HELP-Surveyors report is bad news - how to negotiate house price?

dougk_2

I have never yet seen a report that doesn't say the flat room needs replacing either now or within 5 years....surveyors reports always say they need replacing every 5 to 10 years - in Practice many last much longer than this and there are alternatives to "roofing felt" that last in excess of 25 years.

As flea72 has said the elctrics are a bit of a red herring - they may not meet the installation requirements of today but with little or no work they could be safe. Consumer units themsleves are not expensive to have replaced (should think under £250)and this is probably the best thing to do first.

Central heating boilers /systems all have a limited life anyway and a 10 year old boiler may actually cause more trouble than a 25 year old one!

The roof side of things I would just keep an eye on and monitor - it could last you years and years before having any problems and if possible just put the money aside you would have spent on it now for a future date.....If it aint't broke don't fix it!

margaret_3

Two things that stand out! There is a wee baby here, so the electrics HAVE to be attended to.
Secondly, it is not 'routine maintainence' according to the surveyor. A lot of the work will HAVE to be done, especially for mortgage purposes. Why should the buyers pay a substancial amount even if some of the work is not to be carried out immediately. They will have to pay eventually.
I think they are being more than fair with their offer. More experienced buyers would not be as generous as malteser, who should not jump into this purchase.
If it's meant for you, it will not go by you!
Incidentally, I wasn't being impatient. This is a fascinating thread!

frugal_dougal_3

dougk wrote:

I have never yet seen a report that doesn't say the flat room needs replacing either now or within 5 years

Nor have I !!!!!!!!!

dougk_2

Margaret

I think the point is surveyors from my experience always make everything sound worse than it is! They are basically covering their backsides so put every small thing down.
I learnt the best way is to get professional tradesmen in to look the place over and provide prices - after all they know their indvidual areas of expertise far better than a jack of all trades - A surveyor cannot have a detailed knowledge of evry trade (plumbing, heating, electrics, roofs, windows, general building work etc).

The electrics could possibly be , with some exceptions, as safe as a new system (they use old style fuses rather than the modern breakers). The key is to get a "recommended" electrician to check it out.... pref. more than one so you can see if they are trying to do more work than required. Only then will you really know.

Malteaser, have you been sent a copy of the mortgage valuation - this often indicates what is essential and what isn't! On the valuation the surveyor will only put down what needs to be done urgently or more importantly.

margaret_3

Thanks Doug.
What I meant about the electrics is that the socket will be down at floor level in an old system and that is dangerous where children are concerned.
I think malteser did get professionals in.
Margaret

malteser

hi again,

we haven't actually had quotes from tradespeople yet, but after speaking to the estate agents today that is the next logical step. The agents are going to organise tradespeople to go round to the house and actually give an estimate of each piece of work. I guess and fingers crossed it may be less than what we think and less than what the surveyor has indicated. Although even the estate agent thinks the surveyors estimates are pretty fair.

Putting together a letter with our thoughts and a new asking price has been a valuable exercise, whilst the letter won't be sent out until the quotes come in we now at least know what price we are prepared to pay for the house and what price we will have to walk away at.

This is the detail on the electrics:

"The electric installation appears to be approximately 30 years old, with two newer circuits.

The consumer unit is located in the cupboard under the stairs, and is an old re wireable fuse type. This should be replaced with a more modern R.C.D. type unit for greater protection.

The following points were noted with the electric system:-

• Many cables are loose laid and unfixed.

• There is a lack of earth bonding to pipework within the bathroom area, and kitchen.

• There are cables joined with insulation tape, and exposed wires at junction boxes – This is a fire risk.

• There are junction boxes used, rather than running cables back to the consumer unit.

• There are old fittings such as ‘Bakerlite’ switches.

• There is an inadequacy of socket provision for modern standards.

No tests were carried out on the electrical system for continuity, resistance or loading.

