Sagging / Dipping Floor

jumperfrog

Hi Guys, i hope you can offer some advice. We are interested in buying this property:

imageshack.us/photo/my-images/840/75143509.jpg


It's a 17th/18th century cottage that does need some work doing to it.

My main concern is one of the upstairs bedrooms where the floor (floorboards) dip / sag by at least 3-4" over an area of about 1m sq. The ceiling downstairs seems fine. Directly above this dip is the dorma type window which has the surrounding plaster feeling very blown and hollow. The roof from the outside seems fine but the plaster and the floor suggests a leak. - Am i along the right lines or could it be something more sinister?:eek:

Any thoughts and advice would be welcome.

Many thanks

maninthestreet

Have you had the house surveyed yet by a surveyor who knows about 200+ year-old houses???

jumperfrog

No, not as yet - although we definately will should we go ahead. At this moment in time i'm wondering about the possibilities.

Hintza

Can you get a floor board up to take a look?

Having said that when we knocked the cottage down I intended saving the boards, but I gave that idea up very quickly ........nightmare to get them up in one piece.

27col

The whole point of getting a survey done, is to enable you to make a sensible decision as to whether you go ahead or not. It is pointless making the decision to go ahead and then getting a survey done. If you do it that way round, you can end up buying a pig in a poke.

jumperfrog

27col wrote: »

The whole point of getting a survey done, is to enable you to make a sensible decision as to whether you go ahead or not. It is pointless making the decision to go ahead and then getting a survey done. If you do it that way round, you can end up buying a pig in a poke.

My thinking on this is there's no point of putting an offer in OR getting a survey done unless you are going to go through with a purchase as it's a waste of money and time for all involved.

I'm just trying to do some homework that may influence a go ahead on a survey or offer. If it's something major structural then it's a no go for me......

jumperfrog

Hintza wrote: »

Can you get a floor board up to take a look?

Having said that when we knocked the cottage down I intended saving the boards, but I gave that idea up very quickly ........nightmare to get them up in one piece.

Don't think the vendor would be in agreement.

I'm hoping it's just the joists that need sistering and nothing else majorerer (not a real word!)

27col

Sorry, but you do not seem to have grasped the idea of the purpose of a survey. Agreed, the money spent on a survey can be said to have been wasted if you then decide not to go ahead. At the same time, the money you have spent has saved you from making a possibly calamitous and possibly expensive mistake. Still, it's your money, you do what you want.

muskoka

Looks lovely!

mrputney08

Yes, as the prev. poster has said I would be inclined to make an offer subject to survey.
That way, if anything is picked up that might cost a lot of £'s this could be negotiated and knocked off the asking price.

I did this with a property and managed to argue a considerable amount off before settling on the final price.

27col

Yes, subject to survey is the way to go. I must admit that I forgot that that option was available when I originally posted on this thread.