Homebuyers Report Issues- Next Steps?

Doggy_B

Hi, we are FTB who are buying an end of terrace house built around 1900, and have just had the homebuyers report through. A lot of the report is graded 2- adequate, which is to be expected on a house of this age, but there are several things graded at 3 which "require urgent attention":

-the lead flashing between the southern parapet and the roof has come away from wall and should be repaired. "Due to potential access problems, could be costly"

-possible asbestos in garage roof and textured ceilings, and asbestos cement gutters and downpipes

-damp has been found in the south-east corner of lounge due to lack of effective damp course. "Could be costly"

-poor quality of sub-floor ventilation. High damp meter readings recorded in some areas. "More detailed floor structure examination needed. Could be costly."

-air circulation beneath suspended ground floor as not enough ventilation openings in external walls. Sub-floor ventilation needs to be improved.

-some wood boring insect infestation. Could be old, guarantees needed on work

-gas and electric need professional testing


My question is that as FTB, we are feeling that this part of the process has left us on our own and we're not sure who can advise us on what our next steps should be and how to go about them. I would just like to know if my thoughts below are agreed with by people.

From reading other threads, I have found an independent surveyor through PCA who could check all of the damp/ventilation and wood issues for a couple of hundred pounds. I could no doubt do the same regarding the roof issue.

Do I commission these myself, and liaise with the EA for access by the surveyor? If all the issues are to be looked at, it will prove expensive if different people are needed.
Should I share with the EA the specific concerns immediately or keep them under my hat?
Should I show the EA the report if they ask (the valuation said our agreed price was "reasonable provided you are prepared to accept the cost and inconvenience of the various repairs reported")- would this affect any possible renegotiation?
Are these issues as serious as they sound and is there anything else we need to consider?
With quite a few grade 2 problems too (eg loose chimney pot, bad guttering, old boiler/water tank etc) is this house going to be more trouble than it's worth?


Thank you in advance for any answers, because we aren't at all sure of our position, and if the problems contained in this report are "normal" for a house of this age, and whether alarm bells should be ringing in our heads.

evoke

If the 'additional inspections' show that things are very bad then you will have lost a great deal of money.

I'd walk away. Water/damp/air circulation problems are big problems to sort out as there could be a lot of damage to correct.

Jeffrey_Shaw

OR get quotations re the remedial costs and negotiate the price down commensurately.

Doggy_B

My initial reaction was to get quotes as Jeffrey suggested and renegotiate. But free quotes will of course no doubt be from a comapny with a vested interest, and may not be considered by the vendor. Independent quotes cost money. We really like the house and don't really want to walk away, but are scared about buying somewhere that could become a nightmare.

KRB2725

I know not a lot but I thought inadequate sub floor ventilation was a very common survey finding in older properties? I thought the remedy was to add extra air bricks which shouldn't be too expensive?

Again, asbestos was commonly used in artex ceilings, it can be skimmed over I believe or you can choose to have it tested.

Nothing you have written would scare me off of a property I liked. Would get a quote for the flashing and try to negotiate the price for that with the vendors.

Gas & electric clauses are standard.

Doggy_B

emmatthews wrote: »

I know not a lot but I thought inadequate sub floor ventilation was a very common survey finding in older properties? I thought the remedy was to add extra air bricks which shouldn't be too expensive?

Again, asbestos was commonly used in artex ceilings, it can be skimmed over I believe or you can choose to have it tested.

Nothing you have written would scare me off of a property I liked. Would get a quote for the flashing and try to negotiate the price for that with the vendors.

Gas & electric clauses are standard.

I guess one of the reasons we are feeling a little lost is because of our total inexpertise over any issues with buildings (eg what is normal for a house of this age/what should be ringing alarm bells, and what likely costs of each problem are to sort out)

KRB2725

Doggy_B wrote: »

I guess one of the reasons we are feeling a little lost is because of our total inexpertise over any issues with buildings (eg what is normal for a house of this age/what should be ringing alarm bells, and what likely costs of each problem are to sort out)

I totally understand & I didn't mean my post to read as though you should know, so apologies if it did.

I'm sure someone in the know will post some good advice later!

DannyboyMidlands

Why not just buy a house that doesn't have all these issues? There are literally millions of houses in the country.

Doggy_B

emmatthews wrote: »

I totally understand & I didn't mean my post to read as though you should know, so apologies if it did.

I'm sure someone in the know will post some good advice later!

No offence taken at all

I'm just re-reading through the report, and another question that is in my mind is should I be concerned/looking to renegotiate just on problems graded 3 (urgent) by the surveyor, eg should the problems graded 2 just be taken as normal wear and tear for a property of this age and therefore not taken as possible reasons for renegotiation? The report contains an awful lot of minor defects and I'm not sure whether they are relevant or should be discarded, and expected in an old property.

Doggy_B

DannyboyMidlands wrote: »

Why not just buy a house that doesn't have all these issues? There are literally millions of houses in the country.

Because we don't want to live just anywhere in the country, and we have been looking for six months to find a property right for us before finding this one. My wife is two months pregnant and we don't really fancy starting all over again and end up living in a small one bedroom flat (where we are now) with a baby.

GAH

I would get some quotes from qualified professionals to look at price things up for you. Everything can be fixed for a price.

Get a Damp proofing company out & Someone who specialises in Asbestos.

You can then take your next step by;

Potentially re-negotationing
or
Realising things aren't going to cost as much as thought

Then you can either carry on with purchase or walk away.