Help - big problems found with new home

jack_spratt_2

Caveat emptor

Snap :-)

new_home_owner_3

What i would do is get a second opinion, the builder might be trying to rip you off, it wouldnt be the first builder to make out theres a massive problem, when in reality it might be a little bit of damp. A lot of builder have been out of work for a long time he might be thinking i can get a few weeks pay out of this..

Fire_Fox

daniel0408 wrote: »

Thanks - there are indeed two separate issues here and everyone seeems to only want to tell me why I'm wrong about one rather than thinking about both.

I didn't lie about a problem that occurred in my last place. I didn't expect to be lied to when I bought mine.

I've accepted some minor issues with the property and paid out for them. This is different though - it seems quite major and damp proof paint has been used on the area to cover up damage that was known about.

We are addressing the issue, we just aren't telling you what you want to hear. What is the good of encouraging you to sue the vendors backsides, and then you lose thousands in legal fees? You are either going to have to get the vendors to admit they lied, or find a witness such as a neighbour who they confessed to.

The penetrating damp seems major to you and no doubt the repairs will be disruptive, but it is NOT classed as a major structural defect! You cannot easily prove who covered up the damp nor can you prove there was not a small spot which the vendors thought was condensation, but that then got significantly worse without being visible from the inside due to the paint job.

eamon

Unless you are wealthy then there is little to be gained from suing the seller. It is very expensive, time consuming and in the meantime your house is damp!. You would be better of engaging a structural surveyor (or similar) to identify the cause, nature of the problem and solutions. It could be something as simple as needing new guttering. Remember there has been a lot of snow this winter and it could easily have caused damage and it doesn't take very long for damp to appear. Equally it doesn't take long for it to dry out once the cause has been removed.

new_home_owner_3

daniel0408 wrote: »

dark when I got in so I haven't looked. Apparently some lead cover is missing that's present on other houses in the row.

The question asked by the solicitor was if they were aware of any damp in the property. If they covered it up that should be a yes - you can't conveniently forget something like that.

You sure the lead cover isnt lead flashing, im struggling to see where all the rot in the wood is?

Im thinking that basically they have had a issue with damp pentrating due to the flashing missing, i suspect the issue is not as big as what your builder is saying...

lincroft1710

if they were aware of any damp in the property

If I was asked that question I'd automatically assume it referred to rising damp which you don't appear to have.

I'd also echo final 2 paras of googler's post (#19)

daniel0408

There really is nothing wrong with our builder - it's not a random we've picked up from an ad.

Apparently in lieu of lead whatever it is some sand and cement was used which has cracked. The result is that water has come in - the wood that's above the brick work is badly rotten. Aside from the rotten wood which is pretty obvious and really bad it's some guess work at this stage.

I don't expect people to tell me what I want to hear - I asked for opinions on two things but people have jumped on one thing to tell me I'm wrong. I have no problem with harsh criticism but please be expansive and at least consider both points.

I don't know how major it is but I'm naturally concerned - it's the bedroom for my 15 month old daughter and we're already spending all the money we have left on redecorating. If the issue is right across the back of the house it's obviously quite serious to get at and replace everything. If it costs a grand to fix I can live with it but if there's something that's going to cost thousands and thousands then I have to consider what the vendors should have known or the surveyor potentially should have spotted because I don't have that sort of money and can't raise it.

daniel0408

On the subject of homebuyers reports I had one done when I bought my last place - it was a waste of money and came up with a load of nonsense that wasted our time raising pointless queries to the vendors

Fire_Fox

The damp problem needs sorting more than you need to redecorate! I am an advocate of a full structural from a personally recommended surveyor; a good one will spend half a day in the place, produce pages of detailed information including photographs and costings. A full structural survey is backed by the surveyors insurance policy.

new_home_owner_3

If your looking for people to say yes you will be able to get the vendors to pay for it, im afraid it just isnt going to happen, you should have had it checked out before you bought the property.

If you ask for peoples advice and they point out to you that it could be very pricy to take them to court and your more than likely to lose a lot of money and then have to pay out for repairs.

Just get a price for the work and take it from there, its a shame but these things happen, if you come into a forum and people dont tell you what you want to hear, why ask them?