it is - and the CAVEAT EMPTOR rule comes into play - ie. Buyer Beware - it is up to you to satisfy yourself that the house is good value for money (your building society surveyor obviously thinks so) - but also up to you to negotiate the price down as and when you see fit - you can use yoru estimates to try to negotiate the price downwards because of the surveyors findings - but the vendor can just say "no" and you can accept the price or walk away .

Anyone you wants you to buy a toilet roll h older will probably not negotiate down - do you REALLY want this house ? - over the years it will cost you a fair few thousands to fix all these bits and pieces

bw


some folks will not budge one penny, others will budge several thousands - no set rules here.

concentrate on the big issues and ignore the details (toilet roll holders etc etc)

Made_Without

Well it's going to be hard to say nothing as she is calling tomorrow.

Yep Los Angeles - I mean really, it has to be a joke right? Trying to see how much more can be added from what I knocked off.

This is what I don't get re: the valuation being the sale price.
The property was originally marketed for considerably more (from the start price it was marketed and that I've agreed its over 50k off) - so how does that even make sense on the valuation front?? I know 3 agents previously valued it around the region of the higher price! Makes me feel the survey stuff is all finger in the air.

I reckon all the urgent work that needs doing is easily a couple of thousand. In the survey report it states:
"I strongly advise you to obtain competitive quotations from reputable contractors at once. As soon as you have these, as well as the responses from yout Legal Advisers, I will be pleased to advise you on whether or not they would cause us to change the advice or Valaution given in this report. Only when you have all this information will you be fully equipped to make an informed judgement on whetehr or not to proceed"

Does that mean they may increase the value /decrease it???

C*F

clutton_2

have you had a private structural survey done - which is not part of your Lenders valuation survey ?


""Does that mean they may increase the value /decrease it???""

possibly - what the surveyor seems to be saying is that if you get quotes for the work, he may be able to reassess his valuation - this could be to your advantage, but it may not be - but as the Vendor does not get to see these reports it wont affect the price he still wants.

""Makes me feel the survey stuff is all finger in the air"" - got it in one - the previous Asking price was what EAs thought it might have sold for then - it didn't sell - , now that the market has dropped they have all reassessed their valuations downwards - after all - Anything you sell is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it on the day they purchase it.

you dont have to talk to the vendor tomorrow, dont be rushed into this.

have they got any other serious purchasers ?

a lot of what is in a surveyors report is to cover their own backs in case things go wrong further down the line....

whilst i would want to get quotes to fix all the damp issues AND get them fixed now - the rest of the stuff can wait - (for example - most houses in the uk right now do not comply with current electrical regs as regs are changed almost annually)

BUT i would get quotes for all the works as a bargaining tool with the purchasers - its all part of this " game" - how much can you get off for remedial works, how much can they add on for fixtures .......

it is like poker - keep your face straight, dont give away your hand till you have all the info you need

tell them you are considering things ........

Made_Without

I had a Homebuyers Survey (I'm buying a listed place so I had actually opted for a full structural; however, as its a flat, I was told this was not appropriate by the surveyor and got the cheaper Homebuyers).

The bank contacted the Independent Valuations Agency who then contact the 3rd party local surveyors - but the bank won't see the full report; all they get is the valuation bit.

I know you are right about its only worth however much a person is willing to pay and I guess in my mind, I offered the amount I was willing with the mindset that the place wouldnt have any issues. I always factored I would need to keep a fund on the side for future repairs and the fact its listed,this may be a bit more. However, I did not consider contingency for repairs and work from the word go. So if they are not willing to pay for the repairs I will have to walk away.

I'm not sure - dont think they do have any other purchasers persuing... I hope not! I did ask that they take the flat off the market on accepting my offer and its shown as 'sold' on the agents site.

I am crap at playing SNAP - forget poker! But thanks for the advice

Any idea on best way to gather quotes quickly? I'm just dreading to have to coordinate the different companies going round - having to get the EA to do this and ensuring tenents are out etc.

I really appreciate you taking time to respond - feel a bit calmer having someone to share with.

C*F

clutton_2

ask the EA if he can organise builders quotes for you - he will want as fast a sale as possible to earn his fee and may well realise that he can do it faster than a FTB - act a bit Dumb here and plead for help !!

dont forget that your solicitor is on YOUR side and is also there to answer any of your questions and can advise you much more pertinently than anyone here can

Ulfar

With that many problems listed in your home buyers survey some of which could indicate bigger problems I would be looking at getting a full structural survey done.

I wouldn't be exchanging until the full survey has been done.

If after having the structural survey done you still want to buy do not agree to pay anything for the fixtures and fittings, what are they going to do pay to have it all removed or come back to do it themselves.