As the installation is old and dated and does not comply to best practice, I would recommend that the installation is completely re wired, and all old fittings replaced. I would recommend the replacement of the consumer unit with an r.c.d. type protection unit."

Details of heating :

The gas meter to the property is located under the staircase.

There is a gas central heating and hot water system with a floor mounted balanced flue system boiler located in the kitchen. The boiler is estimated to be between 15 – 20 years old. This is near the end of the expected economic life of such a boiler, and replacement is likely to be required within 2-3 years.

The timer clock is located adjacent to the boiler, and is old and dated.

There are no thermostatic radiator valves on radiators. The thermostat appeared to be loose, and turned up to full (30o) although this temperature was not being achieved.

The heating system and hot water system were functioning at the time of inspection.

Corrosion was noted in the cold feed/ expansion tank, indicating corrosion within the radiators.

A corrosion inhibitor, such as ‘Fernox’ should be added to the cold feed tank ( the small one) in the loft, to reduce corrosion build up and firring of the pipes.

The radiators are old and likely to be not functioning to optimum efficiency.

I would recommend the replacement of the boiler and radiators, and provision of thermostatic radiator valves. The main thermostat should be relocated to the hall.

The agents rekon it will be about a week to arrange and collate all the quotes, i'm thinking of getting a few done myself just by ringing around but maybe i'm duplicating effort, i don't know.

m.

margaret_3

Definitely get a few done yourself. Remember, as someone pointed out, the agent is working for the seller not for you. That way you can compare what they come up with.
Your letter to the sellers may have to be amended when you know exactly what you're dealing with.
Margaret

malteser

hiya
yes hopefully i get to amend the letter, the cheaper it all costs the better and less to fight for but its dragging on and on and on. Our offer was accepted in October!
m

frugal_dougal_3

Hi Malteser,

Everything you have listed in your recent post regarding the electrics and plumbing and heating is to be expected in a house of that age, and I suspect some of it has been DIY bodge ups by the sound of it.

From what you say it also seems that the sellers are cooperating with the many enquiries you are having to make and allowing entry to tradespeople for doing estimates. This is a good sign and shows that they are accepting that the house has faults which need to be rectified.

I am rooting for you and hope you get it at a good price, but if you don't can I have it ?
(only joking)

robby-01

had a house that I was selling and lost the sale 3 times as a result of surveyors reports.The first guy who surveyed it said that a single brick extension did not comply to current building regs (the house was 95 yrs old)and should be knocked down and rebuilt.What threw him was the fact that the said extension had been replastered and rendered outside.The purchaser walked away.I wrote to the surveyor told him he was wrong and asked him to reconsider his report.He refused .Second surveyor didnt seem to notice that the extension was single skin .Infact he didnt notice anything that the first surveyor did, he did say that the roof was faulty and required "substantial repairs".Two seperate roofing contractors disputed this and said it needed only minor repairs.He also said that the dpc had failed as there was a patch of damp below downstairs front window.This patch of damp was ignored by surveyor number 1 who was to busy in the extension to notice it.The damp turned out to be as a result of an incorrectly fitted gutter which allowed water to get into cavity a simple repair and nothing to do with a failed dpc.The list went on he even said that the decor was sparce .(since when has that come into it).Again the purchaser walked away.THE 3rd surveyor chopped down a small rain forest to type up his report I dont know what he found as the third potential buyer would not let me see it unless I paid him for it.He demanded a reduction of 5k based on a report he wouldnt let me see.I told him to go away.I then removed this house from the market repaired the damp area and refixed the gutter correctly a total cost of about 150 pounds .I then remarketed the house with another agent upped the asking price by 9 grand and sold it first viewing(it was a nice house).The thinking behind the price hike was that I could reduce to the original price to cover whatever surveyor number 4 turned up.He found nothing wrong at all and valued the house at the full asking price and the purchaser bought it with a 95 % mortgage.
If you want that house. Buy it. Get a reduction that reflects the work required and buy it .If you dont do that you can bet that they will put it back on the market at a reduced price and someone else will.